Most travelers dread hearing their flight is oversold. But for one passenger, it turned into a free staycation — and thousands of dollars in flight vouchers.
Most of us know that when a flight is oversold, airlines will offer passengers money – sometimes lots of money – to volunteer to be bumped and sent on a later flight. Further benefits, such as a first class seat on said flight, as well as a hotel stay if their “new” flight isn’t until tomorrow, are other potential benefits.
Of course, some of these offers are easier than others. We learned the hard way that trying to redeem an airline voucher can have its frustrations. And even getting a gift card in exchange for switching to a different flight can be more difficult than you’d think it would be.
One woman’s vacation extension thanks to American Airlines overbooking
But sometimes passengers who volunteer to be bumped can have a very happy ending. Such was the case for a 36-year-old Philadelphia woman a while back, who made the most of her airline’s repeated requests for volunteers to fly on a later flight.
She chronicled the whole thing on TikTok, so the rest of us could live vicariously through her good fortune.
Susan Berry had been vacationing in Napoli, Italy, and was ready to fly home. While waiting to board her plane, the American Airlines gate agents announced that the flight was oversold.
Berry continued that the gate agents were offering $1,200 travel vouchers for eight volunteers who were willing to stand by for the flight the next day and hopefully fly out then.
Here’s her first video that explained what was happening:
@berryfacecreative Did i just hit the American Airlines jackpot? Should I just milk this situation and live in a free hotel for like a week for $14000 in future travel?! #americanairlines #traveltiktok #traveltok #travellife #traveltips #budgettravel
And how/where American Airlines put the eight volunteers up for the evening:
@berryfacecreative How it all started! Had a BALL with tbis first group of my fellow overbooked buddies! #americanairlines #napoli #traveltips #travellife #airportlife #travelvlogger
Besides putting her up in the Grand Hotel Vanvitelli, American Airlines also provided meal vouchers and transportation to and from the airport for each guest.
“We had a three course meal, all provided by American Airlines,” she said in one TikTok video amidst the staycation.
On her second day, she was bumped again and unlocked the $ 2,400 level in-flight voucher. That’s the day she found out her flight was technically oversold for two whole weeks.
“When I found out that there was potentially a two-week opportunity to do this, that’s when I started being, like, cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching!” she told Good Morning America.
@berryfacecreative @American Airlines overbooked my flight and keeps paying me to bump my flight! Trying to it make it to $10,000 in travel vouchers! #americanairlines #napoli #airportlife #italy #travelphotographer #travelvlog
On her third day of going to the airport, her flight was also cancelled.
“Before the manager could even finish his sentence, I’m like, ‘Me! Me! Me! Can I do it please?’” she told Business Insider of her returns to the airport every day, hoping to stay in Italy longer and longer.
By this point, you could tell Berry was almost giddy with all of the flight vouchers she was getting. She was already planning the around-the-world tour she was going to do, all on American Airlines’ dime. She also said that airline employees were starting to recognize her – they were surprised that she hadn’t gotten onto a flight yet.
@berryfacecreative Apparently, theres no limit on vouchers but heres the catch, im technically on standby so I COULD end up flying home if theres enough room on the flight and then its game over! Lets see if i can make it to $10,000@American Airlines #americanairlines #napoli #italy #travellife
Berry figured that Day Four of what she was calling “Camp American Airlines” would be more of the same. But lo and behold, that day there was a seat for her – she was going home.
@berryfacecreative Day 4 of Camp American Airlines! Will i make it to $4800 in travel vouchers today? #americanairlines #traveltips #airportlife #travellife #hotellife
“I was just getting started, so I was mentally prepared to stay for two weeks,” Berry told GMA.
Berry didn’t wait long to start using her vouchers, by the way – she was on her way to Las Vegas within a week of getting back home to Philadelphia.
That sounds GREAT! How can I get this to happen to me?
Most people who are bumped from a flight, even voluntarily, aren’t in the same position as Berry and don’t have the kind of flexibility to extend their vacation day by day by day. But otherwise, sure, with a little bit of luck (being on a flight that’s habitually oversold) and not minding having to spend a lot of time at the airport (remember, you have to be there and be prepared to fly, just in case they’re able to get you onto the flight), why not?
If you genuinely WANT to be bumped, and know/think the flight is oversold, there’s nothing wrong with getting to the airport early and telling the gate agent as much (Berry’s “Pick me! Pick me!” probably worked in her favor). When my husband Joe and I were in the running to get bumped and get that flight voucher, Joe even told the gate agent that he would be “Sitting over there, with that little lady in the Hawaiian shirt” (that would be me LOL) so he/we would be easy to find (figure a persona is going to be easier to remember than a name).
But also, here’s how airlines decide who’s going to get bumped. Try to be that person. 😉
How can I avoid being bumped?
Smart question. Most people don’t want to be bumped. And there are certainly things you can do to help avoid being bumped – here’s how airlines pick who’s going to get bumped. If you don’t want that to happen to you, don’t be that person! 😉
Our take
Joe and I generally don’t have the flexibility to volunteer to be bumped. Or, if we do, it’s only if we can catch a plane on the same route later in the day. The only time I might have been able to volunteer to be bumped and stay overnight was in Philadelphia last year (Joe wasn’t with me)…and my flight wasn’t overbooked. Whomp whomp.
But for someone who has the time and flexibility, it could be a nice way to earn a few hundred dollars, if not a few thousand – and an extension of your travel time. Good luck!
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