Also, the company frequently hands out positive space tickets as a reward or incentive. I think I have 12 or 16. They do expire (eventually) and you still have to pay taxes and fees for the tickets. I've never tried to use mine, but I've heard that fees can run $70 - $100 per person per flight segment.

The biggest problem with using the tickets is space availability. If you go to our company travel link, it will show the number of authorized positive space seats for any given flight. Some are "0" (zero). Expect to travel at some odd time of the day, or the during the middle of the week.

We found that the 20% discount on positive space tickets was only about twice as much as a full fare ticket on Southwest.

We found that the free guest passes for standby were not free, but were about 20% less than a confirmed seat, discounted ("sale") ticket on...ahem...JetBlue.

We also found that my non-rev family members travelling without me stand-by/space-a were treated like gold, seriously, by CSAs and FAs everywhere they went...raving about how nice everyone was to them.

And the ID90 benefits (on other-than-Air Group) kick in at 6 months...so I'll let you know how the SFO-TLV works out on UA.

Great info, sounds like googleflights is still my friend.

BTW, is there a way for my designated family members to list themselves? I mean, as opposed to me using the Hopper or Fly. While it's been working great, it seems kind of cumbersome for my family members to contact me in order to put them on the list and then for me to print and email them the boarding passes and keep an eye on the load. There must be a smoother way, though this way has been reasonably smooth.

I have the two-day orientation in early December but I don't start ground school until January. Will my family and I have travel benefits during that window, or do they not kick in until training starts? Thanks!

I think it was 3 months after hire date the flight benefits kick in for family. And 6 months after hire for non rev on other airlines.

No. Essentially it’s your job to protect your flight benefits. Many people have no idea how to list for flights, some people would double list and etc.

1 month after DOH even for family

Thanks.

Filler