MilesBuzz! - Airline Giveaways (Aside from Miles)

I'm curious what, if anything, out of the ordinary frequent flyer miles you may have ever received when buying a ticket or tickets from an airline.

Any weird goodies out there? (past or present)

I don't think this qualifies as wierd - but AA was giving away Bose NC headphones to premium transatlantic passengers in a recent promo.

Virgin gives away a little travel packet during the flight which includes amongst other things, socks.

I don't think this qualifies as wierd - but AA was giving away Bose NC headphones to premium transatlantic passengers in a recent promo.

Not weird... but wow!

The key word there was 'premium' though. You had to buy a full-fare J ticket to qualify.

I'm curious what, if anything, out of the ordinary frequent flyer miles you may have ever received when buying a ticket or tickets from an airline.

Any weird goodies out there? (past or present)

I got a box of cookies at Christmas from Alaska Airlines for being MVP Gold. Southwest airlines sends me a birthday card every year. Horizon Airlines will make you a couple of laminated luggage tags out of your business cards if you drop your cards of at the ticket counter.

Still use a very nice leather passport cover from Singapore Air (business class gift). Also postcards that you could address/write while in flight and they would mail for you - gratis.

Back in 1991 I was on the inaugural NW flight LAX-SYD (alas, not flown anymore). Because of some strange fare codes I was seated upstairs in business class for one leg of the flight.
I got a pseudo leather passport wallet and comped membership into Hertz #1 Gold and National Emerald Aisle -- which isn't too great but I wasn't a frequent enough traveler back then to get these things for flying.
I didn't think it was too bad -- my rt fare MSP-SYD was only $750 and the flight earned double miles.
tom

i [we] have received passport covers & money clips, not to mention many free airline tickets of the fly 3, 1 free variety...beautiful wife & me did 25th anniversary trip to nyc [see kids], & virgin islands [to get recycled] on aa first as a result of some promo.

add...the trip above was in 1985.

Everyone enrolled in the Southwest Rapid Rewards Program gets a birthday card every year.

A lot of these things I got in the 80's when I was a lot younger & my dad's office paid for premium fares for family travel around the world - not sure whether it was because of the high fares before/after flights or if it was just gifts for flying in the premium classes:

KLM - mini-bottles of liquor shaped like dutch houses & buildings
Thai - Gold key chain
British Airways - model airplanes (got 2 Concorde models)
Countless decks of playing cards
Mini-Travel games (magnetic chess/checkers & backgammon & Reversi)
Pan-Am & TWA - Carry-on bags (we've got several old TWA bags & Pan AM bags - I should sell some on eBay)
Air India - Ceramic wall hangings & other decorative knick-knacks - Letter openers

At the Oriental in Bangkok, my father used to have personalized stationary for his stays there (2-3 months at a time) provided to him by the hotel (pre-laptop era)

I'm sure there's a ton of other things just collecting dust in my parents basement!

Alaska Airlines is giving away a coupon for FREE sunglasses just for flying with them between August and October ( a small shipping fee is required).

Lufthansa use to give out small colored plates to first class passengers.

Emirates gave gave demitase (small cups)

Eva Airways gave the small cups as well

Philippine Airlines has an assortment of giveaways through the years (they had jeepney collection, playing cards, mock-leather passport case, mock-leather floppy disk case, card holder, etc)

Rumor has it that some airlines used to give you food on the planes during trips of less than 12 hours.

:eek: You lie!!! Really??

Rumor has it that some airlines used to give you food on the planes during trips of less than 12 hours.

...Ask and I shall receive!
DL's Song is giving away iTunes and iPod Minis.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=340730

I've had a Asiana pilot give me his lapel pin before and I always used to get toy planes or decks of cards or mini games or soemthing as a kid on int'l flights, but nothing nearly so cool lately... Just the little baggie of socks, eye shades, and ear plugs.

To tell ya the truth, I'd still be perfectly happy to just get toy planes or decks of cards or postcards even though I'm a bit older now.

I do like taking the "Please do not disturb" and "Please wake me for meals" stickers to put on my laptop from work and in my office, but those hardly count as a gift. :)

peace,
~Ben~

About twenty years ago when Alaska Airlines started service between SFO and SEA they give gold bars. My wife and I still have ours.

About twenty years ago when Alaska Airlines started service between SFO and SEA they gave gold bars. My wife and I still have ours.