Buddy Passes

[MaggiN]

I am flying for only the second time, this June. I am flying from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia to visit a college friend. Her mom works for US Airways and said I could use her buddy passes for my flight. Can anyone explain to me how these passes work? I have tried doing some Googling and have found good and bad things said about using buddy passes. I know I will have to pay the taxes, but anyone know how much that will cost? I am wondering if it would be better/cheaper just to go online and book a flight the old fashioned way.

Do I receive actual passes that I take to the airport? How do I know which flight I am supposed to get on?

Thanks for any help you can give!

 

[wings396]

Good luck trying to use a Buddy pass between PIT-PHL. Most of those flights are packed with employees who are commuting to and from work, and they will ALL board ahead of you. Depending on the day and time, you can encounter 40+ that are trying to get a seat.

 

[gabby]

I looked up a buddy pass for a friend of mine. Going from Charlotte to New York.
It was cheaper to go buy a ticket on jet blue. And it wouldn't be standby.
Buddy passes are good for last last minute travel if you can't afford a full price ticket. Of course if you just have to be there..... Drive your car.

 

[MaggiN]

Thanks guys! I just might buy a ticket. I contemplated driving but my car has 200,000+ miles on it so I don't know if I want to drive it that far, LOL. I will check out Jet Blue, but I saw a really good online deal through Southwest

 

[Harry Callahan]

Op ask the question to the person who is giving you the buddy pass as they are responsible.

Also as others have pointed out imo no way will you make it on a buddy pass.

 

[nycbusdriver]

Thanks guys! I just might buy a ticket. I contemplated driving but my car has 200,000+ miles on it so I don't know if I want to drive it that far, LOL. I will check out Jet Blue, but I saw a really good online deal through Southwest

If you found a good deal on SWA, grab it and forget about the buddy pass. You will likely have to transfer somewhere (Baltimore would be my guess,) but it still beats driving.

 

[Harry Callahan]

If you found a good deal on SWA, grab it and forget about the buddy pass. You will likely have to transfer somewhere (Baltimore would be my guess,) but it still beats driving.

+1 on this.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

There is a saying: "Friends don't let friends fly on buddy passes".
Unless you like hanging around airports and buying overpriced food and drinks as you get bumped from flight to flight, I would not recommend it. Unless you are going to, say, Minneapolis/St Paul in February.

If you do decide to roll the dice, unless you want to create trouble for your friends mom, be very, very, sure to follow the guidelines for pass travel.

Dress nicely. Sunday best is no longer required, but decent casual.

Be nice to and never, ever, argue with a gate agent or flight attendant. Especially when you don't get a seat.

Good luck!

 

[Phoenix]

There is a saying: "Friends don't let friends fly on buddy passes".
...

Amen. Buddy passes are the most absurd "benefit" given to employees. I would just buy a ticket on SW for a friend before I would subject them to a long, complicated conversation about all the certain pitfalls of using a buddy pass that will get them to their second best friend's wedding two days late.

 

[Kev3188]

^Truth^

 

[nycbusdriver]

There is a saying: "Friends don't let friends fly on buddy passes".
Unless you like hanging around airports and buying overpriced food and drinks as you get bumped from flight to flight, I would not recommend it.

I would add yet another very expensive gamble: If you get stuck at your destination, and can't get on a flight home, you will end up either sleeping on very uncomfortable boarding lounge seats or buying very expensive hotel rooms. Possibly for days.

Amen. Buddy passes are the most absurd "benefit" given to employees. I would just buy a ticket on SW for a friend before I would subject them to a long, complicated conversation about all the certain pitfalls of using a buddy pass that will get them to their second best friend's wedding two days late.

Amen to that! While I don't want to see them eliminate buddy passes because on rare occasions they can be helpful if dispensed judiciously, they are a mostly useless benefit since the price is often absurdly close to a heavily discounted reserved-seat ticket.

 

[wings396]

Depending on when they are used and between what cities, they can work out well. With the PIT-PHL market being a brutal commuter route, its one to avoid with a buddy pass on a regular basis.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

An option for PHL-PIT might be Megabus (or Amtrak), I think the latter costs more.

http://us.megabus.com/newroutestwo.aspx

http://us.megabus.com/Default.aspx

Just checked for round trip in mid May, fares of around $20 each way. I haven't ridden them, but understand it's pretty nice, they have free WiFi, not sure about power points. Certainly beats driving PA turnpike by oneself.

 

[Non Rev]

An option for PHL-PIT might be Megabus (or Amtrak), I think the latter costs more.

http://us.megabus.co...wroutestwo.aspx

http://us.megabus.com/Default.aspx

Just checked for round trip in mid May, fares of around $20 each way. I haven't ridden them, but understand it's pretty nice, they have free WiFi, not sure about power points. Certainly beats driving PA turnpike by oneself.

Be sure to Google Megabus safety record before you hop on board!

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

Be sure to Google Megabus safety record before you hop on board!

Maybe best to sit on the lower deck?