Booking travel for someone else can be both exciting and overwhelming. Whether it’s arranging flights for your parents to visit you abroad or organizing a colleague’s itinerary for an important business trip, a lot goes into ensuring that every detail lines up.
This guide will give you all the information you need when booking travel for someone else, from understanding their preferences to managing payments and sharing itineraries. We’ll also highlight how Remitly makes overseas payments easier. By the end, you’ll have a clear, step-by-step plan to ensure stress-free travel for both you and the traveler.
A 5-step guide to planning trips for someone else
There are a lot of moving parts to keep track of when you’re booking travel for someone else, so it helps to have a clear plan for what you need to do. To make your life a little easier, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide you can follow whenever you book travel for others.
1. Know what you’re booking and when
Clear communication from the start is key. Ask the traveler about their preferred travel dates, transportation, and comfort levels.
For example, if your parents have retired abroad in Italy and you live in Switzerland, they may prefer to travel by train when they come to visit you. But if you were booking for a manager, they might expect a quick flight.
When possible, ask for a date range instead of fixed dates. For example, parents visiting you over Christmas could arrive any time from December 19 to 21 and leave between December 26 and 28.
Get a good idea of accommodation preferences and special needs, such as dietary restrictions. Asking thoughtful questions early helps to make the trip booking process much smoother—plus, it will make the travelers feel well taken care of.
2. Gather the necessary documents
Nothing can derail a trip faster than getting to the airport only to realize that your passport has expired or you need a visa to enter the destination country.
Confirm that the traveler has:
- A valid passport or government-issued ID
- Entry visa (if required)
- Travel insurance documents
- Vaccination certificates and other health documents
In some cases, the person booking the trip might also need to provide documents. For example, if your parents are applying for a tourist visa, the embassy might request a letter of invitation and a copy of your residence permit.
Store digital copies of all documents in a secure cloud folder. This makes it easier to reprint or access documents if something is misplaced. Still, remind the traveler to carry hard copies too.
3. Get ready to book
Ideally, this stage starts a few months before the trip. That way, you can keep an eye on fares, set a realistic budget, and hopefully nab a good deal.
Before making any bookings, clarify who’s paying and how:
- Are you covering all or part of the costs as a gift?
- Will the traveler(s) share their credit card details for you to use?
- Or will they reimburse you later?
If they’re planning on reimbursing you, Remitly makes it easy to send or receive funds securely across borders. Alternatively, you might use a mobile wallet or bank payment.
Whichever route you take, be sure to only use trusted platforms and secure payment portals. Stick to reputable airline, travel agency, and accommodation sites and double-check that the payment page is encrypted (look for “https” and the padlock symbol).
Payment scams are quite common in travel bookings. Some fake sites advertise huge discounts on flights or hotels but never deliver the tickets. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.
4. Save your confirmations
Booking the trip is only half the job—keeping everything organized is just as important. Flight itineraries, hotel reservations, and other booking confirmations can easily get lost in inboxes. Scrambling to find them at the last minute only adds stress for you and the traveler.
Share all details beforehand to avoid confusion. For example, if your brother’s flight includes a layover, highlight the connection time and transit country in his itinerary. That way, he’ll know exactly what to expect.
Fortunately, there are plenty of tools that make this easier. Apps like TripIt can pull travel details from your email and create a master itinerary. If you prefer a more hands-on approach, Google Sheets and Google Drive work just as well.
As with the official documents, store digital versions and ask the traveler to carry printed confirmations. Most airlines and hotels will accept mobile barcodes, but a paper copy can be a lifesaver if the traveler loses signal or their phone battery dies in transit.
5. Prepare for arrival
Arrival plans matter, whether you’re welcoming family or handling arrangements in a professional role.
For loved ones, consider comfort and convenience. If your parents are traveling with heavy luggage, public transport may not be the best option. Arrange a pickup or make sure they know the plan in advance. After a long journey, knowing that they can switch off after a day of traveling will likely be a welcome relief.
For colleagues or clients, expectations can be different. A manager flying in for meetings may expect a car service or pre-booked transfer. Organizing this ahead of time ensures a smooth, professional arrival.
More trip booking tips
Even with the essentials covered, there are still a few tricks that can make the process smoother. In this section, we’ll share some trip booking tips to help you stay on top of things before, during, and after the trip.
Anticipate and plan for emergencies
Even the most carefully planned trip can hit some snags. Flights get delayed, hotels overbook rooms, and luggage goes missing. Whether you’re booking for loved ones or in a professional capacity, it helps to think ahead.
- Share your contact details with the traveler.
- Encourage them to get a travel eSIM so they can reach you wherever they are.
- Keep a backup plan in mind for common issues like missed connections or canceled flights.
A little preparation can turn potential chaos into a manageable inconvenience.
Respect privacy and preferences
You’ll likely be handling sensitive information when you book a trip for someone else. From passport numbers to payment details and even frequent flyer account logins, it’s essential to safeguard this data.
- Store it securely, avoid sharing it over unsecured channels (like text messages), and delete it once the booking is complete unless the traveler asks you to keep it on file. This not only prevents the potential misuse of the traveler’s personal information, but it also helps you to build trust. Plus, there are also data privacy laws in effect in most places that make this a legal requirement.
- Read cancellation policies and consider travel insurance
- Before you finalize any booking, check the cancellation and amendment policies carefully. Airlines, hotels, and rental companies often have strict rules.
- In some cases, it might be a good idea to book flexible fares. They may cost a little more initially, but they can offer peace of mind when you’re arranging travel for someone else.
- It’s also worth taking out travel insurance. This can help cover unexpected costs from delays and disruptions, medical emergencies, or lost luggage.
Factor in time zones and jet lag
A flight that looks convenient in your time zone may be far less practical for the traveler. Think about the journey from their perspective. For example, a 10 a.m. arrival in Thailand might seem perfect on paper, but it might feel like a 3 a.m. arrival for parents flying from Europe.
When possible, build in some jet lag recovery time. Scheduling an evening arrival might allow travelers to get straight into bed and wake up feeling refreshed.
Use loyalty and rewards programs
Don’t overlook frequent flyer and hotel rewards programs. Adding a traveler’s membership number is quick and can offer valuable perks:
- Priority boarding or free checked bags
- Late hotel checkout or room upgrades
- Points earned for future travel
These small details can make the journey more comfortable without extra cost.
Booking travel for someone else is easy when you have a clear process to follow. From confirming preferences to gathering documents and arranging arrival logistics, the steps we’ve covered can help turn a trip into a stress-free experience.
Whether you’re booking a trip for family, friends, or colleagues, remember that the smallest details often make the biggest difference. Keep communication open, double-check before you click “book,” and plan for the unexpected. Do this, and the travelers you’re helping will be saying “thank you” in every language they know.
FAQs
Do I need written authorization to book travel for someone else?
It depends on the destination and traveler. For example, if a minor is traveling alone or without one parent, some countries require a notarized letter of consent from the other parent. It’s best to check with an embassy or the airline you’re booking with to confirm these requirements.
Can I use someone else’s credit card for bookings?
Yes, but some airlines and hotels require the cardholder to be present at check-in, and they may request identification or signed authorization from the person whose name is on the card.
How can I avoid errors when booking for someone else?
Keep communication clear and confirm all details before booking. Be sure that you have the correct spellings of names, travel document numbers, travel dates, and other details on hand.
Who do I contact if there’s an issue during the trip?
Start with the airline, hotel, or booking platform directly, as they can usually resolve problems fastest. If it’s an emergency, the traveler should also have your contact details and the details of the nearest embassy or consulate.