Free Airfare...The Ultimate Discount pg2

The best way that I've found to get bumped is to ask the baggage check-in person, "Will this be a crowded flight?" If they say yes, then I'll say "Will you be accepting volunteers to be bumped?" If they say yes again, I say "I'd like to volunteer." They will usually put this information in the computer at the check-in counter. I then get to the departure gate early and repeat the process. (Since this is a "first come, first served" opportunity, you need to be early.) When an overbooked flight is boarding, they usually ask for my ticket and hold it until all passengers have boarded. Sometimes they bump me and sometimes they don't. I usually check my luggage because there is no room in the overhead bin by the time I board. When I bump, the airlines hold my luggage at my destination and often fly me there first class. On domestic flights, the airlines will typically give me a flight voucher for around $200 good for one year. I use the voucher to pay for a discount ticket on my next personal trip and fly free.


Frequent Flyer Miles
Another way to fly free is to take advantage of the frequent flyer programs offered by the major airlines. Since I live near the Orlando airport and my employer usually uses American Airlines, I use their AAdvantage miles program. It currently takes 25,000 AAdvantage miles to get a domestic "plan ahead" ticket. American also has the top-rated frequent flyer program according to the USA Today frequent flyer program rating guide.


Actual flying is one of the least efficient ways to get frequent flyer miles. It takes a lot of flights to get to the 5,000 - 20,000 miles that you can often get from companies offering air miles as incentives.


Great mileage programs are available from MCI, and CitiBank. MCI will give you 3,000 - 20,000 AAdvantage miles over 6 months when you sign up for their long distance service. (See information below.) CitiBank will give you up to 10,000 miles for signing up for their card and using it once. MCI signup is free and CitiBank costs $50/year.


By signing up for all three, you can get a domestic ticket (25,000 miles) and if you can get the full 20,000 mile deal from MCI, you can get a international ticket on American Airlines for travel during the winter (40,000 miles). Total cost of all of this is around $200 if you do small purchases. You continue to earn miles when you use these services, but if it turns out that they are not for you, there is always the option of not renewing.

June, 1st 2006 -

 

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