INTERLINE CRUISE ELIGIBILITY
Are You Eligible for Interline Cruise Rates? (Most Are.)
If you work for an airline, fly cargo, run a tower, sit in dispatch, or you've retired from any of those — you're almost certainly owed a discount on every major cruise line. Most save 40% to 60% off retail. Some save thousands.
It's called an interline rate. It's real. It's been around longer than most of the airlines themselves. And it's a perk you've earned by working in this industry.
Verifying takes 5 minutes. We confirm in 24 hours or less, and we quote your real interline price at the same time — so you don't have to wait twice to find out what your trip would actually cost.
The full list of who's eligible
It's a longer list than most people realize. If any of the following describe you — or someone in your family — you're in.
If you work in the air or on the ramp
You qualify if you work for any major US passenger airline (Delta, United, American, Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska, Hawaiian, Spirit, Frontier — yes, all of them), any of the regionals (SkyWest, Republic, Envoy, Mesa, Endeavor, and the rest), local and charter operators, and most international carriers.
Pilots, flight attendants, gate agents, ramp, ops, dispatch, corporate, IT — all departments qualify. Eligibility doesn't care what your job title is. It cares that you work for an eligible employer.
If you fly cargo
FedEx. UPS. DHL. All three qualify, including retirees. Cargo divisions of the major passenger airlines (Delta Cargo, United Cargo, etc.) qualify the same way.
If you run the tower or work the agency
You qualify if you're with any of the following:
- ATC — Air Traffic Controllers
- FAA — Federal Aviation Administration
- MATCA — Member, Air Traffic Control Association
- NPA — National Pilots Association
- ALPA — Air Line Pilots Association
- IATA — International Air Transport Association
- SITA — Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques
- ARC — Airline Reporting Corporation
If you wear a uniform
Active and retired military qualify across most major cruise lines.
If you're family of someone who qualifies
- Spouses are covered.
- Domestic partners are covered.
- Dependent children are covered when traveling with family of an eligible employee or spouse.
- Parents are covered in most cases.
- In-laws are covered in most cases.
- Siblings, friends, and extended family can sail at interline rates as extra cabins booked alongside an eligible employee — and on Princess, you can bring as many as you want (more on that below).
If you've retired
You're still in. For life, in most cases. That includes voluntary buyouts, furloughs that turned into retirement, and retirees from merged carriers — anyone who still holds a retiree ID and flight benefits.
What we need from you (it's almost nothing)
One photo, or one letter. That's it.
You'll send us either:
- A photo of your current airline or employer ID badge, or
- A letter of eligibility or authorization from your employer.
The whole thing takes you less than 5 minutes. Then we take it from there.
Here's the actual flow:
- You email, text, or call us with your documentation.
- We submit it to the cruise line. You don't talk to them. You don't fill out their forms. We handle every back-and-forth.
- The cruise line validates — typically within 24 hours, often same-day.
- We quote your real interline price at the same time. No two-step waiting.
A few things worth knowing:
Expired badges usually don't work. The exception: some retiree programs preserve eligibility tied to your old ID. If you're not sure, send it over. We'll find out for you.
A few cruise lines occasionally ask for extra documentation. If yours does, we'll tell you up front. No surprises, no chasing paperwork after you've gotten excited about a sailing.
Family is where the program gets generous
This is the part most airline employees don't know is this good.
Direct family is on the rate with you, no extra cabin needed:
| Relationship | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Spouse | Covered |
| Domestic partner | Covered |
| Dependent children | Covered when traveling with family of an eligible employee or spouse |
| Parents | Covered in most cases |
| In-laws | Covered in most cases |
Beyond direct family, siblings, friends, cousins, the neighbor who flew with you to Cabo last year — they can all sail at interline rates as long as they're booked alongside an eligible employee's cabin.
How many extra cabins can you bring?
This was expanded in 2024:
- Princess Cruises allows unlimited cabins for friends, family, and extended audiences. If you've ever wanted to take 8 friends on a cruise at airline-employee pricing, this is how.
- Most other lines allow 2 to 3 extra cabins.
- We'll confirm the exact allowance for your sailing when we quote.
Can family travel without you?
In many cases, yes. Depending on the cruise line:
- Parents can travel alone.
- In-laws can travel alone.
- Domestic partners can travel alone.
Want to send your parents on an anniversary cruise at your interline rate? On most lines, that works. We'll confirm the specifics.
One catch worth knowing
The most common eligibility miss we see: adult children typically don't qualify on their own. Once your kids age out of the dependent category, they need to sail alongside an eligible parent to access the rate. Solo trips for adult kids? Usually no. Family cruise with the whole crew? Yes.
Retired? You're still in.
If you've retired from a covered employer, you're almost certainly eligible — for life, in most cases.
That includes:
- Standard retirees from any major airline, cargo carrier, or aviation organization
- Voluntary-buyout retirees — eligibility transfers as long as you hold a retiree ID
- Furloughed pilots and FAs who retired — eligible if you still carry eligibility and flight benefits
- Retirees from merged carriers — if you carry eligibility and flight benefits from the merged entity, we can typically get you what you need
Defunct airlines (TWA, Pan Am, AirTran, etc.) — a few cruise lines treat former employees on a case-by-case basis. We'll check the specific cruise line for your sailing.
What you'll actually save
40% to 60% off retail in most cases. That's the honest range across 1,000+ KTE bookings.
In dollars, that means anywhere from $50 to thousands per booking. We've seen the full range. Some sailings, the savings are modest. Some sailings — particularly luxury, expedition, and last-minute — the savings are the kind you don't believe until you see them in writing.
Why does it vary?
A few reasons:
- The cruise line's pricing strategy on a given sailing
- Cabin category (suites tend to have bigger interline gaps than insides)
- How close you are to departure (last-minute interline rates can be exceptional)
- Onboard credits, beverage packages, and other perks bundled into the rate
We don't post a one-size-fits-all savings number, because the truthful answer is: it depends on the sailing. What we do is show you the real number when we quote — alongside what the same cabin costs at retail — so you can see exactly what you're saving before you book a thing.
A note from Todd
"Interline rates aren't a discount someone is negotiating for you. They're a benefit you earned the moment you took the job — and the cruise lines built this program specifically to thank the people who keep aviation moving. My only job is to make sure you actually use it. I'll find the right sailing, get you the best rate available, and stay your single point of contact from booking through disembarkation. The work is mine. The trip is yours. Just don't leave the benefit on the table."
Three ways to find out in 5 minutes
We're flexible. Pick whatever's easiest.
- Email — todd@interliner.com
- Text or call — 201-970-3614
- Book a 15-minute call — grab a time on Todd's calendar
Whichever you choose, we'll confirm your eligibility within 24 hours and quote your real interline rate at the same time. Zero booking fees. Ever.