Thread: New to non-rev travel and now registered companion on AA--a few questions!

This popped up on my screen, so maybe it will help. ("Travel Information" link)



"Travel Information Help: Imputed Income"

We are required to calculate imputed income for travelers that have service charges below the fair market value who are not the employee or the legal spouse, dependent, or parent of the employee. Our D3 rate is set at the fair market value; therefore D3 travel is not subject to imputed income. Registered Companion and Domestic Partner travel for example, is subject to imputed income.

Imputed income is the estimated value of a trip that is added to your taxable income to comply with IRS guidelines. The IRS uses the term Imputed Income to describe the value of any benefit or service that is considered income when calculating your federal taxes.

Trips are valued for imputed income purposes based on mileage for each segment flown and the value is reflected as such on the employee's Pay Statement when the non-revenue charges are collected. If applicable, the total Imputed Income will be listed on your pay statement under the category "IMPUTED INCOME - TAXABLE". Imputed Income is not deducted from your net or gross pay; instead, it is added to your Gross Taxable Earnings on your Pay Statement and year-end W2 statement. Former employees with space available travel privileges, for which Imputed Income applies, will receive a year-end 1099 with your Imputed Income total.

The chart below gives you an estimate of the imputed income you can expect for leisure travel.

Distance of Segments Flown
Imputed Income Space Available (in cents)
0 - 250 miles
$0.12 per mile
251 - 500 miles
$0.07 per mile
501 - 1,500 miles
$0.04 per mile
1501+ miles
$0.03 per mile



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Originally Posted by JayAlexandra

Hi everyone! It's great to have found this forum! So my great-aunt was a flight attendant for TWA back in the day. She retired before the merger with AA, so she lost her flight benefits in the early 2000's (I have distant memories of us using her triple E tickets that she used to get in the 90's when I was little). For some reason last year, they gave them back to her! Now I'm her registered companion and this is all very new and confusing to me--but very exciting! She isn't great with computers, so I know she doesn't know much about jetnet or how it works, and she's busy preparing to move into her motorhome and travel around the continent, and hasn't gotten the chance to use her benefits yet. So to put it simply, I really know nothing about this, haha.


My fiancee and I are trying to travel to China this summer to visit our friend who's teaching english there. She's letting him have two of her D3 passes and I'll be traveling as D2R. I have a few questions, if any of you could be so kind to answer! I have no one to really ask about this since it's all so new to my aunt, so any help would be greatly appreciated!


1) I've listed us for the flights on Jetnet, and it shows up under "My PNR's". Have I properly "listed" us for flights? Is there anything else I should do?


2) So as a D2R, am I correct in thinking that my fare in coach would cost nothing? I'm super confused cause I thought I would have to pay at least the government taxes and fees, but when I view the "charges" under the PNR, it looks like coach costs nothing. That seems too good to be true, haha.


3)Speaking of too good to be true, in the trip book it says something like my flying could be subject to "imputed income" when tax season comes around. But it says that the value of the flight is going to be added to my aunt's income, and not mine?


4) It says as a retiree my aunt will be sent an invoice for the cost of the flight, and it has to be payed in 30 days. Do they send this from the time I listed us for the flights, or after the flight has been actually taken?


5)In her buddy pass bank, she still has the max number of passes. No deductions have been made. Does that not happen until after the flight has been taken?


6) Does anyone know about the international baggage allowance for D3 and D2 passes? I can only seem to find the info about domestic flights. We're thinking it might just be best to do carry on anyway, but is that allowed on international flights for those passes?


7)Why does jetnet show US airways flights and flights from other airlines, but you're unable to select them? Will this be an option eventually?


8) Can you obtain something that looks like an actual flight reservation? All I have is the email jetnet sent, which doesn't look like much. I only ask because we have to get a Chinese visa and sometimes they want official flight reservations. I've already read some of the stuff about getting a visa as a non-rev on here though, and I think it'll be okay, especially since we have someone with residency inviting us.


I think that's all I have for now. I apologize for the long post! If anyone can help, thank you so much!

Welcome aboard Sunsetally there’s a window seat for you right down front and the lounge is straight back. Thanks for the info, but the link is a no-go, AA wants an ID# and a password.

To add-- another phrase that always echoed back in my mind was this by isppilot: "I've experienced everything from not getting on green flights, making it on oversold flights after they asked for volunteers and ended up not needing them to everything in between." That has definitely become my lived experience, haha. I once saw 15 nonrevs make it onto DEN-PHX with two oversold seats. I've also seen like 30+ people rerouted less than 12 hours to take off!

If anything, it's funny from my previous replies to see what kind of traveler I was before. The kind used to having a reserved seat, having plans at the very least a month or two in advance. I've told friends that have traveled with me, or who are waiting for me to come, "Well I'm not going to have a somewhat clear assessment until like the week before", or often with the PHX-DEN route, days/hours before haha. I absolutely love the flexibility nonreving provides. It's been so fun to decide to stay an extra day somewhere, or making travel plans the day of. The flexibility really compliments my impulsive and adventurous side, which I now realize was there all along!

Also I will say I'm floored this post has had 17,000+ views in the past three years! It was all the wonderful information you all provided, and it makes me happy to see it probably helped tons of other nonrevers as well!

Jay, long time no hear. I gotta tell you I thought you'd been shallowed by the gate 47A black hole *wink*, glad to hear your China trip went well. And you're right this thread is one of the most viewed threads/topics in the Forum. It seems non-rev newbies are still finding that first trip intimidating *awww*. And Jay now that you found your way back to the Forum, do stop by now and then, it' always great to hear about fun trips 'veteran' non-revs take... because they can. Hey I once did a daytrip to Chicago because I had to have the real deal deep-dish pizza, and yes it was worth the middle seat coach (exit row) *wink* coming back.

Let's be clear, nowadays, we really know what will happen not when the door is closed but when the plane takes off or even better when it lands...

Good to hear from you again JayAlexandra. Kinda wondered how that China trip worked out. Since myidtravel, it's much easier to travel with backup options and not having to visit ticket counters anymore to buy and refund paper zeds. Over the summer, I ended up taking Alaska to LA and JetBlue back. Both were my plan B as both the outbound and return AA flights were delayed and oversold despite willing to burn a D1. I ended up in an exit row middle on Alaska (former Virgin America--> free order from your seat booze ) and even more space on JetBlue on the way back. Alaska was the first airline I've taken to serve rum that was not Bacardi. Took advantage of the self serve snack galley several times on JetBlue. I did the cherry blossom season in Tokyo once as well. We were on the way back from Thailand and had 2 days extra so we decided to stay, even though we only packed summer weather clothing. Unfortunately, AA dropped the JFK-NRT flight so it's not as easy a journey as it used to be. Also, they got rid of F on the 777-200 which was usually open for nonrevs. I impressed one of the DFW agents once when I asked to be rolled over from the third LGA flight I didn't make to a MEM flight with a connection to LGA. Flights were both wide open.

Hope you check in again and safe travels!

Originally Posted by isppilot

Also, they got rid of F on the 777-200 which was usually open for nonrevs.

F-LAX/LHR late 90's

The Caviar Cart - Sevruga Malossol Caviar with traditional garnishes and blini or toast points or smoked salmon with capers.
Ice Cream Cart - Ice Cream Sundae. Haagen-Dazs Vanilla ice cream with a choice of Hot Fudge, Butterscotch or seasonal Berry Toppings, Whipped Cream and Pecans.
*deep sigh*

I'm going to cry now.