If you stand by, you're not actually on the earlier flight. Your best bet would be to check in as early as possible, then go to the gate for the earlier flight and tell the GAs what you've just told us: that you would take the earlier flight but only if there's an MCE seat for you. They would theoretically take your request into account and clear you if your desired seat is available. If they don't clear you onto the flight, you've never lost your original seats so no biggie. Only problem is that this doesn't all happen while you're chillaxing in the AC; you'd need to be at the gate since the GAs will need to handle you differently to the rest of the standby passengers. Good luck.

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As American Airlines and AAdvantage are still operating as distinct entities, this question is being moved over to the pre-merger American Airlines forum.

Please note the sticky at the top of the consolidated thread which is titled PLEASE READ ME BEFORE POSTING! Welcome to the New American Airlines Forum!. With all of the changes about, it is important to know where to post, and reading that thread before posting (as the title suggests ) will help get you in the right place.

~Moderator