How to book a flight ticket for someone else in India (2026)
By Vihaan Patel (Vihaan Patel covers the intersection of travel and digital payments — Indian OTAs, airline-direct booking flows, UPI vs credit-card surcharges, RBI tokenisation rules and the booking-funnel mechanics that quietly cost (or save) you money.) · Published · 9 min read
Booking a flight for someone else in India is completely normal and works fine on every major OTA and airline website. The key: enter the traveller's details (not yours), get a copy of the e-ticket to the traveller, and make sure the passenger carries valid ID matching the name on the ticket.
TL;DR
To book a flight for someone else in India: use any OTA or airline website as normal, but enter the traveller's name and ID details in the passenger fields — not yours. Your contact information and payment details go in their respective sections. Forward the e-ticket to the traveller; they must carry a government ID matching the name on the ticket at the airport. That is it.
Is it allowed to book a flight for someone else in India?
Yes, fully allowed. Airlines and OTAs in India make no restriction on who pays for a booking versus who travels. This is how corporate travel desks, travel agents, and parents booking for children have always worked. The person who pays does not need to be the passenger, and there is no requirement for any relationship between the payer and the traveller.
The only firm rule: the passenger name on the ticket must match a valid government-issued photo ID that the traveller carries to the airport. The payment method belongs to the payer — that is irrelevant to airport check-in.
How to do it on an OTA (MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip, Goibibo, etc.)
The flow is the same as booking for yourself, with one important change in step 3:
- Search for the flight as normal — your departure city, destination, date, and the number of passengers travelling.
- Select your flight and fare.
- On the passenger details screen: enter the traveller's details — their first name, last name (exactly as on their ID), date of birth, and for international trips, their passport number and expiry date. Do not enter your own name here by mistake; this is the field that gets checked at the airport.
- In the contact details section, you can enter your own mobile number and email address — or the traveller's, depending on who you want to receive updates and the e-ticket. I usually enter my own email to confirm the booking, then forward the e-ticket to the traveller separately.
- On the payment screen, pay however you like — your credit card, UPI, net banking. It does not matter whose name is on the payment method.
After booking, forward the e-ticket PDF (or the screenshot of the booking confirmation) to the traveller immediately. Tell them to keep the PNR number handy too — they will need it for web check-in.
Booking for a child travelling alone (unaccompanied minor)
If you are booking for a child under 12 travelling without an adult, this is a separate category on most airlines: Unaccompanied Minor (UM) service. This is not a standard online booking — it typically requires contacting the airline's customer care to register the child as a UM passenger, fill out specific forms, and arrange for airport escort at both origin and destination.
IndiGo and Air India both offer UM service for children between 5 and 12. Children under 5 generally cannot travel alone. There is a fee for UM service — typically ₹1,500–₹3,500 per sector — and the airline takes over responsibility for the child from check-in to arrival.
If the child is 12 or older (and the airline treats them as an adult passenger), a normal booking works fine. Some airlines set the threshold at 12, some at 14 — verify with the specific carrier before booking.
Booking for a parent or older relative
This is one of the most common scenarios in India — adult children booking flights for their parents. The process is straightforward but a few points are worth calling out:
- ID at the airport: your parent will need their Aadhaar, voter ID, or passport at check-in. Make sure the name entered during booking matches whichever ID they are planning to carry. Some older Aadhaar cards have names in slightly different formats — compare before booking.
- Senior citizen discount: Air India offers a genuine senior citizen discount (typically 50% off base fare) for passengers aged 60+. This discount is available on the Air India website and at the airport counter. It is not always surfaced on OTAs — book airline-direct if you want to claim it. IndiGo discontinued their senior discount several years ago.
- Assistance requests: if your parent needs wheelchair assistance or extra help at the airport, you can add a special service request (SSR) at the time of booking or by calling the airline after booking. Do not leave this to the day of travel.
- Communicate the trip details clearly: send them the e-ticket, the terminal number, the departure time with enough buffer, and your contact number in case they need to call from the airport. A screenshot of the itinerary in WhatsApp is often more useful than a PDF for older passengers.
Booking on behalf of an employee or business traveller
If you are booking for a team member or colleague, the same principles apply — enter their details, not yours. A few extra considerations for corporate bookings:
- GST invoice: if your company needs to claim GST input credit, ensure the OTA or airline generates a GST invoice with your company's GSTIN. On most OTAs this is available under 'Business Travel' or 'Manage Booking' after payment. Some OTAs have dedicated business accounts (MakeMyTrip Business, EaseMyTrip Corporate) that handle this more smoothly.
- Flexible fares for business travel: for employee trips where the meeting date might shift, always book a flexible or changeable fare. The cost of a non-refundable ticket wasted because a client cancelled is usually more than the fare premium.
- Refunds go to the payer: if the employee cancels and needs a refund, the refund will come back to the original payment method — your company card or account, not the employee's. Make sure the employee knows the refund process.
What about refunds and cancellations when you book for someone else?
Refund policy is based on the fare rules, not on who booked. If the booking is refundable, the refund goes to the original payment method — which in this case is yours (or your company's). The passenger cannot directly claim a refund to their own account if you paid for the booking.
If the traveller needs to cancel or change the booking themselves, they can do so via the OTA app or airline website using the PNR and the email address registered on the booking. If you used your email, they will need your help to access the booking — worth coordinating in advance if there is any chance of a change.
Fares and fees change — check the live price before you book at FlightGPT. Related articles: step-by-step flight booking guide, what to check before paying, and common flight booking mistakes to avoid.
Frequently asked questions
Can I book a flight for someone else using my credit card in India?
Yes, absolutely. The payment method belongs to the payer and has no bearing on who travels. Enter the traveller's name and ID details in the passenger section, and use your own credit card in the payment section. This is standard practice for parents booking for children, employers booking for employees, and anyone booking on behalf of a family member.
What ID does the traveller need at the airport if someone else booked their ticket?
The traveller needs their own valid government photo ID — Aadhaar, PAN, voter ID, or passport — matching the name on the ticket. The payer does not need to be present, and the payment card does not need to be shown at the airport. Only the traveller's ID matters at check-in.
Will the e-ticket be sent to the payer or the traveller?
The e-ticket goes to the email address entered in the contact/billing section of the booking form. If you entered your own email (as the payer), you will receive it and must forward it to the traveller. If you entered the traveller's email, it goes directly to them. Most OTAs allow separate 'billing email' and 'traveller email' fields — use them if available.
Can I get a senior citizen discount when booking Air India for a parent?
Yes. Air India's senior citizen discount (for passengers aged 60+) is available on their website when you select the passenger type as 'Senior'. The discount applies to the base fare and can be substantial on full-service domestic routes. It may not appear on OTA searches, so book Air India directly if you want the senior rate.
Can I add frequent flyer miles to the traveller's account when booking for them?
Yes. During the booking process (on the airline's website or most OTAs), there is a field to enter the frequent flyer number. Enter the traveller's loyalty programme number — not yours — so they earn the miles for their trip. If you forget to add it at booking, the traveller can add it retroactively via the airline's website within a few weeks of the flight.