I flew 203,000 non-rev miles on Delta metal in a year. So, I figure, why not share the tips I’ve picked up, itinerary ideas, my love of flying and some stories with others who have flight benefits?
By the way, non-rev is what they call someone using employee flight benefits.
I’ll start with the story of how I ended up where I am right now — writing to you from seat 50A on GVA (Geneva) to JFK (New York).
I had plans to return from Europe to the U.S. via Stuttgart, Germany. A “sleeper” non-rev airport, I’ve always had success getting Delta One from Europe to Atlanta on this route. I checked out of my hotel in Barcelona and walked to a final lunch before going to the airport.
But at the restaurant, a quick check of TravelNet set off alarm bells in my gut. Yes, there were open seats, but there were also more non-revs than usual listed at 24 hours before departure.
With the Taylor Swift concert happening in Munich, just an hour away from Stuttgart by train, I sensed trouble ahead. Then and there, I made the decision to go to Geneva instead.
I finished a second sangria and went back to my hotel to retrieve my luggage and hail a cab. By the time I landed in Geneva, the next morning’s flight to NYC was oversold. I’d made it to a finance hub, but I didn’t bank on that.
Well, what could I do? Not much. It was already past 8 p.m., and I needed dinner. I dropped my luggage at my hotel, called a restaurant that Yelp warned was “reservation only” to see if they had room for one more (they did) and settled in for fondue and a local Sauvignon Blanc.
By the next morning, it was worse. Not just because I mistimed the bus schedule and would be late getting to the airport, but because the flight was now oversold by -6 and everyone had checked in already. I was a little worried, but still thought it would work out. I waited for the next bus.
After passing through security and passport control, I stopped for a cappuccino and pain au chocolate for breakfast. Always one to torture myself, I checked the Stuttgart flight to see if I’d have made it on the plane. To my relief, I wouldn’t have made it. But that still didn’t solve my problem. It seemed like I wasn’t going to make it on this flight, either.
As I continued to the gate, I noticed the non-rev above me (using S2 priority) unlisted. Then check-in closed, and the other non-rev above me hadn’t made it. The remaining revenue passengers got seat assignments during the boarding process and I was first on the list for zero seats. This was progress.
When the flight closed, I heard one gate agent say to another, “We have room for one standby.” His eyes went straight to mine as he asked with a friendly smile, “Are you Meghan?”
There wasn’t room for my bag, but there was room for me. After a quick luggage check, I made my way to the last seat on the plane.
I wouldn’t have made it on the flight from Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Stuttgart or any of the other airports I’d considered. How did I pinpoint Geneva? You could say it was luck, but it was also experience.
Whether you’re flying as an employee of Delta or another airline, I hope to share that experience with all of you. I plan to share non-rev tips and learnings, trip ideas to make the most of your benefits and answers to common questions and misconceptions.
To the skies. The world. And hopefully, back home.
Meg Straight Up 