The real story behind Unlimited Free Flights
Pack your stuff, go to the airport and just board any flight -Sounds amazing, right?
Working in the travel industry means that often you’ll fly for free, both for business and for pleasure. I’ve experienced anything from 3-course menus in Business class to cramped middle-seats in Economy, from the (half-) joys of Premium Economy to airport lounges.
Since I’ve started working in this industry, people have always asked me: “Do you get free flight tickets?”
The idea of spontaneously jumping on a plane and fly to any destination in the world for free sounds like a dream.
Indeed, flying stand-by (as it’s called by airline professionals) is a perk that most “regular travellers” are so curious about.
So, how does the life of a stand-by passenger really look like? Here’s my experience.
You can fly Business Class
From gourmet dishes to high-end champagne selections, from lie-flat seats to lounge access, flying Business class is a completely different experience -especially on long distances. Business Class tickets usually cost 2-3 times a regular Economy ticket, and finding cheap business class tickets is hard. Flying stand-by is the cheapest way to experience Business Class.
There are many advantages to flying Business Class to my holiday destination. What I enjoyed the most: Arriving much more rested at destination and maximizing the first days of my itinerary.
In fact, lie-flat seats in Business Class really make a difference, especially on an overnight flight. The cabin crew of some premium airlines will even set up the bed for you, including a mattress and pillow!
You can can fly spontaneously to ANYWHERE in the world
Admittedly, this is one of the coolest benefits for a stand-by passenger. I can book my plane ticket literally the same day, pack my stuff and go to the airport.
There’s no difference if I book 6 months or 6 hours before the flight takes off.
Bad weather in Bali? Oh well, let’s fly to Bangkok.
Booking hotels while waiting in line at the gate becomes the new normal.
However….
…you can easily get kicked out from your flight…
One of the downsides of flying stand-by is that in most cases I’ll get lower priority than “regular” passengers. What this means: In case the flight is full, I’ll need to catch a later flight, hoping to get a free seat.
To make things even more challenging, airlines tend to “overbook” every flight to compensate for passengers that for whatever reason won’t show up at the airport.
To increase the chances of boarding a flight while on stand-by, it’s safer to fly when less people are travelling (that’s why I ended up landing in the Philippines on new Year’s Eve). And book a flight to less popular destinations.
In very rare occasions, stand-by passengers can fly jumpseat (that’s how the small seat used by cabin crews during take-off and landing is called).
I've been lucky enough to fly jumpseat a few times on the last flight of the day.
…and it's not always free
By now you have probably guessed it: Free flight tickets are not always, well, free.
In many cases, a stand-by passenger has to pay a small portion of the ticket price. How much depends on the departure and destination airports, class, on the airline issuing the ticket, etc.
What’s for sure: flying Economy or Business Class on stand-by can be incredibly cheap compared to regular tickets. I’ve been able to fly to the other side of the world for the same price of two hotel nights.
But it can be really fun (if you can handle it)
Flying stand-by can be incredibly fun and adventurous. However, it requires good preparation and a cool head. Being stranded on the other side of the world because my flight was full hasn’t always been fun.
For sure, as a stand-by passenger I’ve explored some of the most exotic destinations in the world that I’d probably never thought of visiting otherwise.
One thing I've learned from flying stand-by: Stay flexible and plan for the unexpected. That’s always good practice, even if you're a regular passenger.
What do you think about flying for free? Have you been a stand-by passenger?
Share your experience in the comments!
About me:
As a passionate traveler and airline & hospitality expert I've been lucky to experience travel from behind the scenes -From crossing the Andes by bus, to flying Business class to the Maldives.
Some fun facts about my trips:
I’ve visited 5 of the 7 New World Wonders
Lowest point I’ve reached: Death Valley, California at -86 mt (-282 ft) altitude
Highest point I’ve reached: The Andes, 5,050 mt (16,568 ft) altitude
I've stayed at 100+ accommodations, from a tent in the Savannah to a houseboat on a French river
I’ve travelled 350,000+ km across 45+ countries and 5 continents by bus, car, boat, bike, hiking and so much more…
In my blog Beating Jetlag I share my travel experiences, insider tips and behind-the-scenes content for smart adventurers, as well as travel marketing recommendations for Creators. You can read more about me here.