Free Airline Credit: When to use it?
I can’t remember ever earning free airline credit. I’m always too eager to get home to forfeit my seat. But earlier this year, we had an opportunity too good to pass up.
We were flying home from my first ever cruise. The airlines asked for people to give up their spots for $250. We were not interested. Home was calling! Then it got up to $500. I was tempted, but I knew Matt was eager to get home. Finally, $750! At that point, I didn’t care how much Matt wanted to get home. It was only Saturday, and we didn’t have anything until school on Monday.
I told Matt that he and Tate could fly home, and that Henry and I could stay behind. He argued with me about it. I refused to back down because it was so.much.money!
By the time I finally made it to the counter, they were offering $1,000 per seat! When they realized we were a family of four traveling together, they offered to pull all of us of the flight. $4,000 of free airline credit + a free hotel + a food voucher?!? Matt was so, so pouty about it. Those of you who know Matt in person would not expect him to throw a fit in public, but he basically did. He was desperate to get home!
In the end, we had a relatively fun afternoon and following morning stuck in Orlando. And now we have $4,000 in free airline credit! So worth it (Matt thinks so, too—in retrospect).
The airlines said that we will get more for our money if we call and book every flight at once and use it all up. It’s unclear how many tickets we will be able to get. So I think the best strategy is to prioritize our trips from most important to least important. Here’s what I’m thinking:
- Jacksonville/Orlando for my brother’s wedding
- Reno for a wedding in Tahoe
- San Francisco for a wedding
- Orlando for Thanksgiving
- Spring Break (not sure where we want to go?) Maybe Los Angeles because Spirit Airlines has a direct flight?
- New York City for a summer trip
We have to spend all the money by March. It’s so unclear how far the money will stretch on a budget airline! This is so many trips!
2 Comments
Sebrina
That is incredible and totally worth it! My husband was able to get $1000 on Delta once by giving up his seat and we were able to go to Denver on it. On Spirit, that will go so far! I think 6 trips sounds about right when you figure around $160/RT ticket if you pre-purchase one bag for each person. You might even get a few more tickets if you only take 2 suitcases verses 4. I recommend Spirit’s flight to Cancun. We used points a couple years ago to go and didn’t even pay for luggage since each of us could take a backpack and going to a beach location meant we could pack really light.
Sara Cotner
Ooh! I hadn’t thought about Mexico. Thank you, Sebrina!