#8 Another Option- Be an Air Courier......

We've all heard about the lucky person who signs up as an Air Courier and gets a free flight to some exotic spot in the world(or to any spot in the world for that matter!). And everyone I know has heard about people, but no one really knows that person, making the Air Courier option kind of an urban myth. Yes, it is a partial myth, but there is a lot of truth to the legend.

It seems too good to be true that someone would pay your way to some place halfway around the world and all you have to do is show up at the airport with your carry on luggage and no check in luggage! Well, you probably won't find someone to pay the whole fare, but you will be able to get a discounted ticket(anywhere from 30 to 80% or more) if you are willing to go to the right place at the right time!

If you're willing to travel with only a piece of carry on luggage(although in some cases you may be able to check in a piece of luggage), and have the flexibility to change your dates of travel and are traveling alone, this may be the way to go(trying to synchronize your flight with others is difficult, although there are cases where whole families flew Air Courier and ending up in Asia within days of each other!).

Air Courier companies need documents, parts and all other kinds of cargo sent to places all over the world. If they check it in on a plane it is a lot faster and guarantees that it will get to the destination quickly(as opposed to freight that could wait in the airport for two, three or more days before being sent). For them it's worth the expense of buying a ticket, selling it at a discount and then having a body on the plane that can ensure the delivery of their cargo.(Don't worry- you don't have to deliver anything. You just meet the Courier Representative at your departure and destination airports and they help you with everything!)

As for the chances of getting a flight to your specified destination: the more flexible you are the better. Courier companies usually have only one seat per flight so if you have a specific date that you have to travel, you may be out of luck if the seat is already being used by another Courier. It's best to have range of dates that you can travel(and the return can usually be anywhere from a few days to a month or more!). If you want to get the best deal, your best bet is to wait as long as possible to "volunteer" as Courier Services will add other enticements(bigger discounts, meals, transportation to and from airport etc...) to try to get someone to carry their freight. If you are flexible in your destinations, then you can get on a last minute list and they will contact you when they really need to get someone on the flight.

Who can be a courier? In most cases you have to be at least 18 years of age and in many cases "Presentable", meaning you must dress for the part. You'll be representing their service to some degree and they don't want other passengers to see a scraggly, T-shirt, shorts and sandal laden courier.... but other than that, it's open to most people.

To be fair, this opportunity may have passed it's heyday as there is less opportunity now than before September 11, 2001 as trade restrictions and security measures have made this more difficult, but it's still worth looking into....

So... if you're into the Air Courier option, visit some of the links to your right or left or run a Google search for Air Courier Services... Good Luck!!

Organizations like The International Association of Air Travel Couriers and Air Courier International can give you more information and help you to catch a ride as a courier!