An American Airlines Passenger On An Oversold Flight Stayed In Italy For An Extra 3 Nights To Collect $3,550 In Travel Vouchers

Side-by-side images of Susan Berry and an American Airlines aircraft.

Susan Berry/AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

• Susan Berry's American Airlines flight from Italy to Philadelphia was overbooked.
• She offered to be bumped and was given a $1,200 flight voucher, free food, and a hotel stay.
• The route continued to be overbooked, so she stayed as long as possible, collecting $3,550 in vouchers.

When American Airlines gate agents announced they needed volunteers to step off an overbooked flight, Susan Berry didn't hesitate to raise her hand.

Berry, who had spent two months in Italy, didn't want her trip to end. By volunteering, she'd continue exploring Naples and receive a $1,200 flight voucher for future travels.

"Before the manager could even finish his sentence, I'm like, 'Me! Me! Me! Can I do it please?'" Berry, who was scheduled to fly from Naples, Italy, to Philadelphia on August 4, told Business Insider.

After accepting the offer, the 36-year-old said she hopped in a car provided by the airline that drove her and seven other bumped passengers to a four-star hotel, where they spent the night for free.

Berry arrived at the airport the following day, where she learned that her next scheduled flight was also full. She said she volunteered again, and then an airline worker mentioned that the flight was fully booked until mid-August.

After some quick math, Berry realized she could spend the next 10 days gaining flight vouchers, staying in free hotels, and dining on free Italian cuisine.

It was an opportunity the freelance fashion photographer said she couldn't pass up. By the end, she hoped to have more than $10,000 in vouchers for a trip around the world.

Berry's $10,000 goal was cut short, but she did extend her trip three extra days and has $3,550 in flight vouchers.

The airline offered passengers a hotel stay, free food, and a $1,200 flight voucher

For most travelers, a full flight might be a nightmare, but Berry said she saw it as an opportunity, especially after the first day in Naples was a success.

The group of bumped passengers became fast friends — they traveled to their hotel together, dined on a dinner of prosciutto, mozzarella, and fish, and cracked jokes.

Berry initially assumed it was a one-time event until she arrived at the airport the next day when volunteers were once again needed.

As a freelancer, she could do her work from anywhere in the world — including a free hotel in Naples. Plus, another $1,200 in flight vouchers would allow her to photograph in new destinations.

"I could do a really great trip or travel for the whole year," Berry said. "This could be fantastic for my career."

Susan Berry

Berry said she decided to continue volunteering and wouldn't return to Philadelphia until the airline had an open seat. She started referring to the experience as "Camp American Airlines," and on August 6, she posted about it on TikTok. An audience quickly formed, rooting for Berry to earn more than $10,000 in flight vouchers.

For three nights, Berry stayed in different hotels across Naples. She said American Airlines booked her in four-star hotels, and the properties ranged in quality and location. Some were in the heart of Naples, while others were on the outskirts.

The first hotel, the Grand Hotel Vanvitelli, was the most luxurious, she said. According to TripAdvisor, rooms cost between $122 and $138 a night, and the property has a pool, an elegant restaurant, and rooms with balconies.

"Definitely the nicest hotel I stayed in during my trip," she said.

Berry said each hotel she stayed at while waiting for a flight had a restaurant where she charged breakfast, lunch, and dinner to her room and ate for free.

Her free hotel stays, meals, and flight vouchers ended on August 7, three nights after her first bumped flight. BI verified that Berry earned $3,550 in flight vouchers, with one voucher worth $1,150 instead of $1,200.

In a statement to BI, an American Airlines spokesperson said, "When you volunteer to give up your confirmed seat on a flight, we will compensate you in a form and in an amount we think is fair."

The flight vouchers expire within a year, but Berry isn't concerned about jet-setting off to new destinations. Photographing in places like Rio de Janeiro and the Seychelles Islands is at the top of her list.

Susan Berry

With a challenging start to the year, Berry said that this summer in Italy, along with a new travel fund and the memories from this experience, has left her "grateful."

"It makes me feel like me again," she said. "I feel like I'm engaging with community. I'm saying yes to unknown things, and that's what makes me tick."