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Previous posts have been archived and can be read here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)
Nov 9, 2015, 10:24 am
#76
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: JFK/LGA
Programs: AA EXP/5 MM, BA Blue Bayou, HH LT Diamond
Posts: 5,828
Back when I was EXP I recall several instances where a GA would confirm the standby and then the upgrade before processing the general upgrade list (I presume other EXPs on the flight had already been upgraded, but it kept me ahead of the lower elites.) I thought it was classy and appreciated it.
Nov 9, 2015, 10:26 am
#77
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: ORD
Posts: 1,845
Back when I was EXP I recall several instances where a GA would confirm the standby and then the upgrade before processing the general upgrade list (I presume other EXPs on the flight had already been upgraded, but it kept me ahead of the lower elites.) I thought it was classy and appreciated it.
Well.. if we all agree that could happen, and the flight stays F5, then I'm an early bird off to the airport. Traffic will be lighter.
Nov 9, 2015, 10:34 am
#78
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: ATL
Programs: AA GLD Skymiles DM MM, a+ rewards lifetime elite, AS, Marriott plat, PC plat, HH gold
Posts: 1,275
Recent experience as a GLD flying standby, not SDC. BDL-CLT-ATL BDL-CLT F was full, confirmed into exit row at gate. When I got to CLT my name was second on the list of 12 standbys with checks by all but 3 names. My name was one of the three not checked. I checked with GA and she said I had been confirmed into F for CLT-ATL and issued the boarding pass. My name then had a check by it. F went out with 2 empties on a sub 500 miler.
Nov 14, 2015, 4:17 pm
#80
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 4
Last minute standby policy for Platinum?
I'm Platinum and had a connection through PHL this week. My first flight arrived early, leaving me with a chance to make an earlier flight home. I rushed to the gate, getting there 25 mins before departure (before boarding started). I gave the GA my boarding pass and was told it would be $75. I have done this several times without a charge and thought it had to be a mistake (or a US GA who was confused by AA policies). I called AAdvantage customer service and was told there should be no charge. Went back to the GA, who told me that the policy had just changed and that the system would not let her issue a new boarding pass without a credit card. I opted to head to the bar and wait an hour instead.
I'm amazed that AA would charge a frequent flyer to occupy a seat that is going to leave empty. Can someone explain how this works? Should I have done something differently?
I'm amazed that AA would charge a frequent flyer to occupy a seat that is going to leave empty. Can someone explain how this works? Should I have done something differently?
Nov 14, 2015, 6:34 pm
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
Posts: 31,789
If the OP had paid that $75, what is the likelihood that customer relations believes the OP when the OP later says: "I did not request confirmed change - I requested free same-day standby but the agent refused" and the receipt says "Confirmed change - $75."
This is not the first post in the last few weeks on this exact issue - what kind of crappy training did the US employees receive? As I posted before, this policy should have been aligned many months before the October cutover, and US management had 22 months to align the policies and train the agents.
Nov 14, 2015, 7:00 pm
#85
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Everywhere you wanna be
Programs: AA EP | UA 1K
Posts: 1,657
Sounds like the agent was trying to do a confirmed flight change, which is $75. Agents can't just arbitrarily charge fees, the system will prompt them. Had she done it the proper way and did a standby (which should not have cleared before boarding), then there would be no charge.
In situations like this, request a manager who has had a little more sabre training and is familiar with the process.
In situations like this, request a manager who has had a little more sabre training and is familiar with the process.
Nov 14, 2015, 8:16 pm
#86
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: US
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 1,753
Sounds like the agent was trying to do a confirmed flight change, which is $75. Agents can't just arbitrarily charge fees, the system will prompt them. Had she done it the proper way and did a standby (which should not have cleared before boarding), then there would be no charge.
In situations like this, request a manager who has had a little more sabre training and is familiar with the process.
In situations like this, request a manager who has had a little more sabre training and is familiar with the process.
Nov 14, 2015, 9:05 pm
#87
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYR
Programs: US/AA-Platinum, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Gold, AVIS-Presidents Club, National-Executive Elite
Posts: 2,755
Wow. I had the same exact problem at PHL last week. Exact problem. Inbound flight arrived at PHL 30 minutes ahead of scheduling allowing me to make the earlier connection, which I hadnt ticketed. Went to gate, asked to get on the earlier flight (which was departing in 35 minutes) and was told it would be $75 to get on the flight. I went to the club to sulk, and took my original connection home three hours later.
Now I'm annoyed.
Now I'm annoyed.
Nov 14, 2015, 9:20 pm
#89
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYR
Programs: US/AA-Platinum, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Gold, AVIS-Presidents Club, National-Executive Elite
Posts: 2,755
Nov 14, 2015, 9:32 pm
#90
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Houston, TX/Australia
Programs: AA EXP/Exec Citi, NZ* G, Nat EE, Avis PP, HH Gold
Posts: 649
Sounds like the agent was trying to do a confirmed flight change, which is $75. Agents can't just arbitrarily charge fees, the system will prompt them. Had she done it the proper way and did a standby (which should not have cleared before boarding), then there would be no charge.
In situations like this, request a manager who has had a little more sabre training and is familiar with the process.
In situations like this, request a manager who has had a little more sabre training and is familiar with the process.