Katie and Pierce
Flying is getting more expensive every year, but what if there was a way around those high ticket prices? The good news is that learning how to fly for free is totally possible with the right strategies. While “free” usually means paying just taxes and fees (around $5.60 to $50), that’s still way better than dropping hundreds or thousands on airfare.
Flying for free takes some planning and flexibility, but the payoff is huge. You might need to jump through a few hoops or wait for the right opportunity, but imagine taking that dream vacation without the massive flight bill. Here are some ways to make it happen.
1. Get Airline Credit Cards with Big Welcome Bonuses
Credit cards are one of the fastest ways to rack up enough points for free flights. Many airline and travel credit cards give you massive point bonuses just for signing up and spending a certain amount in your first few months.
Right now, some of the best deals include the Chase Sapphire Preferred with 75,000 points after spending $5,000 (worth $750+ in travel), the American Express Platinum with up to 175,000 points after spending $8,000, and the Capital One Venture X with 75,000 miles after spending $4,000.
The key is timing your application before a big purchase you were already planning to make. Need to buy new appliances or pay for a wedding? Apply for the card first, then use it for those expenses to easily hit the spending requirement. Just make sure to choose cards that match your travel style, whether that’s specific airlines or flexible travel rewards.
2. Join Airline Loyalty Programs and Earn Miles
Every major airline has a frequent flyer program, and joining is completely free. These programs let you earn points or miles every time you fly, which you can later redeem for free flights.
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan and Southwest Rapid Rewards are two of the easiest programs to understand and use. American Airlines AAdvantage is great if you want access to lots of international partners. Alaska Airlines actually ranks as the best frequent flyer program overall, with United Airlines coming in second.
The trick is to stick with one or two airlines when possible and earn miles in multiple ways. Fly with your chosen airline, use their shopping portals when buying stuff online, and earn miles through their hotel and car rental partners. Every mile adds up toward your next free flight.
3. Get the Southwest Companion Pass
The Southwest Companion Pass is like winning the lottery for frequent travelers. Once you earn it, you can bring one person with you on every Southwest flight for free (you just pay their taxes and fees, which start at $5.60).
To qualify, you need to either fly 100 one-way flights or earn 135,000 qualifying points in a calendar year. The pass lasts for the rest of the year you earned it plus the entire next year. So if you qualify in March 2025, you get free companion flights through December 2026.
This basically doubles your Southwest travel value for up to two years. If you’re planning to fly Southwest regularly or can strategically earn points through their credit cards, this is one of the best deals in travel.
4. Use Companion Fares from Airline Credit Cards
Several airline credit cards come with annual companion benefits that let you bring someone along for almost nothing. The Alaska Airlines Famous Companion Fare is probably the best known one.
With this benefit, you can book a second round-trip ticket for just $99 plus taxes and fees. The cool thing is that you don’t even have to be one of the travelers. You can book flights for friends or family members and use your companion fare to save them money.
Delta credit cardholders get companion certificates with taxes and fees capped at $250. Hawaiian Airlines credit cards give discounts on companion tickets for flights between Hawaii and the mainland. These perks alone can easily pay for the credit card’s annual fee.
5. Volunteer to Get Bumped from Overbooked Flights
When flights are oversold, airlines need volunteers to take later flights. This is where flying for free gets interesting, because the compensation can be incredible.
Airlines have to ask for volunteers before forcing anyone off the plane. The compensation keeps going up until enough people volunteer. Delta once paid a family of three $24,000 total to give up their seats. Another time, eight passengers each got $10,000 to take a different flight.
Here’s how to maximize your chances: arrive early at the gate and let the agents know you’re flexible. Ask that your compensation matches whatever the last volunteer gets (so you don’t get stuck with $300 when someone else gets $1,000). You can also negotiate for extras like lounge access, meal vouchers, or first-class seats on your new flight.
6. Hunt for Error Fares and Pricing Mistakes
Sometimes airlines or booking sites make pricing mistakes that result in incredibly cheap flights. These “error fares” can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
These mistakes happen when someone forgets a zero, types the wrong number, or there’s a computer glitch. Travel experts estimate that error fares pop up every few weeks across different airlines.
To find them, sign up for alerts from sites like Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights) and join travel deal communities on Reddit like r/traveldeals. When you spot an error fare, book directly with the airline as fast as possible. The deals usually last just a few hours before someone fixes the mistake.
7. Try Hidden City Ticketing But Be Careful
Hidden city ticketing (also called skiplagging) involves booking a connecting flight where your real destination is actually the layover city. You get off during the connection and skip the final leg.
For example, a flight from New York to Orlando might cost $250, but a flight from New York to Dallas with a stop in Orlando might only cost $130. If Orlando is where you really want to go, you save $120 by getting off at the connection.
The catch is that airlines hate this practice and may penalize you if they catch on. Only travel with carry-on bags (checked bags go to the final destination), don’t do it frequently on the same routes, and never mention your plans to airline staff.
8. Work for an Airline
This might be a long-term strategy, but airline employees get some of the best travel benefits around. All airline workers get free standby travel for themselves, their spouses, children, and parents. Many also get buddy passes to share with friends.
The flights aren’t technically free since you still pay taxes and fees, but those usually cost way less than regular tickets. Plus, you can travel on your airline and most of their partner airlines around the world.
The downside is that all travel is standby, meaning you only get on if there are empty seats after paying passengers board. But if you’re flexible with your travel dates, this can be an amazing perk.
9. Keep Miles from Business Travel
If your job involves travel and your company pays for flights, make sure to join the airline’s frequent flyer program and credit those miles to your personal account. Over time, business travel can earn you enough miles for free personal trips.
You might also earn elite status, which comes with perks like priority boarding, free upgrades, lounge access, and bonus mile earning. Even if you only travel for work a few times a year, those miles add up faster than you might think.
10. Use Shopping Portals and Transfer Partners
Credit card shopping portals let you earn extra points on purchases you’re already making. You can earn an extra 2 to 5 points per dollar spent at retailers like Best Buy, Home Depot, and Macy’s just by clicking through the portal first.
Transfer partners are another way to maximize your points. Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers to Southwest, United, and British Airways. American Express Membership Rewards works with Delta and many international airlines. Capital One partners with 15+ airlines and hotels.
The key is to transfer points during bonus promotions when you get extra value. Sometimes you can get 25% to 40% more value by transferring at the right time instead of booking directly through the credit card portal.
The Bottom Line on How to Fly for Free
Learning how to fly for free really works, but it takes some effort. The best strategies actually provide completely free flights where you only pay small taxes and fees. Flexibility is crucial for success, and combining multiple approaches gives you the best results.
Flying for free isn’t just about saving money (though that’s awesome). It’s about being able to travel more often, visit family and friends, and take trips you couldn’t otherwise afford. When you’re relaxing on a beach in Hawaii or walking through Paris, you won’t care about all the planning it took to get there for free.
Pro Tips for Success
Set up deal alerts from multiple sources so you never miss a good opportunity. Use a dedicated travel rewards credit card for all your everyday spending to maximize point earning. Book award travel as far in advance as possible since free seats go fast.
Always read the fine print on promotions and restrictions. Focus on strategies that provide completely free flights rather than just discounts. Most importantly, stay flexible with your travel dates and destinations. The more flexible you are, the better your chances of success.
