A TikToker named Susan Berry stumbled upon an airline hack that helped her make thousands.
In a viral video posted to her account this week, Berry explains that her American Airlines flight from Italy to Philadelphia is overbooked until August 15.
“They need someone to volunteer to fly until then, and every day they’re getting $1,200 worth of travel vouchers, so now I have $2,400 because I did it twice,” Berry said in the video. She then asks her audience if she should stay until the 15th and use the potential five-figure sum to travel around the world.
Comments under Berry’s post encouraged her to stay and accept the vouchers. “Yes you should absolutely do that. That sounds like a much better story,” one user agreed. “Yes! If they keep putting you up in a hotel and giving you the vouchers THEN THEY WILL DO IT!!,” another wrote.
A caption in one of her updates makes it clear that this is not an unlimited arrangement: as soon as a seat becomes available on a flight, she is taken off standby and must return home. However, there is no limit to the number of vouchers she can collect.
In subsequent videos, Berry is shown earning more vouchers. In a video update, she refers to her experience as “Camp American Airlines.” She shows viewers her daily routine: she goes to the airport, volunteers to be a standby driver, takes a bus back to Italy, checks into a four-star hotel, and has dinner. Berry claims to have earned at least $4,800 so far.
In her latest Tiktok, Berry explains that she is a freelance photographer. The Daily Beast has reached out to Berry for comment.
