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Tip # 7 3 ways to get FREE airline flights.
Because there
are almost always cancellations, and there are people who have
read this web site and booked a round trip ticket while really
desiring a one way fare, airlines often overbook a flight. That
means that they've sold more seats on the plane than there are
available seats.
Often you
can use that to your advantage.
Here's the
strategy...
Try to book
your flight when you know that the airline will be busiest. Maybe
you know a convention will be just getting out. The first flight
of the day is often the businest. Travel on a Monday or Friday.
Try to get to the gate early enough that you're one of the first
to get your boarding pass. Ask how full the flight is. If they
say it's going to be full, just tell the attendant that you're
not in a hurry and you can be "bribed" if they need somebody to
take another flight.
I recently
did this on a flight from Reno to Spokane. I could see the flight
was going to be full. As I was checking in I told the attendant
that I could be bribed to take a later flight. (Yes those were
my exact words) She appreciated the offer.
Look at this
from the eyes of the airline. In effect, they're saying to the
public "Oops, we knew you passengers were liars, so we overbooked
your flight and now somebody has to stay behind." That wouldn't
of course be how they present it, but that's the bottom line.
That does not create good will to the travelling public. By having
volunteers discretely offer to give up their seat, she didn't
have to make an embarrassing announcement to the passengers. That
made the airlines look more efficient in the eyes of their customers.
They can offer
you anything from a free meal to a free flight, or a discount
off another flight. Since we were discrete with our offer, and
since there were two of us traveling, the lady offered to give
us two FREE tickets anywhere in the contintal United States IF
they needed us to do that. Well of course I jumped at the chance,
and sure enough the flight was full.
We were given
two free tickets. We got on the next plane that left five hours
later. That worked out pretty well.... two free tickets just for
waiting for five hours.
Had they not
been able to get us on the next flight out, they would have put
us up in a hotel for the night and given us a free meal in the
hotel. Since we were on vacation, another night in Reno with our
expenses paid for didn't seem like such a bad idea, but as luck
would have it that didn't come to pass.
I've done
this several times while traveling when I knew I had a fairly
flexible schedule. It can be inconvienient, but the rewards are
well worth it. Will it work every time? Of course not but it's
worth trying. The key is to be the first and to be discrete so
they don't have to ask for volunteers.
Click
here to move on the the next FREE FLIGHT tip.
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Click
on the links below for more information on how to save money
when booking your flights.
Tip
1 Be flexible
Tip
2 Travel in Off Season
Tip
3 Check other Airports
Tip
4 Round trip can be less than one way
Tip
5 Check beyond your destination
Tip
6 Look for less obvious routes
Tip
7 3 ways to get FREE airline tickets
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