aa non rev travel

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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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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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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New to non-rev travel and now registered companion on AA--a few questions!

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Hi everyone! It's great to have found this forum! So my great-aunt was a flight attendant for TWA back in the day. She retired before the merger with AA, so she lost her flight benefits in the early 2000's (I have distant memories of us using her triple E tickets that she used to get in the 90's when I was little). For some reason last year, they gave them back to her! Now I'm her registered companion and this is all very new and confusing to me--but very exciting! She isn't great with computers, so I know she doesn't know much about jetnet or how it works, and she's busy preparing to move into her motorhome and travel around the continent, and hasn't gotten the chance to use her benefits yet. So to put it simply, I really know nothing about this, haha. My fiancee and I are trying to travel to China this summer to visit our friend who's teaching english there. She's letting him have two of her D3 passes and I'll be traveling as D2R. I have a few questions, if any of you could be so kind to answer! I have no one to really ask about this since it's all so new to my aunt, so any help would be greatly appreciated! 1) I've listed us for the flights on Jetnet, and it shows up under "My PNR's". Have I properly "listed" us for flights? Is there anything else I should do? 2) So as a D2R, am I correct in thinking that my fare in coach would cost nothing? I'm super confused cause I thought I would have to pay at least the government taxes and fees, but when I view the "charges" under the PNR, it looks like coach costs nothing. That seems too good to be true, haha. 3)Speaking of too good to be true, in the trip book it says something like my flying could be subject to "imputed income" when tax season comes around. But it says that the value of the flight is going to be added to my aunt's income, and not mine? 4) It says as a retiree my aunt will be sent an invoice for the cost of the flight, and it has to be payed in 30 days. Do they send this from the time I listed us for the flights, or after the flight has been actually taken? 5)In her buddy pass bank, she still has the max number of passes. No deductions have been made. Does that not happen until after the flight has been taken? 6) Does anyone know about the international baggage allowance for D3 and D2 passes? I can only seem to find the info about domestic flights. We're thinking it might just be best to do carry on anyway, but is that allowed on international flights for those passes? 7)Why does jetnet show US airways flights and flights from other airlines, but you're unable to select them? Will this be an option eventually? 8) Can you obtain something that looks like an actual flight reservation? All I have is the email jetnet sent, which doesn't look like much. I only ask because we have to get a Chinese visa and sometimes they want official flight reservations. I've already read some of the stuff about getting a visa as a non-rev on here though, and I think it'll be okay, especially since we have someone with residency inviting us. I think that's all I have for now. I apologize for the long post! If anyone can help, thank you so much!

Last edited by JayAlexandra; 05-Jun-2015 at 03:54 AM .

To be certain, get 2 letter from your friend in China, naming each of you separately. These will go with visa application. China goes however they wish, when they wish, so the letters are safeguards. My friend had a visa problem herself, so she got her ex-husband to invite us to China. I felt comfortable having that. The rest of the details will be explained by others here. (I'm DL, so I can't help with more)

mrs767er - NonRev Correspondent - Specialty Travel Wherever you go, there you are

Welcome aboard JayA and welcome back to non-rev travel. First of all TWA retirees now (after the merger TWA retirees did not receive any AA passes) have the same travel privileges as all other AA retirees; which means your great aunt and you, as her registered companion(RC) have unlimited fee-waived COACH travel. There are charges for First and Business class travel. You are responsible for taxes, fees, surcharges levied by governments/airports. Baggage - Non-revs are allowed two free checked bags(50lb ea. I think) - but I always advise to do only carry-on if possible Paying for the trip - Once the flight segment is completed, your aunt the retiree, will be billed. Make sure her JetNet address is up-to date. Billing is done monthly, so it could be a couple of weeks before she gets the invoice. BTW, they do assess late fees. Imputed Income - Completely out my element as I just give everything to my accountant. Fortunately, there is a section on imputed income on JetNet. Pass Bank - Passes aren’t deducted until the flight segment is complete. AA and US don’t have a single reservation system yet, but we will - eventually. Of course your best source of info is JetNet. Take some time and read everything, starting with that Trip Book. M7 has given you some valuable China travel info, post any additional questions in a new China Info thread. Post in the “Interline Travel” section, “Region Specific” Forum - “Australia/Asia/Oceania” Sub Forum. Bigger marquee, so more members will see it. We do have some members that have traveled to China. You can also do a Forum ‘search’ for China info. And when you get back, I want to hear all about this trip. Mig

Keep'em Flying Migflanker - Senior NonRev Correspondent - Los Angeles

Thank you two SO much! That information was super helpful! Especially the part about where my aunt won't be billed and the passes won't be deducted until the flight segment is completed. Very useful to know! I'd love to come tell you all about the trip once it's done! It's a little over a month now.

ddagencylv - Senior NonRev Correspondent - Global Aviation News

Hi there folks! If anyone is able to help, I had another question or two pertaining to AA employees and listing flights, so I thought I'd just ask it here again. As a registered companion can I book a flight on US Airways? I'm just wondering because on jetnet it has a section with a pdf on how to use US's booking system. And a "web check in" area. Also I was wondering how to use the "travel on other airlines" section, with the myIDtravel? Last week I tried to check it out and look at flights, but I didn't get very far. I think I was searching and it wasn't showing me the flights. I guess my main question though is if it's possible to book a US flight as an AA RC. And if you can, does that mean it's a ZED ticket, or another pass class?

As an AA R/C you can fly on US (no upgrades). The US Travel user guide (link on JetNet) is a great resource - take the front screen tour it will walk you through it.

Booking US Airways travel is done thru the TravelUS link on jetnet. No zed is needed. However, I'm not sure if as a RC you have travel privileges to zed on other airlines or travel on US. The systems should be merging in the fall so after that time you should definitely be able to travel on US flights.

isppilot - Senior NonRev Correspondent - New York City

I think I can answer the imputed income question. Even if AA doesn't charge for the flight, the IRS sees that as a taxable benefit. And it would be a liability for the employee. So, let's say your flights were given a value of $300. Your aunt didn't suddenly earn $300 by you flying around, but as far as the IRS is concerned, she may as well have. So, say her tax rate was 25%. That would be $75 that she would be taxed on. But when she's retired... I'm a little less sure how that works. Probably worth asking higher powers. But it would be on her if anything so be prepared to write a check. I'd be careful here! While nowhere near full fare, it can add up!

Spongebue - NonRev Correspondent - U.S./Midwest Region

Thank you all! I'll take a closer look at the UStravel area on jetnet. I was confused if it was even possible, so thanks for clearing it up! Spongebue, thanks for the imputed income answer! That was super helpful. I was thinking I should be careful about how much I use it as well! I don't want to have to write my aunt a huge check, haha. Is there any chance if you know if the airlines send the IRS this info, or is she expected to report it? Sooo... I have one more question if you generous AA folks could help me. Sorry, I seem to just be coming up with new ones as I get further into this! So right now we are listed for a flight to from Phoenix to Dallas that arrives at 10:51 am. Then our flight to Hong Kong departs Dallas at 12:45 pm. I just looked, and there is an earlier flight from Phoenix that gets to Dallas around 9 am. That one also has more seats available (currently, at least). I thought it might be better to list us for that earlier flight so if we get kicked off we'd have a second chance to get to Dallas before the Hong Kong flight leaves. Should I cancel the first PNR and re-list us for the earlier Dallas flight and our Hong Kong flight again (since both flights are on the same first PNR, it's my understanding that we'd have to re-list for the Hong Kong flight?) I checked and no other non-revs have listed for the Hong Kong flight, so I don't think we'd lose our place or anything. I'm just not sure about the best way to do this. Also, in your experience, how quickly do flights fill up as the flight date approaches? I'm sure it probably depends on the flight, but I'm just curious since both our flights are currently in green, but the first only has 60 seats left and the Hong Kong one has around 100 left I think. And it's a little under a month away.

Last edited by JayAlexandra; 12-Jun-2015 at 03:02 AM .

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• Interline and NonRev Travel | nonrev.net

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.

9 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.

Super comprehensive list! One more thing to remember: download offline maps to navigate your destination without using data. Have a fantastic trip!

These are really helpful list of instructions. I appreciate you sharing this excellent post.

Thanks for the insightful article! It provided valuable information. keep sharing good knowledge ..

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