Sadly, the US trails the rest of the world when it comes to handing out vacation days so when planning trips I have become an expert at maximizing my days like extending international trips during US holidays to get that extra bonus day, or really maximizing the long weekend.
Even so, every time it’s time to return home, I’m always the one begging the gate agent to bump me so I can squeeze out at least one extra day. As I’ve learned from gate agents in Frankfurt, Zagreb, Buenos Aires and San Jose, Costa Rica (I’m persistent, okay?), airlines don’t typically overbook international flights, since it’s one of their last moneymakers, so getting bumped is quite slim.
But…the gate agents always tell me I’ll be the first they will tell if a bump is possible. I remember landing in Frankfurt, en route to Newark, the gate agent and I became BFFs.
Gate agent: ‘I can pretty much guarantee 100% you will be on this flight.’
Me: ‘Can you guarantee a football team won’t show up and need my seat?’
Gate agent: ‘No. But your flight is scheduled to depart within the hour so it’s not likely.’
Me: ‘Ha, so there’s a chance.’
I’m sure my file is flagged with ‘crazy.’
simply three cents 
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