You can't buy a buddy pass like you can a hotel room. You have to be a friend or family member of an airline family to get your hands on one. And employees get a certain allotment each year. And, this can't be understated: they can't be sold for profit and you're flying on the reputation of your buddy.

No, you cannot legally "buy" a buddy pass on the open market in 2026. Buddy passes are strictly non-commercial benefits given to airline employees to share with their friends and family. Selling these passes is a violation of airline policy and is considered "gross misconduct." If an employee is caught selling their passes, they face immediate termination, and the traveler using the pass can be stranded at the airport or banned from the airline. On platforms like Reddit or Facebook, you may see people asking to buy them, but these are often scams or "corporate traps" to catch employees. A buddy pass is a standby-only ticket, meaning you only fly if there is an empty seat after all paying passengers and higher-priority employees have boarded. For most 2026 travelers, it is a high-risk, low-value strategy compared to simply booking a discounted flight during a seat sale.