Free Airline Flights - Myth or Reality?
There is a perception that you can get "free flights" on budget low-cost carriers, or by using air miles or companion flights.Low-cost airlines have been very aggressive in their advertising of cheap flights, particularly in the European market. |
There is a difference between the base price of a flight and the final price which includes an array of additional taxes and charges. In the past many airlines have advertised flights as 'free' when in fact this referred to the base price only.
There is an EU directive (from 2007) which is slowly being implemented which means airlines in Europe must illustrate flight prices as all-in. Many airlines now use 'one-way' all-in pricing in their advertising to make it appear as low as possible.
UK passengers also took a blow in February 2007 when the government there decided to double its Air Passenger Duty meaning taxes and charges went up significantly for ex-UK flights.
Low-cost heavyweight Ryanair infamously used 'free flights' in their marketing for a number of years - however the all-in price for a return ticket on an international route could be up to £45 / €60 including credit card fees.
However Ryanair has since become the first airline to regularly offer "free" flights. Return flights on specific routes all over Europe can often be purchased for nothing except the credit card processing fee - this is a great deal for passengers. This means Ryanair's base price is negative as they cover the airport charges and government taxes.
Budget airlines look for different ways to gain extra revenue so that they can keep their base fares as low as possible:
- Charging for check-in luggage (Ryanair and Easyjet both do so)
- Funding subsidies from regional governments and airports. This has been controversial point for the European Commission with complaints from competing airlines. (Despite the fact that many former national airlines received significant government funding themselves over many years).
- Charging for additional extras such as on-board food, drinks and entertainment.
- Selling hotel rooms and car rentals from their web site.
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 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 - what a waste!
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.
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 & Resources > Budget Airline Flying > Free Flights
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