How to Get Free Airline Tickets
Real tips for getting free plane tickets online.
By BrianX | February 15th, 2004If buying discount airline tickets isn’t enough for you, perhaps you should consider free plane tickets! This sounds like a dream come true but it’s not. Getting free plane tickets is actually not that difficult. Just read this article and get started on your next vacation flight or business trip!
Free Plane Tickets
Every single day hundreds of people get free plane tickets from major airlines (American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, Air Canada, jetBlue, SouthWest Airlines, and so on). Even if the airline companies lose money, they figure they can make it back using the method described here.
Why would airlines give away free tickets?
More importantly how does it work?! First, you must understand that all major airlines overbook their flights. For example, if an American Airlines plane carries 100 people, they will sell 110 tickets, assuming that about 10% of them won’t show up. A lot of people actually miss their flights because they arrived at the airport late and missed the plane, were too ill to travel, or simply changed their mind at the last minute.
Since airlines want to maximize their profit while simultaneously not piss people off, they have devised a brilliant plan. If a flight is overbooked and everyone shows up (or at least one person beyond the plane’s seating capacity), they have to kick people off the plane. In order to keep passengers satisfied, they offer financial incentives.
Just before boarding, the airline representatives will announce that the plane is oversold and ask if anyone wants to step off. People with the most flexible schedules will agree and as a “thank you” the airline will typically reward the person with hundreds of dollars in airline ticket coupons. These vouchers are usually good for one year and up to about $500 off your next flight. That’s quite the discount, especially if you paid less for the ticket in the first place. Yes, they actually give you more than you paid to compensate you for the inconvenience.
How to optimize your chances of getting free plane tickets
One way to increase the odds of you being the one chosen to step off the plane is to volunteer at the desk, before they even make an announcement. This can be very effective, especially during peak travel periods such as December 23 & 24th. You will arrive at your destination a little later and have a free second flight on your back pocket!
Oh, and when do you get to where you want to go? The airline will place you on the next flight out or a flight that requires a transfer. Sometimes you can get a voucher for $300 for a 1 hour wait. Not bad at all! For the record, I have been in exactly this situation and received the voucher. Trust me, it’s great!
Note that these free plane ticket deals rarely include a free companion airline ticket meaning that if you are traveling with someone, they won’t be included unless enough people showed up for the flight and they needed multiple people to step off the plane. Even then, other people may have stepped forward and asked to be on the list of passengers wanting to be booted in exchange for a free plane ticket voucher. So two free airline tickets is not out of the question, you just have to play your cards right and hope a couple of people don’t show up to your overbooked plane!
One Last Way to Get Free Airline Tickets
There are a few completely different ways to get free plane tickets. They all revolve around free airline ticket promotions. Credit card airline tickets are essentially free if you spend a certain amount on the card. There are various promotions such a Wendy’s and Polident which gave away free tickets. Free airline tickets for military personnel are sometimes available as well.
More Free Discount Travel Tips
The BrianX Travel Guide provides a number of articles to help you get the most out of traveling. Check out how to book a discount hotel room and how to get really cheap flights as well. Looking for something more exquisite? Try the private jets guide.
I have never flown and i got a job but i need to fly to gedt there and i cant pay for the ticket PLEASEplease PLEASE let me have 1 free flight ill even re-embers u with my first check thanx
JOSH P.
June 6, 2009 at 6:56 am
I have never flown, i belong to poor family want to flown for dreams come true So please please please let me have 3free tickets for me my husband and for my little two year child Somu
Thanks
June 13, 2009 at 2:37 am
I have also ever flown, & I need to get to my family in Tennessee, I am currently in Florida and my husband is in prison for 7 years, I’m a single mother trying to survive but I have no job, and I lost everything, so I’m asking please please please, can you help me out and give me a plane ticket to Memphis, so my daughter and I can get there? Thank you so much.
June 13, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Wow. The above 3 commenters are morons. I bet you think that since you worked so hard at writing a little blog comment you now deserve to get free plane tickets. This is an article about how to get free airplane tickets by using the ideas presented. It’s not a free-for-all plane ticket give-away. Where does it say that this site is an airline or ticket distributor? Why would anyone give people as dumb as you free tickets?! Here’s an idea: Get a job and pay for the tickets yourself. That’s how the rest of us do it.
June 15, 2009 at 10:19 am
This is to address smart guy. Understand that anyone is more than the sum of a jobtitle and there are more ways to make money than by doing a job!
June 19, 2009 at 8:41 am
If there is anyone willing to get me home to spain-I would be eternally greatfull-I am stranded in Savannah Georgia with no way home. I have a home, and a job to return to. Can someone please help me get home? I am 58 years old. Hard working, and will return travel exspense promptly when I return home to Spain. PLEASE HELP ME GET HOME. THANK YOU.
June 19, 2009 at 11:20 am
I congratulate you for the wonderfull job done. My ambition is to continue my education in US and because of African financial situation i find it difficult so by your good work, am mailing you to see if you can help me to get the visa to america for my educational purpose so that ferder discution can be issue thank you and i hope to here from you.
June 24, 2009 at 12:14 pm
I am a Ghanaian gentleman of 21 years and was born from traditional drummers and dances clan in Ghana,i am from poor family ,but rich in my African traditional cultural dance and drumming,am talented and interested in cultural dances.please if you could give me chance to United States,to have workshops with the students of music and others,my aim to arrange cultural activities to local people,and for that i want to get money to care for my poor mother,After my dad death poor is the man who married my mother,so please,please help me to get the free airticket,i am a Hard worker and a strong dancer and drummer.
samed.
June 24, 2009 at 12:25 pm
hello i am Abdou manneh from The Gambia i am a student!! i am poor but i don want to show my porest to many peoples. so i need help in my Education to complete there because right now my Family are not have enoght money to pay my school feeses and i use to try my best but still now i don have some one to help so if u can help me to be in any country to complete my Education it will be very good to me and i shall never forgot you in my life.. i am 20 years old. so if u can help and pay ticket for me i will make sure that in the name of god i shall ever forgot you… so please please please please please please please how many time i need help>
June 24, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Please help me with with a free round-trip ticket. I have an ill relative that I have to take care of in Mexico. I come from a poor family and can not afford to purchase ticket. Your help would be greatly and highly appreciated and God will bless you as a result of it.
June 24, 2009 at 5:30 pm
My 11 year old son is in Fort Drum New York.He has been there a month.I’m trying to find him a way home.If any one can help me get my baby back home please let me now.He is very home sick.and has no way back to me.I would really be greatfull to anyone that helps
June 25, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Wow eveyone wants a hand out LOL!!! On the planet earth there are very few things that are free and air plane tickets are really not one of them.
June 30, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Are you guys sure this is true? I got scammed once wen I tried something like this… If it is, I really feel I’m most deservin as I would love to have a feel of the hassle of flight.
July 1, 2009 at 8:12 am
I cant say that i have a sad story in order to get free tickets but i can say i cant afford them. I live in Newport News VA and I was invited to sing in Dallas TX . Its a great honor for me but i just cant afford to go. The event is on July 24. Hopefuly you will feel honerd to bless me with some tickets. In the future as the lord blesses me i will bless your airline. yes i have a job but cant aford $400 Round trip tickets. I will even take a dicounted ticket. Thanks hope to hear from you.
July 1, 2009 at 9:10 am
Hilarious. The people who are asking for free tickets obviously did not read the article due to their inability to read english, or their stupidity. Either way, while you are distributing all these free tickets like it apparently says you are in your article, would you mind sending some my way?
July 2, 2009 at 2:09 am
LOL, I can’t believe everyone seems to be asking for free tickets here. Like it’s already been mentioned, this isn’t an actual airline, lol. It’s just an article that is intended to help. I feel for you lot who need help, and I’m one of them, and I hope we all get the help for tickets. However, but for a miracle, this is not really the place to ask. It is a bit funny. May those that are in need, you all have success.
July 2, 2009 at 6:41 pm