A buddy pass is a type of flight pass that allows friends and family of airline employees to fly standby for free or at a heavily discounted rate on their airline. Buddy passes are a huge perk for airline employees, allowing them to share the benefits of working for an airline with their loved ones. However, buddy passes come with some restrictions and uncertainties that travelers should understand before using them.
What Exactly is a Buddy Pass?
A buddy pass, also sometimes called a buddy ticket, is a flight pass that allows friends and family of airline employees to fly standby on their airline for free or minimal cost. With a buddy pass, the pass holder can fly space-available on any flight within the airline’s route network.
However, buddy pass holders fly standby, meaning they can only board if there are empty seats available after all fare-paying passengers have boarded. So there is no guarantee of getting on any given flight when using a buddy pass.
Airline employees are given a set number of buddy passes per year, usually based on their seniority and status with the airline. They can then choose to give these buddy passes to friends, family, or sometimes even sell them.
Cost of Buddy Passes
While buddy passes allow people to fly for free or highly discounted airfare, they are not completely free. Airlines charge taxes and fees on buddy pass travel, which can add up to $100 or more per flight segment. There may also be a small administration fee charged by the employee to obtain a buddy pass.
Still, when used successfully, buddy passes allow people to fly at a fraction of the normal ticket cost.
Eligibility for Buddy Passes
Each airline has its own policies on who is eligible to receive a buddy pass from an employee. Spouses, domestic partners, and dependent children are always eligible. Most airlines also allow parents, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren to fly on buddy passes. The rules may be more restrictive for other relatives and friends.
There are restrictions for selling buddy passes – employees are typically prohibited from selling them to the general public for a profit. Buddy passes are meant to be a benefit for friends and family only.
How Do Buddy Passes Work?
Using a buddy pass is different than flying with a confirmed ticket. Here are some key things to know about how buddy passes operate:
Standby Travel
Buddy pass travelers can only fly on a standby basis. This means they are not guaranteed a seat until shortly before departure. Buddy pass holders must wait until just before the flight leaves to find out if there is an open seat available.
If the flight is full, they will be left behind and must try standby on a later flight. This uncertainty makes buddy pass travel challenging to plan.
Booking and Check-In
Booking a specific flight in advance is typically not allowed with a buddy pass. The pass holder must call the airline’s employee booking line within 24 hours of desired travel to place themselves on standby. Earlier requests are usually not accepted.
Buddy pass travelers must check in at the gate shortly before departure. Printed boarding passes are not provided in advance. Passes are often forfeited if the holder does not check in on time.
Seat Assignments
Buddy pass travelers do not get regular seat assignments. If they clear the standby list and get on the flight, they will be assigned any remaining seats just before boarding. This means possibly getting middle seats or separate seats from your travel companions. Seat preferences cannot be accommodated.
Priority and Restrictions
When a flight is oversold, fare-paying passengers always get priority over buddy pass travelers for the available seats. Airlines also frequently restrict buddy pass travel during peak travel times such as holidays or summer breaks when many employees also want to use the passes. Blackout dates may apply.
Using a buddy pass is best for off-peak travel dates with lower passenger loads to increase the chances of getting on flights. Flexibility with travel plans is a must.
The Pros and Cons of Buddy Passes
Buddy passes offer an amazing chance to fly for virtually free, but do come with some distinct disadvantages to weigh as well.
Pros
- Nearly free flights – only pay taxes and fees
- Fly on any airline route domestically and internationally
- Great way to visit family and friends living far away
- Allow airline employees to share the perks of working for an airline
Cons
- No confirmed seats – risk of getting left behind
- Limited last-minute seat availability
- No control over flight dates and times
- Not allowed to book specific flights in advance
- No normal seat selections – risk of middle seats
- Frequent blackout dates apply
- Travel is contingent on employee’s schedule and willingness
For travelers who are flexible and spontaneous, the pros often make buddy passes worth the hassle and uncertainty. But they are certainly not for everyone.
Maximizing Your Chances with a Buddy Pass
Because nothing is guaranteed with a buddy pass, it helps to employ some savvy travel strategies to increase your odds of getting on flights. Some tips include:
Be Flexible with Dates
Avoid popular travel dates like holidays and weekends when flights are most full. Opt for mid-week and off-peak season travel when passenger loads are lighter. This significantly boosts your standby chances.
Fly Early Morning or Late Evening
Flights at peak travel times tend to be most heavily booked. Early morning and late evening flights often have more open seats available.
Consider Connecting Flights
Trying to fly nonstop long distance with a buddy pass can be tough. Booking connections increases the chances of getting on at least one leg.
Travel Light
Don’t check any bags when flying standby. This gives you flexibility to switch flights and reduces risk of your luggage getting left behind if you don’t make a connection.
Have Backup Plans
Be ready with a backup option if you don’t initially get on a flight. Book a hotel room or plan for ground transportation if needed to position for the next standby opportunity.
Be Patient and Stay in Touch
Keep friendly communication with the employee who gave you the buddy pass. Let them know your travel plans and express gratitude – this encourages future buddy pass opportunities.
Who Gets Buddy Passes From Airlines?
Airlines provide buddy passes to current employees as an employment benefit. The specific policies vary by airline, but passes are typically distributed based on:
Employee Seniority and Status
Long-tenured employees and those with higher status positions in the company (like pilots) receive more buddy passes per year than junior or entry-level staffers. Senior employees can sometimes provide passes to friends, while junior employees may only be able to give them to family.
Employee Work Group
The airline’s pilots union, flight attendant union, mechanic union etc. each negotiate buddy pass policies separately within their labor contracts. So the specifics can differ across employee groups. Flight crews tend to get the most buddy passes.
Retired Employees
Most airlines continue to provide buddy passes to retirees, often based on the seniority they had achieved by retirement date. So retired pilots and executives typically still get multiple passes per year for life.
How Much Do Buddy Passes Cost?
While buddy passes provide nearly free flights, they are not completely without cost. Typical fees include:
Taxes and Surcharges
Government taxes and fees are charged on every flight segment booked with a buddy pass. This can range from $20 for a short domestic hop to over $100 for long international flights.
Administrative Fees
Some airlines allow employees to charge a small fee when giving a buddy pass to friends and family, up to around $50 or $100 per pass. This helps cover their time and effort.
Same-Day Change or Cancel Fees
If a buddy pass traveler needs to change flights once ticketed and traveling, standard change and cancel fees apply just like any regular ticket. These can be $100-$200 in most cases.
Pet Fees
Bringing a pet along on a buddy pass flight incurs regular pet carriage charges which can be up to $125 each way.
Are Buddy Passes Refundable?
Buddy passes themselves are typically non-refundable – once issued, they cannot be returned for a refund. However, if a buddy pass is used to book travel that ultimately does not occur, the taxes and fees paid can be refunded as a travel credit for future flights.
Rules on canceling and rebooking buddy pass travel vary by airline. But in most cases, the fees paid minus a cancellation penalty can be redeposited for the pass holder’s future travel if flights are cancelled before departure.
Same-day flight changes or leaving flights early tend to be treated like regular ticket cancellations, with the taxes and fees forfeited.
Can You Buy Buddy Passes?
While employees cannot sell buddy passes directly to the public, there are third-party services that offer buddy passes for sale, often referred to as airline “buddy pass brokers”.
These brokers acquire buddy passes from employees and frequent flyer members, then resell them to the public, typically marking up the price significantly.
However, this practice violates most airlines’ buddy pass policies, and use of these sold passes could result in confiscation by the airline. Rules explicitly prohibit selling buddy passes outside of family and friends.
There are also scams promising buddy passes online – travelers should be very cautious about third-party buddy pass offers, as many are fraudulent. Legitimate passes can only be obtained directly from an airline employee.
Do Other Travel Perks Exist Like Buddy Passes?
While buddy passes offer unique privileges, some other travel perks provide similar elite benefits:
Airline FoundersCard
This is an American Airlines-specific program that offers 50-100 standby passes per year to cardholders for a $400 annual fee.
Employee Guest Passes
Some airlines like Southwest allow employees to designate non-family VIP guests to receive 20-50 guest passes per year.
Employee “ZED” Fare Agreements
ZED agreements exist between some airlines to allow free or discounted standby travel for employees of partner airlines.
Retiree Travel Passes
Most airlines offer reduced-rate travel passes to their retired employees for leisure travel.
The Bottom Line
Buddy passes offer airline employees an incredible chance to share free travel with loved ones. For recipients, it’s an amazing opportunity to fly for nearly the cost of taxes alone. But the uncertainty means buddy passes are best suited for flexible travelers who can spontaneously take advantage of last-minute availability. With some planning and ingenuity, they provide a wonderful way to explore destinations together with minimal outlay.