How to fly for free? You have a parent who works for the airline


This article originally appeared on Business Insider.

Move over, Hollywood, there's a new one no baby In city.

Joshua Crawford, a 23-year-old who works at a grocery store in LA and recently graduated from college with a degree in marketing, calls himself an “airline baby.” Son of an employee who worked for United Airlines for more than 30 years, Crawford can fly for free, upgrade to business class and book last-minute vacations to destinations like Tokyo.

Crawford shared a glimpse of travel benefits he enjoys on a February 28 TIK Tok which has over 4.8 million views.

Rules for relatives of employees vary from airline to airline. At United Airlines, children of airline employees typically lose their privileges when they turn 26. But that won't apply to Crawford, as he is listed as his father's main companion.

I am very grateful for that.

Standby flight is not as dangerous as you think

In 2016, Crawford began to realize just how lucky she was when planning a trip to Coachella, the music festival held in the California desert.

According to Google Flights, flights to Los Angeles or Palm Springs from New Jersey, where Crawford grew up, can run up to $450 round-trip — a price he and his sister didn't have to consider.

“We have an aunt who lives in California, so we just stayed at her house,” he said. “We were like, 'Wow, all we have to do is pay for the wristband and we're going to Coachella.'

Crawford flies domestically for free because he travels standby, meaning he doesn't have an assigned seat until close to the flight's departure time.

Crawford has booked cheap last-minute holidays to Sydney and Paris thanks to his status as one

Crawford has booked cheap last-minute holidays to Sydney and Paris thanks to his status as an “airline nephew”. Courtesy of Joshua Crawford via BI

Crawford said he doesn't always get on the flights he wants. There are times when he has had to wait at a gate for a later, emptier flight when previous flights are fully booked.

But Crawford says these situations rarely arise because he's used to avoiding some major roads and airports during peak travel seasons.

Instead of flying straight from LA to New York during the December holidays, Crawford usually makes a stopover in Denver to ensure he gets a seat.

“If you learn your way, basically, you'll realize you have a lot of other options,” he said.

It also doesn't hurt that Crawford's father is privy to useful behind-the-scenes information, such as how many seats are left open on flights months before departure.

“I'm not usually checking in on a flight where I have a high chance of getting on the next flight,” he said. “It also really depends on your seniority with the company. My dad has been with United for a long time now, so I'm definitely a higher priority – and very grateful to my dad.”

Last minute flights to destinations like Sydney, Tokyo and Paris

These days, Crawford takes longer trips — often without much advance planning. He can book at any time, although he said he is not given an “official” reservation until about a month before the trip.

Over the past year, Crawford said she booked last-minute trips to destinations including Japan, Australia and Europe.

Learning the best flight paths has helped Crawford avoid the dangers of standby flying.

Learning the best flight paths has helped Crawford avoid the dangers of standby flying. Courtesy of Joshua Crawford via BI

“I went to Australia by myself a few months ago,” he said. “I enjoyed a little solo trip and probably had it planned about two weeks before I went.”

Recently, Crawford said, he celebrated his birthday with a quick trip to Paris booked just a week before departure.

Crawford must pay taxes when booking flights abroad. However, they are usually a fraction of the cost of the ticket.

“It depends on the country,” he said. “For example, I was leaving Japan and it was $70 to get home.”

The benefits extend to business class upgrades

Paying next to nothing to fly isn't the only perk Crawford gets as an airline grandchild.

Given how long his father has worked for United, Crawford said he is also a high priority when he is free upgrades in business class are available.

Known as Polarispremium cabins feature spacious pods with seats that convert to flat beds and amenities such as eye serums, face sprays and hand creams.

On several occasions, Crawford has received free upgrades to the United Airlines Polaris business class cabin.

On several occasions, Crawford has received free upgrades to the United Airlines Polaris business class cabin. Courtesy of Joshua Crawford via BI

According to Crawford, the upgrades help alleviate his jet lag.

“I flew to Sydney from LA and it was about a 16-hour flight. There and back, I was on Polaris,” he said. “There's such a difference when you're in that middle economy seat versus when you're upgraded on the flight.”

As a recent college graduate, he said he couldn't afford to fly business class otherwise.

“Round-trip fares for business class tickets for a long-haul flight can go as high as $15,000,” Crawford said. “Coming out of college — as someone with student debt and trying to get a job — it's crazy to me. $15,000 — I can do a lot with that.”

On his TikTok, Crawford also said that he goes through security and immigration when he leaves and re-enters the US.

Speaking to BI, he said those benefits — Global Entry and TSA PreCheck — weren't “completely free,” but he did get a discount on the application fee (normally $100). because of his father's work.





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