Who Says There Are No More Freebies on Flights?

Sept. 23, 2013— -- A flight attendant with a U.S. legacy carrier once told me, "I wish more passengers would say hello or even smile," adding, "It doesn't cost anything." Not taking sides here since a lot of flyers I know claim cabin crew members never smile at them!

But let's focus on the free smiles. Keyword: free.

Even though we are half-a-decade into the Fee Generation where every little extra comes with a price tag, you can still get a few old and new perks for nothing. Here's a list of freebies along with some context for proper perspective:

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1. Miles club memberships

These aren't the magical programs they used to be but they're not dead yet and if you fly a lot you still earn great freebies like upgrades, early boarding and zero-fee checked-bags. Fly a whole lot and you might even get a free flight or two.

You don't fly much? Join anyway. It's free and you might be surprised at how quickly the miles from unexpected trips and airline-branded credit cards can add up. And depending on your airline, you can always donate miles to charity or use them to buy flowers for Mother's Day (United) or get that Belgian waffle maker you've had your eye on (Delta).

2. Free bags

Hard to believe but two U.S. airlines still offer free checked-bags: JetBlue (one) and Southwest (two). How long will it last? No one at these airlines is saying one way or the other so enjoy it while you can. Enjoy the free carry-on baggage, too which is still available on most airlines but that's trending in the other direction thanks to carry-on fees slapped on by Allegiant, Frontier (in some cases) and Spirit.

3. Free nanny service

File this under 'whimsical' but Mideast-based Emirates seems to think the idea of flight attendants wearing aprons full of crayons will lure customers. Yes, but can they do potty-training?

4. Free drinks

I'm not talking about alcoholic beverages; as far as I'm aware, no airline ever says "Drinks are on the house" unless it's a very special occasion (or a very long delay). Actually, I can think of another exception; back in the early days of Southwest, they tried to lure business travelers with free bottles of booze. Worked like a charm.

But forget cocktails; how about free Cokes and coffee? Don't say that's nothing; Starbucks charges nearly two bucks for a plain cup of java and McDonald's dollar menu, which includes some soft drinks, is currently testing higher prices. A penny here, a penny there, it all adds up and you'll see what I mean next time you fly Spirit or Frontier and are forced to ding your Visa for a small bottle of water.

5. Gourmet treats

There's more to in-air dining that noshing on nuts. Okay, not much more, unless you're in first or business class, but how does "Europe's favorite cookie" sound? People have raved about the free Biscoff cookies on Delta for years now and recently American's been serving them as well.

I like them too so I'm willing to overlook that these gourmet treats are also available at your local Safeway and Wal-Mart and that if you read the fine print on the label, you'll see these that at least some of these "European" delicacies are made in the U.S.A.