Top Ten tips for Non-Rev Travelers

I realize this post may not specifically apply to all my readers, but there will be information you can take from it, and who knows, perhaps one day you'll Non-Rev too!

I've had a few years of travelling non-rev now and so I thought I'd share some tips I've learned along the way. Most of these could apply to standard air travel as well, so stay tuned! You may be wondering what non-rev travel is. It stands for Non-Revenue travel. This is a perk given to employees of airlines and their families. It allows them to travel for cheap, or sometimes free, on seats that would otherwise be left empty. Travelling in this way comes with some major mind-shifts and it's good to set up your expectations accordingly. In today's post, I'll be giving you the benefit of my experience and research and sharing some fun pictures along the way!

#1 - Choose Your Travel Day Wisely

One of the most important factors to non-rev travel is planning to fly on non-busy days. The busier a travel day it is, the fewer seats are available. Airlines are overselling their flights now more than ever before, recognizing that, for some strange reason, not everyone shows up. I can't remember a flight I've taken where all the people who purchased seats arrived in time to board. Perhaps they ran late, perhaps they got sick, perhaps they just couldn't stand to leave their cat alone, who knows! In any case, I guess airlines got tired of flying with unpaid seats so they started selling more than they had, expecting that not everyone would want to actually use their tickets.

The first thing to consider are holidays. The days just before and after major holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving are the biggest travel days of the year. Ticket prices soar at this time because of supply and demand. Never assume you'll be able to get on a flight, no matter how patient you are, at this time of year. For example, my son and his girlfriend were planning to non-rev last Sunday. When we listed them (you still have to sign up and say you're coming when you non-rev) there were plenty of seats available, and then even two days before it looked like there would be 15+ on their flight, 35 on the next, and 50+ on a flight later that evening. But the night before things started changing and by the day of all the seats had dried up and there were waitlists of 30+ people for each flight. They would be at the bottom of that list so it would take a miracle for them to get on a flight that day. We had picked this day knowing the situation, so we had a backup, but I'll discuss that in a later point. 

This point is to say, don't try to non-rev next to a holiday. Even seemingly minor holidays, like President's Day, have similar problems because people like to travel on long weekends, so if a minor holiday turns a 2-day weekend into a 3, or even 4-day weekend, flights will fill up. Sometimes you can get around this with my trick of flying on off days!

Fridays and Sundays are the most traveled days of the week, with Monday bringing in a close second. Tuesdays and Saturdays are some of the least traveled days of the week, however (with the exception of a Tuesday after a Monday holiday). Sometimes you can get around minor holiday travel surges by flying on a Tuesday (or Wednesday in the case of a Monday holiday) or Saturdays. 

My go-to travel days, however, are dead weeks on a Tuesday or Saturday. That's your best chance of getting where you're going. The extra bonus is that often hotels are cheaper then too!

#2 - Choose Your Flight Wisely

If you have the opportunity to look at the flight loads, you might be tempted to list for one of the evening flights that seems to have plenty of room on it. I would caution you against that. Have you ever made a snowman? The standard procedure is to gather up a ball of snow and then roll it around the yard, gathering more snow as you go. My family has gotten very adept at this, using up almost all the snow in the yard until just the edges are left. Flights seem to work in very much the same way. Four or five people might not make it on the first flight of the day, and then they list for the next flight. The next flight ends up with 8-10 people not getting on and they list for the next flight. Before you know it, the flight you thought had plenty of room now has a list of 30+ people waiting to get on it, and you're at the bottom.

How do you avoid this? Fly early in the day, sometimes VERY early. For some reason, no one wants to fly at 7 or 8 AM, so often these very early flights have more room, with the exception of commuter flights. If people are going to work, they do crazy things! 

If you can ask your airline friend to check the flight loads for you, they can tell you the first flight of the day that has 10+ seats and less people listed for it. That's your target. Not everyone who is planning to non-rev gives the courtesy of listing in advance, some of them just walk up to the gate agent and tell them they'd like to get on the flight during boarding. Unfortunately, these are usually the people that have tons of seniority and will be moved to the top of the list. You're not guaranteed to get on the flight you list for, but you have a greater likelihood of getting on some flight that day than if you started at the end of the day.

#3 - Pack Lightly

This might go without saying, but when you're not sure you're going to get on a flight, checking a bag isn't a great idea. If you think airlines have trouble losing luggage when you have a confirmed seat, imagine if you take the flight one, or two, or three later than you planned to! The next thing you know, you're in Miami and your underwear is in Poughkeepsie. 

Your best strategy here is carry-on only travel. It's not as hard as you might think! Our family traveled this way even before we began non-revving. We did 11 days in Paris and 2 weeks in Ireland (on two separate trips) in carry-ons only. I'm heading out on a two-week trip next month this way as well. 

Travelling with just your carry-on is very freeing! You don't have to wait in the long lines to first get tags and then drop your bags, you just breeze through straight to security. Also, if your plans change and you have to spend the night where you're at waiting for a flight, you have everything you need with you.

If the idea of this intimidates you, head over to YouTube where you can find lots of tips and ideas. As I was looking over this list of videos, I got excited and want to watch some of them too!

Know the allowances of your airline, but most of the time you get to bring a carry-on AND a personal item. Lots of people overlook the personal item thinking it's just a purse or something, but it can be any bag that will fit under the seat in front of you. Do Not be one of those people that puts their personal item in the overhead bins. Remember, you're flying on the airline's dime, and you want to be as respectful and polite as possible.

#4 - Dress for Success

If you are flying on the benefits of a loved-one, remember that your choices reflect on them. If the person they give privileges to breaks rules or exhibits other bad behavior, they can loose their privileges. Most airlines have a dress code for people who are non-revving. This isn't super strict, like needing a button up shirt and a tie, but they are looking for a baseline in wardrobe. Typically, this involves avoiding sports or casual attire, like sweatpants or swimsuits, anything that is overly revealing, and anything that looks "distressed", think ripped jeans. I know many people's go-to for air travel is a comfy pair of sweats, but this is the price of travelling cheap. The gate agent has the final say and can tell you that what your wearing will not be allowed, creating a wardrobe dilemma in the airport which can be expensive if not impossible. My recommendation, err on the side of caution and wear something that would be appropriate. I typically opt for a nice, but comfortable, jumpsuit or a pair of nice-looking pants with an elastic waistband, to allow for long sitting.

#5 - Give Yourself Time

Stress begets stress. If you're running late, that will often lead to struggling to find parking, your shuttle taking longer than expected, and lines everywhere. The more stressed you are, the less enjoyable your airport time will be and the less likely you are to interact well with others. Plan to arrive at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international one. Yes, my daughter the flight attendant would fall off her chair laughing at those time estimates as she quickly breezes into the airport, flies through crew security and breathlessly hustles down the jet bridge just as the doors are closing behind her. But for the rest of us ordinary folks, better to be bored than stressed, which leads into...

#6 - Follow the Golden Rule

Treat others the way you would like to be treated. Better yet, treat them more kindly than that! The airline employees that you interact with in particular are just doing their job and taking out your frustrations on them is not going to get you where you want to go any faster. As the old saying goes, "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." Gate agents in particular hold a great deal of power. They decide if your outfit is permissible. They choose the seats for the people that do get on. Occasionally, they even decide who gets on and who doesn't. I'm sad to report that some of the worst behaved customers that interact with the gate agents are those flying non-rev. You'd think that either being an employee themselves, or having a loved one who is, they would have more respect for people working a difficult customer service job. Again, don't be those people. 

Most airlines have a procedure for handing out seat assignments to non-rev passengers. Sometimes it involves a screen at the gate with a list of people waiting that updates as seats are assigned. If you are unsure, check once with the gate agent about how they'd like to let you know, but then don't bug them for updates! The exception to this is if they have made the final boarding announcement and the gate agent hasn't given any indication of passing out non-rev seats at all. I've had this happen a couple of times and they had expected me to know to come up and grab my boarding pass even though this is not standard procedure. This is usually in Spokane for perspective.

If they have called people on the list ahead of you, but didn't make it down to your name before the final call, this means they ran out of seats. Let them handle all the final people in line and then, after the door closes, you can politely inquire if they can help list you for the next flight.

#7 - Have a Backup Plan

Sometimes even the best laid plans go afoul. Whenever you travel non-rev, you should have a backup. Really you should have three or four backups. You should know what other flights are going out that day after yours and be sure to consider flights that route through other cities. Ideally, you want to go for a non-stop flight, because every layover leaves one more flight you might not make, but sometimes a flight with layovers is better than no flight at all! If you are going to take a flight with layovers, try to target one going through an airport that is a hub for your airline (just search your airline and "hubs" to find out which ones these are). Hubs will have more flights going out of them than regularly served airports, thus giving you more chances of making it to your destination. Worst case scenario, you get closer and you buy a cheaper flight for your last leg.

If you're on your way home, it's a good idea to also have a plan for which hotel you might stay at in case you have to try again the next day. Picking a hotel with an airport shuttle is ideal. If you can stay for cheap or free with points, its even better. 

I mentioned my son's travel dilemma earlier. For his case his Dad actually ended up driving him and his girlfriend home across the state. This is a rather unorthodox solution that most people won't use, but one we've used more than once. Be creative!

#8 - Think It Through, Consider Your Stomach

Recognizing that you might be spending an extended period of time in an airport and/or on a plane, spend a little time thinking through what you might need to help you to be comfortable. Always make sure you have chargers for your electric devices in a handy place. Perhaps you would like a neck pillow for your flight-nap. My husband likes to bring a cup, and I bring an empty water bottle, to fill up at fountains after security. And, of course, you should think through what you'd like to eat. Airport food is EXPENSIVE and these days you often have to pre-order meals on flights, which is not allowed with non-rev. Packing some non-perishable snacks is a must. Pick something you'll look forward to eating and not feel deprived, or you're likely to give in and overspend on that airport hamburger - and regret it later.

#9 - One Good Turn Deserves Another

Do you tip your waitress at a restaurant? Boy I hope so! But have you ever thought of tipping your flight attendant? The reality is that many flight attendants are barely making minimum wage, some even less than that, while they are serving you. And yet they have a smile on their face and do whatever they can to make your flight experience the best possible. While I'm not advocating leaving a twenty on your seat when you disembark (that wouldn't likely make it to them anyways), there are ways to bless your air crew and let them know that you appreciate their service. 

While you might consider throwing a batch of cookies in the oven to bring for them, let me stop you right there and let you know they are not going to eat any unsealed, non-commercially produced food, no matter how amazingly appetizing it looks. This is for your safety as flight crew must stay at the top of their game in the sky and cannot afford any risk of contamination, whether accidental or purposeful. 

One of the easiest gifts are small denomination gift cards to vendors at the airport like Starbucks, McDonalds, or others. You can often pick these up in bulk at the grocery store before your trip. Some people go all crazy and put together little gift bags with lotions, lip balms, chocolates, etc. You could even include a small "Thank You" card to let them know you appreciate their service.

How do you know how many to bring? Look at the flight you are planning to take and it will list what type of plane is being flown. Search on the internet for "[Plane type] crew count" and it should let you know what the standard complement is. When in doubt, figure a minimum of two flight attendants and another for every 50 seats over 100 (That would be 3 flight attendants on a 149 passenger plane and 4 on a 199). If you want to be really nice, you could count the pilot and co-pilot as well. Oh, and don't forget the gate agents! They take the brunt of the grief and rarely get remembered in this way.

How do you go about giving these gifts? I think the easiest way is right when you board and the flight attendant is standing at the door greeting people. That way they can tuck them back on the counter behind them and continue their job. Others like to do it at the first drink service, but I'm not sure how well that would work out with the small drink carts. Do what works for you!

#10 - Remember Plane Etiquette

Once you get on the plane, be sure to be a good passenger. Tuck your carry-on in the overhead bin and get out of the aisle quickly so you don't impede traffic. Don't ask anyone to switch seats with you, be thankful for the reduced price, or free seat you were given. For heaven's sakes, keep your shoes on and don't engage in any personal grooming! Avoid foods with strong smells (like tuna). Respect others' personal space: don't lift the arm rest between you or lean back on short flights, if you do need to recline your seat, be mindful of the person behind you and be sure they are not eating or storing drinks on their tray when you do it. 

Imagine how awful it would be to act in a play if the audience were all sitting on their phone or talking to their neighbors. I surmise it might be worse for the poor flight attendants who are trying to give their safety talk. It takes less than five minutes out of your day to be polite and give your attention to the person demonstrating, and it might make theirs! 

Here's the Thing: So many of these tips are common sense, but many of us, myself included, sometimes forget our common sense when we're in the midst of unusual or stressful situations. Slow down, be patient, think of others, and smile. It helps improve your mood!

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