Nov 8, 2015, 3:40 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
American Airlines Same Day Standby Policy and Discussion
(Not to be confused with SDFC / Same Day Flight Change - see links below)
Standby has its own rules and peculiarities: (As of 14 Jan 2016)
Same-day standby
Standby for a fee (waived for AA Elites)
For $75 on domestic flights, you may standby on an earlier flight under the following conditions:
*Standby between NYC-LON is offered for $150.
AAdvantage elite members may use the standby option for earlier or later flights.
Though it appeared those with checked bags were being denied SDS, JonNYC clarified that AA affirmed AA Elites are allowed to SDS if they have checked bags. Link.
Complimentary standby
Get complimentary same-day standby with:
Complimentary same-day standby is also available for:
Link
The following passengers may standby at no charge based on availability:
Link
Q. What happens to my upgrade if I stand by for another flight?
Your upgrade and position will be lost. You can not be added to the upgrade list on your desired flight until you have cleared from standby. At that point, it may be too late to request your upgrade, given upgrade requests are normally processed prior to the standby list.
See "Airport Upgrade and Standby List" / Order, PALL List and issues (FT)
Previous posts have been archived and can be read here
Standby is not the same thing as SDFC / Same Day Confirmed Flight Change:
See "Domestic" Same Day Confirmed Flight Change / SDFC / CFC / "Standby" or
International Same Day Flight Change / SDFC / SDC / CDC
(Not to be confused with SDFC / Same Day Flight Change - see links below)
Standby has its own rules and peculiarities: (As of 14 Jan 2016)
Same-day standby
Standby for a fee (waived for AA Elites)
For $75 on domestic flights, you may standby on an earlier flight under the following conditions:
- Standby is not allowed for international flights*.
- Has the same origin and destination
- Is for the same calendar day of departure
- Is marketed and operated by American Airlines or American Eagle
- Changes to another multi-city airport or to different connecting cities are not allowed
- You can standby for your originally purchased cabin (not upgraded cabin)
- Standby means upgrades on the original flights are lost (you can not be on an upgrade list until your standby has cleared)
- Standby pax may be required to gate check carry-on baggage
- Standby is prioritized - see "PALL List" link below
*Standby between NYC-LON is offered for $150.
AAdvantage elite members may use the standby option for earlier or later flights.
Though it appeared those with checked bags were being denied SDS, JonNYC clarified that AA affirmed AA Elites are allowed to SDS if they have checked bags. Link.
Complimentary standby
Get complimentary same-day standby with:
- Unrestricted Economy Class (Y fare), Business or First Class tickets
- American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum, Platinum Pro or Gold status and companions in same record
- oneworld® Emerald, Sapphire or Ruby status and companions in same record
- AirPass membership
- First and Business Class MileSAAver award tickets
- AAnytime award tickets
- Choice Plus fares
Complimentary same-day standby is also available for:
- Active U.S. military personnel traveling on orders or personal travel
- Active U.S. military dependents traveling on orders
Link
The following passengers may standby at no charge based on availability:
- Customers who purchase unrestricted Economy Class fares (Y class of service)
- Customers who purchase Business or First Class tickets
- Active U.S. military personnel traveling on orders or personal travel
- Active U.S. military dependents traveling on orders
- American Airlines AAdvantage® Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro, Platinum or Gold members
- oneworld® alliance Emerald, Sapphire or Ruby members
- Customers flying on the same reservation as an American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum or Gold member or oneworld alliance Emerald, Sapphire or Ruby member regardless of frequent flyer status or fare type
- AAirpass® members
- First and Business Class MileSAAver® Awards
- First, Business and Economy Class AAnytime® Awards
- Customers who purchase a Choice Plus fare
Link
Q. What happens to my upgrade if I stand by for another flight?
Your upgrade and position will be lost. You can not be added to the upgrade list on your desired flight until you have cleared from standby. At that point, it may be too late to request your upgrade, given upgrade requests are normally processed prior to the standby list.
See "Airport Upgrade and Standby List" / Order, PALL List and issues (FT)
Previous posts have been archived and can be read here
Standby is not the same thing as SDFC / Same Day Confirmed Flight Change:
See "Domestic" Same Day Confirmed Flight Change / SDFC / CFC / "Standby" or
International Same Day Flight Change / SDFC / SDC / CDC
Same Day Standby / SDS (not SDFC) Rules & Discussion (master thread)
Jan 30, 2019, 7:24 pm
#676
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 214
I'm confirmed in C tomorrow but interested in taking an earlier flight that is currently J1. If there's still 1 seat available at the gate, would I be entitled to clear standby and then automatically "cut" the list since I was already confirmed and re-ticketed in J? I know when I've booked J before, I've been able to go on standby and bypass the upgrade list before upgrades are processed, but I'm not sure if this is applicable for C space as well. I'm sure this is agent-dependent, but just curious if anyone here has had this same experience.
Feb 1, 2019, 1:30 pm
#678
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: NYC/PHX
Programs: IATA, Sabre, AvgeekAgent
Posts: 1,958
I'm confirmed in C tomorrow but interested in taking an earlier flight that is currently J1. If there's still 1 seat available at the gate, would I be entitled to clear standby and then automatically "cut" the list since I was already confirmed and re-ticketed in J? I know when I've booked J before, I've been able to go on standby and bypass the upgrade list before upgrades are processed, but I'm not sure if this is applicable for C space as well. I'm sure this is agent-dependent, but just curious if anyone here has had this same experience.
In my experienced, if you're ticketed in C inventory using a certificate, you'd need to be confirmed in economy prior to being considered for any type of upgrade on your new flight--though in practice, if C is available, you might be able to do this in one phone call to AA.
Feb 6, 2019, 3:33 pm
#679
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: EWR Ionosphere Club, LAX Clipper Club, Still Traveling Global, yearly BIS miles
Programs: EAL Silver Wings, I-Club, Flying Colonels DL, WorldPass PLat from the olde Meatball and PE SMARTbank
Posts: 1,986
Standby on Award Ticket that has connection on a different calendar day
I have an award where the first segment leaves late on a monday, and then the connection leaves after midnight on tuesday. (Mileage Saver Award; I am gold). I assume I can standby no problem on an earlier flight monday for the first segment, but when I get to my connection city will there be any problem standing by for the connection on monday afternoon?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Feb 13, 2019, 11:38 am
#680
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: TPA/SRQ
Programs: Hyatt Explorer, Marriott Titanium, AA Plat Pro, UA Silver, Avis Plus, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,692
If I try to same day change, the first leg of connecting flight. Does that work? And will I get downgraded on my upgrade on the second leg?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Feb 13, 2019, 12:22 pm
#681
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: NYC/PHX
Programs: IATA, Sabre, AvgeekAgent
Posts: 1,958
No personal experience, but I would not attempt this with the app/online, even if your existing connecting flight is shown as a SDC option. I don't know if you'd be rebooked on the second leg in coach. If you phone AA and make it clear you do not want to alter your connecting segment, keeping your upgraded connection should not be an issue.
Feb 13, 2019, 3:25 pm
#682
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinium
Posts: 1,334
Does anybody know if standby is possible on the domestic segment which is part of an international itinerary? I know SDFC doesn't allow it, but I couldn't find any information for Standby (the international segment will be couple of months later). Thank you in advance.
Feb 13, 2019, 3:29 pm
#683
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
to do it before.
Feb 13, 2019, 5:22 pm
#684
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHL
Programs: AA - Plat, HHonors - Diamond, IHG - Plat, Marriott - Gold, National - Exec, Amtrak - Select, NEXUS
Posts: 1,075
App also doesn't allow standby from Canada and there was no E space so I couldn't SDFC, but I was able to get on standby at YYZ last week by asking at the AC. (Last person to clear as well. Sorry #3 !)
Feb 13, 2019, 11:51 pm
#685
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: Alaska Gold 75K, AA EXP, United 1K
Posts: 472
Anyone have theories on what drives such a stark difference between AA and UA approaches to same day confirmed? Outside of the obvious response that each airline has its own perogative around the benefit, curious as to people’s theories on what fundamentally drives such a different mindset? In particular the requirement for same routing seems to really be a huge hit to practical usability for those who are not hub captive. As well as the requirement that it be same calendar day on AA (with a few very infrequently exceptions around red eye timing) vs 24 hour flexibility with UA. Differences in historical expectations of its customers? Different revenue impact analysis? Differences in wanting to manage traffic flows at each hub? In an era where the big airlines have been tending to copy each other this seems like an area where the big airlines continue to be quite different with no signs towards convergence. Sadly AA seems to be the least competitive in this particular perk.
Feb 14, 2019, 1:35 am
#686
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 255
Anyone have theories on what drives such a stark difference between AA and UA approaches to same day confirmed? Outside of the obvious response that each airline has its own perogative around the benefit, curious as to people’s theories on what fundamentally drives such a different mindset? In particular the requirement for same routing seems to really be a huge hit to practical usability for those who are not hub captive. As well as the requirement that it be same calendar day on AA (with a few very infrequently exceptions around red eye timing) vs 24 hour flexibility with UA. Differences in historical expectations of its customers? Different revenue impact analysis? Differences in wanting to manage traffic flows at each hub? In an era where the big airlines have been tending to copy each other this seems like an area where the big airlines continue to be quite different with no signs towards convergence. Sadly AA seems to be the least competitive in this particular perk.
Feb 14, 2019, 9:55 am
#687
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: Alaska Gold 75K, AA EXP, United 1K
Posts: 472
Perhaps it has to do with the fact that many people buy the cheapest flight identified, which often comes with inconvenient or long connections. If I could change the routing later, I might be more inclined to buy the cheapest route, then change it later to something I preferred. Of course, that preferred routing likely came with a higher price tag when I booked my original flight.
Feb 14, 2019, 10:47 am
#688
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
yeah I could understand lots of reason why being permissive has opportunity cost to AA. But what I’m curious is what drives AA to have such different perspectives than UA or DL. Presumably your argument would be similar with other airlines that choose to be more permissive.
Feb 14, 2019, 4:13 pm
#689
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Hoboken, NJ
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 194
Being DFW based, I can pretty much fly NS everywhere. As such, when I'm going out of town for the weekend I often book the last flight on Friday night (which is also usually the cheapest)...
Then, when I leave the office early, I standby on an earlier flight (and almost always get on... Batting 9/10 over the last 7 months).
It's nice to be able to "fare arbitrage" but I understand how it could be annoying travelling from an outstation.
Then, when I leave the office early, I standby on an earlier flight (and almost always get on... Batting 9/10 over the last 7 months).
It's nice to be able to "fare arbitrage" but I understand how it could be annoying travelling from an outstation.
Feb 15, 2019, 7:57 am
#690
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 386
I have not bought a ticket. I was looking at what available and need to make this one way as cheap as possible and the option to standby for a later flight would allow that but having never done it and the website linked here a few times is nto really useful other than to say i quality, I wanted to ask people who have actually done it.
The BE option is the cheapest but we have already established that I cannot standyby for that. So then I will just look at regular economy. So no I have not booked a ticket yet.
The BE option is the cheapest but we have already established that I cannot standyby for that. So then I will just look at regular economy. So no I have not booked a ticket yet.
Can somebody confirm what is true in the following situation:
I purchased a domestic basic economy ticket and have platinum status.
Am I eligible to stand by? If so, what is the fee?
Last edited by milesunited; Feb 15, 2019 at 8:01 am Reason: reword