Hi,

My partner and I are planning a trip to Italy in October. We are flying standby. We are wondering what airport to fly out of to either Rome or Milan?...which one will give us the best chance of making a flight. I understand you have to be flexible. Also...what day of the week is best to catch standby flight to Italy?

You want to know what airport to fly out of? I think it would be sensible to fly from an airport near your home. It's difficult to specify an airport when you don't even state what country you live in.

Good luck getting standby seats. Most planes fly fully packed. Are you prepared to grab a flight, even if it's only one seat?

WE live in Seattle. There are no direct flights on United Airlines from Seattle. We were thinking it would be best to fly out of DC or Newark?..... yes, we are prepared to be flexible providing we can both get on the same flight!!

Are you flying on a buddy pass? Do you know how to check the airline site to see what flights are possible? You need to put your itinerary together based on some real information about the flight availability.
And then, what about getting back?
Have you flown this way before? AND you may not both get on the same flight so you need to prepare for that possibility. When are you planning this? High season?

Are you flying on a buddy pass? Do you know how to check the airline site to see what flights are possible? You need to put your itinerary together based on some real information about the flight availability.
And then, what about getting back?
Have you flown this way before? AND you may not both get on the same flight so you need to prepare for that possibility. When are you planning this? High season?

Yes, I have flown with a buddy pass here in the states several times. My partner is a pilot. Just really looking at best days / airports to fly out of to Milan or Rome. We have been checking online availability, and so far Milan looks best to fly in and out of, however we would rather fly into Milan, and go back out of Rome. We are leaving around the 4th of Oct. I have never flown standby internationally.

You could spend a lot of money waiting around in either Newark or DC - food, lodging, transportation to and from the airport each day. Are you prepared to wait a week or more for 2 available seats on plane? I don't understand the logic behind flying standby when airlines fill the planes to capacity and if there is any space the airlines change to a smaller plane.

I guess standby has a different meaning today. Formerly you would have purchased a ticket on a specific carrier but there were no seats available. Standby passengers waited for everyone to board and then took available seats. But today the planes no longer fly half full.

Why not buy a regular ticket and get an assigned seat?

OK - a buddy pass is different than a standby ticket.

Midweek is probably the best time.

I'd try for Newark. I don't think that you'll have more luck but at least it will probably be a shorter flight. I'd avoid BWI as many of the flights to Italy route you out of your way.

Flying standby because my partner is a pilot, and we have the benefit of flying standby anywhere United flies. I have flown this way a number of times without delay here in the US. We are choosing to do this to use the benefit, saving the money that we would use for tickets to use in Italy for lodging etc. Flights always overbook now, and yet there will still be seats available on most flights as people either miss flights or cancel. It's worth the risk all around!!

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions!!

I understand now that you say you're flying on a buddy pass which is free. I did not understand why you were buying a standby ticket which is what your original post said.

Good luck and enjoy Italy!

Are EWR and IAD the only airports UA flies direct to Milan or can you consider SFO or ORD? Or just get to Europe( Frankfurt, Paris, etc) and then take a regional carrier to Milan?

My husband is a LONG TIME airline employee with a lot of seniority We gave up flying standby in about 2003. It's not worth it. We've bought tickets to Europe three times in the last 4 years. Good luck and remember to have a lot of reading material for the hours you will while away in the terminals waiting for a two seats to open up.