Why pay for a plane ticket when one is available for free? And it's probably less difficult than you think. These are the top ten ways to get free flights.
Want to travel but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on plane tickets? I can't say I blame you. With rising airline prices, the flight to your destination may be the most expensive part of your trip. However, if you plan ahead of time, there are numerous opportunities to obtain free flights.
In this article, I'll explain how to get a free plane ticket in ten different ways. They may not always be the most convenient or easiest option for you, and you may not get every flight you ever take for free, but these options can net you free travel for at least some of your trips.
Get Bumped
Getting bumped (denied) from your flight is one of the simplest and quickest ways to get free flights. This occurs when the flight is overbooked and there are insufficient seats for everyone.
When you are bumped from a flight, you have two options: voluntarily or involuntarily. If you give up your seat voluntarily, it is usually in exchange for something, such as a flight voucher. However, if you are bumped involuntarily (as in the United scandal), it is because the airline forces you to give up your seat because the flight was overbooked and not enough people volunteered to give up their seat.
Because of the public relations nightmare that an involuntary bump can cause, airlines are increasingly offering voluntary options instead. According to Statista, most domestic airlines reduced their involuntary denied boardings between 2016 and 2017. Here's an infographic they created to display the data:
Getting bumped from a flight is a hit-or-miss option, but if you do it, you could receive $100 to $1,000 in vouchers per ticket. And it might not be as difficult as it sounds, given that most airlines are already at capacity. According to travel expert Johnny Jet, airlines have reduced capacity, which means that most flights have a full house. This increases the likelihood of being bumped, especially on busy travel days like Monday, Friday, and Sunday, as well as around holidays.
Just make sure you have some scheduling leeway.
Johnny Jet advocates for being bumped and does it so frequently that he created a comprehensive guide on how to be bumped from a flight. He recommends checking the current flight load, volunteering to be bumped, and waiting near the gate for announcements.
You must still pay for the original flight from which you were bumped. If the agent requests volunteers to be bumped to another flight, you will not be charged for that flight and will receive vouchers good for future airline tickets. Again, if you're going to try this hack, make sure you have a flexible schedule or a backup plan.
Use Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses
Many travel credit cards now offer fantastic sign-up bonuses, some of which include a free flight from the start. One word of caution, however: applying for new credit cards will result in a hard pull on your credit report, lowering your FICO score. So, be strategic about when and how you apply for these cards; don't apply for a bunch of them all at once. Here are my top two picks for sign-up bonuses:
Credit Card Capital One Venture Rewards
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which offers a one-time bonus of 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months, is one of the best deals available right now. That works out to about $750 in travel credits.
I use this credit card as my daily card and pay it off in full at the end of the month. I've accumulated thousands of dollars in travel in the last few years solely based on the rewards structure—2 miles per dollar spent.
This card has an annual fee of $95; however, the one-time bonus makes the fee worthwhile.
Use Credit Card Rewards Everyday
Those sign-up bonuses are tempting, but the best way to earn free flights in the long run is to sign up for a credit card that offers great miles for everyday spending. When you find a credit card with good mileage bonuses, use it for your everyday spending, pay it off, and enjoy the benefits of free flights.
Examine Frequent Flyer Programs
Frequent flier programs are your best friend if you already fly frequently. Once you've signed up for one or two frequent flyer programs, try to stick to those airlines. You may pay a small premium for your tickets, but if you consolidate all of your frequent flier miles with one airline, you'll earn free flights faster.
Think about Dining Rewards Programs.
Many frequent flier programs allow you to earn miles by dining at specific restaurants. You don't even have to charge the meal to your credit card to earn the miles. The majority of these programs are quite simple. When you link your card, you will earn miles when dining at participating restaurants. Some programs will even offer a sign-up bonus, similar to rewards credit cards, in the form of a lump sum of points or an accelerated earning rate for a limited time. A word of caution: some programs have restrictions on earning points, such as days, times, and locations. If you want to earn the most points, make sure you know these before you dine out.
Examine Social Media
Follow the social media accounts of your favorite airlines. They frequently offer bonus miles for liking a post, or they run contests that you can enter by clicking a button. We don't recommend wasting hours of your life entering contests you're unlikely to win, but if you're already on Facebook and the contest only takes two seconds, why not?
Many airlines have social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Twitter is an excellent place to not only find deals but also to solve problems. Surprisingly, businesses respond much faster on Twitter than they do via email or phone.
Get a Job on an Airline
Consider working for an airline if you truly enjoy traveling. It's an excellent way to fly for free, and if you fly on standby, you can get almost anywhere. TripSavvy compiled a very useful resource on how to get a job at one of the top ten airlines in the United States.
READ ARTICLES :
READ ARTICLES :
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét