Others may require you to show up at the airport and speak with an agent, or at least use the kiosks at the airport.
Each airline has a designated window in which you're allowed to make that change, too, whether it's a few hours from your scheduled departure or after midnight the day of or 24 hours prior to your ticketed flight.
And there may be further restrictions. If you already have a ticket, JetBlue, for one, specifically states that there's no standby flying for routes that only fly once a day, and you can only standby for the flight right before yours. Many limit the options to your original departure and destination airports and to flights between certain regions most often the U. Read our full article on detailed standby policies by airline. Whether you're a ticketed passenger or you have a buddy pass, you'll want to show up as early as possible if you can't get on the list by phone or online.
In most cases, this means showing up a few hours before the first flight of the day. Because passengers are placed on the standby list on a first come, first served basis, this will maximize your chances of success. If you're using a buddy pass, be prepared to stay for the last flight of the day, since airlines will place paying customers first. And don't give up or leave until the flight you're trying to get on actually takes off; you never know when last-minute changes might occur.
Before you get to the airport, there are a few things you can do to get a sense of what your options might be. For some airlines, you can use their website or app to see which seats are available on flights other than yours. But the information you see online won't always be completely accurate, so you can also call the airline's reservations line to see if they can check for you. And in some cases, if you've bought an inexpensive ticket, you may not be eligible to fly standby on a different flight at all.
If your ticket does allow you to change flights the same day, it's a good idea to show up at the airport early and talk to a ticketing agent for the airline you're using. The agent will explain your options and either get you a confirmed ticket for another flight to your destination or put you on a list to potentially get a last-minute seat on a different flight. Sometimes, passengers will receive standby seats on a first-come, first-served basis.
Sometimes, passengers who are part of the airline's loyalty program, have a lot of frequent flyer miles, or use the airline's credit card will get preferential treatment. The criteria that determine who gets to fly standby can be unclear, and it varies from airline to airline. That's intentional, according to aviation analyst Henry Harteveldt. If there's uncertainty about an airline's method for choosing who gets to fly standby, it's easier for it to make or change rules.
If you are able to get a standby seat, you'll be charged a fee or the difference between your original ticket and the price of the new seat you're taking in some cases. However, certain passengers can sometimes escape the transfer fees. Travelers who belong to airline privilege groups like frequent flyer clubs or people who collect air miles via credit card purchases may be able to board an earlier or later flight without paying anything extra.
As always, flying standby is often a waiting game. If the flight isn't full, the airline might allocate a seat right away, but if the flight is fully booked, the standby traveler has to wait and hope that fewer passengers than expected turn up. Sometimes, standby passengers must wait at the gate until the very last minute when the flight crew is about to close the doors before they know they're flying. For a pleasant standby experience, make the request as early as possible, travel with carry on luggage and arrive at the departure gate early.
Friends and relations of airline employees can use buddy passes to travel on available seats within the airline's network at heavily discounted prices. Rick Seaney December 20, May 25, Share. Start Here. More The 10 Best Things to Do in Argentina Argentina offers its visitors an impressive range of adventures and activities.
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