The very first plane trip I ever took was when I was about 15. I flew to Champaign/Urbanna, IL to live with my Dad's sister & her family for a summer. It was also the summer of the 1968 Democratic hoo-haw in Chicago. Long story short, the flight change in Chicago didn't happen, airlines had to put me in a hotel for the night and another flight the next morning. I called home, my parent's were frantic, aunt/uncle were frantic...no one knew what had happened to me...all lots of fun, excitement, adventure to a 15 year old away from home on her very own for the first time. The airlines paid for hotel & meals but then I didn't know they should have given me a free ticket as well.

Whenever possible, I always go for the later flight and free ticket. Sometimes I've been bumped up to first class and *that* was a LOT of fun!