Can I book the same flight as someone else?

Yes. Any seat still for sale on that flight can be bought by anyone. You need the airline, flight number and departure date, then book the same flight in a separate reservation. Your fare may differ from theirs because prices change over time.

How do I know which flight someone is on?

Ask for a screenshot of their confirmation. The airline code and flight number (for example DL 264 or UA 918), the departure date and the two airport codes are all you need. Ignore their name and booking reference — you cannot and should not use those.

Can we sit together if we booked separately?

Usually yes, but it is not automatic. Call the airline and ask them to link or cross-reference the two reservations, then pick adjacent seats on the seat map. If seats are not assignable in advance, ask at check-in or at the gate.

Can I book a flight for someone else?

Yes. Airlines let you buy a ticket in another person's name — you just enter their full name exactly as it appears on their passport or ID, plus their date of birth. The payment card does not need to match the passenger.

How to book the same Southwest flight as someone else

Southwest works differently from the other US carriers, but the first step is the same: match the flight number (WN plus digits), route and date from their confirmation, then book your own ticket. The important difference is that Southwest fares are not sold on Google Flights, Expedia or most third-party sites — you have to search on southwest.com directly.

Finding the flight

Take the flight number, route and date from their confirmation screenshot.
Search that route and date on southwest.com. Every Southwest flight on the day is listed with its number in the results.
Match the departure time and the flight number. Southwest itineraries often show two numbers because many of its routes connect or involve a plane change — check whether theirs is nonstop, direct (same plane, one stop) or connecting.
Book. Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime and Business Select are all fully changeable.

Southwest specifics

Seating. Southwest has moved from open seating to assigned seating, so you now pick a seat like on any other airline. If you are on two separate bookings, choose adjacent seats yourself on the seat map as soon as both tickets exist, rather than relying on the airline to put you together.
No change fees, ever. Southwest does not charge change fees on any fare. If the fare goes down you keep the difference as travel credit, and if you booked the wrong flight you can move to theirs by paying only the fare difference. That makes Southwest the most forgiving airline to match someone on.
Same-day change. Because there are no change fees, a same-day switch onto their flight costs only any fare difference, subject to seats being available.
Bags. Southwest's baggage allowance has changed in recent years — check the current policy on your fare rather than assuming, especially if your travel companion booked under older terms.
Cancelling. A cancelled Wanna Get Away fare becomes travel credit, not a refund, so cancel deliberately.

Pitfalls

Because Southwest is missing from most comparison sites, people often conclude the flight does not exist. It does — search southwest.com. And as with every airline, the fare you pay now will not match what they paid earlier. For the general method, see how to book the same flight as someone else.

The faster way

SameFly does the matching for you: drop in a screenshot of their confirmation and it reads the airline, flight number, route and date, then sends you straight to that exact flight. It is free, no account is needed, and the image is never stored.

Drop a screenshot of your flight confirmation

Drag & drop, click to browse, or paste with ⌘/Ctrl + V

PNG, JPG or PDF

Common questions

Can I book the same flight as someone else?: Yes. Any seat still for sale on that flight can be bought by anyone. You need the airline, flight number and departure date, then book the same flight in a separate reservation. Your fare may differ from theirs because prices change over time.
How do I know which flight someone is on?: Ask for a screenshot of their confirmation. The airline code and flight number (for example DL 264 or UA 918), the departure date and the two airport codes are all you need. Ignore their name and booking reference — you cannot and should not use those.
Can we sit together if we booked separately?: Usually yes, but it is not automatic. Call the airline and ask them to link or cross-reference the two reservations, then pick adjacent seats on the seat map. If seats are not assignable in advance, ask at check-in or at the gate.
Can I book a flight for someone else?: Yes. Airlines let you buy a ticket in another person's name — you just enter their full name exactly as it appears on their passport or ID, plus their date of birth. The payment card does not need to match the passenger.