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How Airline Employees and Their Families Fly Free

If you know somebody who works for an airline, you've probably heard them talking about their flight benefits. One of the perks of working for an airline is "free" travel to anywhere that carrier or its partners fly, but there are plenty of conditions.

Traveling for Free as an Airline Employee

The most important point to clear up is that airline employees do pay for their travel unless they are commuting for work. Even though they may not be responsible for covering the airfare that you would normally pay to fly, they are responsible for paying the taxes and fees on their tickets.

Airline employees traveling for pleasure are referred to as "non-revenue passengers." In other words, the carrier isn't making any money off them, so they're prioritized below the lowest paying revenue passenger (including those traveling on award tickets). Most airline employees also fly standby, so they won't know if they're going to make it on a flight until after everyone else has made it on board. With unpopular routes, there shouldn't be any trouble, but if they're traveling on international flights to cities that the airline only serves once each day, and the flight is full, they'll have to try again. If they have prepaid accommodations or tours, standby travel can actually end up being very costly.

Even with their benefits, the taxes and fees alone—which include security fees, international fees, and fuel surcharges—can total hundreds of dollars on an international itinerary. And while their total travel costs are lower most of the time, they hardly get to fly for free.

The good news for employees is that in certain situations, any seat may be up for grabs. If there's a first class or business class seat that hasn't been sold, they may end up getting to sit there for the same "price" as traveling in economy, or for a little extra. Of course, there's no guarantee, and even passengers using upgrade certificates or miles to move up to the next cabin have a higher priority.

Discount Travel for Friends and Family of Airline Employees

Sometimes friends and family can get in on the "non-revenue passenger" travel. Each airline has different policies and procedures for an employee's "non-revenue" guest, ranging from buddy passes to full-out booking options. Here are the policies of four major airlines in the U.S. 

American Airlines Buddy Pass Policies

Qualified American Airlines employees are allowed to fly for free, along with their registered guests and companions. Retirees who pass the "65-point plan" (a minimum of 10 years of active service, and the retiree's age plus years of service must equal or exceed 65) also qualify for "non-revenue" travel. Those who wish to travel business class or above must pay an additional fee, based on their itinerary. Fees for premium domestic travel inside the United States are based on distance, while international premium cabin travel is a flat fee based on the destination.

What about friends or companions that aren't parents, spouses, or children? Qualifying American Airlines employees are allocated a certain number of "buddy passes" each year. Buddy pass travelers receive lower boarding priority than American employees on vacation, other employees and eligible travelers, retirees and parents. 

Lastly, American Airlines employees can opt to buy full price tickets, to which a 20 percent employee discount is applied; this ensures an assigned seat and is considered a full fare ticket.

Delta Buddy Pass Policies

Much like American, Delta employees get to extend their travel privileges to friends and family. However, how it applies is a different policy than their Dallas-based counterpart. 

After successfully working for Delta for 30 days, employees are allowed to use their free travel benefits to see the world. Additionally, spouses, minor-dependent children up to 19 years old (or 23 for full-time students) and parents may also receive reduced-rate travel. That doesn't extend to everyone: non-dependent children, travel companions, extended families, and guests are only eligible for reduced-rate travel.

When flying on a Delta buddy pass or as part of an airline program, everyone is boarded on a standby basis. If there is room available after all other passengers have been accounted for, then the benefit flyers can board. According to the employee benefit page, domestic flights are "free" but travels to international destinations are subject to government and airport fees. 

Southwest Airlines Buddy Pass Policies

Even though it's open seating, Southwest Airlines passengers are allowed to snag open seats on flights as part of their benefits package.

Employees receive free, unlimited travel privileges and can offer their Southwest travel benefits to their eligible dependents: spouses or committed registered partner, eligible dependent children 19 or younger (24 if they are full-time students), and parents. While Southwest has agreements with other airlines for benefits, traveling "non-revenue" is not always a free experience, as fees can apply based on the carrier and destination. 

Southwest employees also have the benefits of "SWAG Points." When employees are recognized for their good work or take part in incentive programs, they can earn points that can be exchanged for buddy passes, frequent flyer points, or event tickets. 

United Airlines Buddy Pass Policies

At United, employees still get to hand out buddy passes to their friends and family, but the scope is very limited. According to the airline, employees and their families may receive travel privileges which include discounted rates and unlimited standby travel. 

What does the program actually look like? A bulletin from the Association of Flight Attendants outlines the program in detail. Employees must select their friends eligible for "non-revenue" travel in December for the next year. After the deadline passes, no friends can be added to their list. Employees can also elect to receive 12 buddy passes every year to distribute among friends.

What kind of pass also matters at United. Enrolled friends traveling with the employee, retiree, or their spouse are given the highest boarding priority, while those flying alone on a buddy pass are given the lowest priority.

What to Know About Buddy Pass Travel

Friends of airline employees get to fly for a cheap price if room is available—sounds like a good deal, right? Unfortunately, it's not as easy as having your airline employed friend book a ticket, passing the TSA checkpoint , and going on vacation. 

As noted above, flyers on a buddy pass are the lowest passengers on the standby list. If their flight is just about full, there's a good chance they won't make it on board. Buddy pass passengers are usually only permitted to fly in coach, but the policies vary by airline.

In addition, buddy pass flyers are considered representatives of the airline, no matter how old they are. As a result, they must adhere to a strict dress code, which often includes business-casual dress standards. If they do not meet these strict criteria, they may be denied boarding with no sources of repayment.

The Worst Times to Fly as a Non-Revenue Passenger

Using free or buddy pass travel is a terrible idea during peak times, such as:

• The Sunday after Thanksgiving
• Holiday weeks (Christmas week, Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc.)
• Any time that there's inclement weather , like the winter months

If a flight is canceled, all of the displaced passengers will be accommodated on the next scheduled flight. If it's full, they'll end up on the standby list above non-revenue passengers. As an example: If a plane that holds 250 passengers isn't permitted to fly, that could mean 250 people ahead of you on the list (although that's an extreme example).

"Non-revenue" travel can be quite rewarding, but it's important to remember that you may end up not flying that day, or you could be stranded in a city that you weren't planning to visit. If that happens, you're on the hook for meals and hotel rooms—the airline won't help at all. Before you ask your friend for help and try your hand as a "non-revenue" flyer, be sure to weigh the pros and cons of every situation. In some situations, it may be cheaper to pay for your ticket instead of flying on a buddy pass.

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One of the many perks you’ll enjoy during a career with American Airlines is the travel privileges that let you, your family and your friends explore new destinations across the globe. Watch the video to learn how some of our team members use their travel perks to experience destinations both near and far.

One of the many benefits you’ll enjoy during a career with American Airlines is the travel privileges that let you, your family and your friends explore new destinations across the globe. Watch the video to learn how some of our team members use their travel perks to experience destinations both near and far.

Take your career to new heights

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Non-Rev Travel 101: A Beginner’s Guide

Working in the aviation industry comes with its perk and non-rev travel is a big one.

Flying for free or very cheap is possible for flight attendants like me.

How ? That’s what I’ll explain in this article.

What Is Non-Rev Travel?

Non-rev or “non-revenue” travel is one of the main perks that comes with working for an airline.

It basically refers to the flight benefits that pilots, flight attendants, and even some gate agents receive.

It’s called non-reving because the airline does not receive revenue for the employee’s spot on the airplane.

Non-revs are also not guaranteed a spot on the airplane, they have to wait on the standby list and hope that there will be extra space.

Basically, non-revenue travel is the privilege airline employees have to sit in unsold seats and ride along on flights to their desired destinations during their off time.

The best part, they can usually share these benefits with their families, and even a few friends, depending on which airline they work for.

Who Can Non-Rev?

Non-rev benefits are usually given to the airline employee and their direct dependents including:

• Their partner

Some airlines also give their employees a limited number of “ buddy passes ” that can be given out to friends.

And if you aren’t legally married some airlines will allow you to anyone you choose as your “travel companion” for a set period of time.

⚠️ Not all non-revs are created equal though.

Most airlines have different “ pass levels ” that determine the order in which non-revs appear on the standby list .

➡️ Generally speaking, the employee, their partner (or travel companion), and their children will all have a higher designation on the standby list, meaning they will have higher priority to get the empty seats on the plane.

➡️ Parents typically come next. And people flying on buddy passes are last.

Can You Fly Standby on All Airlines?

No. But many airlines have agreements with other airlines that allow their employees to non-rev on other airlines.

These airlines usually include whatever code-sharing partners are connected to a given airline but may even include a few airlines outside of their specific airline group.

These agreements are part of a program known as ID90 .

Usually, only the employee and their dependents can fly with ID90 partners, and each airline will have different rules about who may non-rev with them and who may not.

🚨 Note : People flying on ID90 benefits will usually fall to the end of the standby priority list.

How Does It Work to Fly Standby as a Non-Rev Traveler?

Generally speaking, each airline has its own online portal that employees can access to arrange their non-rev travel.

Here I’ll quickly run through the basics of flying non-rev.

Booking your Non-rev travel

Usually, you start by going into this portal and selecting the flights you would like to be on.

The portal will usually tell you what the current “load” of each flight is.

Loads refers to the number of revenue passengers who are currently booked to fly on a given flight.

💡 As a non-rev you want to look for flights that have lower loads to increase the likelihood that you will get an open seat.

Signing in for your flight

Then, 24 hours before the flight you sign in via the portal.

At this time, you will be given a standing on the standby list that tells you about the order in which open seats will be assigned to hopeful non-revs.

Some airlines determine this by seniority, so the more senior a flight attendant is with the company, the higher they will be on the standby list.

Other airlines determine this on a first-come-first-serve basis, meaning those who sign in fastest will be at the top of the list. (Depending on pass level).

At the airport

After you have signed in you will arrive at the airport just like you would for any other flight.

Your standby boarding pass will get you through security and then you head to your gate.

👉🏻 At the gate, you should check in with the agent and let them know you are on the standby list.

They will then assign seats in order based on the standby list.

If the flight is full, they will usually do this towards the end of the boarding process, so you just have to hang out and wait to hear your name called.

If the flight is open, they might give you a boarding pass right away.

What happens if there isn’t an open seat?

At this point, you will have the option “roll-over” to the next flight and wait to see if there is an open seat on that one.

Or try to figure out another route to get to where you want to go. If you choose to do this you will be higher on the priority list, for the new flight(s).

Can You Get Non-Rev Loads?

If you have access to the non-rev portal or the ID90 website, you will be able to see the loads for flights you want to non-rev on.

Usually, the portals will tell you how many passengers are booked on each flight, what classes they are booked in, and how many seats are open per cabin . They will also tell you how many non-revs have already indicated an intention to be on that flight.

Not all airlines will share loads with non-employees though , so in that case, the best way to estimate is to look up your flight on the airline’s website and see how many tickets are available to book. This will give you an idea of the number of open seats.

How Much Does it Cost to Non-Rev?

Generally speaking, employees and their dependents will only be charged for international travel, basically to reimburse the airline for international landing taxes .

People flying on buddy passes will often also have to pay a small service charge that amounts to a certain percentage of the ticket price for their flight.

In the US, most employees can non-rev domestically for free.

I’ve traveled both on my own employee benefits, and now as a buddy pass non-rev.

Flying from the US to Germany I paid $130 round trip, for premium economy as an employee, since that was what the international taxes amounted to.

As a buddy pass non-rev, I paid $675 round trip, with a business class seat on one flight and a premium economy seat on the other.

Put simply the savings are significant .

When you fly as an ID90 passenger you will pay more than you do when you fly on your own airline.

Pros of Non-Rev Travel

The benefits of non-rev travel are clear!

It’s cheap and very flexible.

Cons of Non-Rev Travel

The cons are a little less clear until you’ve tried it a few times, but they generally include:

• Scrambling to find another way to get to your destination , sometimes by employing coming up with some very creative, multi-stop routes. For example, I once flew from Charlotte NC to Harrisburg PA, to get to Chicago IL.
• Not getting a seat and having to delay or cancel your trip.
• Waiting at the airport all day just to get a spot on the flight you need to get home.

The first time my parents non-reved it was to my flight attendant training graduation ceremony. They ended up stuck at DFW (Dallas Fort Worth) for 10 hours waiting to get a flight back to Charlotte.

On the flip side, they also enjoyed business class seats on the way to Germany, Hawaii, and Alaska. So, I think they got the most out of my benefits while I had them.

Non-revenue travel is one of the main benefits of being a flight attendant , but the system can be complicated and hard to navigate at first.

Once you get a handle of how it works, you’ll be sure to be jet setting off to all the places you dreamed of going when you decided to work for an airline.

Have you flown yourself with non-rev travel? How do you find it? Let me in the comments.

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American Airline Buddy Pass Rules: A Comprehensive Guide

If you’ve ever wondered what are American Airline buddy pass rules? You’ve come to the right place. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about American Airlines buddy passes – from what they are, who’s eligible, fees, booking policies, and more.

If you’re short on time, here’s the key thing to know about American Airlines buddy passes: they allow eligible American Airlines employees to provide discounted travel to friends and family members who wouldn’t otherwise be able to take advantage of employee travel benefits .

What Is an American Airlines Buddy Pass?

An American Airlines Buddy Pass is a unique travel benefit offered to American Airlines employees. It allows them to extend a one-time invitation for a friend or family member to travel with them on a standby basis.

This means that the individual using the Buddy Pass is not guaranteed a seat on the flight and can only board if there are available seats after all paying passengers have been accommodated.

Definition and Overview

A Buddy Pass is essentially a way for American Airlines employees to share their travel privileges with someone they know. It allows the recipient to fly at a significantly discounted rate or even for free, depending on the employee’s status and the terms of the pass.

Buddy Passes are a valuable perk for employees and can be a great way for friends and family to travel more affordably.

It’s important to note that Buddy Passes are not the same as regular tickets. They come with certain restrictions and limitations , and the availability of flights can be unpredictable. However, for those who are flexible with their travel plans and willing to take a chance on standby, Buddy Passes can open up a world of possibilities.

Difference Between Buddy Passes and Standby Travel

Although Buddy Passes and standby travel may seem similar, there are some key differences between the two. Standby travel refers to the practice of waiting for an available seat on a flight that is already fully booked. This can be done by purchasing a standby ticket or using a Buddy Pass.

While standby travel can be done by anyone willing to take the risk, Buddy Passes are exclusive to American Airlines employees and can only be used by someone who has been invited by an employee. Standby travelers may have to pay a fee for the opportunity to fly, while Buddy Pass recipients typically receive discounted or free travel.

Additionally, standby travelers have to wait until all paying passengers have boarded before they are considered for available seats. Buddy Pass recipients, on the other hand, may have a higher priority for boarding, depending on the employee’s status and the terms of the pass.

Who Is Eligible for an American Airlines Buddy Pass?

Traveling with a friend or family member is always more enjoyable, and American Airlines offers a special perk known as the Buddy Pass that allows employees to share their travel benefits with others.

However, it’s essential to understand the eligibility requirements for both employees and companions to make the most of this fantastic opportunity.

Employee Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for an American Airlines Buddy Pass, an individual must be an active employee of American Airlines or its subsidiary companies. This includes pilots, flight attendants, ground staff, and other personnel directly employed by the airline.

Retired employees and their eligible dependents may also be eligible for Buddy Pass privileges.

Additionally, employees must meet specific service requirements to be eligible for the Buddy Pass. These requirements may vary depending on the employee’s position and tenure with the company. It’s important to consult American Airlines’ official employee guidelines or speak with a representative for detailed information on the specific eligibility criteria.

Companion Eligibility Requirements

While employees can enjoy the benefits of the Buddy Pass, they can also share this privilege with eligible companions. The primary requirement for companions is that they must be listed as the employee’s registered travel companion.

This means that the employee must formally designate them as a companion before they can take advantage of the Buddy Pass benefits.

It’s important to note that companions do not have to be related to the employee. Friends, significant others, and even distant relatives can qualify as long as they are designated as registered companions.

However, it’s crucial to understand that the designation of a registered companion is subject to certain limitations and restrictions, so it’s advisable to review the specific guidelines provided by American Airlines.

Fees for Using an American Airlines Buddy Pass

When it comes to using an American Airlines Buddy Pass, there are a few fees to be aware of. These fees can add up quickly, so it’s important to understand them before booking your flight.

Taxes and Surcharges

One of the fees you’ll encounter when using a Buddy Pass is taxes and surcharges. These fees vary depending on the destination and can include government-imposed taxes, fuel surcharges , and other fees.

It’s important to note that these fees are not included in the price of the Buddy Pass and must be paid separately. To get an estimate of the taxes and surcharges for your specific flight, you can visit the American Airlines website and use their online calculator.

Booking Fees

Another fee to consider is the booking fee . When using a Buddy Pass, you may be required to pay a fee for booking your flight. This fee can range from a few dollars to over $100, depending on the type of Buddy Pass you have and the destination you’re traveling to.

It’s important to read the terms and conditions of your Buddy Pass to determine if there are any booking fees associated with it. Additionally, checking the American Airlines website or contacting their customer service can provide more information on the specific booking fees for your flight.

Change and Cancellation Fees

Lastly, it’s important to be aware of the change and cancellation fees when using an American Airlines Buddy Pass. If you need to make changes to your flight or cancel it altogether, you may be subject to additional fees.

These fees can vary depending on the type of Buddy Pass you have and the fare rules associated with it. It’s recommended to review the terms and conditions of your Buddy Pass or contact American Airlines directly to understand the potential change and cancellation fees.

Booking Policies for American Airlines Buddy Passes

When it comes to booking a flight using American Airlines Buddy Passes , there are a few important things to keep in mind. Understanding the booking policies can help you make the most of these passes and ensure a smooth travel experience.

Blackout Dates

One of the first things to be aware of when using American Airlines buddy passes is the concept of blackout dates. These are specific dates when Buddy Passes cannot be used for travel. Blackout dates are typically during peak travel seasons, such as major holidays or school vacation periods.

It’s important to check the American Airlines website or contact their customer service to find out the blackout dates for your particular buddy pass.

Advance Booking Requirements

American Airlines has specific requirements for how far in advance you can book a flight using a buddy pass. These requirements may vary, so it’s essential to check the details of your specific pass. In most cases, you’ll need to book your flight at least a certain number of days before departure.

This allows American Airlines to manage their seat availability and ensure a smooth travel experience for everyone. Be sure to plan ahead and book your flight within the specified timeframe to avoid any complications.

Making Changes to Bookings

Once you’ve made a booking using a buddy pass, it’s important to be aware of the rules and restrictions regarding changes. American Airlines typically allows changes to be made to buddy pass bookings, but there may be fees involved.

It’s best to familiarize yourself with the specific rules for your pass and be prepared for any additional costs that may arise if you need to make changes to your travel plans.

For more detailed information about the booking policies for American Airlines buddy passes, you can visit the official American Airlines website. Here, you can find the most up-to-date information and guidelines to ensure a hassle-free booking process.

Using Your Buddy Pass for Travel

So, you’ve been lucky enough to receive a buddy pass from someone who works at American Airlines. Congratulations! Now, let’s dive into the details of how to make the most of this fantastic travel perk.

Check-in Requirements

When using a buddy pass, it’s important to note that you are considered a non-revenue passenger. This means that you will have to follow specific check-in requirements. To ensure a smooth travel experience, make sure to arrive at the airport early and have all necessary documents ready.

These may include a government-issued ID, your buddy pass, and any other required travel documentation.

It’s also a good idea to check American Airlines’ official website or contact their customer service for the most up-to-date information on check-in requirements for buddy pass travelers. This will help you avoid any last-minute surprises and ensure a stress-free start to your journey.

Standby Policies Once Onboard

Once you’ve successfully checked in, it’s time to board the plane. As a buddy pass traveler, you will typically be placed on standby. This means that you will only be allowed to board if there are available seats after all other revenue passengers have been accommodated.

While this may sound a bit uncertain, it can also be an exciting adventure! Imagine the thrill of getting a seat on a flight at the last minute and embarking on an unexpected journey. However, it’s important to keep in mind that standby travel requires flexibility and patience.

There may be times when you have to wait for the next available flight or even adjust your travel plans. But hey, isn’t that part of the excitement of travel?

Dress Code Policy

American Airlines has a dress code policy in place for non-revenue passengers, including those traveling on a buddy pass. The airline expects all passengers to adhere to a certain level of smart casual attire.

While there is no strict dress code, it’s important to dress presentably and avoid wearing anything that may be considered offensive or inappropriate.

Remember, you are representing the airline as a buddy pass traveler, so dressing appropriately shows respect for the privilege you’ve been given. It’s always better to be slightly overdressed than underdressed, especially if you’re hoping to make a positive impression.

Now that you have a comprehensive understanding of using your buddy pass for travel, it’s time to pack your bags, head to the airport, and embark on your next adventure.

American Airline Buddy Pass Rules – Conclusion

We’ve covered all the key rules around American Airlines’ buddy pass program – from eligibility requirements to fees, booking policies, and travel policies. The program offers a valuable perk for American Airlines employees to provide discounted travel to friends and family.

If you have any other questions about using an American Airlines buddy pass that wasn’t addressed here, be sure to check with the employee providing the pass, as policies can sometimes vary.

Jennifer Morris is an avid solo travel adventurer who founded Solo Traveller after many years of journeying on her own around the world. She has backpacked through over 50 countries across 6 continents over the past decade, striking up conversations with locals along railway platforms, learning to cook regional dishes in home kitchens, and absorbing a global perspective while volunteering with various community initiatives.

With a Masters in Tourism and Hospitality, Jennifer is passionate about responsible and meaningful travel that fosters cultural exchange. Whether trekking through the Atlas Mountains, sailing to Komodo National Park, or taking an overnight train across Eastern Europe - she is always seeking her next epic destination.

When not globetrotting, Jennifer calls Vancouver, Canada home. There she enjoys kayaking local waters, curling up with books on faraway places, and gearing up for her next solo backpacking trip. As the founder of SoloTraveller, she hopes to motivate and inform fellow solo explorers from all walks of life to take the leap into their own adventures.

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The Guide to American Airlines’ Small-Business Program: Business Extra

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Table of Contents

What is the American Airlines Business Extra program?

Is your small business eligible for business extra, how to log in to business extra, how to earn points in the business extra program, how to use business extra points, final thoughts on american airlines business extra.

Travel is the lifeblood of airlines, so carriers try to incentivize companies by offering business loyalty programs. American Airlines' small-business program is called Business Extra, and it allows companies to earn rewards points when booking travel for their employees.

The American Airlines Business Extra program is a good opportunity for smaller companies to earn rewards for booking business travel. That’s because the minimum number of employees a company needs to participate in the program is three.

Employees will benefit because they can earn miles and elite status for themselves while small-business owners can effectively double-dip on earning on flights.

Business Extra is America’s loyalty program for small businesses of three or more employees. When small businesses book travel for their employees, the employees earn AAdvantage miles and the company earns points that can be redeemed for rewards.

The points earned by the company can be redeemed for free flights, upgrades, AAdvantage miles, elite status (Gold or Platinum), Admirals Club membership or passes and carbon offsets.

There are two eligibility requirements for American Airlines Business Extra: business size and location. Both are reasonable.

Companies with three or more employees can qualify, provided that the company doesn’t already have a corporate sales agreement with American Airlines, American Eagle, British Airways or Iberia. That makes Business Extra great for those with a very small business. The business must be located in the U.S., Canada, Anguilla, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Hong Kong, Mexico, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent or South Korea.

Similar to United Airlines' and Delta Air Line’s small-business program, you will have to spend $5,000 on American Airlines travel to start redeeming Business Extra points.

Enroll and log in to your Business Extra account to take advantage of the program. To enroll as a Business Extra travel manager, you’ll need to have an AAdvantage account. That’s because Business Extra uses the business manager’s AAdvantage log-in information.

Once you have your AAdvantage account, start here by entering your country, name, email address and any applicable referral code. On the next screen, you’ll need to enter your business name, website and address. Next, enter your contact information, job title and AAdvantage account.

To prove you’re really a business, you may need to submit documents like your Employer Identification Number, articles of incorporation, a partnership agreement or a valid business name registration certificate. You can find a list of documents the program accepts in the Business Extra FAQs .

Business Extra Promo Code

Business Extra sometimes offers incentives for small businesses to join. In a 2020 promotion, for example, small businesses could earn 2,000 bonus points by signing up with a promo code and taking a flight before June 30, 2020.

So before you enroll, check to see if there are any promo codes.

Business Extra members earn 1 point for every $5 spent on flights on American, British Airways, Iberia and Japan Airlines, as well as codeshare flights on Finnair and Qantas. These points are separate from traditional AAdvantage miles, which individual flyers will still earn, while a company will earn Business Extra points for those same flights.

The easiest way for a company to earn points from employee flights is by asking employees to add their Business Extra number to their AAdvantage account profile.

After that’s done, the Business Extra account number will be auto-filled when employees complete bookings on the American Airlines website. If employees book an American flight through another website, they can \ add their Business Extra account number before the flight by calling AA’s Business Extra phone number (800-457-7072) and asking an agent to add the number to the record locator.

Points are usually posted within two or three days of the flight. If employees forget to add the Business Extra number before their flight, they can submit a manual request for any flights taken within the past 12 months.

Companies can also earn Business Extra points from cargo shipments as long as they meet certain booking requirements. And companies will earn 1 Business Extra point per $20 of eligible spending on the American Express® / Business Extra® Corporate Card.

Business Extra points expire at the end of the year two calendar years after they’re earned. That means any points earned in 2022 will be valid through Dec. 31, 2024. There’s no way of extending the validity of Business Extra points, so they must be redeemed before they expire.

» Learn more: NerdWallet’s best travel credit cards for business

Once a company has collected enough Business Extra points, they can be redeemed for free flights, flight upgrades, AAdvantage miles, Admirals Club memberships or lounge passes, elite status (Gold or Platinum) or carbon offsets.

Once a company has spent at least $5,000 on qualifying flights, the points can be redeemed for rewards. Here are the seven ways to redeem Business Extra points.

1. Using points for free flights

There are three types of flight awards: PlanAhead, Anytime and Partner awards, and each award type costs a different amount of points. All awards are priced based on a roundtrip ticket. Here is the minimum number of points required for each award type:

PlanAhead awards are the cheapest and limited in availability. Since Business Extra members earn 1 point for every $5 spent, a company would have to spend $10,000 on employee travel to accumulate 2,000 points.

The full list of flight award prices and options is available on the Business Extra website . While you can redeem points for one-way flights, they will still cost the round-trip award price. You won’t be able to use the return portion for a future flight.

You can redeem points toward flights two different ways. If there’s award availability at the time you want to redeem points for a flight, you can book the flight on the Business Extra website .

Here’s an example of a roundtrip flight from Atlanta to Santiago, Chile for 4,400 Business Extra points.

If you need to change or cancel your flight, you can now do so without a fee. That's true whether you book a PlanAhead award or an AAnytime award.

2. Using points for award certificates

The other flight redemption option is to use points for award certificates. These certificates are valid for a year. You can use the certificate to book flights up to 330 days in advance. That makes these certificates the way to go if you need to redeem expiring points but you don’t yet know when you’ll travel.

Generally, elite upgrade certificates cannot be applied to Business Extra flights. However, top-tier Executive Platinum and ConciergeKey members can apply 500-mile upgrades to eligible flights.

3. Redeeming Business Extra points for upgrades

Business Extra members can also redeem points toward flight upgrades . There are three options.

The domestic upgrade awards (designated by the code BXP1) are popular due to their low cost and the ability to apply this upgrade to flights such as American’s coast-to-coast lie-flat business class flights and flights to Hawaii. However, neither domestic nor international upgrade certificates are valid toward bookings into the cheapest fare classes (those with the code B, N, O, Q or S).

Upgrades may only be applied after the ticket is issued, require available upgrade space and are valid for one year after issuance.

4. Redeeming Business Extra points for an Admirals Club membership or lounge passes

Business Extra members can redeem 300 points for a one-day pass to an Admirals Club (code BXP7) or 3,300 points for a one-year membership to the Admirals Club (code BXP8).

When you redeem points for lounge passes, you have to designate which traveler will be using them. The passes aren’t transferable.

» Learn more: Different ways to access Admirals Club lounges

5. Redeeming Business Extra points for AAdvantage Gold or Platinum elite status

Members can even redeem points to get elite status. Your business can redeem 3,200 or 6,600 Business Extra points to gift someone AAdvantage Gold or Platinum elite status, respectively.

Gold status comes with one free checked bag on American Airlines flights, 24-hour upgrade window, complimentary upgrades on flights under 500 miles in length, 40% bonus miles on flights, complimentary Main Cabin Extra seats at check-in and complimentary Preferred Seats.

Platinum status includes everything from Gold status, as well as a 48-hour upgrade window, 60% bonus miles on flights and two free checked bags.

» Learn more: Guide to American Airlines elite status

6. Redeeming Business Extra points for AAdvantage miles

You can also convert Business Extra points into AAdvantage miles. The transfer ratio is 1 Business Extra point : 6 AAdvantage miles. The minimum number of points needed is 100 points, which would become 600 AAdvantage miles.

» Learn more: Is an American credit card worth it?

7. Using points to offset carbon emissions

American has partnered with nonprofit Cool Effect to help customers use their points to offset carbon emissions from their flights. Points redeemed for Cool Effect will be used to support carbon reduction projects.

You can redeem points in increments of 300 for a carbon offset award certificate.

» Learn more: How to maximize rewards for business travel

American Airlines’ Business Extra program is a great way for small businesses to be rewarded for employee business travel. With rewards ranging from Admirals Club lounge passes to free flights around the world, the program is a good choice if you have three or more employees and spend about $5,000 per year on business travel.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

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1x Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.

70,000 Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

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1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Everything you need to know about ZED travel

Non-rev travel is the best job perk in the world. How can you not love the ability to jump on a flight whenever your airline has an open seat available ? Surely it would take years to visit every destination that your airline flies to, but you might eventually feel limited by your own network. 

Fear not, fellow nonrev! Today, we dive into the world of ZED travel where your standby privileges extend to other airlines besides your own (some that you have never even heard of before). 

What is ZED travel?

ZED, short for Zonal Employee Discount , is a set of agreements between hundreds of partner airlines that allow their employees to book discounted plane tickets on each other’s aircraft.

Put simply, an airline employee (and sometimes their guests) can buy discounted tickets on another airline as long as the two airlines have a ZED agreement in place. 

ZED ticket fares are broken into three fare buckets (Low, Medium, and High) to determine how large the discount will be. Depending on the agreements your airline has in place, these ZED tickets can be either standby or positive-space seating. For most U.S.-based airline employees, you can expect your ZED tickets to be NRSA only.

Why should you look for ZED fares?

So now that you know what ZED fares are, it is important to understand why you may need to utilize this type of ticket when traveling.

There are two main reasons why a non-rev might elect to book a ZED ticket on another airline:

• The airport they are heading to/from is not served by their own airline so they need to fly on a different airline to reach their destination
• The airport they are heading to/from does not have any open seats on their own airline so they need to fly on a different airline to secure a seat

My very first ZED flight was a fifth-freedom flight from SCL to EZE on Air Canada while I was hopping around South America on a wine-tasting trip. I have also had the pleasure of flying legs on Iberia & Alaska to visit airports that I couldn’t get to on my own airline. US-based non-revs can take solace in the fact that many international airlines don’t oversell their flights, so open seats can be easier to come by.

No matter how large your airline’s route map is, ZED travel opens up a world of new possibilities for non-rev travelers. 

Which airlines have ZED agreements?

As of January 2021 , ZED MIBA reported a total of 222 member companies (with an additional 37 partial partners) in their network. Virtually every large- & mid-size airline around the world is connected by some sort of ZED agreement.

It is important to remember that being a member airline is just the first step. As an employee (or non-rev passrider), you will also need to confirm whether or not your airline has a bilateral agreement in place with any other airline you are considering flying with.

For example: Frontier Airlines has a very unique set of established agreements when compared with airlines like Southwest or American. A Frontier employee will have very different ZED options in their portal when compared with the airlines available to a Southwest employee.

Your airline should have a section in the employee site that clearly spells out which airlines are bookable in your ZED portal.

Where can I book ZED tickets?

Every airline has a different process for employees who want to book ZED fares. There is no one-size-fits-all solution here.

MyIDTravel is one of the most popular tools that airlines use for their ZED agreements. Many airlines still use this portal to allow their employees to buy ZED tickets. This is the service that my airline uses to support leisure travel on other airlines.

ID90Travel , a service that provides interline discounts to airline employees, recently added a ZED flight listing tool to their own app. A smaller number of airlines currently have agreements in place with this app, but it has a nicer interface (and more accurate flight load data) than myIDTravel.

Check your airline’s ZED travel policies to understand which website(s) are available to you.

How do I know if there will be an available seat on my ZED flight?

Both MyIDTravel & ID90Travel display recent load factor information. This helps users determine the likelihood of getting a space-available seat assignment.

Each of these portals displays the information in different ways. Here is a quick breakdown to help you better understand the information shared:

MyIDTravel , the most prevalent booking portal for ZED ticketing, uses a smiley face system to rate how open or full a flight is:

• Happy Green Face : flight loads are wide open
• Serious Yellow Face : there are some seats available
• Sad Red Face : there are little to no seats available

However, MyIDTravel’s smiley system is notoriously clunky. The good news is the site also allows you to see how many seats are available in each fare bucket. 

In general, airline fare classes fall under the following categories that you can see in the MyIDTravel screenshot below:

• Economy : Y , B, H, K, M, L, V, S, N, Q, O  
• Business : J , C, D, I,  Z
• First : F , R, A

In practice, most ZED travelers are really only worried about the bolded “Y” fare. Y is the industry standard for economy/coach class tickets. Since most ZED agreements default to space-available bookings in economy, the number of seats available in Y should give you an idea of if there are open seats.

Using this Iberia flight as an example, I can see that this LHR-MAD flight has at least 9 seats available in economy. MyIDTravel never plugs a double-digit number in this field, so we can interpret “Y9” to mean “there are 9+ seats available in economy class”.

MyIDTravel does not show users the standby list for each flight, but I would feel confident that I would get a seat assignment on this Iberia flight based on this screenshot. 

I D90Travel uses a different approach with their app-based interface. Instead of giving you a peek into the number of seats available by fare class, their app provides an estimated range of available seats in economy.

The below example shows a United ORD-IAH flight that has “5% or fewer [seats] available” in economy class. ID90Travel also provides a link to show you the Stand-by List (although I have never found this feature to populate data).

How much do ZED tickets cost?

The ZED agreement negotiated between your airline & the airline you want to fly determines the price you will pay for your ticket. ZED pricing is split into three fare tiers: low, medium, and high. ZED Low fare is your cheapest option and is often reserved for alliance/strategic airline partners.

Additionally, ZED tickets are priced by segment. A nonstop JFK-MAD ticket is cheaper than a JFK-MAD routing with a DUB layover (assuming both tickets are priced within the same ZED fare bucket).

After taking the ZED fare bucket, the airline’s base fare & any taxes/fees (like those imposed by governments or airports) determine your ticket price. For reference, a one-way ZED Medium ticket from the west coast of the US to Europe currently costs no more than $200. 

Seasoned non-rev travelers may know that there is open proposal to update the ZED ticketing buckets with 2 new “super” fare classes:

• Super Low Fare : 25% less than ZED Low fare
• Super High Fare : 125%-250% cost of MT fare (increases on a scale of flight segment length)

These ZED fares were proposed in early 2021, so keep an eye out on these in the future.

How do I travel once I have purchased a ZED ticket?

Because every airline has unique ticketing & listing policies, it is important to look up the latest info on http://www.flyzed.info/ each time you want to travel. In addition to the FlyZED site (which is updated by individual airlines), your own employee portal may have airline-specific guidelines as well.

In my experience, getting ticketed is just the first step. Making your actual flight listing may require an online (or in-person) check-in process. Here are a few examples from my ZED travel adventures:

• Iberia (MAD-GRX): I booked my ZED ticket through MyIDTravel and presented my e-ticket number to the IB ticket counter in Madrid where I was immediately assigned a confirmed boarding pass.
• Alaska Airlines ( SJC -DAL): I booked my ZED ticket through MyIDTravel and checked in at the ticket counter to receive my standby boarding pass.
• Air Canada (SCL-EZE): I booked my ZED ticket through MyIDTravel and presented my e-ticket number to the AC ticket counter in Santiago where I was handed a standby boarding pass.

Make sure to read your ticketing airline’s directions carefully so you don’t miss a step! 

Final Thoughts on ZED Travel

ZED travel is an amazing way to expand your non-rev possibilities. Whether you want to travel to an international destination that isn’t in your airline’s network or just need an alternative route because your own flight filled up, ZED travel gives non-revs a ton of flexibility.

Learning your own airline’s rules & policies can take some time, so it’s no wonder that ZED travel is intimidating. Don’t let that discourage you from trying! If you need additional help, the airline’s ticket counter staff are a wonderful resource. Just make sure to announce that you are an airline employee who wants to list on a ZED fare so they know exactly what you need!

Have you flown on a ZED fare before? Let us know what tips & tricks you have for fellow airline employees who want to take their first ZED flight!

Related Posts:

62 thoughts on “Everything you need to know about ZED travel”

As you mentioned on MyIDTravel in case it displats “Y9” there 9+ seats available….would this be the same logic used for Business Class Zed tickets as well?

Exactly right! For business class, you will want to check the J fare class. “J9” would indicate that there are at least 9 open seats in business class.

do you happen to know what XC means through southwest?

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Which zed airlines offer business or first class listings?

It depends on what agreements your airline has signed other other carriers, so it will vary for a lot of people. That said, we have heard plenty of stories of nonrevs getting upgraded by crew after boarding!

If there are business open seats can you ask for that seat or do you just go where the ticket agent places you?

how about Southwest X9? 9+ seats?

Hey Scott at SWA the X class of service is our non-revenue class. Like a companion pass ticket in which someone just pays the taxes.

If there is an option on ID90 to list for 1st class and coach can you list for both and get a refund on the one you don’t use?

i am American airline employee, booked ticket on Turkish airline through myIDTravel. It says no listing required on Turkish Airline, first come first serve on the day of travel at Turkish airline counter at the airport. When I showed my ticket Turkish employee told me there is no information in their computer. I showed them my booking on myIDtravel but still they could not found it. Later they handover to their supervisor and he printed my boarding pass. On the way back at Istanbul I faced same problem and after talked to many related people they said they don’t have any information. I have to come back so I bought full price ticked at the airport. I called american airlines and they told me my booking is good and it is in AA system, while Turkish airlines said there is nothing.

Do you have any idea why it happened and how to solve this problem in future.

This one is easy. Sabre does not generate a pnr in the unique TK CRS. Once you have your ticket issued , all you need is the ticket number. In Istanbul there is a special counter for staff travel.In smaller airports approach the more knowledgeable staff at the business class counter. Once you give them the ticket number , The agent builds the TK pnr right there and issues the boarding pass.That is why there is no listing with TK and the PNR used to issue your AA 001 ticket is a ghost PNR which does not generate a PNR with TK. Good luck next time!

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Hello, I would like to know the actual costs an airline has to pay to be part of myID service and how they can be part of it. The current company I work for has no such agreement and I wondered how they could apply. Thank you

For 1 st coupon -no seats, i bought a tkt for this segm. Can i use 2 nd coupon with OK status of 1 st coupon? Thank You

What ZED fare should I purchase for standby on premium economy on LX. I checked the availability and there is only few business class seats left but plenty premium economy seats are available. Should I purchase ZED business or should I purchase ZED economy?

Hi there. What is the best way to handle exceeding baggage weight limits with ZED? I am flying DFW-EZE-AEP-PSS with AA on the international and AR on the intra-Argentina flight. My 2 bags will not meet the 1 bag 33 pound request. Any help to forego a huge fee?

Hi could you advise if you can raise a baggage claim on a ZED fare my bags went to DFW and we weren’t able to board the flight due to loads ! AA are refusing the claim as a ZED fare but we didn’t get bags for 3 days so stuck in LAS with no luggage and needed essential items? Any advice would be great thanks !

Hi. I’m an IATA member airline retired person. Does any airlines gives zed ticket for employees children.

Southwest X9 what does this mean?

Can my children, age 19-22, travel by themselves on a ZED fare?

Hi, I am retired from an airline . I have a question. I have a son age us 23 years old. I could get ZED ticket from other airlines for my son . But this year because of get 23 years old his rights finished. My question is if my single brother or sister has rights to get ticket from other airlines without any age of limitation. Why my son not rights to have ZED ticket. It doesn’t make sence . And is there any airlines give ticket over 23 years old son or daughter. If you answer my question I’ll be appreciated.

question regarding proposed change to zed fare buckets. I’m with ua and present we have zl with several carriers that allow us to purchase business zed fares at a higher rate. Would those rates dramatically increase under the 2 bucket proposal?

Hello, I am allowed to book ticket in business class. Would I get refund of fare difference if I end up travelling in economy due to lack of availability?

Is Philippine airline standby policy first come per serve?

If we have purchased a Zed standby ticket, but don’t make the flight due to loads, is it possible to be refunded the ZED fare? (DL employee looking to Zed on UA out of Munich)

Yes! You should always get a refund for a ZED fare that you were unable to fly on due to flight loads.

Can we expect ZED fares to increase once the new 2 tiered system. I’m with UA and they said the ZED fare purchasing system would be down Oct 19-20 while they update it.

How do you cancel a Zed fare on ID Travel with KLM ?

Did anyone figure out the XC code on Southwest?

Hello, I will be flying ZED on China airlines from LAX to TPE. There are no coach seats open but plenty in economy Plus. Will they allow me to sit in economy plus or will they just not board me and fly the trip with empty seats in economy plus. What do airline normally do in these cases would be helpful hint as to what they will do.

Thanks Art Anderson

I am interested in traveling on Ethiopian Airlines. Next to seats available there is an N. I have also noticed on Turkish next to seats available there is an R. No other information is available. Does anyone have an explanation?

I am looking into flying via ID90 on AA from PHL to PLS. There are two non-stop flights 2 hours apart (0830 & 1030). If I list for the 0830 flight and it is full, can the ticket agent slip my pass to the 1030 flight? Or do I have to purchase two tickets and later seek a refund for the flight I did not take? Thank you.

I am retired staff with ZED ticket try to travel from DAC to DFW on QR but at ck-in counter DAC could not find my ticket number and finally bought full fare ticket. I don’t know what happened at DAC Airport. My outbound DFW-DAC on QR without any issue.

Hello, does anyone know how does the reservable ZED tickets work? Are you still on sby or do you get a full reserve. Thanks.

does the employee always need to travel in order for the companion partner or parents to fly? Or they the employee just get a ticket for them without employee flying. Thank you

The answer to this will vary from airline to airline. For example, my parents can fly ZED without me being with them.

Does anyone know what happens to a ZED fare if you book it, pay for it and then you end up leaving your airline? Do you lose the ZED booking?

If the flight is full will the agent roll the ZED non-rev ticket holder over to the next available flight or does this require a separate ticket for the next flight. Thanks

When traveling on Zed tickets what is my boarding priority code when using Silver Airways??? I am an AA employee traveling with spouse and children.

You’re right about TK……..PNR is worthless to them, but ticket number makes it all happen. Question……….their N followed by a number is always BOLD and their Y followed by a number (usually 9) is always un-BOLD. EX: Y9 N3 (BOLD). Which one is the more reliable number? In fact N is always BOLD on every myidtravel inquiry and always has a 1,2,3 number despite green smiley face, Thanks.

When we tried to fly to Honolulu from LAX we had trouble getting on the flights because they were all booked up, and all the nonrev were taken! Each flight had only one seat available, and my partner was not going to leave me (while pregnant), and I wasn’t going to leave him, since he needed me to book the flights for us (That’s what I call love, folks). Three days of waiting in an airport and I finally reached out my company’s travel expert who gave us this beauty of a trick: fly to a less popular destination on, and try an airline with bigger planes. So, we booked a flight through Hawaiian to Maui and took an island hopper to Honolulu. So, sometimes the quickest way to your destination is going to a different location first.

This is a great tip! Always keep an eye out for other airlines or airports if the nonstop flights don’t look good. Stringing together a standby trip on multiple airlines can be intimidating, but ZED agreements can offer you exponentially more options to get to/from your destination.

Hola ! puede volar un acompañante solo con los boletos Zed ?

Hello, how can I fly with ZED with my husband and his service dog? He has a medical condition, that requires him to have SVAN, will this be an issue withing ZED ?

I always wonder which airline does the upgrade for interlines. Is there such list. I have checked with my own airline (canadian airline) and none of that is existent. any 3rd party website such as this?

Whether or not you can get upgraded during interline travel will often depend on your specific airline’s agreement with each OAL. I wish I had a better answer, but your best bet is to check your airline’s policies.

Before how many days of travel, can I make the zed fare ticket. Suppose I make now for after 20 days and by that time the gets full. would the airline give me seat

Hello! Regardless of how far in advance you book your ZED far ticket, seats won’t be assigned to anyone on the standby priority list until the day of the flight.

Hi, I was checking Turkish ticket from HKG to IST, the loading page is an orange face and shows Y9, N0. In the Zed agreement i read TK economy class is N, so does it means it give no seat to ID travel even the flight is not full? Or I can still get the seat if the flight if the flight really not full?

Thanks a lot

Both Y & N are economy fare classes, so my guess is that you would receive a seat assignment on that flight (assuming no other changes) even if the N bucket happened to be full.

can i book zed once at the gate?

Have any having issue in booking flight on TK thru myidportal…. they keep rejecting my CC saying “Name Or Surname” mismatch

Is there a limited number times you can use ZED fares/interline?

How do you purchase a Zed Fare on Qatar. It is on the list of Zed airlines, but says you have to purchase a ticket for your flight first. Is there anywhere to get clarification.

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Interline Staff Travel Agreement – where can I get latest version. The last one I saw was 2019

Question: in Interline Staff Travel Agreement (ISTA) did definition of a retiree recently changed? 2016 ISTA version says: Retiree – a former Employee of a Member or its SAF who has retired from permanent full-time or part-time service under the retirement program of that Member or its SAF. It does not have any details on retirement program restrictions.

Hi, how far in advance can I purchase a zed fare? Is 6 or 8 months too far?

Hello I have ZED tickets for me and my buddy with IBERIA, but I can’t really make the flight. Can my Body still travel without me? or is she going to be denied because I am a no Show?

We will by flying into LHR on DL from the US, and plan on a ZED flight on BA, out the same day. Can we purchase ZED tickets prior to our departure from the US and print out standby boarding passes that allow us to go directly to our connecting terminal without having to go through ticketing?

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So You Want to Fly for Free: A Comprehensive Guide to Non-Rev Travel

P eople often ask me for “insider tips” of scoring the best fare for a flight.

I hate to disappoint, but I haven’t purchased airfare in more than seven years. It turns out, I’m the LAST person to ask about plane ticket deals.

What I CAN tell you about is how I, and the people I love, fly. It’s called “non-rev travel,” and we’re going to talk about it.

You all know we flight attendants fly for free. (Why else would we do this?) What you may not know is that some of the lucky people in our lives also get to bask in the free-flighted glory of our job—just for knowing us! This might make you think dating a flight attendant is a great idea—beats actually working on planes, right? Well, before you set your Tinder profile to “FAs Only,” be sure to read The Dos and Don’ts of Dating a Flight Attendant . And maybe check out the 7 Most Annoying Things about Flight Attendants while you’re at it. Thank me later.

All jokes aside, being a family member, spouse, or close friend of a flight attendant has some serious perks. I think the whole non-rev game (don’t worry, we’ll be defining terms in a moment) is confusing for a lot of people. So I’m going to break it all the way down. I’m giving the 411 on all things non-rev travel for NON-FLIGHT ATTENDANTS.

I may do a separate post one of these days detailing how this non-rev travel process works for us flight attendants using our flight benefits, as it’s a bit different. But for today, I want to tell all of you on the peripheral of #flightattendantlife just what it would mean to get a “buddy pass” or be “on a flight attendant’s benefits.” WHO can fly standby? HOW do I non-rev? Is it FREE? And WHAT the heck is a buddy pass?

I’ll answer all these questions, break down the process of using someone else’s airline employee benefits, and provide the rules for non-rev travel and tips for a stress-free standby experience. I want to warn you, there is a LOT of information here. If you’re going to be using someone else’s flight benefits, I recommend saving this post to reference later, before you fly. Without further ado, let’s get into it.

Your Comprehensive Guide to Non-Rev Travel

From a flight attendant, i the basics, a. glossary of terms.

Let’s start from the beginning with a few basic terms.

Non-rev is a term to describe us (airline employees) using our flight benefits.

Non-rev is short for non-revenue. When we are using our flight benefits, we are not paying for a ticket. The company is not producing revenue from our flight. Simple, right?

The word can be both a noun and a verb.

Noun: “ This non-rev on my flight was so sweet, he brought chocolates for the whole crew!”

Non-rev as a noun means a person using flight benefits to fly. This could be an airline employee—pilot, flight attendant, gate agent, ground operations personnel, reservations, etc. Or it might be their parent, spouse, child, travel companion, or a “Buddy”. We’ll get into the different types and levels of non-revs a bit later.

Verb: “I’m planning to non-rev to Salt Lake for the wedding. I hope the flight doesn’t fill up.”

Non-rev as a verb means the act of using flight benefits to fly.

Pass-ride/Pass-riding/Pass-rider can be used interchangeably with non-rev. It is airline benefit travel.

Standby – All non-rev travel is space-available, or standby. If there is an open seat on the flight, you just might get to take it. When you non-rev with a buddy pass or as a dependent, you will be flying standby. Standby is a word that can be a noun, adjective, or an adverb. I KNOW, I’m sorry, I like grammar.

“I have to board last when I’m traveling standby.” Adverb qualifies a verb.

“The gate agent cleared the standby before me. I should be up next.” Noun. Standby is a person here.

“Ugh, standby travel is the worst!” Adjective, it is describing the noun.

Benefits – We often refer to our non-rev travel privileges as benefits. It is, after all, one of the biggest benefits of our job. But it is funny because people generally do not refer to their health insurance, dental, vision, or 401k in such generic terms. It would be super confusing. If you ever hear a flight attendant, pilot, or other airline employee say something like “I’m using my benefits”, “She’s on my benefits.” “They went on my benefits.”

You know now that we are talking about flights, not doctors’ visits.

Buddy Pass – This is a virtual “pass” given to airline employees to give out to their friends and family. Airline employees get a certain number of buddy passes at set times, maybe annually or quarterly. This pass allows someone who is not an airline employee to pay a heavily discounted fare and fly standby on the employee’s airline. We will get into the nitty-gritty of buddy passes later in this guide.

Clear – In the context of non-rev/standby/pass-riding travel, to ‘clear’ means to assign a seat. When you are a (lucky) standby, the gate agent will “clear” you—you will receive a boarding pass with a seat assignment, and you can be on your way to your destination.

Dependents -No, we are not talking taxes. Our dependents are the people who are listed on our benefits as recipients of our kick-ass flight privileges. This does NOT include buddy pass users. Separate and unequal.

List -(verb) The process of signing up for the flight you want to take as a non-rev. An airline employee lists themselves for a flight. They can also list someone else, like a travel companion or a buddy, for a flight.

Priority – There are many levels of non-revs, and we will learn about them in the next section. But they are not equal. Every different type of standby/nonrev/pass-rider is categorized with a set priority. The priority determines the order in which seats will be given. In other words, it is EVERYTHING.

Travel Companion – This is your person that you get to allocate benefits to. It is offered in lieu of spousal benefits if you are lucky enough to not be married. Just kiddinggg…haha…kind of. A travel companion can be a life-partner, sibling, or best friend. Whoever you want to reap the sweet sweet perks of this job. (NOTE: When we are choosing Travel companions, we are choosey. Because we have to keep them on our benefits for at least one year, brand new relationships are not up for promotion to Travel Companion. Nor is our best friend who we loooooove, but who never travels. We want the person to be awesome, respectful of the rules and our work environment, AND love travel enough to take advantage of this gift.)

Zed Fare – A zed fare is a heavily discounted standby airfare. Some other airlines require us as crewmembers to pay a zed fare when we travel abroad with them. Our dependents would also have to pay this. Our dependents also have to pay a zed fare to fly domestic on other airlines.

B. Priorities

Okay, now that we have got that out of the way, let’s talk about types and levels of non-revs.

There is a hierarchy in place here, of course, and not all non-revs are created equal. At least not when it comes to giving seats! As mentioned, “priority”, in non-rev travel, is a category that determines in what order seats are given to standby travelers.

Each airline has its own system for coding non-rev travel priorities—a different dialect, if you will. We all speak airline, but the language is slightly different depending on which carrier you call home. Like the Spanish word for jacket “chaqueta” meaning something a bit more scandalous in Mexico City, some airlines may use codes that look like S4, S5, S6, etc., and some may use D0, D1, D2 codes.

The codes may look a bit different, but generally across the board, the order goes something like this:

• Employees’ Dependents: Parents, Children, Spouse or Travel Companion
• Buddy Passes
• Retired Employees/Their families/Dependents of other airline employees.
• Other Airline Employees

If it seems weird to have other airline employees below their own dependents in the non-rev priority list, I’m right there with ya. This is something I just found out recently and was shocked to know. Apparently, it is because those non-airline beneficiaries will pay a Zed fare to the airline, whereas the flight attendant, pilot, or other airline employee will pay nothing. And we all know what they say about money. It talks.

NOTE: There are higher priorities than the ones listed here, at my airline anyway, but it is a lot of detail to get into for something that does not matter at all for the topic at hand. 😊

Again, all airlines have different codes, but this is generally the way the priority list goes. This is the order in which empty seats on the plane will be given to non-revs. And allll of those different categories of people are considered non-revs.

As you can see from the list above, when I fly on another airline I am always crossing my fingers that there aren’t other employees, dependents, or buddy passes. On a busy flight, any one of them could be the obstacle standing between me and the last seat on the plane.

This is why standby, or non-rev travel is often affectionately referred to as “The Hunger Games.”

C. Who Gets to Non-rev?

As an airline employee, I am permitted to extend my travel benefits to two parents, one spouse or domestic partner, and children up to the age of 24. The rules can differ slightly from airline to airline. These “dependents” are able to fly on my airline for free and can fly many other airlines for a small fee—the zed fare we talked about.

If you are reading this and you’re not an airline employee yourself, that means there are only three ways that you could have the opportunity to non-rev:

• Get a job at an airline.
• Encourage your parent, child, spouse or bestie to become a flight attendant and put you on their benefits.
• Be close enough to an airline employee that they want to give you a buddy pass.

NOTE : The emphasis on a close relationship here. Buddy passes are free for us, but we do not disperse them freely. You’ll find out more about why we don’t give buddy passes to just anyone in the sections below.

II. Using a Buddy Pass

For a refresh: Buddy passes are non-rev travel passes that are given to airline employees to distribute to family and friends as they see fit.

Buddy passes are great because they give the opportunity for flight attendants, pilots, and other airline personnel the ability to help out family and friends with heavily discounted fares. At my airline, the cost of a flight with a buddy pass depends on the length of flight.

A $20 buddy pass would be something like a one-hour flight—say Boston to New York, for example. A $60 buddy pass fare would be all the way across the country, like Boston to LA. Those middle-haul flights, Boston to Orlando or Miami, for example, would be a $40 buddy pass. Multiply it by 2 and add taxes, and you’ve got roundtrip airfare for SIGNIFICANTLY lower cost than buying a full price ticket.  But there’s a catch.

Buddy passes, like everything in non-rev travel, are space-available tickets. Meaning, yes, if the seats are all full you don’t get to go. And because you’re a buddy pass, you are lower on the priority list than employees and all their dependents.

Settle in, standby travel comes with a lot of waiting.

What if i don’t get on the flight.

What happens if you don’t get on a flight while non-revving?

1. You Get a Refund

First things first, and most importantly: You do NOT lose money when you don’t get on a flight as a standby.

In fact, you don’t lose money if you just decide not to show up for the flight. (I do not recommend doing this without cancelling a reservation, but things happen.) Because these are “non-revenue” tickets, meaning the company is not earning revenue, every penny of funds going into a non-rev travel itinerary will be refunded if the ticket is not used (Ie: if you don’t actually take the flight.)

2. You roll over

No, don’t physically stop, drop, and roll. If you don’t get onto the flight you have listed for (because there are no available seats), you can be rolled over and put in line to take the next available flight to your destination. The bad thing about rolling over is it means more time sitting waiting in the airport. The good thing about rolling over is it puts you to the top of your priority list on the next flight.

So, if you are on a buddy pass and the flight is so full that you don’t make it, on the next flight your position in the standby list will be at the top of all the buddy passers in line. You still won’t be able to cut an actual employee in line for obvious reasons (hello, WE work for these benefits), but still, every little advantage helps in the wild world of standby travel.

Hopefully this all works out for you, and you make it on the next flight. But if not…

3. You wait. Or you buy a ticket.

The golden rule of buddy passing (and non-rev travel in general) is: The first flight is the best flight. This is because you have more opportunities to “roll over” onto other flights throughout the day.

I once non-revved with my nephew and his family trying to get them to Orlando, and Disney World, on school vacation week. We hung out in Logan Airport for hours while we rolled over to FOUR different flights before finally getting seats on one. Non-rev travel is not for the faint of heart.

But what if there are no more flights?

Ahhh, good question! Traveling from Boston to anywhere in Florida on my airline is a pretty simple feat. There are tons of flights at different times throughout the day. But what about other destinations? Portland, Oregon, for example is a one-flight-per-day stop for us—seasonal even, so some months we have no service there. Sacramento? One flight. The whole rolling over thing becomes less feasible for less frequent routes.

At this point you’ve got to make the choice that is best for you. Wait—book a hotel, stay with family, or go home for the night and try again tomorrow. Or buy yourself a full-fare, positive space ticket. (Positive space is the opposite of standby. It means you have a reserved seat on the aircraft, even if you don’t have the numbered and lettered assignment for which seat you’ll occupy.)

Money savings or time savings, and for many of you, stress-savings is what this all boils down to. I can’t live your life for you. Just know, while you’re happily signing up to fly on a buddy pass, dazzled by the cheap airfare, that this could be you in the end. Choosing to buy a ticket or sit around waiting. It doesn’t always happen, often buddy-passing is a breeze. But it is always a possibility.

III. The Rules of Non-Rev Travel

Now that we have gone over what a buddy pass is, how seats are given to standby travelers, and what happens when you don’t get on a flight as a non-rev, let’s talk about some essential stuff. The rules of non-revving. Save this list if you ever plant to fly on someone else’s airline benefits. I promise you will not be invited to do it again if you break these rules.

1. Plan buffer days.

Do not, I repeat DO NOT try to non-rev the day of a wedding, funeral, or cruise. Do not plan to non-rev home on the last flight Sunday night and be at the office Monday morning. No matter how open a flight looks, there is always the chance of something crazy happening last minute. Assume that something will go wrong and give yourself a buffer day on either end to compensate for it. Yes, paying an extra night in a hotel sucks, but missing your pre-paid 11-day Alaska cruise because of a flight delay sucks 247623786538762 times more. This is an essential rule of non-rev travel.

2. The First flight is the best flight.

This goes hand in hand with the buffer days. This one is about buffer hours, buffer flights. The earlier you try to fly, the more likely you will get out on a flight sometime that day. If not this flight, roll over to the next. If not that one, then onto the next. Planning to take the last flight of the day is a very common kiss of death to a non-rev travel experience.

3. Dress to impress

Sorry, folx. I know everyone likes to be comfortable, but there is a time and a place for ripped sweats and pajama pants, and the time is when you’re not non-revving and the place is in your home. This really applies to any time you travel—or leave your home, for that matter—but I can’ tell you what to do in those circumstances. Non-rev travel? That’s another story.

Airlines have non-rev or “pass-riding” guidelines, including, yes, you guessed it, dress. You may remember hearing about the infamous Leggings Scandal years ago. Two girls were denied boarding in Denver for wearing leggings deemed inappropriate. A public outcry of Sexism! erupted, with strangers around the country coming to the girls’ defense. The thing that many of the angry tweeters did not know was that the two girls in question were in fact “pass riders”, or non-revs. They were using a friend or family’s buddy passes to fly for super cheap. Whether or not banning leggings is sexist (I’m certainly open to that argument), it was a part of United’s pass-riding dress code that leggings were not permitted as travel attire. And when you sign up to use these non-rev travel benefits, you are also agreeing to the terms the company has set. It is just that simple.

As employees, when we are flying on the company dime, we are, in essence, representing the company. To avoid an embarrassing situation and make sure you’re on the up and up to get that open seat, follow these simple points how to dress for non-rev travel:

• Ripped jeans. Ripped any piece of clothing, for that matter,
• Profane language. (I had to ask a woman on the plane to wear a jacket recently because her long-sleeve shirt was emblazoned with hot pink “Fuck”s floating in every direction.)
• Excessive skin. Crop tops are in, but not for pass-riders. Besides it being a bit “over the line”, having your bare skin directly on the used-by-millions-of-other-people seatback is just friggin’ gross. Ensure your bum is covered. And whatever gender you are, if you find yourself in danger of a nip slip when you move, it is time for a change of shirt.
• Flip flops. Not only do you look like you’re phoning it in, but they’re dangerous in an emergency.
• MAGA hats. Okay, fine, this isn’t banned that I know of. But it’s a fuck of a lot more offensive than the black and pink Fuck shirt.
• Dirty clothing. I mean. Come on. Clean up your act before you get in a metal tube with other people.
• Layers. Boarding is hot, cruise is cold, then cruise is freezing. And deplaning is hot again. Wear comfortable, presentable layers so that you can be cozy no matter the cabin temp.

Pro Tip: Unless you are in first class or flying internationally, US airlines do not give free, reusable blankets for you to use during the flight. Those days are over along with wearing our Sunday Best to fly and the origin of that terrible steak and lobster joke. Bring a sweater with you. Even if you don’t think you will be cold.

• Shoes you can walk (and run) in . Please save the sky-high stilettos for your power meeting, wedding, or hot date. If you puncture a slide during an evacuation—if you sprain your ankle and I have to CARE for you in an evacuation—I will be upset and it will quite literally put others’ lives at risk. If you are a pro in heels go all the way for it, but if your ass is wobbling like Bambi down the terminal then please throw on some crocs and save it for later.

Every airline has slightly different dress code requirements, so if you are lucky enough to be a pass-rider, or non-rev, and use someone else’s travel benefits, be sure to check them out in advance!

There is no better feeling, as a standby traveler, than getting that boarding pass in your hand.

4. be on your best behavior.

Like, duh, right? Obviously. You’re a good person, why wouldn’t you be on your best behavior?

I don’t know, maybe because you’re Type A and anxious AF thinking you might not get a seat. Maybe you don’t get a seat and you have a little crying baby with you and you will be stuck at the airport overnight. Non-rev travel can be stressful.  Maybe you don’t think the company dress policy matters until you get to the gate and then you learn it does and then you think the policy is sexist, classist, first-amendment-crushing garbage and you feel compelled to shout it from the rooftops. Maybe you took a pill to ease your fear of flying and then you had a cocktail and then you passed out like a fish in the middle of the aisle. Maybe the crew is treating you super nicely and going above and beyond. Maybe they even comped a free drink or two for you. Maybe you already had a few before boarding and, despite this, you keep chug-a-lugging. And maybe when you’re drunk you’re loud. Maybe you’re super obnoxious, as far as the people around you are concerned. Maybe you handle delays really badly. Maybe your TV is broken and you feel the urge to demand a refund or something “Extra” to compensate. Maybe you just don’t know how to not be a Karen.

There are a lot of ways you can fuck this up for all of us.

If a flight attendant, pilot, or other airline employee has allowed you to use their airline flight benefits, know that while traveling you are a direct reflection of that person. Before you act on any impulses, keep in mind you are at that person’s place of employment. Don’t get us fired. Don’t get our pass-riding privileges taken away. Don’t embarrass yourself and strain our relationship.

Above all, treat all of our coworkers with respect and decency.

5. Take a chill pill

Welcome to the world of non-revving, where the only certainty is that nothing goes according to plan.

If you want to be a pass-rider, flexibility is a requirement. Not a bonus, a requirement. Flights get delayed. Weather happens, medical emergencies happen, mechanicals happen. (This is when the airplane malfunctions in some capacity.) It can be a simple computer restart, or a flat tire, or a hydraulics system. But whatever level of severity, mechanicals can cause delays. Basically shit can hit the fan.

You also are not guaranteed a seat on the flight you’re listed for. And you show up to the airport knowing that. Pacing around the gate area, huffing and puffing, is not going to ensure an open seat for you. Yelling at a gate agent or snapping at your spouse over the phone will not make the delay any shorter. Do your best to prepare yourself—by having buffer days and taking early flights. And then once you get to the airport, try your best to just chill.

It is all going to unfold however it unfolds. You may get a seat and be on your way on time. You may have to have dinner in the airport, waiting for the next flight. Hell, you might sit around the airport all day if all the flights are full. But however it goes, a bad attitude won’t help. I know it is tough, but if you mentally prepare yourself in advance (Save and read this post before you non-rev!) you’ll be better off. You’ll be better able to roll with the punches knowing that sometimes you’re a non-rev winner and sometimes you’re a no-fly standby loser.

If you can master this relaxed attitude, you will find that non-revving can actually be really fun.

IV Pros of Using Airline Flight Benefits

Now that I have talked about all the things that can go wrong, you might be asking yourself why one would ever want to fly standby. Again, it is not for the faint of heart. But if you can follow the preparation and chill-pill regimen, you can reap some serious rewards. Here are the benefits to using the benefits:

1. Free Flights

Duh. Flying for free on airline benefits, or flying for very cheap on a buddy pass or zed fare is what this is all about. Flights are EXPENSIVE. This is one of the reasons that people only travel once or twice a year. (That and the way US society is set up to keep people working themselves to death thinking it will lead to a promotion, having a “wait-until-retirement” attitude about literally anything fun in life, and companies offering pitiful amounts of time off to their workers. But, I can’t fix all that.)

What I do know is that flying standby for cheap or free means you can travel far more often. This is the biggest benefit of non-rev travel for most people.

2. Being part of an exclusive club

Airline employees are like one big, global, extended family. When I non-rev on my airline or on other airlines, I understand what the crew deals with day-to-day, even if our coding, rules, and uniforms are different. We share the common thread of being a part of this crazy little world, so different than what most people do for work, and it is a kind of automatic bond. We treat each other very well, for the most part.

Sometimes we get free upgrades to business class. Sometimes we are offered free cocktails or champagne. Sometimes the crew cannot upgrade us because the flight is full, but they make a small gesture like giving us a first-class amenity kit instead of the basic economy one. We try to be kind to one another. To acknowledge the other airline employee. When we non-rev, we often bring goodies for the working crew—chocolates or facemasks, one time I got makeup, weirdly. Hey, whatever it is, the gesture is nice.

When you fly on our airline benefits as a non-rev, you have a little bit of access to this exclusive club. You can kind of be “in the family” by association. The crew will know you’re standby and might treat you a little extra nicely. You’ll get to talk to the gate agent in our airline language before boarding. “Hi there, I’m listed for this flight. I know you won’t be clearing standbys for a while, I just wanted to let you know I’m here.” You get to experience the joys of lightly-planned, inexpensive travel and the sorrows of missing that last seat on the flight. You get to feel that adrenaline that comes from non-rev travel. To have a little glimpse into what our lives, as airline crew, are really like.

Tips for getting the Airline Family Treatment:

• Be nice to EVERYONE. The gate agent. Other passengers who strike up a conversation. The baggage handlers. And of course, the crew onboard. You’re not in your world, you’re in ours. Go out of your way to be polite and friendly and it will go a long way.
• Introduce yourself. “Hi, I’m Toni, I’m crew for X Airline. Thanks so much for the ride. I’ll be sitting in 8A if you need anything.” I tell them I’m standby, who I work for and what I do for them, thank them, give my seat assignment, and offer assistance all in one 15-second exchange. When I tell them that I’m a flight attendant and where I’m sitting, they know in an emergency that I am a person who can assist. And they know exactly where to find me. Speaking up to say this instead of slinking off to my seat, unnoticed, is simply a courtesy. It’s nice. We like it. And saying thank you will get you further in any situation.

When non-revving on someone else’s benefits, you could say something like “Hi, I’m Jan, I’m flying standby today. My mom is a flight attendant for Delta and I’m on her benefits. I’m sitting in 10D, let me know if you need anything. Thanks for the ride.” Keep it short, simple and to the point and we will really appreciate this little effort.

• Bring goodies. I’m not saying we can be bribed, but I am saying we appreciate the effort that a gift represents. Chocolates or some kind of candy is an easy-peasy way to win over your crew’s hearts. We have received Beignets from customers and non-revs, Stroopwaffles, Starbucks gift cards, even a turkey sandwich once. I don’t eat meat, but I was won over by how thoughtful it was. It doesn’t have to be a huge expense or something grand. This step can absolutely be skipped and you can just go on your way. But a little gesture like this goes a long way and really helps bring you into the fold of this extended family.

3. Adventure

Learning to navigate non-rev travel opens up a world of endless adventure. Once you learn the nitty gritty of picking flights, getting listed, talking to crew, and being patient, above all else, you can relax and enjoy the benefits. You can decide last minute to hop a flight to visit your bestie in Colorado for the weekend, because a free-flight doesn’t require much pre-planning. You can change your plans as you go, because no money is tied up in non-refundable airfare. While waiting in the airport, unsure if I’ll make it on the flight I’ve listed for, I look for backup options. Maybe I can fly to Tampa instead of Orlando and rent a car. Maybe I can take a Southwest flight instead of this one in an hour. Maybe I can go to Aruba instead of Cancun because I have swimsuits packed and I might miss my flight, but I’m not missing vacation. Maybe instead of making the long journey straight back to the US from Singapore, I’ll fly to Paris and hang out for a few days to break up the flying and eat macarons.

The possibilities only expand as you become more comfortable using flight benefits and being flexible. This one might be my favorite part of non-revving. Instead of unexpected issues ruining your day, you start to see them as opening up opportunity for something different. You become creative with your planning, with your backup planning, and then with your last-minute, in-the-moment planning when the backup doesn’t work either. You start to see far-away places as not so far. You stop waiting for the perfect time of year to visit a place, or for someone in your life to want to go there with you. And you just go. You start doing what you want, knowing that no matter how many delays or missed flights, you can make something work.

Maybe you start to incorporate this non-rev attitude into other aspects of your day-to-day life. Flat tire? Okay, let’s make a new plan. Financing on the house fell through? Time to come up with a creative plan B. We don’t stop to realize very often that the curveballs life will inevitably throw our way are not the biggest obstacles we face to being happy, enjoying ourselves, living a good life. It is our attitude. It is how we handle these things that has the biggest impact on how the thing turns out. Learning to be a good non-rev can have positive benefits totally unrelated to travel. It might just give you the nudge of a perspective shift you’ve been needing.

Relax, breathe, and embrace the adventure of non-rev travel.

Alright people, I realize this comprehensive post was long and detailed. But there is a lot of ground to cover. (And I didn’t even get into the traveling as a flight attendant portion of the mess!) I wanted to put together a guide that hit all the bases for those of you who have been invited to fly on someone’s airline flight benefits or who are just curious about how the whole process works. I hope this piece was helpful, and I encourage you to save it and read it over for reference before you fly on that Buddy Pass.

If you have any questions about non-revving on airline flight benefits that I haven’t covered, please just reach out via the comments section, or DM me on Instagram. Flight Crews—is there anything I missed? What is YOUR favorite part of non-revving?

I hope you all have a safe, happy weekend, and have plenty of spur-of-the-moment, well-planned-but-also-flexible travel coming up!

Until next time.

I hope you enjoyed this Comprehensive Guide to Non-Rev Travel. If this is your first time to A Wheel in the Sky, welcome! I’m Toni and I write about travel, flight attendant life, and personal things for which I should probably seek therapy. If you’re interested in reading more flight attendant content, check out some of these posts:

My Flight Attendant Origin Story

Flight attendant pet peeves: 6 ways to be the worst, how to poop on a plane: a flight attendant shares, 7 things i wish i knew before becoming a flight attendant, my craziest flight attendant story ever.

Thanks again for stopping by!

Image Credit, in order of appearance:

Feature: Luggage by tookapic via Pixabay

Man waiting in airport by JESHOOTS-com via Pixabay

Boarding Pass by Joshua Woroniecki via Pixabay

Woman in airpor t by JESHOOTS-com via Pixabay

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Very thorough! Going to pass this along to anyone who ask now

As always, so well said!

Hi! I found your blog while searching for info on non-rev travel and love it! Getting ready for my first standby travel adventure in May to Rome, Italy! I’m planning to go to Newark and hopefully catch a flight from there since there are lots of options with different airlines. Should I buy a trip with each airline then see which one I get on and refund the others? Or can I actually buy other flights while I’m at the airport, if my first choice doesn’t work out? I didn’t know if they needed to be purchased a specific amount of time in advance. Thanks so much!! Tracie

Hey Tracie,

Thanks so much for reading and for taking the time to leave a comment! How exciting your first standby adventure! Are you traveling on your own benefits or someone else’s? It might make a difference in priority. You should be able to list for a plan B, C, etc. while at the airport, but the problem with that is some airlines (like mine) give seats based on check-in time. So, for these airlines it is beneficial to be listed and checked in 24 hours prior to departure. Again, this is not every airline, and sometimes you won’t be able to check in that far in advance. But this is the reason I prefer to list for multiple flights in advance. ***It is very important to cancel all the other listings as soon as you get a seat!*** If you don’t you could be penalized by your airline (or the employee can be). Also, it just makes it very hard for other nonrevs to see how many seats are really available.

If you don’t have it already, I recommend getting an app called Staff Traveler. You can put in requests to see how many seats are available. It can give some peace of mind.

I hope it all works out for you and I’m SO jealous of your Italy plans! Buon viaggio!

This is by far the best article I’ve read regarding non-rev. I especially liked the vocabulary portion, because as a newbie, the jargon had my head spinning. But I’m starting to grasp it now. I have a question I’ve been scouring the internet for. Can you help? In 2 days from now I have a 930am Southwest flight listed through myidtravel. This is my first non-rev trip and I’m equally nervous and excited. After reading your article, I’d like to get on the 6:45am flight instead. first=best

Should I cancel/refund through myidtravel, and book the earlier flight? Or is it ok to just show up and ask if I the agent can move me up to the earlier flight.

Vocab question: is “move up” the right term for showing up the airport early and getting an earlier flight?

Thanks in advance!

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I’m glad the vocab was helpful– it is a totally different language! It looks like your Southwest flight ahs already come and gone, sorry for not getting back to you sooner. In the future, I’d say it is best to change in MyidTravel in advance. This could be different fior Southwest and not the best advice, but for my airline, check-in time determines the order that seats get assigned. So, if you’re waiting until the day of to list for a flight, there could be other people in your priority class who checked in the day before and are now ahead of you in line. Always check in 24 hours prior if you are able to (some airlines and sometimes on international flights you will not be able to and will have to do it with an agent the day of flight.)

Also, you don’t even have to change your flight. If you are worried about getting on, keep your original reservation and then make a new reservation for the earlier flight. This way you are listed and checked in for both. Just make sure to cancel whichever one you won’t be using! I hope that helps!

Hi Toni – This is a great article! I am about to have my first non-rev experience! My husband works for a cargo airline so it’s hard to find all the “rules.” Are we able to purchase food and drinks on the flight? Since this ticket is booked separately from any airline mileage program, I wasn’t sure if there was a way to ensure there is a credit card on file.

I also wondered about the gifts you (and others) mention giving to staff. There are so many people you encounter getting on a flight! Who do you give them to?

Thanks! Stacy

Hey there Stacy, thanks for stopping by! You should be able to purchase food and drinks on board the plane with a credit card, you won’t need to have it on file.

As for gifts, people bring all kinds of stuff. Edible gifts (usually sweets) are the most common, but we also get Starbucks gift cards sometimes or even more personalized gifts. I’ve received a goody bag with a mini hand sanitizer, chapstick, and face mask on the plane. It doesn’t have to be anything extreme, and you can be creative about it if you’re inclined, or just grab something from the store. Chocolate is always a safe bet to bring for crew. I would say don’t bring individual bars unless you’re sure how many crewmembers there are, a box or bag will do just fine.

When I’m bringing goodies on a non-rev trip, I usually bring one bag of assorted chocolate for the gate agents and one for the flight attendants. Since there are usually more FAs than agents, I bring them a bigger bag. They can share with the pilots if they want. When I step onto the plane I say to the Flight Attendant up front “Hi, I’m Toni, I’m a flight attendant with X Company. [And flash badge]. Thank you so much for the ride. I brought you guys some goodies. I’ll be in 12F if you need anything.”

I let them know I’m a nonrev for multiple reasons: 1. If there is an emergency on board, I can help. They should know I’m an additional resource. and 2. If they feel like giving me some kind of special treatment I want them to be able to find me.

Best of luck on your first non-rev experience! I hope it goes off without a hitch!

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What it's really like to fly standby as an airline employee

Free travel is one of the most enticing perks of working in the airline industry , but there's a major asterisk involved. Airline employees have access to non-revenue travel, meaning you'll only get a seat if there's space available. For those who like a good gamble, showing up to the airport without a confirmed seat can be thrilling yet incredibly nerve-wracking.

Back in summer 2019 — also known as the golden year for air travel — I was an intern at JetBlue Airways . One of the perks was standby travel, and during those 10 weeks, I wanted to take full advantage of my (short-lived) benefits. Overall, it was a success, as I flew more than 30 times that summer, with seven of those flights on the coveted JetBlue Mint business class .

During my internship, I learned a lot about standby travel and the airline industry as a whole. While standby travel is certainly not for the faintest of hearts, there are ways to get good at it and mitigate stress from all of the uncertainty.

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How standby travel works as an airline employee

Whether you're a pilot , flight attendant , gate agent or even an intern, you may have standby travel privileges that get you free flights on the airline you're working for and (potentially) on partner airlines. While you can travel for free within the 50 U.S. states, any international taxes and fees will apply if you're flying out of the country.

While most airlines rank employees based on seniority and role, JetBlue full-time and part-time employees were ranked on a priority list based on their check-in time. Occasionally, JetBlue employees could get one-time priority passes and jump to the top of the standby list, bypassing other employees on the ranking.

However, as an intern, I was on the same priority level as seasonal employees, which meant that we were grouped under all full-time and part-time staff but above partner airline employees. Regardless of your place on the list, all non-revenue travelers must show up at the gate and wait to be issued a ticket. If the flight was considerably empty, the gate agent may go ahead and ticket you at the start of the boarding process. But if the flight only had a few seats left — or was completely full — all non-revenue passengers must wait until the end of the boarding process for standby seats to clear.

With this much uncertainty, it's essential that you only travel with a carry-on or personal bag, as you never know which flight you'll end up taking that day. Since I only had free time to travel on weekends, this wasn't a problem as I never needed to check a bag in the first place.

Since JetBlue only offers paid upgrades to its passengers, it was easy for non-revenue flyers to snag Even More Space (EMS) seats or even Mint seats on qualifying routes. Interns only had access to JetBlue-operated flights, but full-time employees could fly standby on partner airlines as well, widening the opportunities for international trips.

Finally, in terms of dress and behavior, you're supposed to blend in with the rest of the crowd while looking neat and polished. For example, you're not allowed to wear flip flops or sweatpants as a non-revenue passenger.

Your standby benefits extend to immediate family

At JetBlue, your standby benefits as a full-time employee extend to your immediate family (spouse, dependent children and parents). Airline employees will also get buddy passes throughout the year, handing them out to extended family or friends.

As an intern, I could extend my travel privileges to my parents and one designated travel companion. I brought my mom with me on several trips that summer, and I think she enjoyed the standby privileges as much as I did.

How to work the odds in your favor

Now that I've given a brief rundown, here's how you can work standby travel in your favor. While some of it's luck, there's actually more strategy involved.

First, I had access to a separate website where I'd book non-revenue tickets and monitor flight loads in real time. For example, my new intern friend, Peter, and I wanted to start easy. That means we weren't interested in flying a competitive route such as New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX) from the get-go.

Instead, we picked New York (JFK) to Nantucket on the first flight of the day — 7:10 a.m. We checked the flight loads the night before, and since there were 60+ empty seats, we knew we could hop on this flight with no issues. We were ticketed as soon as we arrived at the gate.

A perk of standby travel that I hadn't considered before is that you have flexibility in your travel plans. We did a quick day trip in Nantucket, and there were plenty of flights going back to New York that day (JFK and LGA). While we were initially intending on leaving around dinnertime, we decided to hop back on the flight around 4 p.m. so we could get back to Manhattan earlier.

On my way home from San Diego, I wanted to try out Mint for the first time, but there were only a few seats left and a long list of standby passengers. Instead, I decided to book a flight to Boston-Logan International Airport (BOS) to snag a Mint seat and then jumped on a flight from Boston to New York (LGA).

Related: The Mint experience from London: What it was like flying JetBlue's inaugural flight from London to New York

What happens when there's not a seat available

Out of the 30+ flights I took that summer, I was denied boarding only once. Those are some pretty good odds, especially since the summer is the busiest travel season and full of bad weather delays .

My mom and I wanted to fly to Los Angeles, so we picked the first flight of the day that had about 15 seats the morning of. With other higher priority employees on the list, there was only one seat left. My mom took the last seat while I hopped on standby for the next flight that left just an hour later, and we finally met up at the airport.

There are several other instances where seats may fill up last minute. For example, delays and cancellations can lead to rebooking on later flights during the day — so that flight with 30 seats available might be snatched up by revenue passengers. That's why it's important to monitor the flight loads religiously, check the forecast and see where the aircraft is coming from or going since numbers can change last minute.

Standby travel is also a game of exercising patience, as gate agents are often overworked when it comes to delays and cancellations . We were advised to never go up to the gate until boarding has finished, as you'll want to stay out of the way as much as possible.

Several interns and I flew to St. Martin at the end of the summer. To ensure that we'd all get back to New York, some of us took the earlier flight home while the others took the later flight. No matter how many seats are available, it's always stressful not to have a confirmed ticket, so splitting up helped us travel together without leaving one of us stranded.

Spontaneity is the spice of life

Thanks to JetBlue offering free in-flight Wi-Fi, I could then plan the rest of my trip once I got a confirmed seat and was en route to my destination. Depending on where I was going, I would only bring enough clothes for a day trip. I would look at last-minute hotels or Airbnbs on the flight.

On the ground, I would spend most of my time walking, spending time on the beach or exploring restaurants in the area. Standby travel is an entirely different way to travel than I've ever experienced.

Bottom line

As someone who's quite spontaneous already, I loved the thrill of non-revenue travel and exploring a new destination for a fraction of the cost. However, as I returned to a "normal" paying passenger, I also enjoy the peace of mind that comes with a confirmed booking and the ability to earn points and miles and work toward elite status .

Europe's travel strikes: Flight and train disruption you can expect in April

Our guide is updated as soon as a new European strike is announced.

Strikes are a regular occurrence in Europe, as employees withhold their labour to fight for better pay and conditions.

Walkouts are sometimes planned months ahead but others are announced last minute, showing that it always pays to check before you travel.

Luckily, we have gathered all of the strike information together below.

Read on to find out where and when are walkouts taking place.

If your flight or train is cancelled or delayed, you will be entitled to a new ticket or compensation. Read our guide for the full details.

• Cancelled flight? EU and UK consumer rights and what you’re entitled to
• Germany strikes: Cancelled flights and trains cause travel chaos across the country

UK: Train strikes in April

While there is no national train strike planned in the UK, various localised action is planned for April.

On Saturday 13 April , industrial action by the RMT union will impact CrossCountry services. From 15-20 April , strikes by the ASLEF union will affect Northern rail services. And on 20 April , an ASLEF walkout will impact LNER trains.

On the London Underground, customer service staff will walk out on 10-11 April , which may force some stations to close.

Heathrow Border Force strike called off

A strike planned at London Heathrow Airport from 11-14 April has been cancelled to allow time for negotiations to take place.

If the dispute over working conditions is not resolved, further strike announcements are expected. 

• UK passport holders warned to check expiry date after hundreds stopped from flying
• Refunds and compensation: Everything you are entitled to if your flight is delayed or cancelled

Italy: Transport strike announced in April

Two of Italy's biggest unions have announced a strike on Thursday 11 April that will hit rail and other public transport.

The walkout over working conditions and tax will be staged in different four-hour windows in cities across the country. Staff at state owned train company Ferrovie dello Stato - which includes Trenitalia - will go on strike from 9am to 1pm.

France: Could strikes hit Paris Olympics?

CGT-RATP union members announced a seven-month strike notice from 5 February to 9 September that could hit the Ile-de-France bus and metro network - including during this summer's Olympic Games.

However, the French Senate adopted a bill on 9 April to allow the state to ban transport strikes for set periods each year to avoid disruption during major events like Paris 2024. It also calls for more advance warning of strikes and increased minimum service obligations.

The bill faces opposition and must be adopted by the French National Assembly before it becomes law.

Workers at the state-owned public transport company say they are walking out over pay.

• ‘The kids now prefer trains to planes’: How I took my family on a 7-day rail adventure around Europe

Germany: Threat of various strikes ends

On 25 March, Deutsche Bahn reached an agreement with Germany’s GDL train drivers' union, bringing an end to five months of negotiations and strikes. 

The deal means that GDL will abstain from strikes until at least February 2026.

German union Verdi has also called off strikes at various German airports after reaching a pay deal.

If you know of a big strike happening in your country that we have missed, we'd love to hear from you via Twitter .

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Exploring the Best Airline Employee Travel Platforms: StaffTraveler, ID90, and MyIDTravel

As airline employees, we are fortunate to have access to various online platforms that cater to our travel needs. This article will explore three popular platforms for airline employee travel: StaffTraveler , ID90 , and myIDTravel . Each platform offers unique features and benefits designed to enhance our staff travel experiences.

StaffTraveler: Near Real-Time Load Information at Your Fingertips

StaffTraveler is our platform that revolutionizes how you communicate and share information about non-rev travel. The app can be used on your desktop or mobile phone and offers near real-time load information. This allows you to assess seat availability on specific flights. You can make informed decisions about your travel plans by requesting and receiving load information from our colleagues from other airlines around the world. StaffTraveler boasts the world’s largest airline community, with members from all airlines. You can also use StaffTraveler to look for tips from other airline employees or to book travel services like hotels and car rentals. 

ID90: Your Gateway to Discounted Global Travel

ID90 refers to a type of discounted travel fare available to airline employees. It stands for “Industry Discount 90%.” This discount applies to both domestic and international flights operated by participating airlines. But in the context of this blog, we refer to a platform with the name ID90. 

Through the ID90 Travel platform, airline employees can search for and book discounted flights for themselves and their eligible travel companions. The platform connects with multiple airlines and provides access to industry discounts, including ID90 fares. With ID90, we gain access to a range of travel services, including flights, hotels, car rentals, and cruises. It serves as a one-stop shop, connecting us with discounted travel opportunities across multiple airlines.

It’s important to note that ID90 Travel is not affiliated with any specific airline but serves as an intermediary between airlines and airline employees. The platform verifies the employment status of users to ensure eligibility for discounted travel options.

MyIDTravel: Non-Rev Bookings platform

Created by Lufthansa Systems, MyIDTravel is an online portal tailored specifically for airline employees to book non-revenue (non-rev) staff travel tickets. It is designed for internal use within our airline or its alliance partners. The platform enables you to manage your non-rev bookings, view flight schedules, and check seat availability on your own airline and participating airlines. 

MyIDTravel either caps the number of available seats or uses smiley faces to indicate the availability of seats on a particular flight. A happy smiley represents a higher availability of seats, while a sad smiley indicates limited availability or no open seats. However, it’s important to note that smiley faces on MyIDTravel have been known to be unreliable. They may not always accurately reflect the actual availability of seats on a flight. It is therefore recommended that airline employees verify seat availability with the airline directly or use StafTraveler to get accurate and up-to-date flight loads while making travel plans.

StaffTraveler, ID90, and myIDTravel are valuable online platforms catering to airline employee travel. ID90 offers a comprehensive interline travel experience, connecting us with discounted options across multiple airlines globally. On the other hand, myIDTravel provides a convenient internal portal for non-rev bookings within our airline and alliance partners. Lastly, StaffTraveler enhances our non-rev travel experience with load information and city tips shared by fellow airline employees.

The Best The Best Online Airline Employee Travel Platform

As airline employees, we find online platforms incredibly helpful in maximizing our non-rev privileges. StaffTraveler, in particular, is an invaluable tool that perfectly caters to our unique travel needs, whether we’re discovering new destinations or planning a visit back home. If you haven’t tried StaffTraveler yet, download it now for free.

What StaffTravelers love about StaffTraveler

The StaffTraveler app gets an average of 4.9 stars from our members. Here…

Introducing StaffTraveler for Web

StaffTraveler for web is here! Get non-rev loads and answer other members'…

5 Reasons to Use StaffTraveler

Discover why one of our loyal users declares StaffTraveler as the ultimate…

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An out-of-pocket maximum is the most you’ll pay during a year. After you reach your out-of-pocket maximum, American picks up the full cost of covered medical care for the remainder of the year. You will still be responsible for copays and the cost of mail-order prescriptions.

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Up to a 90-day supply of in-network, generic drugs are a $25 copay. Brand name drugs are 25% coinsurance (when no generic drug is available) up to a $150 maximum. When a generic drug is available, brand-name prescriptions cost $25, plus the cost difference between brand name and generic prices (no maximum).

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The Best Discounts for Airline Employees and Where to Find Them

Joining an airline means opening yourself up to a whole new world of travel opportunities. And for a lot of people, the discounts for airlines employees are one of the biggest perks. You know, after the travel benefits, of course. There are many places we’ve traveled as a direct result of airline travel benefits (looking at you Japan). But airline employee discounts expand beyond flight privileges. As an airline employee, you also have access to hotel discounts, cruise deals, and even special rates on things like car rentals and airport transfers.

Over the years, we’ve accumulated a list of booking sites offering the best discounts for airline employees. Here are our favorites:

Note that these sites are always changing, but we’ll do our best to keep them up-to-date!

In most cases you’ll need to provide a valid airline employee ID to sign up with these booking sites. Also, as a general note: none of these services or websites have paid us. There are a few affiliate benefits for us if you sign up, but those don’t add anything to your cost. Also, these are all things we actively use… affiliate or not… because they’re so useful!

As an airline employee, it’s nice to have a one-stop-shop for all your travel discount needs. ID90 is one of our favorites because they offer deals on hotels, cruises, all inclusives, rental cars, and more. They also have a mobile app so you can pivot back and forth no matter what device you’re using. The ease of use, dependability, and amount of deals offered is why ID90 is one of the best sites to find discounts for airline employees.

Many hotel deals also offer refundable rates. And I don’t have to tell you just how necessary flexible cancellation policies are as an airline employee traveling standby.

In addition to signing up and getting a discount, you can add a $15 credit added to your account by using the discount code familyonstandby !

Sidenote: another great benefit of this website is you can give your family and friends access. After signing up you’ll receive a referral link to share so you can spread the wealth with others. And it’s one of the only sites to have a booking rewards program.

Another popular site for airline employee discounts is Perx. They are well known for cruise interline rates. They even offer rates for some cruise lines not found on other sites, like Disney. Many of these rates apply not only to active and retired employees of airlines, but spouses, dependent children under 18, parents, and in-laws. Each property or cruise line has its own rules.

We’ve booked on Perx several times and you can get some really phenomenal rates. If you’ve ever used Perx before, one thing to note is they’ve made some recent changes. There is no longer a Perx cancellation fee (only those that may come directly from the cruise line or hotel). And they also offer booking with instant confirmation and free cancellation for many of the hotels and resorts.

Airline Staff Rates

This is a great site, primarily for booking hotels at the interline rate. Unlike some of the others on the list, you can book directly with the hotel. So if you are looking for a Marriott or Hilton hotel for instance, this website will give you the specific code and link to use to get your airline employee discount with those brands. We love their organized list of airline staff discounts for various destinations and hotel chains.

You’ll also have the option of discounted car rentals and sightseeing tours. An all-around great resource for crew hotel rates.

Staff Traveler

If you’re looking for help on non-rev loads with partner airlines, Staff Traveler is your answer. You can request load information for your specific airline, date, and destination. We’ve used this many times and its always quick and easy. They have an excellent mobile app (which is actually how they started) and have recently added a full web experience.

In addition to flights, you can also find a wide selection of hotel deals. You’ll just need to create a free account to see all the hotel deals.

Staff Travel Voyage

This one is a bit newer to us, but we’ve found some really great deals depending on the destination. It’s built to provide discounts for airline employees, but also travel agencies, hotel employees, and even friends and family. They offer some really great rates for all inclusive resorts, so we recommend checking it out. They also have a top 10 list for their best selling deals, so you can see some of the most popular picks.

One of the biggest benefits to using this website is that a lot of the partners don’t require you pay upfront. You may be asked to pay a deposit and won’t pay the remainder until check-in. Most properties also have flexible cancellation.

Another option that is popular for interline discounts for airline employees. We have yet to book with this site, but love the variety of deals they offer. They have discounts on cruises and resorts, but also shore excursions, insurance, and even variety cruises. It’s worth checking out and comparing with other sites on this list.

They claim to have the best cruise rates for airline employees. There is no direct booking engine like the others on the list. For this one, you fill out a form with your cruise of choice and they will work to beat all other rates. Reasons to book with NexCruise: they claim to have the lowest rate around, no booking fees, and exclusive onboard perks.

Hotels that offer airline employee discounts

If you’re looking for discounts on a specific hotel chain, here are some of our favorites:

Great Wolf Lodge – use code Perks606

Caesar’s Hotels – no code needed

Hilton Hotels – use group code “AL”

IHG Hotels – no code needed

Marriott – enter “Z31” under Corp/Promo Code in the special rates dropdown

Outrigger – apply special rate “airline employee” in dropdown

Aqua Aston Hotels – add promo code “Airline”

Which booking site has the best discounts for airline employees?

We did a quick price comparison to determine which of these sites has the advantage. It will always depend on factors like dates and destination, but it’s a good starting point! Sometimes, prices are right on par with the regular rates. But other times, particularly in resort-type settings, you’ll see some HUGE discounts. We price compared a couple resorts using the same filters just to see what would happen. Check out a couple examples below:

Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort Orlando (February 3-5)

ID90 – $452 for standard room (refundable)

Staff Travel Voyage – $450 for standard room (refundable)

Interliner – $473 for standard room (refundable)

Perx – $462 for standard room

Staff Traveler – $462 for standard room

Airline Staff Rates – $465 for standard room (refundable)

Universal Orlando standard rate – $466 for standard room (refundable)

Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres All Inclusive (January 20-22)

ID90 – $877 for Junior Suite

Staff Travel Voyage – $455 for Junior Suite

Staff Traveler – $1060 for Junior Suite

Grand Palladium standard rate – $1179 for Junior Suite

Have any to add to our list? Let us know!

Check out these other great reads:

Flying Standby and Non Rev Travel: How Do They Work?

What Is Non-rev Travel? Breaking It Down for Newbie Standby Travelers

The Ultimate Guide to Flying With a Buddy Pass

What Plane Just Flew Over My House? Here’s an Easy Way to Find Out

13 thoughts on “The Best Discounts for Airline Employees and Where to Find Them”

Hey! This is an absolute gold-mine! I just wanted to thank you for putting it together and also let you know that the link for Aqua Aston goes to Outrigger. All the best, Jeremy

Thanks! Ya, there was some renaming, I think. Thanks for pointing it out!

This is not a comment but a question. Do these websites also include discounts for retired airline employees?

Yes!!! Most of these are available to retirees.

Ooh thanks..taking the family to florida in Oct..any ideas for Orlando and sarasota?

Beautiful information. Thank you for sharing

Of course! Thanks for the visit 🙂

We’re new to airline life— are these sites clear as to whether the airline employee has to be present to receive the discount or if it can extend to the spouse? Thanks!

Ya! Most are pretty clear on the terms. But for example, Perx is almost exclusively employee needing to be present. ID90, however, has friends and family privileges.

Very informative, thanks for shairing.

Thank you for sharing

Extremely pleasant and fascinating post. I was searching for this sort of data and appreciated perusing this one. Continue posting. Much obliged for sharing.

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