Buddy Pass Travel to Europe

[WorldTraveler]

While several people on here have had nothing but bad experiences with these, I can't say the same. Out off all the times that friends have used them over the years, only ONE person has gotten jammed up and had to buy a ticket. And even this case was due to an extenuating circumstance with the recent incident in SFO. Use them at the right time, and in most cases it works out. Many people tend to think that they can use them on a Saturday morning to the islands or Florida, which never works.

thank you for speaking up, wings.

buddy passes can be a great way for people who otherwise couldn't afford to make an international trip to do so... it can help people with last minute travel necessities do so economically.

The key to responsible buddy pass usage is for the employee to take the time to help the buddy pass rider plan a good itinerary using good dates. Employees have that information but buddy pass riders don't. It requires the employee taking the time to investigate options, say no when it is necessary, and suggest alternatives. It is far easier for most employees to just say no which is what many do.

Buddy passes can also build incredible brand loyalty for the airline if the buddy pass rider really does succeed at business or first class and has a good experience, which is indeed very possible with proper guidance and planning, and alternatives.

I would still concur that with 7 months to plan a trip to Europe in the off-peak season, buying a ticket is perhaps a better alternative, in part because air travel in Europe has very high taxes that can't be avoided by airline employees traveling non-rev, buddy passes, or confirmed paying passengers. The UK has some of the highest taxes.

 

[Kev3188]

The key to responsible buddy pass usage is for the employee to take the time to help the buddy pass rider plan a good itinerary using good dates. Employees have that information but buddy pass riders don't.

... With the changes DL has made to it's Same Day Confirmed policies, we don't have the same (relatively) clear picture like we used to. Loads swing wildly, even w/in a couple hours of departure.

 

[UPNAWAY]

They are generaly only a good deal for last minute i.e. a funeral. When one is paying full fair otherwise. The price difference becomes very marginal when you have time to shop for sales. That being said I have not seen any real deals to Europe in over a year, but the op has time to shop at least until Christmas...before pulling the trigger and buying the guest pass at years end.

 

[WorldTraveler]

They are generaly only a good deal for last minute i.e. a funeral. When one is paying full fair otherwise. The price difference becomes very marginal when you have time to shop for sales. That being said I have not seen any real deals to Europe in over a year, but the op has time to shop at least until Christmas...before pulling the trigger and buying the guest pass at years end.

airlines and their alliance partners are working very hard to remove excess capacity, esp. during the offpeak seasons when it is impossible to fill planes and make money given high fuel prices based on "old" levels of capacity. ATI and JVs are working to return the industry to profitability.

... With the changes DL has made to it's Same Day Confirmed policies, we don't have the same (relatively) clear picture like we used to. Loads swing wildly, even w/in a couple hours of departure.

SDC doesn't apply to int'l, does it?

 

[Kev3188]

Not unless you want to count Canada & Puerto Rico, and USVI..

Nevertheless...

 

[jimntx]

Well, there's one policy that AA and US have in common.

No doubt, then, that the New AA will keep that one in place.

To tell the truth, the only airline that I know of (for sure) that has done this is Delta. A fellow flight attendant traveled to Australia a few years ago on a ZED fare. The flight back was on DL from SYD to LAX. He had the cheapest ZED fare he could find. DL upgraded him to F/C at the gate. He has not yet stopped raving about that flight and how good the service was.

 

[FWAAA]

They are generaly only a good deal for last minute i.e. a funeral. When one is paying full fair otherwise. The price difference becomes very marginal when you have time to shop for sales. That being said I have not seen any real deals to Europe in over a year, but the op has time to shop at least until Christmas...before pulling the trigger and buying the guest pass at years end.

Buddy Pass travel for a funeral? Are you serious? In my experience, funerals, like weddings, generally occur when they're scheduled, and one sure way to ensure that you miss those events would be to attempt to get there on a Buddy Pass. Frequent Flyer miles are a much better way to travel last-minute. I've been able to get last-minute tickets at AA's lower saver rate, but AA also offers last-seat availability for double miles, which can still be "cheaper" than shelling out huge money for a walk-up ticket. I wouldn't recommend that anyone fly on a Buddy Pass if there are alternatives, but at least the OP has three weeks to play with. If a family member dies and you want to be there for the funeral, then find a way to obtain positive space travel.

 

[WorldTraveler]

there are a lot of people who die and are buried in the middle of the week and in markets where there is abundant capacity.

My wife's cousin is retired NW and has traveled all over the world using non-rev benefits, including on other carriers.

He's still working thru the fact that there are some countries that you just can't transit as a non-rev without a visa even if there are seats available, but it is very possible to non-rev, including as buddy passes, in places where most people wouldn't bother to try.

There are many dates and markets where it is "safe to non-rev" from now until March except for spring break, weekends, and the winter holidays including to funerals. IN the US at least, funerals usually are announced a day or two in advance which means you do have a little time to get there.

 

[nycbusdriver]

The flight back was on DL from SYD to LAX. He had the cheapest ZED fare he could find. DL upgraded him to F/C at the gate. He has not yet stopped raving about that flight and how good the service was.

International First Class on almost any carrier is a minor bacchanalia. Who would not rave about it, unless one had the means to indulge in such decadence on a regular basis?

 

[dash8roa]

As someone who works for AA, let me say ditto to what autofixer posted. I have no problem letting friends use buddy passes to travel domestically because there is always a way to find a reasonably priced last minute ticket to get home--even if you have do something like drive/take a bus from Vancouver to Seattle, then home. I would never let a friend run the risk of being stuck in another country where the price of a last minute walk-up ticket would require you to sell the children into slavery in order to get home.

I don't know how US Airways prices buddy passes, but at AA if bought this far in advance (and the fact that your time frame is not high travel season), you could probably buy a coach seat guaranteed for not much more money than the buddy pass fees.

I think the buddy pass price is $199 each way + taxes so you are well over $500 for a ticket maybe close to $600. I have bought positive space to Europe for less than that. I would think you could get something in the $700 range if you watch for sales. Not to mention that is easter/spring break time for much of your travel.

The buddy passes for Europe are over priced and considering most cities in Europe are served by a single daily flight, flying SA7 is very risky. Domestically is a different story, many chances during the day and many times alternate airports will work.
I don't know if consolidators are still in business, but they offer heavily discounted international tickets that are not refundable.

 

[Veritas]

And, unlike some other airlines, AA does NOT automatically upgrade even employees on space available--much less a friend of an employee.

In my experience, since American does not double upgrade revenue passengers, it is much easier to get into first class on three class airplanes (777-200 and 767-200 - I have yet to fly on the 77W) than get into first or business on two class airplanes. On the extremely rare occasions when coach was full on two class flights and seats were available in a premium cabin, I was always offered a seat in F or C, subject to the appropriate surcharge, if I was properly attired.

 

[jimntx]

I don't consider an offer of a F/C seat at additional charge to be an upgrade. An upgrade occurs when you are given the better seat with your existing "ticket"--whether revenue or non-revenue. If you are traveling on an "upgradeable" coach revenue ticket and use miles to pay for a F/C seat, you have still paid for the seat. To me, an upgrade is complimentary.

 

[nycbusdriver]

I don't consider an offer of a F/C seat at additional charge to be an upgrade. An upgrade occurs when you are given the better seat with your existing "ticket"--whether revenue or non-revenue. If you are traveling on an "upgradeable" coach revenue ticket and use miles to pay for a F/C seat, you have still paid for the seat. To me, an upgrade is complimentary.

Thank you. That's one person's perspective.

 

[WorldTraveler]

I don't consider an offer of a F/C seat at additional charge to be an upgrade. An upgrade occurs when you are given the better seat with your existing "ticket"--whether revenue or non-revenue. If you are traveling on an "upgradeable" coach revenue ticket and use miles to pay for a F/C seat, you have still paid for the seat. To me, an upgrade is complimentary.

I'm not sure about US' policy, but most DL employee and direct employee-related pass benefits are based on seating in the premium cabin (first or business) if it is available and then in coach if necessary... there are age restrictions as to who can sit in first/business on DL but there is no charge to sit in the premium cabin if it is available and that benefit extends to buddy passes. DL does not automatically upgrade employees of other airlines because other airlines have "coach only" policies for DL employees.

I believe AA and UA's pass benefits and costs are class-based and I get the impression from reading here that US' are more like DL's -but I would like to see someone say so for sure.

Thus, a DL buddy pass can be a very good benefit if the person is able to end up in int'l business class for less than the price of a confirmed coach ticket.

 

[wings396]

I haven't been on a DL flight in several years, but prior to that they always gave me an upgrade if it was available and I was properly dressed.