i can non-rev! educate me...

[Doogie]

If it's standard Delta Connection bennies, he's got international bennies off the bat!

I'm going to try to bid a 48-hour Rome in November so if I do, it's on!

[flyershoe]

Originally Posted by skibum515

Don't know if I'm allowed to fly internationally though on my non-rev benefits...

You can! I'm an xjet "travel companion" too. Has he given you his password to log onto ccs or coair? That's where you can check the flight loads. It's pretty user-friendly. One of the things that you both might want to watch out for is the taxes from the flight bennies... I remember Amanda mentioning something about this a while ago. On first year FO pay it might bite him next April. If I'm remembering correctly, they calculate the minimum unrestricted fare * 10% which is the taxable value... flight benefits are considered taxable income. So if you're using the bennies a lot (especially international), there might be a larger tax bill than he was expecting at the end of the year.

Besides using coair, the other way that you can book travel is by calling the CAL Epass number, but I've never done it that way.

[czechmate]

Originally Posted by flyershoe

You can! I'm an xjet "travel companion" too. Has he given you his password to log onto ccs or coair? That's where you can check the flight loads. It's pretty user-friendly. One of the things that you both might want to watch out for is the taxes from the flight bennies... I remember Amanda mentioning something about this a while ago. On first year FO pay it might bite him next April. If I'm remembering correctly, they calculate the minimum unrestricted fare * 10% which is the taxable value... flight benefits are considered taxable income. So if you're using the bennies a lot (especially international), there might be a larger tax bill than he was expecting at the end of the year.

Besides using coair, the other way that you can book travel is by calling the CAL Epass number, but I've never done it that way.

What????
Flight benefits are considered taxable income?????

Is it just for international or is domestic included also. We haven't flown international for years, but I don't remember our accountant pointing this out.

I thought we just paid the fare calculation for international flight and $50 per year and called it a day. (at Comair)

Let me know. We're planning family trip to Denmark next summer.
Jen

[flyershoe]

Originally Posted by czechmate

What????
Flight benefits are considered taxable income?????

Is it just for international or is domestic included also. We haven't flown international for years, but I don't remember our accountant pointing this out.

I thought we just paid the fare calculation for international flight and $50 per year and called it a day. (at Comair)

Let me know. We're planning family trip to Denmark next summer.
Jen

Sorry, should've made this clearer - it's only taxable if you are a travel companion; not a spouse or children. I'm ~90% sure on that.

Yet another incentive to get married!!

[CLErocks]

We have CAL benefits and coair is the easiest for us. I've never heard of flight benefits being taxable income. It never came up last year when we were doing our taxes. Although we didn't fly internationally last year, so maybe it is only on international flights! I don't know. With the CAL beneifits you can fly where ever you want, its just different prices for different zones you go to. With the new coair you can actually check in online like a "regular passenger" so you have a boarding pass to get through security and when you get to the gate you have to tell them that you are checking in for standby. Sometimes they will already have cleared the stanby's which is nice, but most of the time they will just say, ok we'll call your name."
When you have to connect ask the bag people to tag your bag all the way for you. if not, at your connecting point you will have to go to baggage claim, recheck your bag, and go back through security, and that is a real pain! Enjoy your new bennies! Use them!

[flyershoe]

BTW, you can go to employeeRES on coair & they have a pass travel calculator that breaks it all down for you... for example, if I wanted to go from BWI to EWR as a travel companion:

Summary of Charges $312.56 Lowest Unrestricted Coachx10% $31.26Taxable Value-$10.00ePass Charge $21.26Taxable Wagesx37.65%Applicable Tax % $8.00Approx. Deductible Taxes+$10.00ePass Charge+$2.50Security Fee $20.50Approx. Total CostThe tax amount is based on the fare in effect on the day of travel. Calculations made in advance should be considered approximate.

[flyershoe]

Ick, that didn't paste well! Hopefully you can understand the breakdown.

[CLErocks]

I have know idea about the travel companion benefits. i guess they are totally different. We just have a set amount that we pay everytime we go. Like any where in the 48 states is 12.50 one way and hawaii is 20 bucks each way...Get Married!

[flyershoe]

Originally Posted by CLErocks

I have know idea about the travel companion benefits. i guess they are totally different. We just have a set amount that we pay everytime we go. Like any where in the 48 states is 12.50 one way and hawaii is 20 bucks each way...Get Married!

LOL!

The pass cost is the same that anyone else would pay - it's only the taxes that are different.

[skibum515]

ohhh i don't think john knows that. he told me it'd just be $12.50/leg for wherever.

So...how exactly is it taxable income? that part i'm confused about...