Sophia Bamford, a 22-year-old nanny from Miami, Florida, has been able to fly across the USA for free thanks to her brother Anthony Bamford, who is a pilot. Since March 2024, Sophia has taken advantage of her brother’s standby list, allowing her to fill empty seats on his flights. She has flown nine times with her brother as the pilot, traveling to cities such as New York City, Orlando, Venice Beach, and Colorado. Sophia is looking forward to future trips to Canada and Puerto Rico using her standby pass.
Having two brothers who are pilots, Sophia finds it surreal to be flying for free as she feels like they are still kids. She recalls being on her brother’s flight and witnessing him fly various passengers to their destinations, noting the unique perspective she gains from being on board. Anthony’s passion for flying started in high school when he flew small planes and eventually became an instructor, taking Sophia on trips across the USA. Sophia was thrilled when she was granted access to his flight benefits earlier this year.
The first time Sophia flew with her brother Anthony was to New York City on her birthday. Anthony made a special announcement on the plane, letting everyone know it was Sophia’s birthday and where she was seated. This led to passengers approaching her and wishing her a happy birthday. Sophia enjoys the experience of waiting for her brother as he exits the cockpit at the end of the flight, finding it fascinating to see him in action. Her favorite trip so far has been to Colorado with her mother, where they got to experience snow for the first time.
Flying to New York City for family visits has been common for Sophia, but traveling to Colorado in one day and experiencing snow was a memorable adventure. When Anthony had two extra seats available on a flight, they decided to take the trip on a whim, resulting in a fun and unexpected journey. Coming from Miami, where snow is rare, seeing the snowy landscape of Colorado was an exciting and new experience for Sophia and her family. She looks forward to more travels with her brother in the future and cherishes the unique opportunity to fly for free and explore new destinations at no cost.
