My mum, dad AND brother work for United Airlines – and I’ve always had free flights

Talk about keeping it in the family.

Through a series of TikToks, Utah-based Skylar Horanyi, 26, reveals how her father and brother are both pilots for United Airlines, while her mother works as a flight attendant for the carrier too. 

While Skylar didn’t go into the aviation industry herself, the brunette says that she shares her family’s passion for travel and some of the perks she gets through their line of work is free travel, complimentary upgrades to first class and airport lounge access. 

While it might sound attractive to most, Skylar points out that when she does fly, she is always on standby and the whole production can be pretty stressful. 

Skylar Horanyi’s father and brother are both pilots for United Airlines. The 26 year old’s mother works as a flight attendant for the carrier too

While she didn't go into the aviation industry herself, the brunette says that she shares her family's passion for travel

While she didn’t go into the aviation industry herself, the brunette says that she shares her family’s passion for travel

In one video, with her boyfriend in tow, she explains: ‘Since we don’t pay for flights we don’t have confirmed seats and we only get on the flight if there are open seats available.’

The couple were looking to travel from Salt Lake City to Denver, and Skylar says: ‘We checked the seat map and saw a few seats available so we decided to take a chance and try for the flight.

‘We showed up to the airport with absolutely no idea if we would make it on the flight or not, but we got extremely lucky and we made it on this first flight. 

‘We got seats in the exit row and we even got to seat next to each other.’

Skylar was on another standby flight for the next leg of her journey from Denver to Houston and she was doubtful that she would make the cut as it was busier. 

But ‘luckily a few seats opened up and I got a seat on the Houston flight.’ 

In another TikTok, Skylar details her parents’ heartwarming love story.

While they both work for the same airline, Skylar says her mother and father didn’t meet on a plane, and they were actually high school sweethearts and got together when they were 18 years old.

After graduating college, around the age of 23, they moved to New Jersey and got jobs with the now-defunct People Express Airlines together. 

Skylar's father is currently based out of San Francisco as a pilot, so he has to commute there from Houston

Skylar’s father is currently based out of San Francisco as a pilot, so he has to commute there from Houston

Some of the perks Skylar gets through her family's line of work is free travel, complimentary upgrades to first class and airport lounge access

Some of the perks Skylar gets through her family’s line of work is free travel, complimentary upgrades to first class and airport lounge access

While they both work for the same airline, Skylar says her mother and father didn't meet on a plane, and they were actually high school sweethearts

While they both work for the same airline, Skylar says her mother and father didn’t meet on a plane, and they were actually high school sweethearts

After the airline merged with Continental Airlines, the Horanyis moved to Houston, Texas, where they remain to this day, and Continental eventually merged with United Airlines in 2012. 

Skylar’s mother and father have now been working in aviation for just over 40 years and they have been together for 46 years. 

The avid traveler’s father – who is of Filipino and Hungarian heritage – is currently based out of San Francisco as a pilot, so he has to commute there from Houston. 

The two transport hubs are about a four-hour flight apart. 

Skylar’s brother decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and at 25, he was one of the youngest pilots United had at the time.

Skylar says as a family member of a United employee, you get to fly for free up until the age of 26.

However, her mother went on to list her as her ‘companion’ so she could keep getting free flights. 

Skylar says as a family member of a United employee, you get free flights up until the age of 26

Skylar says as a family member of a United employee, you get free flights up until the age of 26

Skylar's brother decided to follow in his father's footsteps and at 25, he was one of the youngest pilots United had at the time

Skylar’s brother decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and at 25, he was one of the youngest pilots United had at the time

For her 25th birthday, Skylar reveals in a TikTok how she went on a whirlwind trip to London with her parents.

Her mother was off duty, while her father piloted the airplane. 

She got to go to the United Club lounge at San Francisco International Airport and as the flight was fairly quiet, she got upgraded to United Polaris (the airline’s equivalent of first class).

As the plane came into land in the UK, Skylar’s father made a special public announcement to celebrate her birthday which she said was ‘adorable.’  

Skylar’s story around her family of airline crew has intrigued many of her TikTok fans. 

Many commenters have asked if her name was intentional, given the aviation theme but she revealed: ‘It’s actually a family name but very fitting. 

‘I’m sure working for the airlines had an influence on my name!’

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