I’ve flown all around America for free — here’s how I get my rides

A woman who flies across the USA for free saves “tons” — because her brother is a pilot.

Sophia Bamford, 22, started getting free flights in March 2024, when her brother Anthony Bamford, 23, put her on his standby list.

This means whenever her brother is flying a plane and it is not full — Sophia can take up one of the seats.

Since then, Sophia has flown nine times with her brother as a pilot — including to New York City, Orlando, Venice Beach, Colorado.

Sophia is planning to travel on her brother’s flight to Canada and use her standby pass to go to Puerto Rico with a friend.

Sophia, a nanny, from Miami, Florida, said: “It is so awesome. It is a surreal feeling.

“Both of my brothers are pilots and to me, it is hard to differentiate that we are grown up.

“To me, we are all still kids.

“It is weird when I am on his flight and he is flying all these different people to their vacation, home or wherever they need to be.”

Anthony started flying in high school and would fly small planes and Sophia would join.

He then became an instructor and would take Sophia across the United States.

Sophia said: “Earlier this year, I was able to get onto his flight benefits.

“When you’re a pilot, you get to put someone on standby.

“When you are put on standby it means you get the flight completely free.

“You get to the airport and if the flight has extra seats you get to go on the flight.”

The first time Sophia got on her brother’s plane was when he flew to New York City.

It was also Sophia’s birthday so Anthony announced it to the plane.

She said: “The first flight I ever went on, it was my birthday.

“He announced through the speaker that it was my birthday and said the seat I was sitting on.

“People came up to me and wished me a happy birthday.

“Usually when I am on a plane that he is flying I will wait for him when everyone gets off the plane.

“It is pretty cool to see him come out of the cockpit.”

Sophia said her favorite location has been when Anthony flew her and her mom, Karen, 62, to Colorado in February, 2024.

Sophia said: “We have mainly flown to New York City as we have family up there.

“We have been to Colorado and back in one day which was my favorite trip.

“My brother had two extra seats on the flight so we decided to take the trip.

“We got to see snow which was pretty cool.

“Being from Miami, we had never seen snow like that before — it was awesome.”