Non-Rev Tips/Tricks

You'll usually be asked to gate check your hand luggage on busy flights.

Just be as sure as you can your luggage will arrive with you.
 
Rule number 354 of airline flying.
When flying non rev you only get first/business class when traveling in uniform.

Or right before a long transcon and you've got overspent for a meal, to go, in JFK.

Or you get first class, to work, when you're working the same day and the cabin crew knows you and keeps trying to liquor you up.
 
You'll usually be asked to gate check your hand luggage on busy flights.

Just be as sure as you can your luggage will arrive with you.
I've noticed that many gate agents try to force you to check your bags to the carrousel at your final destination. Big pain.
 
You should also know your route system well. I like to keep route maps on my iPad of the airline I have benefits on. For example, I like going to Asia. But sometimes, the flights to NRT can be full, but DL has a flight to Tokyo-Haneda (HND) from LAX that seems to always be open. Even though I couldn't connect to my ultimate city of HKG that night, I got to spend the day in Tokyo at the fish market having great sushi. I also wanted to check out Japan's Shinkansen, so I hopped on a train down to Osaka and just bought a ZED fare on Cathay Pacific that night from Osaka. On the way back, if I get stuck in NRT, the flight back to the US leaves about midnight from HND, and I can easily make it there on time. I'll also go out of my way to ride in business class. It's worth it.

When I was based in JFK, I would literally look at the departure and see what seats were open to Europe. This is one reason I kind of miss being based there. So many flights to Europe made it easy to come and go.
 
You should also know your route system well. I like to keep route maps on my iPad of the airline I have benefits on. For example, I like going to Asia. But sometimes, the flights to NRT can be full, but DL has a flight to Tokyo-Haneda (HND) from LAX that seems to always be open. Even though I couldn't connect to my ultimate city of HKG that night, I got to spend the day in Tokyo at the fish market having great sushi. I also wanted to check out Japan's Shinkansen, so I hopped on a train down to Osaka and just bought a ZED fare on Cathay Pacific that night from Osaka. On the way back, if I get stuck in NRT, the flight back to the US leaves about midnight from HND, and I can easily make it there on time. I'll also go out of my way to ride in business class. It's worth it.

When I was based in JFK, I would literally look at the departure and see what seats were open to Europe. This is one reason I kind of miss being based there. So many flights to Europe made it easy to come and go.
Flightaware can be helpful for figuring out who flies to where if you're in a bind too.
 
When I was stationed in Europe for Uncle Sam, it was a sport for the single guys to head down to Stanstead on Friday afternoon with a backpack packed for a weekend, and go buy tickets to whatever Ryanair or EasyJet's cheapest, on-sale destination was for the weekend.

Some of the places in Europe (and elsewhere!) they went to -- and the shenanigans they got into when they got there -- were awesome.

I was an old married family guy, so I couldn't participate...but sorta wish I had been able to.

@ryan1234, the LPA still doing that these days?

Indeed, there's quite a few pushes every weekend. Great times. Just returned from a trip to Germany this weekend.
 
The LPA is dead. Always has been. Can't even keep a simple squadron bar stocked correctly. Or if they're a pansy-ass LPA, their "heritage room" stocked correctly, for that matter.

Maybe if the "salty" hinges (Majors and above) could pay their bills on time instead of complaining, the squadron would be stocked!
 
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