lucci

Hi,

I'm a standby newbie..booked on a pm flight and would like to take the am flight..there are only two. Any suggestions would be most welcome..anything to get out of this midwest weather a little earlier!

Thanks,

Lucci

rkkwan

You need to tell us what airline. Each has its own rules.

AAFrequentFlyer

What airline?

Most airlines will allow same day standby for no charge as long as there are seats available.

Some airlines also have an option for "confirmed" standby. AA charges $25 per. That way you are assured a seat on an earlier flight so there is no chance of you sitting around the airport if the earlier flights did not work with the free standby option. I believe you can confirm any flight, same routing, within 12 hours of your booked flight as long as it's the same day.

Don't know about other airlines, but I suspect they may offer the same options.

Free if you are willing to take that chance and just showe up or a small fee over the phone to confirm earlier/later flight.

lucci

Thanks for the info. I am flying AA leaving from Chgo. Paying the $25 sounds good if available because one flight leaves at 9A the other 7P. Do you suggest that I phone AA for that service? Do I understand correctly that if the flight leaves 9A on Friday I phone on Thursday at 9P? Is it best to have carry-on? And, if I just want to chance it--call AA in advance and check the load?

Thanks again,

Lucci

J62

I fly same day standby on AA frequently, especially returning from a business trip where I have a chance to get home a little earlier. Sometimes I pay the $25, and sometimes I just chance it and show up. I've had good luck calling AA a couple of days ahead and asking them how full a flight is. 5 open seats? 10 open seats? 20, etc. If, when I call the day before there are a lot of open seats I won't bother paying the $25 fee.

I don't recall the 12hr rule, but if it exists you would not be able to call and confirm until 7am the same day if your original flight was 7pm.

AAFrequentFlyer

clarification on the "confirmed" standby....

<i> You can now get a confirmed seat for same-day flight changes for domestic travel† on all fares for a $25 fee*. Passengers can call Reservations or handle the transaction at the airport ticket counter or Self-Service Check-In machines. If eligible seats are available within 12 hours of departure of alternate flights for your same itinerary, your flight change can be confirmed. Also, American continues to offer the same-day option of standing by for an earlier or later domestic flight for eligible fares at no charge.</i>

http://www.aa.com/aa/pubcontent/en_U...eDayTravel.jsp

lucci

Thank you all so very much for the help and support.I'm calling AA right now and start checking for availability.

Lucci

BeachBoi

Lucci..You are correct in your understanding about the 12 hour confirmed standby.....The post following yours is incorrect information..You call AA 12 hours prior to the flight you want to standby for, not 12 hours prior to the flight you are now scheduled on....And PLEASE....dont call and ask what &quot;the load is&quot;.....eeeeek.....&quot;Another traveller wants my job!!&quot; is exactly what a CSR will think...Tell them exactly what you are doing.Just because 5 seats, 10 seats are &quot;available&quot; does NOT mean you can be confirmed for standby....Confirmed standby seats are capacity controlled..Hmmm, kinda like that TV announcer over the weekend on the golf tournament: &quot; If you wanna play the game, you gotta know the rules.&quot; Best of Luck!!

AAFrequentFlyer

did you read my follow up? I guess not......

lucci

I'm confused! I just phoned AA to check availbility for standby on a flight leaving tomorrow at 9am. I was told that confirmed standby was already sold out and then was told to try again after 9pm tonite (12 hr rule) but it's not yet 12 hours before the flight leaves, how can italready be sold out. She said there was a few seats available but wouldn't tell me how many.

At this point, is it best to phone in the morning or just go early and take my chances.

Lucci

J62

It helps to know the odds. Another poster admonishes not to call the airline and ask the likelihood of getting on standby/# open seats as you need to know the 'rules of the game'.

My thought is that in order to win the game it also helps to know the score, and the only way you can do that is to call. (or have access to their database through a travel agency).

If you call them, explain that you're not sure whether to go to the airport to try for standby, and they tell you the flight is already booked 100% full that's important to know, vs 'lots of open seats'.

lucci

After many calls, posts and time obsessing AA finally told me that they are now soldout for the flight I wanted to try for. Maybe because of the flights grounded yesterday to check the M80s and the fact that the weather here is a mess...ugh. I feel like deal or no deal.

Thanks again.

Lucci