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Previous posts have been archived and can be read here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)
Jul 10, 2020, 8:39 pm
#766
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 27,042
I know this was posted about, but can't find it. Can you help? I had two unhelpful agents insist there was no change. Even showing you can book a new ticket as such was not helpful. I pointed to fare rules, but they said no .
Jul 10, 2020, 9:45 pm
#767
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 27,042
Just got off phone with AA. The 18 hour connection ended on July 6th, it's back to 4 hours. (I confirmed by looking at fare rules) However as this was a schedule change by AA , I was able to book the overnight since my flight to SBN was the first available flight the next day. What was especially aggravating was that the auto-rebooked flights had a connection over 6 hours. Yet the 1st agent insisted I couldn't rebook over 4 hours.
Jun 24, 2021, 9:58 am
#768
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: DCA/IAD & BUF
Posts: 1,400
Same Day Standby Question
I have a ticket Saturday to ORD, but would prefer to take an earlier flight. Of course, the prices have tripled since I bought my ticket (only yesterday). It seems AA is hiking all prices dramatically within 48 hours of flights now, at least on this route.
Anyway, my question is --- if there's still availability tomorrow a few hours before the earlier flight, and I go to the airport to request stand by, will AA switch me without a cost difference? My ticket is in F, so not sure how a paid F fare would play out with the upgrade list likely to be happening at the same time. I'll have only a carry-on and am a lowly Plat. 🙂
Thanks. It's been decades literally since I tried to go standby (on purpose) and not sure how this works now.
Anyway, my question is --- if there's still availability tomorrow a few hours before the earlier flight, and I go to the airport to request stand by, will AA switch me without a cost difference? My ticket is in F, so not sure how a paid F fare would play out with the upgrade list likely to be happening at the same time. I'll have only a carry-on and am a lowly Plat. 🙂
Thanks. It's been decades literally since I tried to go standby (on purpose) and not sure how this works now.
Jun 24, 2021, 10:46 am
#769
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,550
As a plat, there is no charge for standby for an earlier flight. If there is availability on said earlier flight, they'll put you on it. If F is not available they will offer you Y but there will be no fare adjustment.
I can't really comment about the upgrade procedure. I know that once I was on a flight LAX-LAS in paid F, a short route that would make all elites eligible for free upgrades. My inbound connection was early and I got to the gate for an earlier connection about 25 minutes before departure and there was an F seat available. But basically, you should be on the list ahead of upgrades, but if they have already upgraded someone else they won't throw them to the back of the bus for your paid F standby.
I can't really comment about the upgrade procedure. I know that once I was on a flight LAX-LAS in paid F, a short route that would make all elites eligible for free upgrades. My inbound connection was early and I got to the gate for an earlier connection about 25 minutes before departure and there was an F seat available. But basically, you should be on the list ahead of upgrades, but if they have already upgraded someone else they won't throw them to the back of the bus for your paid F standby.
Jun 24, 2021, 11:33 am
#770
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: BOS
Programs: AA PP, DL PM
Posts: 2,086
I have a ticket Saturday to ORD, but would prefer to take an earlier flight. Of course, the prices have tripled since I bought my ticket (only yesterday). It seems AA is hiking all prices dramatically within 48 hours of flights now, at least on this route.
Anyway, my question is --- if there's still availability tomorrow a few hours before the earlier flight, and I go to the airport to request stand by, will AA switch me without a cost difference? My ticket is in F, so not sure how a paid F fare would play out with the upgrade list likely to be happening at the same time. I'll have only a carry-on and am a lowly Plat. 🙂
Thanks. It's been decades literally since I tried to go standby (on purpose) and not sure how this works now.
Anyway, my question is --- if there's still availability tomorrow a few hours before the earlier flight, and I go to the airport to request stand by, will AA switch me without a cost difference? My ticket is in F, so not sure how a paid F fare would play out with the upgrade list likely to be happening at the same time. I'll have only a carry-on and am a lowly Plat. 🙂
Thanks. It's been decades literally since I tried to go standby (on purpose) and not sure how this works now.
I believe Standby will put you in Economy with no chance of an upgrade unless you get a very skilled gate agent.
Jul 3, 2021, 2:07 pm
#771
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 2
Has anyone had recent experience with same-day standby LAX-Bay Area airports? I am flying XXX-LAX-SFO on 8/13 (no status, economy). The 4pm LAX-SFO, with a very long layover at LAX, is much cheaper than other options, so I would try to standby on an earlier LAX-SFO or LAX-SJC.
(Booking XXX-LAX-SJC now, with a much shorter layover, is not much more expensive than the cheap SFO option I'm looking at, but with all of AA's cancellations & changes so far this summer, I would prefer to have SFO, which is closer to my home, as my destination in case of schedule changes or weather/etc.)
Two questions: (1) Any recent experience with changing to a nearby airport? (2) All are operated by CR7s. Is the likelihood of standby clearing on a Friday morning close to nil?
Thanks in advance.
(Booking XXX-LAX-SJC now, with a much shorter layover, is not much more expensive than the cheap SFO option I'm looking at, but with all of AA's cancellations & changes so far this summer, I would prefer to have SFO, which is closer to my home, as my destination in case of schedule changes or weather/etc.)
Two questions: (1) Any recent experience with changing to a nearby airport? (2) All are operated by CR7s. Is the likelihood of standby clearing on a Friday morning close to nil?
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by laxf; Jul 3, 2021 at 2:17 pm
Jul 3, 2021, 3:08 pm
#772
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: BOS
Programs: AA PP, DL PM
Posts: 2,086
Has anyone had recent experience with same-day standby LAX-Bay Area airports? I am flying XXX-LAX-SFO on 8/13 (no status, economy). The 4pm LAX-SFO, with a very long layover at LAX, is much cheaper than other options, so I would try to standby on an earlier LAX-SFO or LAX-SJC.
(Booking XXX-LAX-SJC now, with a much shorter layover, is not much more expensive than the cheap SFO option I'm looking at, but with all of AA's cancellations & changes so far this summer, I would prefer to have SFO, which is closer to my home, as my destination in case of schedule changes or weather/etc.)
Two questions: (1) Any recent experience with changing to a nearby airport? (2) All are operated by CR7s. Is the likelihood of standby clearing on a Friday morning close to nil?
Thanks in advance.
(Booking XXX-LAX-SJC now, with a much shorter layover, is not much more expensive than the cheap SFO option I'm looking at, but with all of AA's cancellations & changes so far this summer, I would prefer to have SFO, which is closer to my home, as my destination in case of schedule changes or weather/etc.)
Two questions: (1) Any recent experience with changing to a nearby airport? (2) All are operated by CR7s. Is the likelihood of standby clearing on a Friday morning close to nil?
Thanks in advance.
You will be prioritized below everyone with status. Within your group of no-status people, I'm not sure if you will be prioritized by check-in time or by the time you requested standby, so check in / request early. You will also be prioritized below any revenue customer standing by due to weather / misconnects / etc. See the PALL list thread.
I've had pretty good luck with standby out of PHL, even on "full" flights when someone doesn't show up. It was before they made SDS free, but it seemed not many revenue customers make use of standby (e.g. 1 or 2 people on an A321) so I'd say your odds are pretty good.
In the case of a flight delay or cancellation, all of the SDS rules go out the window and "anything reasonable" on AA flights (and possibly AS or B6) applies, including changing to a nearby airport. This can happen for less than you think, e.g. a 15 min delay on your later flight would let you confirm a seat on the earlier flight, so be aware of it.
Jul 7, 2021, 10:20 am
#773
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA Gold, Amex Plat
Posts: 4,007
I haven't tried standby or SDFC on AA in several years, but I would like to try it on a domestic trip this Friday with a 3 hour connection in CLT. (RSW-CLT-RIC)
There is an earlier flight from CLT to my destination but it only leaves 25 minutes after the arrival of my first flight. I know that's not a "legal" connection but if the flight is early/on time and gates are close in CLT (as they should be this time - mainline to mainline) can an airport agent put me on the standby list? I am Gold if that matters.
There is an earlier flight from CLT to my destination but it only leaves 25 minutes after the arrival of my first flight. I know that's not a "legal" connection but if the flight is early/on time and gates are close in CLT (as they should be this time - mainline to mainline) can an airport agent put me on the standby list? I am Gold if that matters.
Jul 7, 2021, 3:00 pm
#774
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: BOS
Programs: AA PP, DL PM
Posts: 2,086
I haven't tried standby or SDFC on AA in several years, but I would like to try it on a domestic trip this Friday with a 3 hour connection in CLT. (RSW-CLT-RIC)
There is an earlier flight from CLT to my destination but it only leaves 25 minutes after the arrival of my first flight. I know that's not a "legal" connection but if the flight is early/on time and gates are close in CLT (as they should be this time - mainline to mainline) can an airport agent put me on the standby list? I am Gold if that matters.
There is an earlier flight from CLT to my destination but it only leaves 25 minutes after the arrival of my first flight. I know that's not a "legal" connection but if the flight is early/on time and gates are close in CLT (as they should be this time - mainline to mainline) can an airport agent put me on the standby list? I am Gold if that matters.
I'd just go to the gate and ask. I had luck doing that in BOS -- I got through security at T-15 for the earlier flight and everyone else was already on the plane! (this was when they still closed the door at T-10).
Mar 2, 2022, 3:06 pm
#776
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
Being offered standby for a later flight tomorrow. If I click it, what happens to my seats on the current, earlier flight? Still Exec Plat for what it's worth...
Mar 2, 2022, 11:24 pm
#777
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Programs: American Executive Platinum
Posts: 368
I was wondering this, and in general what happens if you standby for a later flight end up not making it.
Mar 6, 2022, 10:58 am
#778
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
Can this be true? Like I say, it's hard to imagine that you could hold a seat on a flight that may be taking off before you know whether you clear for standby on a later flight. It's also hard to imagine when this "option" would be of value. I guess if you knew that the subsequent flight were empty....
Mar 7, 2022, 5:14 pm
#779
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 3,698
Can this be true? Like I say, it's hard to imagine that you could hold a seat on a flight that may be taking off before you know whether you clear for standby on a later flight. It's also hard to imagine when this "option" would be of value. I guess if you knew that the subsequent flight were empty....
I think this would be most useful if there were some reason you were fairly certain you weren't going to make the earlier flight and wanted to avoid having your ticket cancelled for no-showing, but for some reason couldn't confirm onto a later flight that same day (e.g., it would result in a significant fare difference). Might be better to take the chance than have to pay to confirm something else.
Mar 18, 2022, 6:58 pm
#780
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: NYC/PHX
Programs: IATA, Sabre, AvgeekAgent
Posts: 1,958
Standby request no longer wanted.
With AA (supposedly) clearing waitlists ahead of boarding, is there a risk to not showing up at the gate for the earlier flight if one just wants to keep their later confirmed seat?
Chat team couldn't help and I'm in a 4 hour queue for a callback to cancel the standby request. Might be enjoying a steak dinner and miss the callback.
With Sabre now decoupled from AA PNRs the standby request is not even reflected in the GDS (so can't cancel myself).
With AA (supposedly) clearing waitlists ahead of boarding, is there a risk to not showing up at the gate for the earlier flight if one just wants to keep their later confirmed seat?
Chat team couldn't help and I'm in a 4 hour queue for a callback to cancel the standby request. Might be enjoying a steak dinner and miss the callback.
With Sabre now decoupled from AA PNRs the standby request is not even reflected in the GDS (so can't cancel myself).
Last edited by NYC Flyer; Mar 18, 2022 at 7:09 pm Reason: grammar; amplification