Travel Benefits for Airline Employees

 

"Working for the airlines is the only way to travel the world - practically for free!"

Can you imagine traveling from New York to L.A. for under $20? or going from Dallas to Paris for $50?

Whether it's hot sandy beaches, skiing in Aspen, boarding in Chile, golfing on pro coarses, doing adventure travel, or visiting your family halfway across the country - or the world - if you love to travel, working for the airlines is the ONLY job that can make your travel goals an affordable reality.

Benefits vary by airline

Each airline has its own policies for employee travel benefits. Some companies allow employees to travel for absolutely free, and others charge a nominal fee, or a fee based on the number of miles that will be flown.This fee can range from $10 to about $70 for a long haul or overseas flight, depending on the airline.

But what if you work for an airline that only flies in one region – lets say, the Midwest? Do you still get international travel benefits?

It's a pretty nice life when you work for an airline, even if you work for a smaller carrier. That's because more than 100 airlines participate in interline agreements, which allow employees from one airline to travel on a variety of other airlines for only 10% to 20% of the highest fares, when space is available. In other words, you fly cheap. However, you fly stand-by.

The good news is, even stand-by has improved with the development of airline company Intranets. Now, many airlines provide employees online access to real-time seat availability, so you can determine if you have a good chance of getting a seat on stand-by. This way, you don't have to waste a trip to the airport, or a trip to a foreign city, if there is a good chance the plane will be full – either for your departure or your return trip.

"What are the travel benefits at different airlines?

The 2009 Airline Job Guide provides hiring information at 72 airlines worldwide. Here are some examples of the benefits you can expect if you get a job at one of three airlines in the United States:

If you get a Southwest Airlines job, you are offered free travel anywhere the airline flies – from the very first day you start working, providing that space is available. Even you're your immediate family, including your spouse, your dependent children and your parents, can travel for free when space is available.

As a Southwest Airline employee, you will also benefit from discounts with other airlines with your SWA Pass Bureau. Southwest Airlines is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and flies way beyond the southwest. The company employs people across the United States, so the travel benefits are great for people wanting to work for an airline that flies throughout the US.

As a full-time Delta Airlines employee, you are offered worldwide travel privileges, which means you get significantly reduced air travel anywhere Delta flies. However, some employees have to wait a certain period before they are eligible for these travel benefits. Regional ground-handling airlines like Air Wisconsin can also offer great travel privileges through interline agreements. If you get a job with Air Wisconsin as a regular full-time or regular part-time employee, you and your immediate family, which Air Wisconsin defines as your spouse or domestic partner, your unmarried dependant children, and your parents, are all for free or reduced-rate, world-wide travel benefits on Air Wisconsin, United Airlines, and other airlines.

Your flight benefits will also vary by position.

Flight Crew, such as Pilots or First Officers and Flight Attendants have the most flexibility in terms of time-off for personal travel, Often in-flight crew can get as many as seven days off in a row, as they work irregular hours. It's during these days, that these airline employees take time for personal travel.

Naturally, Flight Attendants and Pilots travel, as part of their employment. In most cases, people with Flight Attendant jobs and Pilot careers receive a per diem allowance, or an hourly allowance, when they are working out of their base city. This can range from $1.00 to $2.50 or more per hour, and is to cover your meal expenses while you are away. Naturally, Flight Attendants and Pilots also enjoy free hotel accommodation, sometimes at fine hotels, while they are staying overnight, away from your base cities.

You get a lot more than FREE air travel as an airline employee

As an airline employee you get can get amazingly low rates on flights, hotels, cruises, vacation packages, restaurants & more. Not only do you get to fly to far away destinations for a few dollars, but as an airline employee you also get incredible discounts on almost everything travel related. Depending on where you live, you can even use your airline employee card to get discounts from 10% - 20% in local restaurants and bars in your home town.

Have a question?

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