Staff Travel

Find out if you are eligible for travel passes when you retire.

Please note:

  • If you left service through voluntary severance, the criteria for travel facilities are different from those detailed below. Please contact Staff Travel for further details
  • If you were dismissed from TfL, you are not eligible for travel facilities
  • If you were granted an immediate enhanced ill-health pension, you may be credited with up to an additional five years to count towards your total service
  • If you are a partner of a retired member of staff who has died, you can keep any retired travel facilities already issued
  • You must hand in your Staff Oyster card and any other staff passes to your line manager on the day you leave TfL

You may also be eligible for free or reduced rate travel facilities through your local council and should contact them for more details.

Once we have confirmed that you are eligible for retaining travel facilities in retirement, your passes will be reissued as retired versions and sent to your home address.

We aim to issue retired passes to you before you leave TfL or, at the latest, within two weeks of you leaving.

Retired Staff Oyster card

You are eligible for a Retired Staff Oyster card if you:

  • Are a TfL employee, and
  • Retire at age 50 or over, and
  • Have at least 20 years' service with a participating employer or successor to London Regional Transport

If you are eligible for a Retired Staff Oyster card and your nominee has a Nominee Oyster card, they will also be issued with a Retired Oyster card.

You can use your Retired Staff Oyster card on the services described in the conditions of use, which will be sent with your card. You can also:

  • Get a third off Thames Clipper River Bus services by showing your Retired Staff Oyster card when you buy a ticket
  • Pay a reduced fare on IFS Cloud Cable Car if you show your Retired Staff Oyster card when you buy a Boarding Pass

If you started working for London Transport before 1970, the following conditions of use apply:

Retired Privilege Ticket Authority Card (PTAC)

You are eligible for a Retired Privilege Ticket Authority Card (PTAC) if you:

  • Are a TfL employee and entered service before 1 April 1996, and
  • Had a staff PTAC with London Regional Transport, London Underground Limited or were in an administrative or management grade with London Buses

If you are eligible for a Retired PTAC, you can also get one for:

  • Your partner if they already have a Partner PTAC
  • If your children had an All Rail PTAC, they will be issued with a replacement All Rail PTAC when you retire
  • Your children will be issued with a TfL rail PTAC if your partner opted to have a retired Staff Oyster card rather than a PTAC. TfL rail PTACs do not allow priv-rate travel on National Rail Services

16+ Dependent Child PTACs are valid for 12 months and expire on 31 December. They can reapply for their PTAC each year, provided they can provide evidence that they are still in full time education, using the annual reissue application form. 

Privilege rate pay as you go

If you have a Retired PTAC, you can apply to use pay as you go at priv rate on National Rail services where pay as you go is accepted. Your partner and dependants can also apply if they have a PTAC.

Applying for privilege rate pay as you go

You need to get the privilege discount set on another Oyster card - it cannot be set on your Retired Staff Oyster card. Before applying, you must read all the information on the Oyster card privilege discount application form: 

If you, your partner or dependants already have an Oyster card/photocard , you must:

  • Complete the Oyster card privilege discount application form
  • Send it to Staff Travel for authorisation

As well as standard Oyster cards, privilege discount can also be added to 11-15, 16+ and 18+ Oyster photocards.

When you get the authorised form back from Staff Travel, take it to any Tube station with your PTAC and ask a member of staff to set the privilege discount on your Oyster card or Oyster photocard. You will also need to add some credit to cover future journeys.

If you, your partner or dependants don't have an Oyster card , you must:

  • Apply for an Oyster photocard , if required
  • Take your completed authorised application form with the PTAC to a Tube station
  • If required, get an Oyster card (you will need to pay a refundable £5 deposit) and ask a member of staff to set the privilege discount on it. You will also need to add some credit to cover future journeys

Under 16s must have an Oyster photocard for pay as you go travel at privilege child rate. They need to take their Oyster photocard to a Tube station with the authorised application form and ask a member of staff to set the privilege discount.

Note that not all privilege discounts can be set on all types of Oyster card/photocards (see below).

You can apply on behalf of your partner and dependants.

You cannot apply online.

Setting the discount on an Oyster card

The privilege discount can only be set on certain Oyster cards, according to the type of PTAC held.

The  privilege discount for retired staff  can only be set on a standard Oyster card.

The  privilege discount for dependent children aged over 16  can be set on:

  • A standard Oyster card
  • An 18+ Student Oyster photocard
  • A 16+ Zip Oyster photocard (All Rail PTAC only)
  • An 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard (valid until 30 September after the holder's 16th birthday)

The  privilege discount for dependent children aged under 16  can only be set on:

  • An 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard
  • A 5-10 Zip Oyster photocard*

*5-10 Zip Oyster photocards allow free travel on most National Rail services in London where pay as you go is accepted, as well as all TfL's rail services. You will only need to set the privilege discount on a 5-10 Oyster photocard if your child has an All Rail PTAC and wants to use child-rate privilege pay as you go to travel on:

  • Southeastern high speed services between St. Pancras International and Stratford International
  • Gatwick Express services between London Victoria and Gatwick

Child-rate privilege discount can't be set be on a standard Oyster card.

The  privilege discount for partners  of retired staff can only be set on:

It can't be set on a Zip (16+, 11-15 or 5-10) Oyster photocard.

Once the privilege discount has been set, you will be able to add credit to it:

  • At Tube, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line and National Rail stations
  • At Oyster Ticket Stops
  • Online . If you do not already have an account, you can create one
  • At  Visitor Centres

The privilege discount will expire when your PTAC expires. Your replacement PTAC will be posted to you. You then need to take your new PTAC with your Oyster card or Oyster photocard to any Tube station to get the privilege discount renewed.

You do not need to pay a fee or complete another application form to do this.

Privilege season tickets

Retired staff cannot buy privilege season tickets for their own use.

You can still apply for a privilege season ticket for your dependent children if they:

  • Have a valid PTAC, and
  • Are using it for education purposes - that is, travelling from home to and from school, college or university

You can apply using the privilege season ticket application form. You must do this at least 20 working days before the start date.

  • Send the completed application form to Staff Travel for authorisation
  • The application form will be returned to your home address
  • Take the authorised form to a National Rail station to buy the ticket

Staff Travel Cards

A Staff Travel Card (STC) gives you unlimited free travel on most National Rail services for one day (restrictions apply). These travel cards have replaced the system of free tickets.

You can apply for an STC if you:

  • Started working for London Transport (excluding staff employed by London Buses), London Regional Transport, or Docklands Light Railway before 1 April 1996
  • Have a 1st class PTAC

You need to complete an STC application and send it to Staff Travel at least 20 working days before you need it.

It will be posted to your home address.

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Using your STC

Instructions setting out where and how to use your STC will be sent with your card. You can only use your STC on National Rail services. 

Each card has a series of boxes. The number allocated to you depends on eligibility, based on your employment terms and conditions, and your pay band (grade).

The allowances are:

  • Pay band four or above - 6 or above
  • Pay bands two and three - 4 boxes

Each dated box allows unlimited free travel on:

  • Up to midnight on the next day
  • After 22:00 hours on the day before (if you are making an overnight journey)

Before you travel

The boxes must be completed in accordance with the Conditions of Use, and instructions that come with the STC. You must fill in the appropriate box for the STC to be valid.

You must make sure that the day and month of the journey is clearly entered in ink in an available box on your STC. Make sure you use a zero in front of single digits e.g. 7 August would be 07/08.

The boxes must be used in number order.

Using your STC for free journeys on National Rail services

Once your STC has been dated, it is your ticket.

During the period your ticket is valid, you do not need to travel continuously; you can make any number of journeys up to midnight the next day.

Only the person named on the STC can use it and the holder must carry their PTAC with them when using it to travel.

Booking your seat

If you want to book a seat, you must do this at a National Rail ticket office; you can't book seats over the phone or online.

You will need to show your STC and PTAC. Your seat will be reserved for you on the day you want.

Free travel on ferries and in Ireland

If you have an STC, you can apply for tickets to travel for free on:Stena Line ferries to:

  • Cairnryan - Belfast
  • Fishguard - Rosslare
  • Holyhead - Dublin
  • Harwich - Hook of Holland

Irish Railways

The number of free journeys you can book depends on the number of boxes on your STC. You can make:

  • One Irish and/or Stena Line journey if you have four boxes
  • Two Irish and/or Stena Line journeys if you have six boxes

Ferry travel

You must complete the application for free travel on Stena Line.

Reservations are compulsory on all sailings.

All crossings tend to be exceptionally busy throughout the summer months, Christmas, New Year, Easter, Halloween and Bank Holiday periods.

You are advised to book as early as possible as space for free travel is subject to availability. You can ask for an alternative sailing if your first choice sailing is full.

You cannot book at the port on the day of departure.

All Stena Line services are standard class.

You will need to pay any port taxes. There are shown below in each direction:

*Can only pay this at Harwich.

You should check in at least 45 minutes prior to departure on all routes except Belfast - Liverpool where you need to allow 90 minutes.

You are advised to book as early as possible as space for free travel is subject to availability. The Conditions of Use for Staff Travel Cards apply.

Once completed, you need to send the form to Staff Travel who will authorise it and forward it to Stena Line for processing. The form will be returned to you with a booking reference. You need to take the form, your STC and PTAC to the port when you travel.

You must complete the application for free travel on Irish Railways, which gives more information about eligibility.

Once you've completed the application form, send it to Staff Travel who will authorise the application and forward it to Irish Railways. Please note:

  • The form must be received by Staff Travel 6 weeks before your intended travel date
  • Tickets can be valid for a maximum of 1 month from the date of the outward journey

Irish Railways will send the tickets to TfL Staff Travel, who in turn will post them to your home address. You will need to carry your STC and PTAC with you when you use your free ticket on Irish Railways.

The Conditions of Use for Staff Travel Cards apply.

Annual renewal

Staff Travel Cards are issued in April each year and will be sent to your home address by Staff Travel. You can use your STC from 1 April to 30 June (e.g. 1 April 2017 to 30 June 2018). You will therefore have two valid STCs for three months of each year. You can use either to get free travel during this time, if you have available boxes on your STC

You can only use your STC on National Rail services in line with endorsement no.11 printed on the card.

Travel restrictions for free and privilege travel

Using free and privilege tickets on National Rail services and Stena Line are subject to restrictions. The current restrictions are detailed in the document below. 

For more information, please contact the operator. 

Other travel discounts

If you have a Retired Staff Oyster card, you can buy discounted tickets to travel on Eurostar for yourself and five companions, as shown below.

London to Rotterdam and Amsterdam

The one way fare is £35 in Standard Class and £60 in Standard Premier.

Alternatively between the Netherlands and Brussels you can book on Thalys trains at public fares, on www.eurostar.com  

To book, call 03448 224888 , at least seven days before you want to travel. Tickets are subject to availability.

Tickets are non-exchangeable and non-refundable. You must print them at home or use a self-service ticket machine.

You must travel with the group and can take up to 5 companions.

You cannot book tickets to travel on Fridays between 17:30 and 19:00. 

You must take your Retired Staff Oyster Card and photocard and show this to a member of staff when asked.

Privilege Ticket Authority Cards (other services)

If you have a PTAC, you can get discounted travel on Wightlink and Stena services, and some other rail services. These are detailed in the document below and are subject to restrictions, which are available from the operators.

Bus services outside London

You may be eligible for a National Concessionary Scheme Pass which allows you to travel free on all bus services in England. Contact your local council to find out more.

Retired staff whose Retired photocards are endorsed 'also available on former Country Bus Services routes' can travel free on any journey on bus services detailed in the document below. 

Lost, stolen or damaged passes

Lost or stolen passes

If your Retired Staff Oyster card, PTAC or Staff Travel Card is lost or stolen, contact Staff Travel to report the loss.

To replace lost or stolen nominee or dependent children passes, call to report the loss then complete the lost/stolen replacement application form and send it to Staff Travel.

  • Nominees: Include proof that your nominee still lives at the same address as you
  • Dependent children: Some passes require proof that the children are still in full time education

Lost and stolen standard Oyster cards and Oyster photocards with privilege discount should be reported using  your account  (if you have one), or by calling Customer Services on 0343 222 1234 ( TfL call charges ).

All lost and stolen Oyster cards will be stopped so that they can no longer be used.

Staff Travel will post your replacement passes to you. An administrative fee may apply.

Oyster card not working

If your Retired Staff Oyster card stops working, email  [email protected]  to ask for a replacement.

If your partner's Nominee Oyster card stops working, you will also need to write to Staff Travel and provide proof that your nominee still lives at the same address as you.

If your standard Oyster card with privilege discount stops working, you need to call Customer Services on 0343 222 1234 ( TfL call charges ) or ask for help at a Tube station.

Change of circumstances

You can change your nominee pass to someone else by:

  • Completing a new Retired Nominee Oyster card application form (available on request), and
  • Attaching proof of address and sending it to Staff Travel

You should also return the current Retired Nominee Oyster card. If you can't do this, you must report it as lost/stolen/withdrawn, stating why you can't return the pass.

If your circumstances change e.g. you change your address, please advise Staff Travel at:

Staff Travel Floor 1 14 Pier Walk North Greenwich London SE10 0ES

Email:   [email protected]

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What is StaffTraveler?

StaffTraveler is the largest worldwide online community for non-rev travelers. A place where airline employees from all airlines can help each other getting places.

With the StaffTraveler app, you can request loads for the flights you wish to staff travel on. Besides, we've negotiated the best exclusive airline employee hotel and car rental deals. 

Since the launch of the new app in 2018, StaffTraveler is also the largest resource of airline employee insider city tips. Wherever you go, you'll find the hidden gems that were shared by your airline colleagues from around the world on the Tips tab in the app.

Our goal is to make staff travel easy, enjoyable and stress-free by providing useful and reliable information and offering the best deals for your trips.

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The Ultimate Guide to Non-Rev Travel for Airline Employees

Welcome to the world of non-rev travel, one of the most exciting perks that come with being part of the airline industry. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or just embarking on your journey, this comprehensive guide will provide you with all the insights you need to make the most of your non-rev travel experiences.

Unpacking Non-Rev Travel

Non-rev, short for non-revenue, travel is a fantastic privilege extended to airline employees. It enables you to occupy unsold seats on flights to your dream destinations during your downtime, either for free or at significantly reduced rates. Not only do you get to enjoy this perk, but it often extends to your family members and even a few friends, depending on your airline’s policy. However, keep in mind that non-rev travel isn’t guaranteed. You may need to wait on the standby list and hope for spare seats on the flight.

Who Can Benefit from Non-Rev Travel?

In most cases, non-rev benefits are available to airline employees and their immediate dependents, including partners, parents, and children. Some airlines also offer a limited number of “buddy passes” to their employees, which can be given to friends. The priority for non-rev travel often depends on the “pass levels” set by the airline, with the employee and their immediate family usually given top priority on the standby list. Parents and those flying on buddy passes typically follow in that order.

Can Non-Rev Travel Be Used on All Airlines?

Although non-rev travel is not possible on all airlines, many airlines have partnerships that allow their employees to use their non-rev benefits with partner airlines through the ID90 program. However, the rules for who can non-rev with partner airlines can vary, and usually, those flying on ID90 benefits will be placed at the end of the standby priority list.

How to Navigate Non-Rev Travel?

The process of non-rev travel typically begins with using the airline’s online portal to select the desired flights. The portal provides information about the current load of each flight, helping you choose flights with lower loads to increase your chances of securing a seat. You then sign in 24 hours before your flight, giving you a standby list ranking. Arriving at the airport, you check in at the gate and wait for your name to be called. If there are no open seats, you have the option to roll over to the next flight.

Understanding Non-Rev Loads

The non-rev portal or the ID90 website provides information on flight loads, showing how many passengers are booked on each flight and how many seats are open. This is crucial for non-rev travelers to gauge their chances of getting a seat on the flight, but unfortunately, this information is not always reliable. And that’s where StaffTraveler is helpful.

How to use StaffTraveler to get Non-Rev loads?

With StaffTraveler , you can check the flight loads for the flights you wish to staff travel on. It enables you to get the accurate, reliable non-rev loads you need from your colleagues at the airline you need them from. With over 600,000 members from all airlines in the world answering more than 20,000 load requests each day, your request will be answered in no time.

How it works? Let’s say you want to staff travel from New York to Amsterdam. You post requests for the flights from JFK to AMS on the airlines you can staff travel on, on the dates you want to know the seat availability for. People at the airlines of your selected flights get a notification and answer your requests with the actual loads. You receive a notification with the updated loads, and you can decide if it’s smart to go to the airport to get that Non-Rev ticket or not.

Costs Associated with Non-Rev Travel

The cost of non-rev travel varies depending on the airline and the specific policies in place. Typically, non-revvers are not required to pay the full fare that regular passengers would pay for a ticket. However, associated fees or charges are usually involved, such as taxes, service fees, or airport fees. These costs can vary and may be different for each airline.

Advantages of Non-Rev Travel

The benefits of non-rev travel are crystal clear: it’s affordable and offers unmatched flexibility. This perk allows you to explore the world at a fraction of the usual cost.

Disadvantages of Non-Rev Travel

While non-rev travel offers a world of benefits, it also has its challenges. These might include the need to find alternate routes to your destination, the possibility of not securing a seat and having to delay or cancel your trip, or the potential of spending a considerable time waiting at the airport. Therefore, patience and flexibility are key to a successful non-rev travel experience. But to be more informed if you will get that standby ticket or not, you can use StaffTraveler to get Non-Rev loads.

Start planning

Non-rev travel is a unique perk that comes with being an airline employee. While navigating the system may seem complicated at first, with a good understanding of how it works, you’ll soon find yourself jetting off to those destinations you’ve always dreamed of visiting. So, why wait? Start planning your next adventure and take full advantage of the wonders that non-rev travel brings to your life as an airline employee.

Download the StaffTraveler app and join for free to make your non-rev trips easy and stress-free by acquiring reliable and up-to-date flight loads from the world’s largest airline community.

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Rail Staff Travel

Facilities for employees of the rail industry.

Rail Staff Travel (RST) provides rail staff travel facilities for eligible Active and Retired Employees of the rail industry and eligible family members. RST is part of the Rail Delivery Group.

Information on using staff travel facilities is published in the guides on the Where Can I Go and Restrictions page. It is usually quicker to refer to these guides than e-mail RST for information.

Contact Centre

To report lost or stolen cards, or add family members, please use the forms on our Forms page.

Our contact details are at the bottom of this page.

Information for new TOC employees

New TOC employee may find the Introduction to Rail Staff Travel for new employees of Train Operating Companies useful. It is published on the Where Can I Go and Restrictions  page.

With a registered account you can buy staff discounted tickets through RST Online at www.railstafftravel.com

To receive registration details, send us your name and home address by e-mail with "RST Online Registration" as the subject. Requests can only be sent by the employee (as primary cardholder) or widow(er)s. Unfortunately RST Online is not yet available to those holding PTAC cards.

In this section

  • How To - Avoid Form Rejections
  • How To - Submit Online
  • How To - Send by Email
  • How To - Send by Post

Conditions of Issue and Use

Eligibility of family members, useful information.

  • Where Can I Go and Restrictions
  • Current Offers and Concessions
  • Travel on TfL

Photo Upload

  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  • Other Contacts
  • Privacy Notice

Our Key Pages

Our pages can be reached by using the navigation links on the right. However, the following are key pages:

  • Forms - for new family applications and declarations, additional and international travel applications as well as your notifications to us of changes
  • Useful Information - for current earnings and mileage limits
  • Eligibility of Family Members - for guidance on eligibility of family members
  • Where can I go - for Rail Staff Travel guides with details on using your travel facilities and restrictions on their use 
  • Photo Upload - for you to upload passport style photos of yourself and eligible family members
  • Conditions of Issue and Use - for guidance on the use of your staff travel facilities
  • FAQs - many Frequently Asked Questions about Rail Staff Travel

For problems using travel facilities on TOC services, contact the TOC using the details on their website. If your complaint remains unresolved, please contact the Rail Ombudsman .

For problems in the following areas, please contact Rail Staff Travel:

  • Using your Rail Staff Travel facilities on non-TOC services, such as Leisure Railways
  • The service provided to you by Rail Staff Travel
  • Using FIP Rail Staff Travel facilities in Europe

RST Contact Details

Unless you are contacting us about a bereavement, we can only speak to or respond to queries from the active or retired member of staff, or a widow(er), or someone holding Power of Attorney for them.

Discover more

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For new family applications and declarations, additional and international travel applications as well as your notifications to us of changes

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For current earnings and mileage limits as well as fees that RST use.

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For guidance on eligibility of family members.

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Where can I go

For details about where you can use your travel facilities and restrictions.

For employees to upload passport style photos of themselves.

For guidance on the use of your staff travel facilities.

Many of your Frequently Asked Questions about Rail Staff Travel

Honest Travel Stories

What is staff travel and how can you enjoy it?

Yes, it’s true guys, there might be affiliate links in this awesome, free post. This means that if you decide to buy something that you find here, and you use one of my links to do so, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I plan to use this money on ice cream, chocolate, and to travel more so I can write these useful guides for you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

As you may know, if you have read my About me page, I’m a simple girl. Grew up a small town, worked my ass off to be able to survive, had a rough time, but managed to get on top of things and become successful – this is how I see myself right now, yes. But I have never dreamed I would be able to fly almost for free one day, using staff travel benefits, while I was cleaning tables in a bar or working in a casino.

I have come a long way since that time. First of all, I flew the first time to Rome , I left Europe and went to Indonesia and discovered the world, I even managed to get myself hired in an aviation related field. How’s that for a simple girl from (almost) the countryside? Not too bad, I tell you.

But, at the same time, I’m still a bit anxious about traveling. I’m passionate and fearful at the same time. Add (almost) free plane tickets to this, with a side of risk for every flight, and you have a cocktail that can either go well or bad. So, to make all of this work for me, I became a specialist in flying using airline benefits.

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What is staff travel?

At least, this is what I call it, based on a site I’m using to do the reservations. Maybe other airlines call it differently, I don’t know (but promise to find out), but this is how I will refer to all airline benefits I get to use.

In simple words, staff travel is a way airlines enable their employees to travel at very low prices. Like some employees from large retailers have a discount perk they can use to buy clothes cheaper than usual customers, airlines give their employees the same benefit, but in a more complicated way.

And this is mostly due to the volatile aspect of the product delivered by airlines. A plane seat, once the plane has departed, cannot be sold or used anymore. It is useless forever, and it will never be used in its intended purpose (but people on that flight will maybe enjoy a full row to themselves).

So, in this case, airlines cannot just give you a discount and you just “buy” plane tickets like there’s no tomorrow. It just doesn’t work like that. Adding to this the fact that any airline is in an alliance, and the whole industry is in some sort of a partnership, the benefits system cannot be easy to use and understand either.

Don’t have time to read it right now? Pin it for later!

Who gets these benefits.

Everyone working in the aviation industry. I know people think that only flight attendants and pilots work in this industry, but this is the most shallow idea of them all. And I’m not even referring only to airlines, I said (wrote) AVIATION INDUSTRY, not airlines.

For example, I don’t work for an airline. I work for a former subsidiary of an airline, now an independent company, that produces a very important product that can be sold to all aviation-related companies. Other people work for airports, airplane repairing and maintenance “garages”, regulation enforcing entities or even verification centers for airplane parts.

And this is only outside airlines. In an airline, you also have IT, HR, sales, marketing, trainers and probably a huge amount of managers. Yes, all of these people are being paid for from the price we pay on a plane ticket, and all of them have industry-specific discounts they can use.

What types of tickets can you use?

Enough with the talking, let’s cut to the real deal, right? OK, so the types of tickets available for you to use will probably depend on your benefits system, but most often, these are your options:

  • Standby vacation ticket
  • Firm booked
  • Full fare tickets bought with a discount

You probably also have the option to bring other people with you on a flight or to directly buy tickets for them to use. These are usually called buddy passes and it’s a cool thing you can use with friends and family.

What is the priority for each ticket?

There are many rules to establish who has a priority over whom, and what type of tickets gets you an edge in priority, and here I will only touch a few of them. The full set of rules you can find using an internal tool provided to you by your company. The very basic things you need to know are listed below.

  • Commercial passengers have priority over staff. Always. No matter your ticket and your status, if someone will get bumped off the flight, it’ll be you, the employee. In the end, you’re part of the family, you won’t sue.
  • Firm booked / full-fare tickets have a higher priority than the standby tickets. Basically, who pays more, risks less.
  • Duty travel has a higher priority than private travel. If you travel for work, you have a higher priority than everyone traveling for fun.
  • Employees of the company operating the flight have a higher priority than the ones in other companies. Like in the mob, everyone cares about their own family more.
  • Employees that were hired earlier have a higher priority than the ones hired later. You always respect the elder, or, in this case, the one that is part of the family for longer.

Want to read the rest of the series as well?

  • Part I – Know the rules like a priest
  • Part II – Plan like a pro
  • Part III – Behave like a gentleman/lady

What are the risks of each ticket?

A good rule of thumb is that if it’s cheaper, it’s riskier. What you’re not paying in money, you’re paying in risk. And no, there’s nothing cheap and risk-free in this world, so you’ll have to learn how to use these perks and to decide based on a risk assessment procedure you have to develop first (or read mine, whatever works for you).

Standby tickets give you a seat on the flight if there is one available right before the door closes at the gate. Nothing else matters: the estimated number of passengers, the checked-in passengers, how far away is the destination, if it’s Christmas time and everything is overpriced or if it’s the peak season in Japan. If you’re not getting in, you have to take care of yourself.

Firm booked tickets, if confirmed, give you a seat on the flight. You still have a chance of being offloaded, but it rarely happens. Two good cases when this happens is if the flight is overbooked and all passengers show up, or if a previous flight got canceled and other passengers have been rebooked or rerouted. If you’re not getting in, the company takes care of you.

Holiday or vacation tickets are something in between. They are standby, but you have a higher priority than the usual standby, but you still travel on a seat availability basis and have to take care of yourself if you’re not getting on the flight.

  • Aviation themed office furniture – cool gifts for airplane lovers
  • Want to avoid delayed or missed flights?

How does it work from buying the ticket to getting to the destination?

I could have named this chapter “A novel”, because it has so many quirks and possible variations, that God knows how it might turn out in the end. But I’ll try to split in in bite-sized chunks and add an infographic for it at the end. Yes, you will be able to download it for future use as well. You’re welcome.

  • Make the reservation on the website, with the corresponding ticket (standby or firm booked).
  • When the check-in opens for your flight, use the booking confirmation number to check-in online. See the tips below for more information about this.
  • Take the boarding pass with you (printed or in an app), which may or may not have a seat assigned.
  • If you have to check in a bag, go to the check-in counter at the airport at least 2 hours in advance.
  • Go to the gate.
  • Get boarded (hopefully) 6a. If you don’t get boarded, ask the staff at the gate how to proceed to get your luggage back and exit the airport.
  • Enjoy your flight!

lt staff travel

While there will be more super helpful tips to come in the next episodes, I also created a small list of teasers, to keep you close by. The following guides are more specific, but these tips will help you with any journey you’ll take as a staff travel passenger.

  • Don’t leave the gate until the plane is getting away from it Even when they tell you that everyone is checked in, don’t leave until you see them INSIDE the plane. I know at least 2 cases when people have either lost their passports after the passport control point or got carried away in the duty-free area and lost the flight. So, don’t leave until there’s no chance left.
  • Use vacation tickets to get your priority high If you have some vacation tickets left off by the end of the year and they will expire, use them to get a higher priority even on short-haul (for Christmas, for example). You normally don’t use them for a 2-hour flight, but since they’re expiring, why not use the priority and low price to your advantage?
  • NEVER wait to check in until you get to the airport Also, try to always check in as soon as it opens up. Even if you have a firm booked, remember that in case of overbooking, you’re the first one being kicked out. So even if the check-in opens at 3 in the morning, set an alarm, wake up, and check in for your flight. You’ll sleep better knowing you have a better chance of flying the next day.
  • Buy a firm-booked ticket once in a while If you see there are 2 seats available, but the standby list is huge and your priority is crap, buy firm booked. Even if it’s not confirmed, you are still going to get boarded before everyone on that standby list. You’ll pay more, but you’ll fly.
  • Use the discount codes to buy full fare tickets If you think you won’t be able to make it otherwise, buy a full ticket using a discount code. Now you’re like a full-paying passenger, with all the rights that come from this.
  • Always keep the downgrade paper slip And if you don’t get one (maybe the printer is broken at the gate), still ask for your downgrade refund, but right after your trip. They can still access the flight information one or two days later, that’s why you have to hurry. It’s not always possible to do this without the paper slip, but it never hurts to try.
  • Always have your badge with you I know people that have been denied boarding over this. The gate staff has the right to do so. And if they have to ask for a jump seat or cockpit seat for you, they feel more comfortable doing so if they know who you are and that they can check everything about you.
  • Use the app or the website And whenever possible, use it from your laptop instead of your phone. You can see a better overview of days/times/options, you can move easier between tabs, and it takes you less time to reserve a ticket. This can mean, in some cases, that you’re getting to that last-minute boarding just in time.
  • Always buy business class Even if you travel for 2 hours and you don’t care about the business class, do it anyway. It gets you an edge since passengers rarely buy business class. Also, you can easily be downgraded if there are no seats available in business class, but it’s difficult to be upgraded if you have tickets for economy class and there are only seats available for business. And you will pay for the class you have flown anyway, so it’s no risk for you.

Key takeaway

Working in aviation is super awesome, especially for people like me, that has always dreamed of discovering the world. You have to learn the quirks of flying standby, and you have to be OK with risking it once in a while, but if you’re using my super helpful, actionable tips, you’ll be able to use your benefits more and more every year. Staff travel is not easy to plan, but it’s worth it!

2 thoughts on “What is staff travel and how can you enjoy it?”

Good tips! I think a few of these things might vary between airlines, but I agree that taking some risks are worth it to see the world! It’s an incredible perk and we’ve been able to go some incredible places.

Traveling opens up a world of possibilities, from breathtaking landscapes to unique traditions and vibrant cultures. It teaches us to appreciate diversity, embrace spontaneity, and live in the moment

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Haiti's neighbors prepare for 'drastic escalation' in violence after jailbreak

Haiti declares state of emergency amid violence

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Reporting by Sarah Morland and Valentine Hilaire in Mexico City, Harold Isaac in Port-au-Prince; Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Steven Grattan, and Andre Romani in Sao Paulo; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Rosalba O'Brien and Leslie Adler

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Thomson Reuters

Sarah is a British-French journalist covering news from across Latin America and the Caribbean, including gender violence, mining developments, regional finance and conflict in Haiti. She joined Reuters in 2019 and studied investigative journalism at City, University of London. Based in Mexico City, Sarah enjoys spicy food, dad rock and befriending the local cat population.

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Valentine, a French-Panamanian who majored in journalism and philosophy, joined Reuters in December 2021 after spending eight years in Spain. She studied at the University of Navarra and after graduation held different roles at Spanish news outlets 'El Español', 'El Confidencial', and 'La Información'. Valentine has helped boost the team's win rate, broke news on high-profile developments, and collaborated with the Spanish service and polling teams. She spends her free time producing podcasts, playing violin, trying to learn Mandarin, and searching for the best cafes in town.

A member of security stands guard inside the Supreme Court in London

Leader of Yemen's Houthis vows to attack more shipping lanes

The leader of Yemen's Houthis, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, said on Thursday the group's operations targeting vessels will escalate to prevent Israel-linked ships from passing through the Indian Ocean towards the Cape of Good Hope.

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    Staff Travel Cards are issued in April each year and will be sent to your home address by Staff Travel. You can use your STC from 1 April to 30 June (e.g. 1 April 2017 to 30 June 2018). You will therefore have two valid STCs for three months of each year. You can use either to get free travel during this time, if you have available boxes on ...

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    In simple words, staff travel is a way airlines enable their employees to travel at very low prices. Like some employees from large retailers have a discount perk they can use to buy clothes cheaper than usual customers, airlines give their employees the same benefit, but in a more complicated way. And this is mostly due to the volatile aspect ...

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