Free flights anyone? How to Score a Flight Voucher

Vouchers are by far one of my favorite hacks for snagging a free flight. Often times airlines will overbook a flight to ensure they are getting revenue for the full occupancy of an aircraft. However, if every passenger shows up for the flight the airline may ask if passengers are willing to give up their seat. This is where you’ll need to be on alert. The gate agent will announce that they are offering flight vouchers in exchange for a passenger volunteering to give up their seat on the overbooked flight. Voucher amounts typically range from $150 - $1,000+ and can be used anytime up to 1 year from the issue date! I have racked up quite a few myself, mainly during work trips from busy airports. The latest one I snagged was for $675 on American Airlines in exchange for being bumped to a later flight same-day. What’s a few extra hours at the airport when you have a voucher worth $675 tucked in your pocket? That’s the equivalent of 3 roundtrip domestic flights or 1-2 international flights! I ended up using part of that particular voucher to fully fund a roundtrip flight to Belize from Dallas. Well worth it, I’d say. The best part about this perk is you’ll be rebooked on the next available flight- FREE voucher and all. The key to getting your hands on one of these vouchers is to arrive at your gate early and sit as close to the gate agent counter as possible. By doing this you’ll be prepared to be first in line if they announce a need for volunteers in exchange for vouchers.