A few weeks ago, I was at a benefit dinner in Ashland for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Next to me sat a woman who had flown into nearby Medford from San Francisco. Rather than take the short San Francisco-Ashland nonstop flight, she told me her travel agent had routed her through Portland, then back to Medford–almost tripling the flight distance–to take advantage of a lower airfare.
Instead of paying close to $400 round-trip for a nonstop, she noted, she had paid less than $300. Of course, the roundabout trip took an extra three hours each way, but she wasn’t in any particular hurry.
I was dumbfounded. She was obviously over 62 years old–in fact, she proudly told me she was 82–so I couldn’t imagine why she hadn’t used senior coupons. Was it because she took only the one trip during the year, I asked, and coupons are sold in books of four or eight? No, she replied, she traveled across the continent several times a year to visit children and grandchildren. In fact, she was counting up her frequent-flier miles. And her travel agent had never mentioned senior coupons, I asked? Again, she replied no.
In case you’re 62 or over and haven’t heard of senior coupons, let me point out–again–that they’re arguably the best travel deal in the world. If you buy coupons in books of eight, you can travel anywhere the issuing airline goes within the 48 contiguous states for no more than $258 round trip.
On a long-haul flight, that’s less than half the cheapest year-round Coach excursion, and more than $100 below the best deal you can find during a short-term airfare sale.
Most of the major airlines sell senior coupons. On the big ones, you pay $1,032 for a book of eight, valid for a year. Since each round trip takes two coupons, the book is good for four round trips.
If you don’t travel enough to use eight coupons, you can buy them in books of four for $596. That brings the cost of a round trip up to $298–more than with the eight-coupon books, but still a good deal for long hauls. America West and Continental sell their senior coupons for a bit less.
For an assured seat, you must reserve at least 14 days in advance. Most lines, however, also allow you to travel standby.
TWA is a bit different: It sells coupons only in books of four (for $548). But it has a unique extra. A senior 62 or over can buy an additional book of four coupons, for $648, that can be used by a companion of any age, provided the companion travels in the company of the senior.
My discussion highlighted another point: You can’t be certain that any given travel agent will always steer you to the best deal. In this specific case, I have no idea whether the agent was dishonest–deliberately withholding information about the coupons so as to earn more commissions selling individual tickets–or simply incompetent. In the final analysis, it really doesn’t make any difference. Either way, that 82-year-old traveler was missing out on the best deal.
I also have no idea how many travel agents, in similar circumstances, would fail to mention senior coupons. Most of the travel agents I know are honest and hard-working; I’d like to think that this case is a rare exception rather than the rule.
In any event, the lesson is obvious: Never assume someone else will have your best interests at heart. Nobody ever lost money by checking out his or her own best options.
