NYC Flyer

There are lots of basic economy passengers, possibly group reservations held by casinos which my not be finalized with specific passenger names until close-in to departure, impulse purchases, etc. Don't let the seat maps a week out fool you when it comes to peak travel days to Vegas.

As for how it works. You call AA and tell them you don't want to take your confirmed flight and ask to be put on the standby list for later flight(s). If you don't make the standby list for your desired flight, it will roll to a later flight that day (if avail). If you miss the last flight, in theory, AA could force you to pay the price difference for a confirmed seat for flight the next day. However, they may allow you to roll the standby request over to the next day at no charge.

It's a 45 minute flight and you are unlikely to get upgraded as Gold on a peak schedule, so I'd get creative with alternate airports, one-way car rental, etc.

Have you looked at BUR (if convenient). Spirit has $44 seats available late morning. Also JetsuiteX flies from BUR.

Hopefully, AA has something that works coming home!

Carolina2Cali

THANK YOU! Finally an answer that satisfied me with intel and knowledge, about 80 percent anyway. JSX I love, Spirit I'd happily stick the boyfriend on (who prefers to sit at the back of the plane and enjoy looking at the whole plane experience and gets mad when I put us in the free premium economy). If I gave up on American's flights or the last one came and went, could I then just book on ANOTHER airline with a later flight that day, and have American give me the credit for the flight?

I do hear you on the seat maps being misleading, I really should subscribe to EF or whatever it is called. Thanks so much to you, and thanks all.

aacar

Not sure about your bag situation, but Frontier is $40 on Thursday night, DL is $59, and Southwest is $49 from LGB.

Carolina2Cali

Thank the heavens for the AA free checked bag for gold (or Southwest), we are gay males! Luggage is a must. It really is amazing what we value or don't value for our preferred airline. Two weeks ago I connected for a flight to MCO because I wanted to use AA, rather than paying less and flying direct on another airline. (For me, Spirit and Frontier are absolute no's, and United is a big hmmmmm before I am willing to do it) Thanks.

NYC Flyer

In the interest of economics, I would book the back up now and use that credit if you DO make the AA flight, though. Purchasing a ticket to LAS will get very expensive (or sold out) on the afternoon/evening you want to go.

EF will not help you in this situation. AA will oversell the flights.

If you have checked bags, I think you are looking at AA at this stage. Thursday evening looks best.

lrdpenn

I used standby to a later flight a lot when I was Gold. It's useful, but there is absolutely risk involved and I would never rely on it. I would only do it on routes with very high frequency where I knew I would clear, and I would make a final decision day-of based on loads/weather/etc. I also drew the line on risking missing the last flight of the day. I'd rather not be at the mercy of a GA late at night, rolling me over to the first flight next day (which could also be an awful 5-6am option, or in your case back again to 7am). There's also few to no anecdotes of this actually happening on FT (too few cheap golds around ) and just theoretical assumptions on list rolling.

If you can't SDC then that's already a very bad sign, flight is probably quite full.

TravelerMSY

Wake me up early and let’s take the confirmed space. At zero dark thirty, you might even get upgraded as a Gold. If I weren’t already an experienced traveler, I would consider chancing it on standby, potentially for more than one flight, to not be a great birthday present. On the other hand, if he’s a Flyertalker, he may not mind Have a few drinks in the lounge while you wait, and make an adventure of it. Some people don’t mind, and others completely freak out when you tell them their flight is “sometime tomorrow afternoon.”

Do you have any Avios or Amex to transfer? Maybe you can get the flights you actually want for 7500 miles. It’s usually a unicorn on Fridays, but with Covid you never know.

TravelerMSY

Bump the thread the night before and we’ll try to check EF for the afternoon flights. It has its flaws but it’s better than nothing.

Stocktc1

Why does it say no flights available for same day standby or confirmed on the app or website ? I noticed more you wait , the flights show up one by one.

the chat rep stated there might be a fare difference ? How do when all same day confirmed are $75?

lrdpenn

IIRC only options within 24 hours of departure of the new flight will show, so flights incrementally become available. The app also seemed more reliable on nonstop itineraries (although have not really flown in a year, could have improved since then.)

VSLover

correct--they say 24hrs and literally mean 24hrs before departure time. so yes, as the day progresses, more flights for tomorrow are populated if available once they tick over the 24hr mark.

aztimm

Why not just rent a car and drive? You'd presumably still need to get from your home to the airport, then get from LAS to wherever you chose to stay. You can leave at your convenience and bring as much as you'd like (well as much that will fit inside). No airport drama either.

I did a few roadtrips last year (far longer than this), and I rather enjoyed the freedom of being off on my own, going where/when I wanted.

FYI, there are also car rental forums on FlyerTalk if you chose this option.

Carolina2Cali

Bumping as per above, but when I go into my flight on the app, it says there aren't any options available, for either standby or confirmed. So this may be a moot bump...
So as to not make it a useless bump, I got upgraded to 1st Class and I also burned 1 sticker for the boyfriend... we're likely going to Vegas for 10 days. He has a tendency to overpack. Do we now get a SECOND checked bag for free on top of the 1st one which comes by way of being gold? Or is that only for PAID first class versus upgraded?

I don't think I've ever flown 1st to Vegas or asked this question, the flight is so quick. Do they have Mimosas on a one hour Vegas flight at 7 in the morning? It's a birthday trip so I gotta do any tiny special thing I can... the boyfriend is going to be like this is first class? This is nothing. And he wouldn't be wrong given that its pandemic time and such a short haul.

NYC Flyer

The evening flight is (unsurprisingly) sold out completely in both cabins.

You will each be entitled to two checked bags, on the basis of having a confirmed seat in first class. Service on these flights is hit or miss, but if the FAs don't proactively offer you a beverage, you should definitely ask. The flight will be catered for drinks--Mimosa, Bloody Mary, etc. should be available. Enjoy Vegas!

Carolina2Cali

Thanks, you did warn me the odds were low! Correct indeed. 7 am is too early but what's a guy to do... at least we are confirmed in first. Yes, even in Preferred Economy I often walk to the back of the plane and "Request" a beverage. One FA even went around once asking if anyone would like to "request" anything. Her way of being cheeky I suppose Glad to hear we can get a free mimosa so the boy can feel like he "got his money's worth" from the 1st Class (of which I paid for, at economy rates no less!) Ha! Thank you thank you.