An American Airlines passenger on an oversold flight stayed in Italy for an extra 3 nights to collect $3,550 in travel vouchers

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.

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.”