There are many
paths to a free ticket, but not all of them are
appropriate for a business traveler. Here are
three proven strategies:
1. Get "bumped" from your next
flight. Airlines use sophistical software that
predicts how many passengers actually show up for a
flight, allowing it to overbook its planes.
Sometimes the software miscalculates, leaving some
passengers stranded when boarding comes in two flavors:
involuntary or voluntary. Involuntary means you've
got no choice; voluntary means you offered to give up
your seat. The reward for compensation is a FREE
ticket.
2. Rack up the miles. Miles are a fact
of life for business travelers, and you either mileage
game to win or you don't play it at all. Some
methods for getting free mileage are: Moving money
within brokerage accounts (every transfer comes with
free mileage bonus), acquiring free credit cards with
upfront miles and using them for as much as possible,
and lastly, changing long-distance phone service every
six months.
3. Complain - when you have good reason to.
If you've had a genuinely bad customer-service
experience, your grievance can land you a free
ticket. When would you claim your freebie?
Generally speaking, the airline has to really screw up
in order to offer you a ticket.
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