My almost perpetual free airline tickets
- I booked seats on a USAir flight from BWI (Baltimore, MD) to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on their Metro Jet service to use in November 2001. Needless to say, the events of September 11, 2001 drove a spike in the already faltering Metro Jet service. USAir decided to end the service shortly before the trip was to commence. USAir called and told about the rescheduled flight on their regular service which was very similar in times to the original flight.
- When I arrived at BWI to fly to Florida the plane was in an oversold condition. I volunteered my seat and got a free airline ticket plus flew down in the First Class cabin. I arrived in Fort Lauderdale a little later than originally planned.
- On the way back to BWI, the flight was in an oversold condition. Originally I didn't want to give up the seat since it would put me back in Baltimore way too late to make it home at a decent hour - I had to teach the next day. As I was sitting there, Joe Lieberman and his entourage showed up at the gate. He and his security detail were going to be on our flight! I boarded the plane and then they came over the PA with the offer to bump to a later flight. They had managed to find a quicker way home than the original offer by flying direct through Charlotte. I jumped at the opportunity and got another set of free tickets. Unfortunately, the flight from Charlotte to BWI was delayed so I made it home very late and had to take the next day off of work.
- So... I used the first set of free tickets and flew from Williamsport, PA to Las Vegas, Nevada over Easter break of 2002. No free tickets here.
- I used the second set to fly to Texas over our Christmas break of 2002. I booked a flight from State College through Pittsburgh to Houston on Christmas Eve and then through Philadelphia on the way back New Year's Eve. This one was a gold mine. When I arrived at the State College airport the flight was in an oversold condition so I bumped to a later flight through Philadelphia to Houston. This put me about three hours behind schedule. When I arrived in Philadelphia an hour later the next flight was overbooked. I gave up my seats and flew to Pittsburgh where I caught a plane to Houston. This time it was first class.
- The result: The original $120 tickets from BWI to Ft. Lauderdale scored that trip plus four free round-trip airline tickets to anywhere USAir flies in the continental US or Canada. Here are all the segments I flew on the original ticket cost of $5.45 per leg:
- BWI to Ft. Lauderdale (1st class)
- Ft. Lauderdale to Charlotte
- Charlotte to BWI
- Williamsport to Pittsburgh
- Pittsburgh to Las Vegas
- Las Vegas to Philadelphia
- Philadelphia to Williamsport
- State College to Philadelphia
- Philadelphia to Pittsburgh
- Pittsburgh to Houston (1st class)
- Houston to Philadelphia
- Philadelphia to State College
- Philadelphia to Denver
- Denver to Philadelphia
- Booked Williamsport to Denver for Summer 2004 (Williamsport to Pittsburgh)
- Pittsburgh to Denver
- Denver to Pittsburgh
- Pittsburgh to Williamsport
- Williamsport to Philadelphia
- Philadelphia to Denver
- Denver to Philadelphia
- Philadelphia to Williamsport
For Thanksgiving 2003 I flew with Jen to Missouri to visit family. We scored a set of free tickets on the flight out of Philadelphia to St. Louis on US Air. They were overbooked so we took the bump and they flew us to Chicago where we took a United flight to St. Louis.
We're using these tickets in the summer of 2005 to go to Phoenix, AZ.
On our way home from her family in Missouri at Christmas, Jen and I got another set of free tickets in St. Louis. The flight to Philadelphia was overbooked so we volunteered to fly out two hours later on American to Pittsburgh where we had a five hour layover before flying in to Williamsport. We got in about five hours later than originally.
We're using these tickets in the summer of 2005 to go to San Diego, CA.
How do I score free tickets like this?
- Book your seat on a flight that is likely to be oversold. Look for flights near holidays and days when business travelers travel heavily. Look for heavily traveled routes. Christmas Eve is a prime day to do this since the flights are often overbooked and people are psycho to get where they need to so they won't give up their seat.
- Have a flexible travel schedule. Sometimes taking the next flight will only put you 1-3 hours behind. (Let people who are picking you up know that you try to bump.) Remember, there are three major benefits:
- You get vouchers for free flights. This is the big score. Sometimes they'll even offer you food, rental cars, taxi fares, and hotel stays if they can't get you on a flight within a few hours or that day.
- Your bags may arrive at your destination before you so you won't have to wait for them to be unloaded. Just go to the airline baggage office with your baggage claim ticket and/or photo ID.
- Sometimes you will be seated in first class on the flight you are rescheduled to go on. This is because a plane's coach section often sells out. If there are only a few seats open on an aircraft they will likely be first class. Boy, is first class nice! Tons of legroom, excellent seats, quiet cabin, no screaming babies, fresh air, free drinks, awesome meals, outstanding service, etc.
- Here's the key: When you arrive at the airport to check in tell the ticket agent that you want to be put on their volunteer list. Ask if they have an oversold flight. The earlier you arrive at the airport the more likely you are to be first on the volunteer list. Don't wait for them to ask for volunteers. Every time I fly I automatically ask to be put on this list and the other passengers don't even know about the oversell. The airlines like it to be this way so they don't have to announce they've screwed up and oversold the flight. Another trick I learned this year - if you're flying more than one leg ask at the first airport whether or not any of your legs are overbooked. They can put you on "the list" before you ever get to your connecting airport.
- When you get to the gate sit near the gate agent so that you can hear their conversations with passengers. This way you'll have a good idea whether or not you'll be bumped.
- Sometimes there's a screw up where two people actually get assigned to the same seat. The airline might not realize this until they are loading the plane so keep your ears open near the jet way. Don't board the plane until final call to take advantage of this situation. Besides, sitting in the terminal is far more comfortable that sitting in a coach or economy seat. I always think it's funny how people rush the gate agent to get on the plane early - like they'll actually be able to leave sooner. Almost always the cabin is ready and the doors are closed before the ground crew have their act done (baggage, mail, and fuel loading) so there's no real hurry.
- Your bags will likely beat you to your destination. Sometimes they'll be on your flight. It depends. This is a good thing because you won't have to wait for your bags at the turn style. They'll be in the baggage claim office instead - this saves a little time.
Travel tips and tricks
