What is non-rev travel?

Non-rev is short for non-revenue travel. It's the airline benefit that lets employees — and often their families and travel partners — fly on heavily reduced or free tickets, on a space-available (standby) basis. “Non-revenue” simply means the airline isn't earning a normal fare from the seat, so you only travel if there's room left after paying passengers.

How non-rev travel works

When you fly non-rev, you're not guaranteed a seat. You list yourself for a flight, then wait to see if seats remain once revenue passengers, higher-priority staff, and any upgrades are accommodated. If a seat is open, you get on; if not, you roll to the next flight. That's why non-rev and standby travel go hand in hand.

Who can fly non-rev?

• Airline employees — pilots, cabin crew, ground and office staff.
• Eligible family members — typically spouses/partners, children, and sometimes parents.
• Travel partners / buddies — many airlines let staff nominate a friend for benefits.
• Retirees — often keep some level of travel benefit.

Exact eligibility depends entirely on each airline's staff-travel policy, and benefits may also extend to other carriers through interline agreements.

Priority: not all non-revs are equal

Non-rev travelers are cleared in a priority order set by the airline. Factors can include seniority, whether you're an employee versus a family member or buddy, the fare type you're traveling on, and the date and time you listed. A higher priority means you clear the standby list first.

Non-rev vs. revenue tickets

A revenue ticket guarantees you a confirmed seat. A non-rev ticket is cheaper (sometimes free) but comes with uncertainty — you may not get on, you may not sit with your travel companions, and you often can't pick your seat in advance. The trade-off is flexibility and cost for predictability.

Common non-rev terms

• Standby — flying only if a seat is available. See what is standby travel?
• ID fares (ID90, ID75…) — interline discount levels. See ID fares explained.
• Loads — how full a flight is, used to judge your chances. See reading loads.
• Listing — adding yourself to the standby list for a flight.

Want to fly non-rev with company instead of alone? myIDBuddy shows you which other non-revs are heading your way — join the waitlist.