Right, that's what I meant. For example, a buddy pass on UA is $145.10 SFO-LHR. $121.80 of that is the fare, everything else is taxes and fees. On an economy nonrev pass for the employee, it's nothing. The return flight is 265.76. Same fare returning, $143.96 in taxes. Those same taxes on the employees pass would be $127.66... not as much as I expected, but there is still a difference there.
Bookmarks