Does anyone ever get away with this?

Book a RT flight with a weekend stayover. Before the weekend hits (ie on Friday) go to the airport, say you have some emergency and see if you can fly standby.

Even if they charge you $100.00 change fee its still a lot cheaper than the non-weekend stay.

Anyone try this?

I know this is kinda of underhanded, but so is charging business travelers $1,700 for a $324.00 flight from SNA to IAH without a weekend stayover.

Many airlines will say "tough luck". They'll let you standby for the same day only. I know from experience that Delta used to allow this, but now specifically forbids it.

A better way is to use a frequent flyer award if the fare is $1,700. Of course, some airlines charge more miles if you don't stay a Saturday night. Delta doesn't (DL-try to change this and it will be the last straw)

Just depends on the agent. I don't know that CO specifically forbids it.

Make your story a good one and practice your facial expressions

Book a connecting flight if you want to save the money.

There's too many companies with no travel budget oversight out there that are willing to pay that $1700 fare.

And whatever you do , don't post your intentions to try this on an internet board about frequent flying that the airlines probably check frequently. That would be a bad idea.

Diamond Dog, I am usually as frustrated as you are about these kinds of things, but it is a function of "the industry" not just CO.

As others have pointed out, you *DO* have options. You can fly this route on HP for ~$312 r/t and get OP credit, as well as status miles. You have a slim chance for an upgrade, but you can use miles if you want to.

On the East Coast, typically the only low fares for business routes w/o Sat stays are on two-bit second-tier airlines like TZ, FL, etc. Or the occasional DL/AA sale, but I won't get CO miles/status for those trips.

I hate to say this, but in this case I envy you, I would love to opportunity to have HP in my backyard just for instances like this.

Actually, HP has gained the majority of my transcon business so far this year. There are meals (as long as you connect through Phoenix), first run movies, clean new planes, lower prices and no attitude.

They frequently have "F" available up until check-in, and (get this) are currently the number one on-time airline in the domestic US market.

I can fly direct EWR-LAS, or connect through Phoenix (for food service). I can go to LAX at $300 or so mid week (no sat nite stay needed) if I connect through LAS. For LA meetings or conferences, I have recently been flying to LAS, staying for free at my friendly casino, dining and entertaining myslef in Vegas, flying to LA at 5am the next morning for my meeting, and flying home that same evening (or spending another night in LAS).

If they didn't have the restriction of not offering miles on NW unless it's a codeshare, I'd have flat out switched to Flightfund this year.

[This message has been edited by NJDavid (edited 02-26-2002).]

Diamond Dog, it's people like you with no ethics that ruin it for the people with real emergencies. If I'm on a trip and have an emergency and need to return home before the minimum stay has elapsed, I can't do it for only $100 because of selfish people like you.