by Hope
When Princess and I arrived at the airport on Saturday to begin our trek to Texas, we were immediately told that our flight was delayed. And we already had a pretty tight layover in Dallas on our way to Austin. But if you travel much, you know that’s kind of par for the course so we just figured we would deal with it when ?we had too.
Then as we were waiting for boarding, they started announcing that our flight was overbooked and asking for volunteers to give up their seats…they needed three. They were offering $125 future travel voucher. We continued to wait for boarding.
As time went on, they kept asking for volunteers and finally they needed two volunteers and were offering $650 travel vouchers…can you guess what Princess and I did?
Yup! After I checked with her, explained it would entail us hanging out here at the Atlanta Airport a bit longer…I walked right up and gave away our seats. We got $1,300 for our two seats. I paid $22 for these tickets (used points.)
Hanging out at the airport waiting on our flight and holding tight to our two $650 vouchers!
Now I realize that American Airlines tickets are pretty pricey compared to Southwest, which we typically fly. But for $1,300, it was definitely worth a few more hours of sitting there. And I worked the whole time, so it was a win, win!
Instead of getting to Austin at 4pm CST, we got here at 8pm CST…and have $1,300 towards future travel for absolutely free. I can’t see any downside!
Here’s looking to future travel! I love having something like this to look forward too! Have you ever had a similar travel story? Where you walked away with vouchers or upgrades that excited you?
Hope is a resourceful and solutions-driven business manager who has spent nearly two decades helping clients streamline their operations and grow their businesses through project management, digital marketing, and tech expertise. Recently transitioning from her role as a single mom of five foster/adoptive children to an empty nester, Hope is navigating the emotional and practical challenges of redefining her life while maintaining her determination to regain financial control and eliminate debt.
Living in a cozy small town in northeast Georgia with her three dogs, Hope cherishes the serenity of the mountains over the bustle of the beach. Though her kids are now finding their footing in the world—pursuing education, careers, and independence—she remains deeply committed to supporting them in this next chapter, even as she faces the bittersweet tug of letting go.
Since joining the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015, Hope has candidly shared her journey of financial ups and downs. Now, with a renewed focus and a clear path ahead, she’s ready to tackle her finances with the same passion and perseverance that she’s brought to her life and career. Through her writing, she continues to inspire others to confront their own financial challenges and strive for a brighter future.
Amazing! How long are they valid for??? That was definitely worth it,.
Wow, that’s fabulous! I know you’ll make good use of those vouchers in the future and it will definitely help your budget.
Does this mean you’re able to free up a bit of cash from your July budget to pay down the credit card?
Can you sell them?
My only thought is I hope that the airline honors them. So often with those promotions, there are so many black-out dates that pretty much render them useless. For instance, when my husband had his own business, he racked up a lot of free hotel time with Hampton Inns. Each and every time he tried to use those freebies, they told him they were “booked.”
Great job! Nice way to take advantage of an opportunity!
I live near a small regional airport. My brother and his wife often fly here for Christmas. They have gotten $500-$800 vouchers per person for the last two years because during the holiday season, the flights often end up overbooked or occasionally delayed. They just include enough wiggle room in their plans so that if they need to take a delay like that, they can. It is a win for them because they are always going to be flying here and often for other travels.