"My flight is delayed, so I will be early"
Aug 30, 2016, 3:55 pm
#1
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,621
"My flight is delayed, so I will be early"
"My flight is delayed, so I will be early." Today I caught myself saying that for more than the 10th time in the last 20 years. It sounds absurd to anyone not well acquainted with Southwest's free standby policy.
I was traveling on a $49 fare (actually 2335 points) and my flight was showing a 45-minute delay. I have an important rendez-vous tomorrow with this aircraft, so I didn't want to be late. I also didn't want to pay the fare difference, which would be 19524-2335 = 17189 points or a cash ticket for $224. That's a crazy amount to pay just to travel an hour or two earlier.
Today's 45-minute delay qualified me for free standby on a flight 2 hours earlier than my scheduled departure. I dashed to the airport and the gate agent printed me a boarding pass as boarding was into the early B's. Yippee!
With standby priority due to A-list Preferred status I no longer fear flight delays. Half the time I get out earlier when there's a delay. Southwest's idiosyncratic standby policy works for me, in part because I know how to work it.
I was traveling on a $49 fare (actually 2335 points) and my flight was showing a 45-minute delay. I have an important rendez-vous tomorrow with this aircraft, so I didn't want to be late. I also didn't want to pay the fare difference, which would be 19524-2335 = 17189 points or a cash ticket for $224. That's a crazy amount to pay just to travel an hour or two earlier.
Today's 45-minute delay qualified me for free standby on a flight 2 hours earlier than my scheduled departure. I dashed to the airport and the gate agent printed me a boarding pass as boarding was into the early B's. Yippee!
With standby priority due to A-list Preferred status I no longer fear flight delays. Half the time I get out earlier when there's a delay. Southwest's idiosyncratic standby policy works for me, in part because I know how to work it.
Aug 30, 2016, 4:07 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 616
Yup...used it twice and it's been two of my best Southwest experiences.
First, flew SAT-DAL in 2011. Stood by for 2 flights, finally made it with the last seat and sat in the middle next to a COS, who turned out to be an Apple sales rep. We had a great conversation about Apple products for 45 mins.
Second, flew MDW-BWI-FLL...I've told this story before, but I ended up going MDW-ATL-FLL because they were delaying the flight to BWI for late connections. They ended up delaying what my connection would have been. In this case, I didn't ask to get moved, just asked about the delay, and the agent took it upon herself to get me standby and I made it to ATL sitting next to two people going to some heavy machinery show. They had a lot of drink coupons. Good times. Plus my ATL-FLL was only booked to like 45 PAX...was a -300 but whatever.
First, flew SAT-DAL in 2011. Stood by for 2 flights, finally made it with the last seat and sat in the middle next to a COS, who turned out to be an Apple sales rep. We had a great conversation about Apple products for 45 mins.
Second, flew MDW-BWI-FLL...I've told this story before, but I ended up going MDW-ATL-FLL because they were delaying the flight to BWI for late connections. They ended up delaying what my connection would have been. In this case, I didn't ask to get moved, just asked about the delay, and the agent took it upon herself to get me standby and I made it to ATL sitting next to two people going to some heavy machinery show. They had a lot of drink coupons. Good times. Plus my ATL-FLL was only booked to like 45 PAX...was a -300 but whatever.
Aug 30, 2016, 4:33 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: BWI
Programs: Marriott LTT, WN A, Hertz PC
Posts: 575
Good info, thanks. I was led to believe even though you have "priority" you still have to pay the anytime fare, even as an A+. Is it only true some of the time, or was that person full of it? I tried to search the FAQ's but nothing came up.
(some day I'll fly my own onto their makeshift runway...)
Aug 30, 2016, 5:33 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 616
I don't think it's an official policy, and it can only be done by a CSA...but if you're delayed 15+ mins, they typically allow this.
Aug 30, 2016, 7:28 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: BWI
Programs: Marriott LTT, WN A, Hertz PC
Posts: 575
That makes sense. I think in the scenario I heard, the person just arrived to the airport way early and their original flight was still on time but they tried their luck at getting on the earlier one.
Aug 31, 2016, 11:16 am
#7
Join Date: May 2007
Location: MDW
Programs: WN CP & A-List Pref, HH Gold, Marriott LT PP
Posts: 708
I may have really lucked out once with this. Had a flight that went on a 7-hour mx delay about 2 hours before scheduled departure. Immediately got cleared as a stand-by for an earlier flight that was departing on-time. Got my BP for the new flight from the gate agent and attached was a $200 luv voucher for original flight mx delay. Landed at destination two hours prior to scheduled arrival of original flight. Basically, got paid to arrive early.