Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions we hear most from airline, cargo and aviation employees. Eligibility varies by cruise line, employer, employment status, traveler relationship and documentation requirements.
Eligibility — Who Qualifies?
Eligibility varies by cruise line, employer, employment status, traveler relationship and documentation requirements. KTE Interliner confirms the applicable rule with the cruise line before you book.
An interline cruise rate is a validated fare that participating cruise lines make available to eligible aviation industry employees, retirees and certain family members. It is not a public promotion and it is not offered on every sailing. KTE Interliner is affiliated with Interliner, a host agency that specializes in interline travel.
Many cruise lines operate interline programs for airline employees, but participation, rules and inventory differ from line to line. Eligibility varies by cruise line, employer, employment status, traveler relationship and documentation requirements. We confirm your specific situation with the cruise line before booking.
Not necessarily. Interline programs often extend beyond commercial passenger airline staff to groups such as cargo carrier employees, air traffic controllers, FAA and TSA employees, GDS employees, Amtrak employees and cruise line employees. Each cruise line sets its own list of accepted employers, and those lists change. Contact KTE Interliner so we can confirm whether your employer is currently accepted.
No. Eligibility is determined by the cruise line at the time of booking and again at check-in. We verify the current rule for your sailing and tell you exactly what documentation will be required before you commit.
Most cruise lines ask for proof of current employment, retirement status or relationship to the eligible employee — commonly a current employee or retiree ID, and sometimes a letter on company letterhead. Requirements are set by each cruise line and can change, so we confirm what your sailing requires before you book.
Air Canada employee? See our complete Air Canada interline cruise guide →Alaska Airlines employee? See our complete Alaska interline cruise guide →American Airlines employee? See our complete American interline cruise guide →Delta Air Lines employee? See our complete Delta interline cruise guide →Envoy Air employee? See our complete Envoy Air interline cruise guide →Fedex employee? See our complete Fedex interline cruise guide →Frontier Airlines employee? See our complete Frontier interline cruise guide →Hawaiian Airlines employee? See our complete Hawaiian interline cruise guide →JETBLUE employee? See our complete JETBLUE interline cruise guide →JSX employee? See our complete JSX interline cruise guide →Republic Airways employee? See our complete Republic Airways interline cruise guide →SkyWest Airlines employee? See our complete SkyWest interline cruise guide →Southwest employee? See our complete Southwest interline cruise guide →United Airlines employee? See our complete United interline cruise guide →UPS employee? See our complete UPS interline cruise guide →
Pilots & Flight Attendants
Pilots employed by carriers that participate in a cruise line's interline program may be able to book interline rates. Whether a specific pilot qualifies depends on the cruise line, the employer, employment status and documentation. We check the current rule for your sailing before booking.
Flight attendants are commonly included in interline programs where their employer is recognized by the cruise line. As with all interline travel, eligibility varies by cruise line, employer, employment status, traveler relationship and documentation requirements.
Tell us your employer, travel dates, preferred region and who is traveling with you. We compare the available interline rate against the current public fare — and against any promotion the line is running — so you can see the actual difference for that sailing before deciding.
Retirees & Family
Some cruise lines extend interline rates to retirees, often with conditions such as minimum years of service or retained travel privileges. Retiree eligibility varies by cruise line and employer, and usually requires retiree identification or a letter confirming retirement status. We verify this before booking.
Many programs extend to a spouse or domestic partner and dependent children, frequently with the requirement that the eligible employee travels in the same cabin or on the same sailing. Rules differ by cruise line, so we confirm family eligibility for your specific sailing.
Some cruise lines include parents of an eligible employee and some do not. Where parents are included there are often conditions, such as the employee traveling on the same sailing. We check the applicable policy before you book.
Cargo Employees
Several cruise lines include cargo and freight carrier employees in their interline programs, but this is not universal — some lines exclude cargo carriers entirely, and others limit eligibility to specific job functions such as flight crew. Eligibility varies by cruise line, employer, employment status, traveler relationship and documentation requirements, so we confirm line by line before booking.
Typically a current company photo ID at booking and again at the pier. Retired cargo employees may need a retiree ID or a letter on company letterhead confirming retirement status. The cruise line sets the requirement, and we tell you what yours needs in advance.
Pricing & Fees
Interline savings vary by cruise line, sailing and cabin category. KTE Interliner compares the available interline rate with the current public fare so travelers can see the actual difference before booking. There is no universal interline discount percentage.
No. Public promotions, group fares or resident rates can occasionally beat the interline rate on a given sailing. We compare both and recommend whichever is lower for your dates and cabin.
KTE Interliner does not charge a booking fee. Our compensation comes from the cruise lines. You pay what you are quoted.
Interline rates cover the base cruise fare. Taxes, port fees and gratuities are usually additional. We show the full cost before you book.
Booking Process
Join our Facebook community at facebook.com/groups/KTEInterliner to see interline rates as they are posted, then contact us for a personalized quote. We confirm your eligibility and find the best available rate for your dates.
Three to six months ahead is typical for popular sailings, though interline inventory can also open close to departure. Following our Facebook community is the fastest way to catch late releases.
If the cruise line will not validate your eligibility for a sailing, we tell you before any deposit is made and look at alternative lines or public promotions instead.
Cruise Lines
Interline programs exist across many ocean and river lines, including several major contemporary, premium and luxury brands. Participation, accepted employers and available sailings change over time. See our cruise line directory, and contact us for the current position on the line you are considering.
No. Interline inventory varies by ship, season and demand, and blackout dates may apply. Availability is confirmed at the time of booking.
About KTE Interliner
Yes. KTE Interliner is affiliated with Interliner, a Travel Leaders host agency. Todd Edmundson is a verified Travel Leaders agent with client reviews publicly posted at travelleaders.com.
Todd has focused on interline cruise travel for over 15 years, has facilitated more than 1,000 interline cruise bookings, was named a 2024 Top 100 Travel Advisor and holds Virgin Voyages First Mate certification. He founded KTE Interliner and leads a team of specialist advisors. Read more on the team page.