How to Travel Standby Internationally
Getting hired by an airline company can be a dream come true, but now you are wondering how to travel standby internationally.
You want to get to your bucket list of travel destinations as soon as possible to make all your travel dreams come true! Just a word of warning, the more you travel, the longer your bucket list becomes! As you interact with airline employees who went to Iceland last weekend, you’ll be dreaming up new travel dreams before you know it. Our philosophy is “The less we spend on this trip, the sooner we get to take another”. This article will help you find the most economical way to see everything your heart desires.
Before boarding international flights flying standby, this information will be essential to save you money, time and stress.
Standby Travel
In order to fly standby, you must be an employee of an airline, a dependent of be purchasing a buddy pass from an employee.
Our family flies with American Airlines. If you are flying with another company, the answers may be slightly different than what I am teaching here. But usually, they follow a similar protocol.
Flying standby inside the USA, the flight is completely free! It’s truly amazing.
Essential Information: When you fly outside of the country you don’t pay for the flight leaving America. You only pay the taxes of the airport as you fly back into America.
Every airport has their own taxes and fees for traveling from their airport. Doing some research to see how much it will cost to fly out of a certain airport will help you estimate your travel expenses.
1. Find travel costs
Since you only pay for flights coming back into America, it is helpful to know what those cost are. On the American Airlines Non Revenue travel site, there is a section called travel tools. Click on Travel Charges to check the charges for international travel. If you put in DFW-FCO (Rome) it will show that it is free. If you put FCO-DFW it will show the charges for first class, business, and main.
2. Consider one-way trips
Looking at the cost of flying home from certain locations, may change where you fly.
For example, we recently took our son to Italy. Read about our itinerary here and driving one way here. When we did this trip, Venice cost over $150 for one person. We flew into Venice (free), and then toured Italy by car and ended in Rome. We flew home from Rome (for only $85).
The prices have recently changed for American Airlines, so now flying home from Venice costs $48 in taxes and fees and flying home from Rome costs $68. So if we were trying to save money, I would likely try to fly into Rome and home from Venice. $20 a person might not seem like much, but for our family, that is over $120, which can be another night of a hotel or a couple days of a car rental.
Even though both prices are a steal when you consider you are flying round trip to Italy, the cost still adds up and it might be worth adjusting your trip for budget travel.
Of course, the flight loads will ultimately determine where you end up. We had a backup plan of flying into Rome and out of Venice if need be.
3. Check costs for First Class and Business Class
Typically, the charges for all 3 classes of travel is the same, and as a standby traveler you always hope and pray for that first class experience. However, some airports charge more for first-class travel. For example, Paris cost $131 for first class and business and only $81 for the main cabin.
In many cases, you can get a first-class or business-class ticket for the same cost as a coach ticket (If there are any first-class available). In a few places, you will pay more to fly first class. Decide if that is a cost you are willing to spend. I think first-class is really only worth it internationally, so if we had the funds, I would definitely take it! Unless I was paying for all 6 of us, then I may reconsider.
Flights to London England cost $285 for first and business class and $181 for the main cabin. For our family of 6, the cost of the flights alone would be over $1000. The rest of the world is laughing at our tiny expense to fly internationally, but we are used to flying free! So, that cost seems astronomical. When we go to London, we plan on flying into London (for free) and then take a car or train or even a ZED fare on another airline to some other airport to fly home.
4. Help your Buddy Pass Users
Does it matter how long the flight is?
The miles flown to the destination does not determine the cost of the flight for an employee or dependent. For example, Mexico City is really close to us, but the taxes are $71. Quito, Equador is $131. But to fly all the way home from Japan is only $41.
However, flying on a buddy pass (d3 for American) the cost IS related to the distance traveled and you do have to pay for each leg of the flight. Doing research so your buddy pass user knows how much he/she will be paying for their flights. Helping your buddy pass user navigation how to travel standby internationally is helpful for them to know their expenses when the stress of flying standby is already great.
5. Don’t be afraid to get listed!
If I book a trip but don’t make it on the flight, will I be charged?
No! You can list and pay for as many flights as you’d like. You will not be charged until you receive tickets and board the plane.
Now You Know How to Fly Standby Internationally
I am so excited for you to take trips around the world for a nominal cost! The less you pay now, the more trips you can go on! Ultimately, the flight loads will determine which airports you get to fly into and out of, but doing your research will help you be prepared for the costs.
We have only ventured outside of America on 6 trips. This summer we are planning on a few more. We are saving up to take our four kids outside of the country more and show them the world. I hope you get to do the same!
Our entire trip to Hong Kong for 5 of us for 5 days cost less than $500 (including flights)!
See other Standby tips here.
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14 Comments
Hi Jamie,
I usually fly on companion pass but bought ID20 to go international, I’m flying with a paying relative who can also fly D3. Can we ask to standby for a business class seat (with our non rev status)? I was wondering if I could call and speak to someone as right now outbound is pretty open. Kills me that I purchased tickets but had to secure travel..
Unfortunately you can’t! If you fly on a revenue ticket you have to use your regular status. You can only standby to upgrade if you are flying standby.
Hello, what if your trying to fly between countries in Europe, do you still use your airlines partner carriers or do you pay out of pocket for those flights?
We can fly standby on the airline partners. However, we fly at a lower priority and pay taxes on the flights we take on other airlines. Its also more difficult to see how many seats are available and how many standbys are listed, so for me,it is a bigger risk of getting stuck, but I know many people make it happen!
I just got my passes set up with AA and a friend who is also a retiree. With AA told me there are no longer buddy passes and I see so many questions about how to use them here. I am retired and want to go on trips but dont want to go alone.
as an employee ourselves we still do have buddy passes to give to friends/family. Im not sure if retirees have buddy passes. Sometimes the cost and uncertainty (along with the low priority) make it pretty difficult to travel using a buddy pass. might be best to buy tickets for a travel companion
Hi Jamie,
love your website !!
I have been traveling NON REV under a dear friend of mine with UA but this year I “became” a party of two and unfortunately my friend can not longer help. We are seasoned travelers and i know the ins and outs of traveling NON REV.
I was wondering if you could direct me to someone you might know that could help us get two RC D2 with AA
I look forward to hearing back from you
Best,
sent an email to you!
I am a companion on a friends AA benefits. I am trying to plan flying to Paris for christmas time and skeptical I will be able to get a flight. Right now I see christmas is on a wed so I was planning on trying to fly out the 18th a week early but still worried I will not make it. Any ideas how to see when might be the best time? I also considered leaving Christmas day to avoid crowds but again no idea. I know its a bad time. The flights home look easier to get than going..
In my experience flying on christmas day is good, but getting home after Christmas is difficult. I haven’t ever gone internationally over Christmas. WE are hoping to get to the Christmas markets this year, but it will depend on flights. My best advice is have several days you could go/come home and several different locations you don’t mind ending up if Paris fills up (london, Germany). Also look at options with layovers, just in case. Good luck! Christmas is always a super tricky time, but with weather delays and issues, you can often make it! A christmas miracle!
Do you ever get stranded internationally when flights are full? What are your suggestions for getting a family of four on a flight nonrev?
Yes! We usually go home a day or two early if it’s looking bad. We have also flown on other airlines ( ZED) to get to another city that has open flights. For example, fly from London to dubLin on Ryan air and go home from Dublin. We flew in United home from japan when American was full. Look are airlines close to you and see what other options there are. Or we fly into any city in America and then figure out how to get home another way. When we came home from Italy, we wanted the direct to Dallas flight but it was full so we flew to Charlotte and then had a few layovers in random cities to get home ( the direct was full)
Hi Mrs Harper
I am new to the nonrev travel through my brother i want to go on my first trip but wants to know
the average cost. Is there anyway online i can get this information
Trini
Are you with American Airlines? Are you flying on a buddy pass or do you have dependent status? American has a travel cost tool under the tool tab. You enter your departure and you arrival city ( and any in between) and it will tell you how much it costs for an employee, a dependent, a parent or a buddy pass. Email me if you have any specific destinations I can look up for you!