non rev international travel

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

If you’re new to the airline industry, you’ll quickly find these terms thrown around everywhere. What is non-rev travel? How does flying standby work? We’re breaking everything down for all our newbie standby traveler friends. We’ve been at this non-rev travel thing for several years and want to share what it’s like for any beginner non-revvers out there.

First, what is non-rev travel?

Let’s start with the basics. What is non-rev travel? The term stands for “non-revenue”, which means you only pay a fraction of the actual ticket cost, if any. In many cases, the ticket may be free. The airline is not making money from non-rev tickets. In some cases (especially international) you may pay a small amount for taxes. Non-rev is a benefit of airline employees. And the term is used to describe how airline staff travel.

Who can take advantage of non-rev travel benefits?

A long list of people. If you’re not an airline employee, don’t count yourself out. Non-rev or staff travel benefits often extend to spouses, children, and parents, often called “pass riders”. Even family and friends can use some portion of the benefits. It may be slightly different airline to airline, but for us, spouse or domestic partner, kids under the age of 26, and up to two parents qualify to receive the non-rev travel benefits. Sometimes family and friends can also receive perks, using a buddy pass.

What are buddy passes?

For friends and family who want to use employee travel privileges, they use a buddy pass. Employees are typically given a certain allotment of buddy passes every year and they can disperse them to close friends and family. I say close, because it’s VERY against the rules to sell them or give them to random people who you don’t consider close friends or family members. Buddy passes cost more than what employees (or employee immediate family) pay, but they are a way to extend some airfare deals to family and friends.

What’s the catch?

It sounds a little too good to be true, right? Flying around the world for free (or very close to free). Well, it does come at the price of convenience. Flying non-rev means you’ll also have to fly standby. Another fun term. Flying standby means you don’t get a seat on the plane…unless there are leftover seats after all paying customers have boarded. Unoccupied seats can come from the flight not selling out, or people missing their flight. And standby life is not for the faint of heart.

It’s like a game. A twisted game. The Hunger Games. You’ll likely be able to access your own airline’s flight loads to get an idea of how many seats are open. But additional seats sell the day of travel. Sometimes people miss flights and seats become available. Sometimes the airline oversells flights. It’s really really hard to predict what will happen when you arrive to the airport. And that’s why non-rev travel can be a guessing game. And you may want to come prepared with a backup plan…or ten.

We created another article on flying standby about how we choose our destinations. It also has some videos of our standby experiences.

Can you fly non-rev international or on different airlines ?

I don’t want to provide a blanket statement here because it could vary for every airline. But I’ll talk about our particular experience. The answer to both questions, for us, is yes. You can fly international and on different airlines.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Flying with a Buddy Pass

Flying non-rev internationally.

Flying non-revenue on international flights works largely the same as domestic except you’ll likely have to pay international taxes. You still put yourself on the standby list and you still only get to fly if there are empty seats. In our experience, international flights are bigger and often are easier to find empty seats. And from a cost perspective, international taxes and fees don’t run very high so it’s still pretty affordable. We’ve traveled non-rev to Paris, Brussels, Buenos Aires, London, Cancun, Tokyo, and Barcelona to name a few. And for each person, international taxes are usually only $100-$300. Not bad for international!

Flying non-rev on other airlines

Reasons for flying on other airlines:

• Your airline doesn’t fly to a particular destination
• Your airline looks pretty full on the day you want to travel

Many airlines have agreements with each other to extend non-rev travel privileges. So you can fly on other airlines. And other airline employees can fly on your airline. The downside? The cost is usually a bit more expensive than flying on your own airline. And you may not be able to access the flight loads, which makes planning difficult. Luckily, there are sites like Staff Traveler that can help with finding seat availability on other airlines.

How does the non-rev process work?

Now that you know what non-rev travel is, let’s talk about how it works in practice. You’ll have an employee system (often pass riders can access this system). Once you determine your destination and flight time, you put yourself on the standby list. You’ll get a standby ticket to get through airport security. And then you show up at the airport like a normal passenger. At this point you cross your fingers and hope the gate agent calls your name.

There are many, many factors that contribute to standby success. We won’t go into too much detail as it varies wildly from airline to airline. But there will be a prioritized list of all the non-revvers trying to get on the flight. Your priority on the list will be determined by things like how long the employee has been with the company, if you’re traveling with the employee, if you’re a buddy pass rider. Other airlines do it differently and base priority by when you listed for the flight. There are also dress codes for some airlines.

And a story about our first non-rev experience

That was a lot of information thrown at you. So, it’s time for a little fun. This is the story of our very first non rev travel experience.

It was about 2 months into working for the airline. And we were anxious to start using travel benefits. One Friday at work, I called up Nick and said “what do you think about going to Brussels?” Yes, Belgium. After a few seconds of silence, I followed up my original question with “also, how fast can you pack our bags?”

Nick went home on his lunch break, packed our bags and passports, and went back to work. About 5 hours later, the workday was over and we were making our way through airport security. I had noticed earlier at work that Brussels was wide open. Being our first standby flying experience, we wanted to wait for a flight that was a sure thing (or at least as close to it as you can get as an airline employee). Brussels fit the bill, so there we were. Waiting and not really sure what we were doing. One of the coolest parts of non-rev travel is you can decide last minute to take a trip, pack your bags, and go.

Related: How Does Flying Standby Work for Non-Airline Employees?

There were only a few people ahead of us on the list, so we got on the flight. Not only that, but first class seats were open. So we shelled out a bit of additional money and had one heck of a luxurious first non-rev experience. We got so filled up, we almost had to turn down an ice cream sundae. Almost. Yes, that sounds snobby AF. And I’m only saying it here because most of you reading this have access to the same experiences with your travel benefits. So I don’t feel that guilty. Also, I was pregnant at the time so I didn’t get to partake in the adult beverages.

Once we got to Belgium, it was Saturday morning and we were there less than 24 hours. We had to come back on Sunday so we could be back at work Monday. We booked our hotel using the secret hot rate hotels on Hotwire. When we got there, the hotel was closed so we had to roll our bags around everywhere for several hours. We had some Belgium chocolate. Waffles. Mussels. And since it was December, we visited the Christmas market. Ok, so we ate the whole time. I was pregnant and hungry.

The next day, we went to the airport and were cleared once again from the standby list. Like I said, we made sure before we left the flights were very wide open. At first, we were super terrified to take any risks. But that’s no longer the case.

How’s that for satisfying a chocolate pregnancy craving?

Family on Standby

That story painted kind of a rosy picture. But most times, it’s nothing like that. Especially adding kids (and extra travelers) to the picture. If you’re still appalled by the ice cream comment and flying first class, here are some of our other non rev travel experiences that didn’t go quite as smoothly:

• We once sat at the airport for an entire day after trying 7 different destinations and didn’t board a single flight. We tried flying on President’s Day.
• When flying home from Barcelona, there was an unexpected taxi strike. We had to find a public bus last minute and just barely made it to the airport on time.
• Flying home from Buenos Aires, it took us 3 flights, an Uber in between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, and a surprise overnight hotel stay. Sometimes that happens.

At the end of the day, whether lounging in first class or sleeping on the airport floor because you can’t get a flight out, non-rev travel is an adventure. And it comes with some hilarious, fun, and bittersweet stories.

Are you new to non-rev travel? Or do you have your own story?

Let us know where you are in your non-rev journey! We love hearing stories from other non-rev travelers. And if you have your own interesting non-rev travel experience, we want to feature your story. Tweet us at @FamilyOnStandby , leave a comment with your story below, or send us an email to hi (at) familyonstandby.com so we can feature you!

If you don’t yet follow our Youtube channel Family on Standby we film all of our standby adventures. The good and the bad.

6 thoughts on “what is non-rev travel breaking it down for newbie standby travelers”.

Hello. I love reading your experiences of traveling non rev with your family! Traveling is such an amazing experience for our young ones to have. And, talk about quality family time! Our family also travels nonrev. My husband started working at an airline just 2 years ago so that our family of 6 could travel the world. We have already had so many amazing travel experiences and some crazy ones too. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us! Happy Travels!!

Hello, so my wife and I are new to ID90 this was her first time using it, so after she gets her tickte and the flight takes off I think everything is fine, but after she lands she told me the flight attendant asked her if she was “N2” she went on to explain that I was the airline employee for another airline and that she was my wife, after they asked her if she could watch a child so she spent her whole 9 hour flight taking care of a kid. Is this normal this was our first time using ID90 and she isn’t the airline employee I am just confused.

Do you ever check your baggage when taking standby flights?

What happens during the boarding process of a Non Rev passenger that requires mobility assistance ? Do they receive an earlier boarding pass or still need to wait it out ?

Great breakdown of the non-rev experience! It’s helpful to see someone with a family navigating the process. Right now, it’s just my husband and I flying standby. It’s great to see that it is doable, with some patience, when you have a family.

I had these benefits for >10 years since my family member started working for an airline. We have various types of tickets, and the queue order is based on ticket type and date of joining the airline.

Here is a recent story:

2022/12 – First trip since covid. First holiday season after HK opened up, so flights out of HK were full during the Christmas period, especially to Japan. Ended up going HKG -> KIX (with miles) -> HND, arriving three hours after the direct HKG -> HND. For the return leg, I had to depart on Christmas Day due to precious engagements, while the rest of my family planned to leave three days later, listing for the first flight out. However, I had my pick of a flight back as all of the five flights out of Tokyo were wide open on Christmas Day, and went for the last one out of NRT to maximize my time. My listing actually saved the whole family.

Our chances for the 28th got slimmer. Instead of making backup plans, we cut the trip short and all of us left on the last flight out of NRT on Christmas Day.

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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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NonRev Tips | 5 Tips for How to Travel Standby Internationally

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How to Travel Standby Internationally

Getting hired by an airline company can be a dream come true, but now you are wondering how to travel standby internationally.

You want to get to your bucket list of travel destinations as soon as possible to make all your travel dreams come true!  Just a word of warning, the more you travel, the longer your bucket list becomes!  As you interact with airline employees who went to Iceland last weekend, you’ll be dreaming up new travel dreams before you know it. Our philosophy is “The less we spend on this trip, the sooner we get to take another”. This article will help you find the most economical way to see everything your heart desires.

Before boarding international flights flying standby, this information will be essential to save you money, time and stress.

Standby Travel

In order to fly standby, you must be an employee of an airline, a dependent of be purchasing a buddy pass from an employee.

Our family flies with American Airlines.  If you are flying with another company, the answers may be slightly different than what I am teaching here.  But usually, they follow a similar protocol.

Flying standby inside the USA, the flight is completely free !  It’s truly amazing.

Essential Information: When you fly outside of the country you don’t pay for the flight leaving America.  You only pay the taxes of the airport as you fly back into America.

Every airport has their own taxes and fees for traveling from their airport.  Doing some research to see how much it will cost to fly out of a certain airport will help you estimate your travel expenses.

1. Find travel costs

Since you only pay for flights coming back into America, it is helpful to know what those cost are.  On the American Airlines Non Revenue travel site, there is a section called travel tools.  Click on Travel Charges to check the charges for international travel. If you put in DFW-FCO (Rome) it will show that it is free.  If you put FCO-DFW it will show the charges for first class, business, and main.

2. Consider one-way trips

Looking at the cost of flying home from certain locations, may change where you fly.

For example, we recently took our son to Italy.  Read about our itinerary here and driving one way here .  When we did this trip, Venice cost over $150 for one person. We flew into  Venice (free), and then toured Italy by car and ended in Rome.  We flew home from Rome (for only $85).

The prices have recently changed for American Airlines, so now flying home from Venice costs $48 in taxes and fees and flying home from Rome costs $68.   So if we were trying to save money, I would likely try to fly into Rome and home from Venice.  $20 a person might not seem like much, but for our family, that is over $120, which can be another night of a hotel or a couple days of a car rental.

Even though both prices are a steal when you consider you are flying round trip to Italy, the cost still adds up and it might be worth adjusting your trip for budget travel.

Of course, the flight loads will ultimately determine where you end up. We had a backup plan of flying into Rome and out of Venice if need be.

3. Check costs for First Class and Business Class

Typically, the charges for all 3 classes of travel is the same, and as a standby traveler you always hope and pray for that first class experience.  However, some airports charge more for first-class travel.  For example, Paris cost $131  for first class and business and only $81 for the main cabin.

In many cases, you can get a first-class or business-class ticket for the same cost as a coach ticket (If there are any first-class available). In a few places, you will pay more to fly first class. Decide if that is a cost you are willing to spend.  I think first-class is really only worth it internationally, so if we had the funds, I would definitely take it! Unless I was paying for all 6 of us, then I may reconsider.

Flights to London England cost $285 for first and business class and $181 for the main cabin.  For our family of 6, the cost of the flights alone would be over $1000.  The rest of the world is laughing at our tiny expense to fly internationally, but we are used to flying free!  So, that cost seems astronomical.  When we go to London, we plan on flying into London (for free) and then take a car or train or even a ZED fare on another airline to some other airport to fly home.

4. Help your Buddy Pass Users

Does it matter how long the flight is?

The miles flown to the destination does not determine the cost of the flight for an employee or dependent.  For example, Mexico City is really close to us, but the taxes are $71. Quito, Equador is $131. But to fly all the way home from Japan is only $41.

However, flying on a buddy pass (d3 for American) the cost IS related to the distance traveled and you do have to pay for each leg of the flight.  Doing research so your buddy pass user knows how much he/she will be paying for their flights.  Helping your buddy pass user navigation how to travel standby internationally is helpful for them to know their expenses when the stress of flying standby is already great.

5. Don’t be afraid to get listed!

If I book a trip but don’t make it on the flight, will I be charged?

No!  You can list and pay for as many flights as you’d like.  You will not be charged until you receive tickets and board the plane.

Now You Know How to Fly Standby Internationally

I am so excited for you to take trips around the world for a nominal cost!  The less you pay now, the more trips you can go on!  Ultimately, the flight loads will determine which airports you get to fly into and out of, but doing your research will help you be prepared for the costs.

We have only ventured outside of America on 6 trips.  This summer we are planning on a few more.  We are saving up to take our four kids outside of the country more and show them the world.  I hope you get to do the same!

Our entire trip to Hong Kong for 5 of us for 5 days cost less than $500 (including flights)!

See other Standby tips here .

Fly by the Seat of our Pants contains affiliate links. When you buy through the links it helps keep this website running, at no extra cost to you.

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14 comments.

Hi Jamie, I usually fly on companion pass but bought ID20 to go international, I’m flying with a paying relative who can also fly D3. Can we ask to standby for a business class seat (with our non rev status)? I was wondering if I could call and speak to someone as right now outbound is pretty open. Kills me that I purchased tickets but had to secure travel..

Unfortunately you can’t! If you fly on a revenue ticket you have to use your regular status. You can only standby to upgrade if you are flying standby.

Hello, what if your trying to fly between countries in Europe, do you still use your airlines partner carriers or do you pay out of pocket for those flights?

We can fly standby on the airline partners. However, we fly at a lower priority and pay taxes on the flights we take on other airlines. Its also more difficult to see how many seats are available and how many standbys are listed, so for me,it is a bigger risk of getting stuck, but I know many people make it happen!

I just got my passes set up with AA and a friend who is also a retiree. With AA told me there are no longer buddy passes and I see so many questions about how to use them here. I am retired and want to go on trips but dont want to go alone.

as an employee ourselves we still do have buddy passes to give to friends/family. Im not sure if retirees have buddy passes. Sometimes the cost and uncertainty (along with the low priority) make it pretty difficult to travel using a buddy pass. might be best to buy tickets for a travel companion

love your website !!

I have been traveling NON REV under a dear friend of mine with UA but this year I “became” a party of two and unfortunately my friend can not longer help. We are seasoned travelers and i know the ins and outs of traveling NON REV.

I was wondering if you could direct me to someone you might know that could help us get two RC D2 with AA

I look forward to hearing back from you

sent an email to you!

I am a companion on a friends AA benefits. I am trying to plan flying to Paris for christmas time and skeptical I will be able to get a flight. Right now I see christmas is on a wed so I was planning on trying to fly out the 18th a week early but still worried I will not make it. Any ideas how to see when might be the best time? I also considered leaving Christmas day to avoid crowds but again no idea. I know its a bad time. The flights home look easier to get than going..

In my experience flying on christmas day is good, but getting home after Christmas is difficult. I haven’t ever gone internationally over Christmas. WE are hoping to get to the Christmas markets this year, but it will depend on flights. My best advice is have several days you could go/come home and several different locations you don’t mind ending up if Paris fills up (london, Germany). Also look at options with layovers, just in case. Good luck! Christmas is always a super tricky time, but with weather delays and issues, you can often make it! A christmas miracle!

Do you ever get stranded internationally when flights are full? What are your suggestions for getting a family of four on a flight nonrev?

Yes! We usually go home a day or two early if it’s looking bad. We have also flown on other airlines ( ZED) to get to another city that has open flights. For example, fly from London to dubLin on Ryan air and go home from Dublin. We flew in United home from japan when American was full. Look are airlines close to you and see what other options there are. Or we fly into any city in America and then figure out how to get home another way. When we came home from Italy, we wanted the direct to Dallas flight but it was full so we flew to Charlotte and then had a few layovers in random cities to get home ( the direct was full)

Hi Mrs Harper

I am new to the nonrev travel through my brother i want to go on my first trip but wants to know

the average cost. Is there anyway online i can get this information

Are you with American Airlines? Are you flying on a buddy pass or do you have dependent status? American has a travel cost tool under the tool tab. You enter your departure and you arrival city ( and any in between) and it will tell you how much it costs for an employee, a dependent, a parent or a buddy pass. Email me if you have any specific destinations I can look up for you!

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Interline and Nonrev Travel

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Travel tools, airline employee forums, who's online, what do the terms [interline travel], [interline discounts], and [nonrev] mean.

Interline travel is the term used to describe airline employee discounts on air, car, hotel, cruises, and vacation packages. In the airline industry the term also denotes travel between airlines. So, when referring to employee travel, it means that an employee on one airline is traveling on another airline, usually at a heavy discount.

Interline discounts and travel benefits are available for not just the employee...but also for their spouse, children, and parents. Airline retirees are also eligible for discounted travel.

nonrev is short for "non revenue", meaning that airline employees don't generate revenue for their own airline when they fly.

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Top 10 Tips to Take the Stress out of Non-Rev Travel

• October 18, 2019

Non-rev travel truly is a privilege, but it does come with a price. Last-minute changes ( sometimes in your favor, often not ), tight connections, and the otherwise sheer uncertainty of the game can make it seem daunting. There are plenty of employees and their family members who rarely or never use their benefits, because it just seems too stressful. But, we can certainly attest that with a little preparation and a handful of tips and tricks, you can take some of the stress out of flying standby. Here are our top 10 tips for making non-rev travel as enjoyable as possible. non-rev travel

1. Become a Member of Global Entry/TSA Pre ✓ & Clear

People with flight benefits tend to spend quite a lot of time in airports, so finding ways to cut down on some of that waiting time is invaluable. Secure entry programs like Global Entry , TSA Pre ✓ , and Clear have truly been a godsend. Not only can we afford to get to the airport a little later than most passengers thanks to our TSA Pre ✓  and Clear memberships, but Global Entry also helps us make tight connections when traveling back home from abroad.

Clear…get it?

If you are like us and really maximize your flight benefits by traveling abroad often, our recommendation is to sign up for Global Entry, as you are able to apply for and take advantage of TSA Pre ✓  for no additional cost. Details on how to apply to Global Entry can be found here .

2. Join Non-Rev Social Networks

I know at least a few of the major U.S. airlines have employee-run Facebook groups where fellow non-rev travelers ask for and give advice and updates. If you are an employee, retiree, or spouse, you are likely eligible to join. This can be an invaluable resource for researching how to get to and from your dream destination on standby. It can also be helpful in the moment, if you find your flight plan unexpectedly unraveling at the airport. Fellow non-revs are often more than happy to help you in real time, while you scramble to find a plan B, C, and D. 

There are also a number of online forums where airline employees and self-identified “aviation nerds” share news, travel stories, and advice. FlyerTalk is one example of a long-time forum where airline employees have offered a wealth of information and tips about destinations, routes, and airline and aviation news. There are also blogs like Cleared List   and apps like Staff Traveler  (see Tip #6) to help non-rev travelers find their way around the globe. 

3. Be Familiar with Airport Standby Policies

International airports have varying policies and procedures for standby travelers. In some instances, passengers will not be permitted to clear security or customs until one hour before departure, or less. Fighting your way through the lines to try to make the flight you just cleared can be a harrowing experience. To avoid unnecessary stress before a long flight, it is best to research the airports you’ll be flying through so that you can be mentally prepared and know what to expect. You can also use this knowledge to prepare by making sure your carry-on bags are packed efficiently to make the security screening as fast and painless as possible.

Tips for Breezing Through Security Screening

• Pack your 3-1-1 compliant toiletry bag on top so it can be easily removed.
• Travel light with electronics – use a bag with a designated, easy-access laptop compartment.
• Keep snacks in one small pouch, and pack on top for airports that require food removal.
• Wear shoes that easily slip on and off.
• Keep your pockets empty.
• Cell phones are made of metal…put them in the bin!

A great resource for finding airport standby policies is on the Facebook pages you joined from Tip #2. Also, check your airline’s website for current airport advisories, like this one from Delta , to keep up with airport policy changes, delays due to construction, and other airport news.  

4. Purchase an Airport Lounge Membership

For the frequent standby traveler, there is perhaps no better advice I can give than to purchase a membership to your airline’s lounge. Not only does it provide a calmer and more comfortable place to wait out flight after flight, but the agents in the club can often provide valuable assistance – like changing your priority, or moving you on to a different standby list when the option is no longer accessible to you.

Enjoying Prosecco on the JFK Sky Deck

Perhaps a better option than simply purchasing a membership directly is opening a credit card associated with your airline, as there are often added perks. I opened an  American Express Platinum card, and added Rufio as an additional card member. The annual card member fee costs less than a general membership to the Sky Club, plus gives us access to lounges in international airports where there are no Sky Clubs, among a number of other benefits. With the card, we enjoy access to Centurion lounges and Priority Pass lounges around the world. We’ve estimated how many times per year we would need to eat or have a drink at the lounge in order to make the fee cost-effective for us, and by our rough estimates we by far get our money’s worth given the number of flights we take each year.

This year I am actually tracking my visits to the lounge, in an effort to more precisely estimate cost per visit.

5. Dress to Impress…and to Run

When flights don’t work out, we often find ourselves almost running from terminal to terminal to make an attempt at an alternate route. It is imperative that we’re wearing clothing and carrying luggage that can help us move quickly. But, we are also representing the airline, so we still want to look sharp when we finally get that lucky seat.  

The challenge every flight is to put together an ensemble that is chic, comfortable, allows running, and is adaptable to changing temperatures from the point of departure, in-flight, and at the arrival location. My outfits change, but these are the standards I look for in travel pieces.

Your shoes are probably the single most important piece of attire for standby travel. I love seeing posh women, dressed to the nines and rocking stilettos, so glamorously awaiting to jet set at the gatehouse. So long as I non-rev travel, I will unfortunately never be one of those women. Flats are absolutely crucial, given all the aforementioned running through terminals when flight plans suddenly change. Ability to slip on and off easily is also key for rushing through security during international connections. Depending on the season, I have go-to ballet flats, sandals, or boots that all hit the mark for comfort, style, and functionality. 

Clothes & Accessories

Most of the time off the plane you’ll find me in dresses ( which are also easy to pack ), but I tend to freeze, so I always wear pants in flight. When I find a pair of pants or jeans that I deem travel-worthy, I get very excited. In my book, they need to look sleek, be comfortable, and allow flexible movement. That last piece is key, especially on long-haul days. 

I am never without a blanket scarf or pashmina in flight, and I always wear cute and quirky compression socks for flights lasting longer than 4 hours. I also love to accessorize with travel-themed jewelry and luggage tags. My ATL necklace and leather Georgia luggage tag are a little piece of home I take with me all over the globe.

Check out all of the clothing, accessories, and travel gear we use and love on our Essential Travel Gear page.  

6. Be Travel Tech Savvy 

The uncertainty of non-rev travel means some of your travel planning needs to happen on the fly. The best way to prepare is to have a couple of key apps on your phone or tablet, ready to go when you finally get cleared. Last-minute deal apps, like Hotel Tonight, can be a lifesaver when you suddenly find yourself in need of a reservation. While it is controversial in the travel community, AirBnB* is a great resource for non-rev travelers, especially when Instant Book properties are available. Here’s a list of top travel apps, recommended by us and other experienced non-rev travelers.

Top Non-Rev Travel Websites & Apps

• Rome2Rio – Enter a departure and arrival city, and it will return all the transportation options between the two.
• CityMapper – Similar to Rome2Rio for travel within a city. Provides trip time and approximate costs, to help you make transportation decisions. 
• FlightBoard – A great tool to search for zed options, this app lists all departures and arrivals from any given airport.
• TrainLine – Provides prices for trains, mainly in Europe. 
• StaffTraveler – Find flight loads for various airlines. 
• Google Flights – Research flight options between cities. 
• Google Maps – Download offline maps for where you’re visiting by typing “ok maps” in the search bar. 
• Google Translate – Speak to anyone in any language. 
• XE Currency Exchange – Figure out what that souvenir is going to cost you. 
• What’s App – Free calls and messaging around the world. 
• Booking.com – Find last minute hotel deals. 
• Hotel Tonight – Find last minute hotel deals. 
• AirBnB – Instant book properties can be a life saver when you get that last minute seat to your destination…or when you get stuck another night. 

There are also just a few gadgets to always have on hand to make non-rev life easier. Perhaps most important is the external battery charger , to keep all the electronics alive when you’re stuck for hours. Noise cancelling headphones can help you keep your sanity on a long travel day. If you have wireless headphones, pick up an AirFly wireless transmitter to enjoy the plane’s in-flight entertainment. 

*Do some research on AirBnB to determine whether the service is a good, sustainable fit in your destination before you book. 

7. Have a Seating System 

The standby list is sometimes not cleared until 10 minutes prior to departure, and sometimes you’ll get that lucky last seat even later. You’ll find yourself running down the jet bridge moments before departure, stumbling down the crowded aisle, clamoring for the one empty bin to awkwardly cram your carry-on in before you struggle back upstream to your row, where you’ll probably climb over someone’s legs to get to your precious empty middle seat – all while the eyes of every paying passenger are laser-focused on the person they assume is trying to make them miss their connection. It can be nerve-racking when it comes down to the wire, so your best bet is to have a system in place.

Enjoy the photo, you’ll almost never get to board like this.

Make sure your hands are free as you are boarding, so you can swiftly put your carry-on into any available overhead bin without delay. My backpack always goes under the seat in front of me, so I keep my phone, headphones, wallet, and anything else I plan to use in-flight in the top pocket so that I can easily access them as soon as I sit down without having to pull the whole backpack out, further annoying the person whose legs I just scrambled over.  

8. Maximize Your Entertainment & Comfort 

Let’s be honest, at some point you are going to get stuck. For hours…maybe days. Make sure you have a book to read, a podcast to listen to, movies to watch, something to work on, anything to pass the waiting periods (hopefully you’ve taken Tip #4 and at least can spend your waiting periods in a lounge with free food and drinks). I always travel with a blanket scarf, and for long-haul flights I carry a pack blanket and my Cabeau travel pillow . Long layovers may be necessary, and you never know when you may end up sleeping in the airport, so it helps to have these easy to pack items to keep you as warm and comfortable as possible. Make sure you keep at least the basic toiletries like a toothbrush, toothpaste, contact solution and case (if applicable), baby wipes, and deodorant in your carry-on, for the inevitable airport bathroom “shower”. A (small) snack stash and reusable water bottle are also must haves. 

9. Earn Miles for Emergencies

It’s rare, but there may come a time when you simply can’t get home or somewhere you really need to be by flying non-rev. For times like these, it doesn’t hurt to open up a credit card that earns miles for everyday purchases, in order to save up for a rainy non-rev day. To give me some flexibility, I opened both the American Express Gold Delta SkyMiles  card and the Capital One Venture . I use these two cards for almost all my daily expenses, and simply save up the miles for the day I’m really stuck.

Sidebar: I had to use emergency miles to get out of Florida just this week. 

10. Enjoy the Ride

Perhaps not surprisingly, I do occasionally encounter other non-rev passengers ( usually buddy passes, but not always ) taking out their standby frustrations on unsuspecting gate agents. They say you catch more flies with honey, and in the non-rev world it is no different. On multiple occasions, we have had gate agents, flight attendants, and other employees go out of their way to help us navigate difficult non-rev situations because we have always been kind, patient, and understanding with them.

I’ve talked about this before , but this incredible opportunity I have to be a non-rev traveler has taught me how to be patient, spontaneous, and above all appreciative and humble. There’s this ongoing debate among airline employees about the semantics of their travel perks – whether they are a “benefit” that comes as a recruitment incentive, or a “privilege” that should be revered. For the employees, it truly is a little of both, as they certainly earn it. For those of us so lucky to be part of their lives, it is unequivocally a privilege. I will never forget that, no matter where in the world or how many hours I am stuck waiting on the next empty seat. 

When standby travel gets harrowing, thanks to storms or poor airport management or any number of factors, I know it can be incredibly frustrating. The most important piece of advice I have to make your non-rev travels as stress-free as possible is to be kind, remain calm, and remind yourself that no matter what happens, you have been given an amazing opportunity – so enjoy the wild ride. 

This mindset is a skill that has to be honed over time, but if you have followed some of the tips and tricks I have shared in this post, the ability to do this may come a little easier. non-rev travel

Do you have any tips for making non-rev travel less stressful? Leave a comment!

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Disclaimer: Some of the links on this page are affiliates. That means if you make a purchase using the link, I’ll earn a small commission to help me run this blog, at no cost to you! As always, the opinions and recommendations presented in this post are mine, and always an honest reflection on our experiences. Thank you for reading!

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Thanks for such a descriptive and informative topic. Travelling really removes our monotony and freshens our minds. Enjoyed reading the article above, really explains everything in detail, the article is very interesting and effective. Thank you and good luck with the upcoming articles.

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10 Simple Rules for Non-Rev Travel

As a seasoned non-rev enthusiast, colleagues and friends often ask me if I don’t find non-rev travel stressful. My resounding answer is no! You, too, can make non-rev travel a breeze by following these ten simple rules:

If you’re a non-revenue passenger and want to make your travel experience less stressful, here are some easy tricks that you can use.

• Plan Thoroughly: Have a primary plan to get to your destination and a backup plan in case it falls through. Always check your chances using the StaffTraveler app, and if you’re undecided, we offer plenty of travel inspiration .
• Prepare Strategically: Research various flight schedules to explore multiple travel options.
• Stay Informed: Familiarize yourself with the unique rules and procedures of each airline for non-rev travelers. You can find these details in our Airline Notes on our website and the StaffTraveler app .
• Timely Load Checks: Keep tabs on flight loads using StaffTraveler, but avoid checking too early, as loads can change rapidly.
• Embrace Flexibility: Be adaptable in your travel plans; if your top destination isn’t feasible, consider exploring other beautiful places around the world.
• Express Gratitude: Remember to say thank you to gate staff when they issue your ticket, and always be courteous to flight attendants. You’re a privileged guest benefiting from this job perk.
• Dress Smart: Dress appropriately, especially if you might get an upgrade to business class or if the airline has specific dress code rules. We’ve listed some non-rev dress code rules here.  Of course, you can’t go wrong with  this non-rev apparel .
• Show Appreciation: It’s a nice gesture to bring a small treat for gate staff, flight attendants, and pilots. Kindness often comes back around.
• Stay Relaxed: If you don’t get on your desired flight, take a moment to relax. Explore alternatives, consider a comfortable stay at a budget-friendly hotel found on the StaffTraveler app , and try again the next day.
• Enjoy the Ride: Non-rev travel is a unique and enjoyable experience. Not everyone has the opportunity, so embrace it and relish every moment!

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How to Fly Standby on a Buddy Pass

Christina Bird

If you’re fortunate enough to be friends or family with an airline employee, you may be able to snag a coveted buddy pass. This pass allows travelers to fly for free on a specific airline if there is extra space on the flight. 

While a buddy pass is a fantastic way to cut down on travel costs , there are many rules associated with how and when you can use this nearly-free voucher. Read on to get all of the details from a veteran buddy pass user.

What is a Buddy Pass?

Buddy passes are non-revenue, standby tickets provided as a benefit to all airline employees. The employees then share those passes with friends and family. While there is no fee to fly (non-revenue), the passenger who uses the buddy pass must pay any taxes, fees and charges for each leg of the flight.

Don’t assume the “free” buddy pass is the way to go. Do your research.

One buddy pass user related this story: A buddy pass for some family members would have cost $160 round trip in fees and taxes. The passengers found full fare confirmed seats for $170 round trip. The comfort of knowing they had a guaranteed seat on the flight was well worth the extra $10.

How Is a Buddy Pass Issued?

Typically, a buddy pass comes in the form of a credit that is adjusted every time the employee books a flight for a friend or family member. An employee may get up to 10 buddy passes per year that expire annually. A Qatar Airways buddy pass could be completely different from a Jetblue buddy pass. Each airline’s program is unique.

How Do I Book a Flight Using a Buddy Pass?

This will vary from airline to airline and may involve calling a reservation agent to “list” yourself on a flight using a confirmation code the employee will give you. Or the employee can do it for you online.

Since you are flying standby, you are not guaranteed a seat. Either the reservation agent or the employee can check flight loads for the dates and times you wish to travel. That will tell how likely you are to get on that flight. A flight that often flies with empty seats is a better bet than a flight that’s usually full.

Once you choose the flight, your name will be added to the flight’s standby list. You can change your listing up until the time of travel. Experts advise that you check the flight load daily to see if you need to adjust your plans.

Keep in mind, the busiest days of travel are weekends and holidays. The busiest time of travel is afternoon. If you can be flexible and are willing to take a 6am or 10pm flight, then flying on a buddy pass will work well for you.

What Do I Do at the Airport When Flying with a Buddy Pass?

Present your confirmation code to the ticket agent or enter into the kiosk for self-check-in to be issued a standby ticket. Should you need to check bags, the ticket agent will attach a special “standby” tag so that if you don’t make the flight, your bags won’t take off without you. I prefer to bring all bags with me to the gate and gate-check them after I’ve been cleared for the flight.

Depending on the airline, you may be able to check in online like on a normal flight. If this is the case, you can skip the ticket counter altogether unless you are checking bags. Just be prepared to show your ticket and head straight to the gate.

Buddy Pass Flights: At the Gate

If the ticket agent has checked you in, there is no need to approach the gate agent. The computer will show all standby passengers who have checked in. You simply wait for the flight to finish boarding and the gate agent to call standby passengers to the podium to be issued a boarding pass.

If you checked in online, notify the gate agent that you are there and on the standby list, then take a seat.

Have a Buddy Pass Back-Up Plan

It’s important to always have a backup plan. You may end up needing to fly to another city to connect to your final destination, which can mean paying for that extra leg, too. Or you may not be able to get on the flight at all and have to pay for a hotel room for the night.

One buddy pass user said she and her husband used buddy passes to come home from Copenhagen on a flight that connected in New York. Bad weather at JFK delayed their flight, and they missed their connection. They had to spend the night and because bad weather had backed up lots of flights, there were no seats available to Atlanta. They checked 27 cities before finding a plane with two available seats. In the end, they flew NY-Indianapolis-Atlanta.

In addition, if you’re traveling with children, you’ll probably be separated since buddy pass users are the last to board. That probably means everyone will be assigned a middle seat. Flight attendants are not supposed to ask a full fare passenger to move to accommodate a pass rider. Pass riders also may not ask a passenger to change seats. If a kindly passenger offers to change seats to help you, that’s OK.

Finally, there is something called “payload optimum.” That means cargo goes on before pass riders in some cities. If the cargo brings the plane to proper weight and balance, the pass rider doesn’t get to board even if there are empty seats on the plane.

Standby Passenger Rules & Etiquette

Although it may feel outdated, some airlines still advertise a dress code, particularly for standby passengers. Alaskan Airlines , for example, suggests that standby passengers wear business casual attire. According to the dress code, passengers should look neat and clean. Short shorts, halter tops, bare feet and exercise clothing are considered inappropriate. 

Most airlines, however, have a more relaxed dress code. Passengers on a Southwest flight are expected to have a “clean, well groomed, and tasteful appearance,” though the airline considers its dress code casual. According to its Contract of Carriage Document , United Airlines prohibits passengers “not properly clothed” or “whose clothing is lewd, obscene or offensive.”

As a representative of the airline, you are also expected to be polite and courteous to the airline employees. Do not pester the gate agent. Remember – they have the power to decide whether you board or not.

More of Your Flight Questions Answered

Where can I change my baby’s diaper on a plane?

What do I need to know before flying with kids for the first time?

What products can make it less painful to fly with a head cold? 

22 responses

Delta Buddy passes definitely are NOT free! I am a 51+ year flight attendant, recently retired with the government supported retirement/downsizing package. The employee has to handle the transaction but fees are definitely mandatory. They are added to the employee’s taxable income. If Delta discovers an employee has provided a non-employee with access to booking their own travel it can lead to the employee losing all pass travel benefits. Depending on the employee’s work history it can lead to termination. Much info accessible once in the pass travel pages is NEED TO KNOW ONLY.

As far as clearing standby passengers for boarding, items 4,,5 and 6 are not entirely correct. Off-duty employees. pilots included, are only ahead of you if they are deadheading and not traveling for pleasure. Priority is a two tiered system based on seniority and your relationship to the employee. As a “buddy” you will be lowest on the totem pole. But it makes absolutely no difference when you check in. I have checked in 30 minutes before a flight after relisting myself and jumped ahead of people who were already on the list based on my wife’s seniority.

if it looks like I can’t get on a flight so I decide to just wait till the next day, do I have to make a new reservation? In other words how do I cancel for that day? Just not show up?

Can you fly only on delta with a delta buddy pass?

Can you fly. Business class on a buddy pass?

Thank you so very much for this informative information. Especially the part about having a dress code. I’m not a blue jeans kind of guy in the first place and representing the airline is fine for me! People should be polite, patient and cooperative in cases like this. I just hope they don’t take non-tangibles into the equation too. (he looked at me cross eyed, he looked too fat or too…)

I fly standby on Delta a lot, and a couple of things operate differently than what you mention. While almost always cheaper than buying a ticket, it’s not free. I believe there are some formulas (trip length based??) to calculate the fare. For example, Atlanta to South Africa comes to about $800 RT. Also, buddy pass travelers are not prioritized by how early they check in, but by the hire date of the person who gave them the buddy pass. For example, I could be at the gate two hours early, but if someone comes in much later– and the person who gave them the buddy pass has been working for Delta for 15 years vs. my person who’s been working for them 10 years– that late-comer gets the seat. I’ve actually been seated ON the plane when they pulled me off because a buddy pass traveler who’s pass-giver had an older hire date showed up!

Are buddy passes for one time use? Or are they unlimited stand-by flying for the person who has it? How many passes can a pilot give out? And do siblings and parents of the employee and dependents automatically get buddy passes?

You don’t fly or free on a Delta Buddy Pass. It can be a greatly discounted price, but far from free. For example, Atlanta to South Africa would cost about $800 RT.

from Liberia or San Jose (Costa Rica) to Montreal (Canada) round trip on May 18th to 25th best prices?

“Should you need to check bags, the ticket agent will attach a special “standby” tag so that if you don’t make the flight, your bags won’t take off without you.”

This will only apply to international travel. A standby flying domestic that did not make their flight, but checked a bag will have to pick it up in it’s location. The domestic bag will go without you.

Do you have a specific airline that you are getting this information from?

What happened to the US Air Buddy Pass program? My brother works for US Air and they informed him that he no longer has any buddy passes.

Hi Bill, employees only get a certain amount of passes and when they are used up then no more will be issued. If your sponsor has lost ALL pass privileges then they will not issue buddy or guest passes i.e. rowdy and boisterous rude, poorly dressed etc.

i just read an article online about 2 people that were informed to change their attire before boarding US Airways while flying 1st Class using Buddy Passes. I instantly became interested in reading for myself US Airways’ Buddy Pass Policy. I checked their website with no luck. the info you posted towards the end has made me more interested in reading this. is it possible that you direct me to how I can go about gettin this online orby some other means? thanks you in advance…

That is very true if not dressed correctly eg in jeans or tracksuit you will be asked to change

for reservation for standby ticket

http://www.sulit.com.ph/index.php/get+link+code/id/5244265

Great tips!!

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What Are Non-Extradition Countries?

Understand the reasons some countries are "non-extradition" nations.

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A country may choose not to sign an extradition treaty for any number of substantive and procedural reasons.

The United States is estimated to have extradition treaties with more than 100 countries; therefore, it may seem almost scandalous to hear about nations identified as “non-extradition countries.” However, according to the United Nations, there are currently 193 countries in the world, so from the U.S. perspective, nearly half of the world’s nations could be labeled “non-extradition countries.”

Does that mean that half of the world is made up of lawless havens for criminals? No. It means that the status of a non-extradition country is more complicated than it first seems.

What Are ‘Non-Extradition’ Countries?

Extradition is the process during which the government of one country asks another government to arrest and return an alleged criminal who resides in the second country.

To facilitate this process, countries sign treaties in which each signatory nation promises the other that they will extradite criminals upon request. Therefore, in the U.S., a “non-extradition country” refers to a nation that doesn’t have an extradition treaty with the U.S, said Tai-Heng Cheng, Sidley Austin LLP’s global co-head of international arbitration and trade and co-managing partner of its Singapore office, in an email.

However, some of these “non-extradition” nations may, in fact, have extradition agreements with other countries. And other nations have their own lists of non-extradition countries.

Countries That Are U.S. Non-Extradition Countries

Researchers occasionally compile lists of the U.S.’s non-extradition countries.

Countries with a more adversarial posture to the U.S. are more likely to be non-extradition countries. For example, China , Iran , North Korea and Russia are all non-extradition countries.

Additionally, countries without a U.S.-extradition treaty are more likely to be located in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the former Soviet Union.

But neither geography nor tension with the U.S. are prerequisites for this status: Vatican City and Samoa are also non-extradition countries.

Why Countries May Refuse to Sign Extradition Treaties

For all the controversy about non-extradition countries, there are substantive and procedural reasons countries may choose not to sign an extradition treaty.

Some countries may refuse to sign these agreements as a matter of foreign policy. Included in this category are nations that believe a foreign government should not be able to prosecute their citizens.

Other nations take a more pragmatic approach, believing their non-extradition status may encourage people to emigrate to their countries – particularly high-net worth individuals , Cheng explained.

On the procedural front, in the modern era, most treaties rely on a principle that extradition is warranted if someone has committed an act that is illegal in both countries. Some countries’ criminal laws are so different that this can make an extradition arrangement impractical, Cheng said.

Why the U.S. May Not Want an Extradition Treaty

The fact that the U.S. doesn’t have an extradition treaty with a country isn’t always due to another country’s refusal to extradite its citizens to the U.S. It’s possible that the U.S. is the country that doesn’t want the extradition treaty.

That can be true even in the case of countries that rely heavily on the U.S. for military or financial support, such as Saudi Arabia and Ukraine , Cheng said.

While this may be initially surprising, “An extradition treaty creates reciprocal extradition obligations, so it may not be the national interest of the United States to enter into treaties with those countries,” he explained.

How Non-Extradition Status May Uphold the Rule of Law 

For all of the focus on how non-extradition treaties help lawbreakers escape prosecution, non-extradition status can also relate to a non-extradition country upholding, rather than evading, the rule of law .

Since extradition treaties are reciprocal, the United States doesn’t get to litigate the veracity of another nation’s claim when that country invokes its rights under the treaty.

Therefore, the U.S. may choose not to sign non-extradition treaties with countries that have a record of human rights abuses.

In a January 2024 analysis , researchers concluded that China is more likely to have extradition treaties with economic partners. However, China is less likely to have agreements with countries that are strongly committed to the rule of law. The scholars concluded that these countries’ non-extradition status is at least in part due to their concern that China would use extradition treaties to repatriate – and silence – political dissidents.

Due Process Concerns Also Influence Non-Extradition Status 

“In some instances, a country may very legitimately not wish to subject its citizens to extradition to a foreign country whose criminal laws and due process standards are different than the constitutional protections of its citizens in their own country,” Cheng wrote.

For example, the U.S. has extradition treaties with some countries that allow for the prosecution of American citizens, but the U.S. doesn’t have extradition agreements with Afghanistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Somalia or Vietnam .

Non-Extradition Countries May Still Hold Criminals Accountable

Non-extradition countries can always choose to extradite criminals. These countries just do so on a case-by-case basis, rather than due to the automatic obligations that arise out of a treaty.

They may find also other ways to hold criminals accountable. Non-extradition countries can decide to deport or expel someone due to their wrongdoing. And the countries can always choose to prosecute the criminal in their own courts.

Legal Films You Won't Want to Miss

Ashley Merryman Feb. 1, 2024

Tags: law , courts , crime , international treaties , foreign policy , human rights

14 Apps Every Non-Rev Needs On Their Phone

14 apps every non-rev needs to download on their phone.

The number of travel apps in the marketplace is simply overwhelming these days, and non-rev travelers have specific needs that need to be addressed. Based on the trials & tribulations faced throughout hundreds of non-rev trips , here are some apps that I think every standby traveler needs to have downloaded before their next trip. 

Support for this site comes from our readers, and this post contains affiliate links. Consider using the affiliate links below to help the StandbyWithMe team continue creating useful content for travelers like you.

StaffTraveler

Uncertainty is something that all non-rev travelers embrace, and that is especially true when trying to fly standby on another airline. Flying on a ZED ticket offers limited visibility into the OAL’s priority list, so I use the Staff Traveler app to gain an edge. This means that I get flight loads & standby list information directly from other airline employees. How great is that? Many apps & social media groups have similar functions, but the StaffTraveler app has become my go-to resource because I get the quickest responses. 

If you have never used StaffTraveler, consider using Standby With Me’s referral link to sign up to support this blog.

ID90 Travel

Looking to book a hotel or hire a car? Set up an ID90 Travel account to take full advantage of travel industry discounts. ID90 functions similarly to the major third-party travel resources and is tailored specifically to airline employees & tourism professionals. The great thing about ID90 Travel is that airline employees can grant friends & family access, so I have been able to get my companions access to the same discounts when they are traveling on their own. 

Use Standby With Me’s referral link to set up your ID90 Travel account and get $10 off your first hotel booking.

I have used AirBnB’s service across the world. From beachfront condos in Cancun to the backroom of a Houston antique shop, AirBnB has been my one-stop shop for unique lodging. Now that AirBnB offers curated experiences (like the New Year’s Eve cooking class we enjoyed in Havana), there are more reasons than ever to browse AirBnB’s offerings. 

First-time AirBnB users can take advantage of Standby With Me’s referral link to get up to a $35 discount on your first booking

Weather Underground

Anyone who has ever suffered through a weather delay knows that irregular operations (IROPs for short) can wreak havoc on the standby priority list. Non-revs need to be extra aware of the weather systems moving throughout the country during their planned travel days. We don’t have the luxury of being accommodated due to delays!

Keep a good weather app, like Weather Underground, on hand so you can keep an eye on major airports. Experienced travelers know that inclement weather over a hub airport has to potential to affect your inbound aircraft or crew, so it never hurts to be prepared with the knowledge of developing storms.

LoungeBuddy

As discussed in our Best Credit Cards For Non-Rev Travelers Guide , I think all serious non-revs should have lounge access. Your flying status will dictate if an airline-specific lounge network or a third-party system is better for your needs, but many non-revs find that holding multiple memberships is worth it.

The LoungeBuddy app is a global index of lounges that can show you exactly what options are available to you when you arrive at the airport. Simply plug in the airport you are arriving out and LoungeBuddy will show you the location, hours, and amenities of every lounge at each terminal (as well as the entry requirements so you know if your membership grants you access).

AwardWallet

If you have been following our credit card recommendations for non-revs , you have been making sure to stack your loyalty points & credit miles to save you money when you travel. Once you begin amassing serious points, having an app like AwardWallet makes it easy to track the balance of all of your reward accounts.

I have all of my airline, hotel, rental car, and even grocery store rewards accounts synced with my AwardWallet app so I always know how many rewards I earn and when my rewards are ready to be redeemed.

Need to find your way between two distant cities? Consider using Rome2rio, which can compile a number of transit options to get you from Point A to Point B. Rome2rio gives you a thorough review by breaking down each route by price & approximate time of transit.

Most travelers understand that there are plenty of options to get around your destination, and Rome2rio is the best at aggregating everything from public transit to international ferries. I have found this app to be especially useful when looking for alternate routes to get around Europe.

Dining out can be expensive, but the Seated app actually pays you to do it. Seated partners with restaurants to offer rewards to patrons who make a reservation or submit a receipt proving that they dined at their establishment. 

We aren’t talking pocket change here: I have earned no less than 18% on every transaction entered into the app. 

Seated isn’t available in all cities, but it has partners in many airline hub cities like Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Ney York City, Boston, and Philadelphia. If you are based in a hub city, Seated is a no-brainer!

Use StandbyWithMe’s referral link to earn $15  on your first qualifying transaction.

Rakuten is best known as a cash back portal that pays you to shop at certain websites, but did you know that they have a dining rewards program as well?

Rakuten members can link their credit cards to their profile to earn extra cash back whenever they pay for food or drinks at partner restaurants. 

The best part is that Rakuten’s dining rewards program has a national network of partners, so there is a good chance that your regular dining habits will start earning you extra cash just for signing up.  

Use StandbyWithMe’s referral link to earn $30  on your first qualifying transaction.

Google Translate

If you are traveling to a foreign country, odds are you need some support with the local language. I have found Google’s app to be the easiest way to translate menus, signs, and even spoken language. With over 100 supported languages, Google Translate will become a well-utilized tool for all of your international flying.

Being able to use your camera to translate foreign menus is an absolute lifesaver when you are too hungry to think.

Ready to make the leap to actually learning a new language? Duolingo offers free lessons in dozens of different languages. I personally have been using Duolingo to take Spanish lessons nearly every day, and I even used it to take basic lessons in Chinese & Portugese to prepare for trips to Beijing & Rio de Janeiro.

Download Duolingo using Standby With Me’s invite link .

XE Currency Converter

Traveling to a country that uses a different currency than what you have in your wallet? Download XE Currency to get the most trustworthy currency app available today. Don’t let your bank’s abysmal exchange rate fool you before your trip.

The XE Currency Converter app updates every 60 seconds so you know that you will have the most up-to-date exchange rates available.

Google Maps

Nothing beats Google Maps when it comes to tracking your location & points of interest. The offline map functionality of Google Maps allows you to temporarily cache your map data so you can use GPS & location services while in airplane mode. This is great news for non-rev travelers like me who want to avoid international data charges while exploring a new country.

I use Google Maps to pin my hotel location, restaurants/bars I want to try, and any points-of-interest that I want to visit. Google Maps also has access to the public transportation network of most major cities, so you can find multiple ways to get around town wherever you end up.

Consider using one of the major ridesharing apps when local transit or taxi services are not feasible. I generally prefer Lyft (new users can earn a $15 ride credit via my referral link ), but I have found that Uber’s global coverage is much more visible in other countries. 

A word of caution : ridesharing in some parts of the world is not as acceptable as it is at home. I recommend doing a quick search on the state of ridesharing in your destination before deciding to hail a rideshare car. A couple years ago, I was transiting through Santiago, Chile and learned that Uber was in a gray area because of its unregulated status. While the app was functional & showed no signs of trouble, I was instructed by my driver to sit in the front seat and pretend we were family in case we were stopped.

Final Thoughts

All of the apps listed above have found their way onto my phone because of their usefulness over my many years of non-rev flying. It is all too easy to be overwhelmed by the amount of app choices in this day and age, but each of these apps has proved their value to me many times over. This is why I compiled this list of recommended apps for you.

Do you have any success stories with these apps? Is there an app that has changed your non-rev life that I did not mention in our recommendations? Let me know in the comments below! The non-rev world is always evolving, so I welcome any new ideas that add value for other standby passengers.

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4 thoughts on “14 Apps Every Non-Rev Needs On Their Phone”

I trust the Hotels Tonight app to deliver solid hotel options on a night of basis. They only offer to book with a curated list of hotels, so you aren’t overwhelmed with options. Once you know you need a hotel in Miami (for example) you will find multiple price points and locations. To help you decide, there are pictures, descriptions and maps for each property. You can find some great deals offered at the last minute. Over time, you rank up in status in the app to unlock bigger discounts and special daily deals.

Nice! I really love the concept of HotelsTonight. I once bought a couple non-refundable hotel nights in London that I wasn’t able to use, so I tried to sell them on HotelTonight for a cheap rate. I didn’t get any takers, but I have to imagine it’s a great way to recoup some cash in that situation.

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MyID90 referral link isn’t working.

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