Free Airline Flights - Myth or Reality?
There is a perception that you can get "free flights" on budget carriers, or by using air miles or companion flights. Low-cost airlines have been very aggressive in their advertising of cheap / free flights, particularly in the European market. |
An EU directive has been slowly implemented which means airlines in Europe must advertise flight prices as all-in. Many airlines now use 'one-way' all-in pricing (instead of return) in their advertising to make the price appear as low as possible. There is always a difference between the base price of a flight and the final price which can include an array of additional taxes, charges and "hidden" fees, such as:
-fuel
surcharges (known as "YQ")
-charging for checked luggage
-charging
for "priority boarding" and seat allocation
-charging extra for an
emergency exit row
-fees for paying by credit/debit cards
-"booking
fees"
However Ryanair has become the first airline to regularly offer "free" flights. Return flights on specific European routes can often be purchased for nothing - as long as you only carry on hand baggage and pay by Visa Electron. This is a great deal for passengers and means Ryanair's base price is negative as they cover the airport charges and government taxes.
So while free flights are not normally available, you should try to take advantage of any special offer deals that come up from time to time. Always check the level of taxes and charges as this varies significantly amongst airlines even flying on the same routes.
Frequent Flyer Airmiles - Can you get 'free' flights using frequent flyer or loyalty reward program air miles? The first consideration is that you have to actually 'buy' the miles - this is achieved by purchasing flights, goods and services and using affiliated airline credit cards. Air miles usually cost between 1 and 2 pence (1.5 to 3 US cents) to buy.
The best way to accumulate mileage is if you can earn credit card air miles on expenses that you would have incurred anyway. There are also some exceptionally generous 'mileage run' deals which do occasionally crop up.
Secondly, you would have to redeem your miles in the most efficient way possible. This is discussed further in our 'Ultimate Airfares & Upgrades Guide'. Most air travellers don't even redeem their miles or do so in very inefficient ways.
Another point to consider again is even if you have a generous collection of reward miles, you will still be hit by the ubiquitous taxes and charges when you do redeem them - these can be quite significant.
Free
Companion Flights with Loyalty Credit Cards - There are various schemes such
as using frequent flyer credit cards which will get you 'free' companion flights.
These can be decent value for money but you always have to buy the first ticket
of course - often this will be an expensive full fare ticket. These can be useful
though if you are already travelling on a paid business ticket and wish to take
a colleague or partner along for free. They are also effective on premium class
mileage redemptions.
In summary, and unsurprisingly, nothing in life is really free. Even if you are an airline employee, any free flights you might get would just be another form of compensation.
However there are some exceptional deals and techniques out there which can keep down the cost of flying. By applying sound airfare strategies over the long run, you will save more and more money each time you book a flight. In turn, these savings can be put towards a flight purchase that will have effectively cost you little or nothing.
Air Travel Articles > Budget Airline Flying > Free Flights
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