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Folks paying for more than one airline ticket could save hundreds of dollars booking through Citi ThankYou Portal.
Sometimes airlines only have 1 ticket available at a certain price. This means the 2nd passenger on your trip might have to pay more.
But, there’s a secret way to book so the 1st and 2nd passenger get the same price!
My friend used this secret to book 2 JetBlue Mint (Business Class) tickets and saved $300!
I’ll explain how you can take advantage of this trick!
Find Limited Available Seats on Flights
Link: Google Flights
Link: JetBlue
Link: Search for Cheap Airfare Like a Pro
This secret might work on many airlines. I’ll use JetBlue as an example because my friend had success with this booking method.
First, you’ll want to find the cheapest paid flight for 1 passenger. You can search directly on the airline’s website or by using ITA Matrix or Google Flights.
For example, I searched JetBlue for a one-way flight from New York (JFK) to Los Angeles for 1 adult.
The results show only 1 coach seat available for $318.
When I do the same search for 2 adults, the price for both passengers goes up to $380 per person.
Because there’s only 1 seat available at the cheaper price, you could book separate flights through JetBlue. The first passenger’s ticket would be $318 and the second passenger’s for $380.
Wouldn’t it be nice to get both tickets for $318?
Book First Ticket Through Citi ThankYou Portal
Link: Citi Prestige® Card
To get 2 tickets for the cheaper amount, you’ll need to book the 1st ticket through the Citi ThankYou Portal. I’ll explain why in a minute.
For access to the ThankYou Portal, you’ll need a Citi credit card like the Citi Prestige. Or you can get access with an eligible Citi checking account.
Using the Citi ThankYou Portal, I searched the same JetBlue flight from New York (JFK) to Los Angeles for 1 adult.
The results are the same. One seat available for ~$318.
You can pay for this $318 flight with a credit card. Or, if you have Citi ThankYou points, you can apply them toward the flight cost. You’ll get a rate of 1.33 cents per point if you have the Citi Prestige through July 23, 2017, or 1.25 cents per point if you have a Citi ThankYou Premier.
After paying, you’ll get a confirmation with your flight reservation information.
Now, you’ll have to act quickly to book the 2nd passenger’s flight for the same price.
Book the 2nd Ticket Directly on the Airline’s Website
Here’s the secret.
There’s a delay between the time you book the 1st flight through Citi ThankYou Portal and updates to JetBlue’s available seats.
This means after you book the 1st flight, you can quickly go to JetBlue and find 1 seat available for the price of the 1st ticket.
Citi ThankYou Portal and JetBlue initially showed only 1 seat available for $318. But, after booking 1 ticket through the ThankYou Portal, JetBlue still shows 1 available seat at the same price.
Go ahead and book the 2nd ticket on JetBlue and you’ll have both tickets for $318!
Risks to This Booking Method
Like anything in the miles and points hobby, nothing is guaranteed or lasts forever.
While this trick works with JetBlue, it may or may not work on other airlines.
If you decide to book paid airfare this way, consider the following:
- You may end up paying a higher amount for the 2nd passenger if the airline’s system updates after your Citi ThankYou Portal booking
- You’ll have separate reservation confirmations for each passenger
- One seat available at a certain price might mean it’s the last seat available at any price on the flight
Bottom Line
There’s a secret way to book paid airfare for multiple passengers to save money. If there’s only one cheap seat available according the airline site, you can book it through Citi ThankYou Portal. Then quickly book the next ticket at the same price directly on the airline’s website before it updates.
This method might not be for everyone. But, it could potentially work on many airlines and save you hundreds of dollars.
If you’ve booked airfare this way, I’d love to hear about your experience!