In the travel industry — and the marketplace, generally — some discounts depend on who or what you are rather than what or where you buy. Over the years, age-based status discounts have perhaps been the most common, but you find others as well. In researching an old rail timetable, for example, I once noticed special fares for clergy, and an Athens discount agency once got me a ticket on an airfare for “sailors rejoining their ship.” But those occupational discounts are now rare; status discounts are down, overall, and most current deals are for seniors and youth.
Airlines
These days, the world’s airlines offer almost no status discounts. Although U.S. airlines once offered a variety of senior deals — some really attractive — today’s seniors are left out in the cold. Youth, too: Whether you’re 8, 18, or 80, you want a seat, you pay the full price. The only widely available senior discount I know is the AARP senior discount program on British Airways round-trips: $65 off economy fares, $200 off business class….