What You Need To Know About Scoring A Buddy Pass For Impressive Flight Discounts

Finding cheap, last-minute flights is like winning the lottery; the excitement that comes with it is something else. But what if you could score impressive flight discounts, or even fly for free? Doesn't that sound amazing? That just might be possible if you're lucky enough to have a buddy pass. What are these magical wonders? Well, buddy passes are a unique and limited travel perk that gives individuals the chance to travel at a heavily discounted rate or even sometimes for free! What's the catch? Well, it's offered to airline employees, so you'll need to get friendly and make connections with people who actually work for an airline. Buddy passes can be used by employees' family members, close friends or partners. However, sometimes employees will need to be picky with who they present buddy passes to, as they might be required to vouch for traveler's behavior and ensure that they'll adhere to proper travel etiquette. So check out flight attendants' tips for being a good passenger.

Before you get too excited, there are a few things you need to understand about buddy passes, how they work and the instability that comes with it. Read on to get all the info you need to set your expectations if you have access to a buddy pass.

Many airlines offer travel perks for their employees in the form of buddy passes as a non-revenue form of payment. When airlines have extra seats that are unfilled, they can be rewarded to their employees — or their family or friends — to fly at a discounted rate or free of charge for both domestic and international travel. However, as the tickets are not guaranteed, travelers need to be on standby to see if a seat becomes available. So how do buddy passes work? Airline employees have the ability to assign passes to eligible individuals. These passes allow holders to be put on a standby list, and wait until the flight is almost full to check whether there are still seats available, allowing them to travel or not. 

While buddy passes can help you save money on flight expenses, sometimes there are some fees that need to be paid. For example, travelers are still required to pay taxes and airport fees, even if the base fare is free. It might differ from one airline to another, but travelers with buddy passes can expect to sometimes pay as much as $500 in taxes and surcharges for a return flight. Other airlines might also add a fuel surcharge fee which could change depending on the route. Keep in mind, that unless you're traveling with just a personal item, any additional baggage fees will often be added, just like they are for regular passengers.

Well, for starters in getting a buddy pass, you'll need to get acquainted with someone who has the possibility to offer a buddy pass in the first place. That means it's time to cultivate relationships with airline employees and build connections. If you already have that, then respect the privilege and keep in mind that airline employees are sticking their necks out for you when offering a buddy pass. 

But the most important requirement of all is flexibility. As tickets are not guaranteed, there's a chance that you'll show up to the airport and be denied boarding. That's why it's recommended to choose off-peak flights to unpopular destinations to raise the chances of getting on board and being allowed to fly. Since you're a standby traveler, it's best to pack light to ensure smooth boarding and seat allocation without worrying about luggage. Keep in mind that this works both ways. There might be delays on your return as well, and you will need to wait until you're offered a standby seat, which requires patience. That means that you'll need to have alternative travel options for your return just in case a seat doesn't become available.

Remember to dress appropriately and stick to airline dress codes, be respectful to airline staff and avoid causing any issues since your friend or family member's reputation can be on the line.