The miles option if seats are found is the obvious way to go here. Buddy passes in this situation are just not worth the expense or risk. No telling when he could actually get there flying stand by on multiple segments. If you can get the confirmed seats with miles that is the way to go.

Plan on traveling next week on a buddy pass, and have a few flight options. Was hoping to get the feedback of more experienced travelers here to see which you may suggest.

Can fly DTW - FCO (1 flight per day, currently 54 seats showing on Delta.com) or JFK - FCO (2 flights per day, currently 37 seats on 1 flight, and 27 seats on the other flight). Any prior experiences on how accurate seat availability on Delta.com is, or which route tends to be better for us standbys?

Thanks so much

FCO, VCE, LHR, AMS are currently Non-Rev Roach Motels - You may be able to get IN., BUT.. I've heard tell that GA's are telling non revs in AMS that the wait to get out is up to TWO WEEKS right now.

There are MANY good deals for confirmed seats right now - really, I wouldn't even think about going to FCO or anywhere in Europe until AFTER the summer...

The seat map is not necessarily reliable. The person providing the buddy pass can look up the #s on TravelNet and advise you accordingly on seat availability as well as any destination-specific notes or alerts that might apply to your routing.

That is definitely something I was not hoping to hear. The plan is to leave one of these roach motels in late August... thoughts on whether that would be late enough to miss out on the craziness?

Thanks for the information. Will follow up and see what they have to say. What do you mean by destination-specific notes/alerts?

Basically what NWA/Deltaflygirl said, loads are very high with summer travelers and pass travelers are being cautioned accordingly. Also note that they will send flights out with empty seats if loads (weight/balance) warrant, so even the internal #s may not always be reliable.

By late August school will be back in session in some areas of the U.S. which may reduce leisure travel loads, but that may not be a reliable predictor. Good luck!

I have to mirror what Deltaflygirl said... You will likely get there with some careful planning and flexability. It is unlikely that you will get back without spending at least a few days in the airport.
If you insist on going, on the way back you need to not check a bag. Cannot stress this enough. Get there for DL's first flight (I think its DL169 to JFK), regardless of availability. Try for it. You probably won't get on. Then standby for the next flight to anywhere in the US. If you miss that, standby for the next flight to the US. Repeat the process until you somehow get on. Of course, it Europe, agents are usually pretty tired of answering questions and changing reservations for the onslaught of stuck nonrevs, and may not be helpful in changing things for you. You may have to rely on the employee who gave you the buddy pass.

The other thing you can hope for it for a plane to go MX or have a 5+ hour delay. Some passengers will be rebooked elsewhere and free up some seats for you. Not likely, but it sometimes happens.

All in all, I'd some it up with this...
Friends don't let friends use buddy passes to Europe in the summer.

Buddy pass to Europe in the summer is a fool's game.

Regular tickets are not that much more than the buddy pass fees anyway. By the time you buck up for a hotel for several days to get home you could have purchased a regular ticket.

I just posted something on another thread in which I said:

I was discussing TLV-JFK. Anybody who flies to TLV in July has to be either a heat freak or insane. Yet this flight is almost fully packed -- and it is a 747. I can only begin to imagine what Europe-USA flights are like this time of year.

FCO is notorious for weight restrictions....avoid at all cost!

Questions about Delta Buddy Pass
 

Hey guys, I am flying international on a buddy pass. Just curious do most buddy pass users receive business class?
If there is only an open seat for me in economy can I decline and wait another day for a business class seat?
Lastly, is there anything I can do to improve my chances of getting business class?

Thanks

Updated

This is not the place to ask about buddy passes. It violates Delta's social media and pass travel policies for employees. You need to ask the employee that is giving you the pass these questions.

Dressing up will have absolutely no bearing on where you are seated. Dressing like a slob could keep you from the flight, just as it could keep a paying pax off a flight if dressed inappropriately. Being polite is always advised, not just in a situation of pass travel. :D

OP I agree you should discuss your routing & possible alternatives with the person issuing the pass. Depending on your destination a buddy pass might not be the best option for summer travel. Do a quick search for 'buddy pass' within the DL forum, there's an on-going thread that was active as of a couple of days ago. It may provide further insight.

I recall a thread where someone posted pdfs with the 'rules of conduct' for those travelling on these passes. It included general dress and behaviour as well as things like politly accepting your seat assigment and not complaining if you are not sat in premium cabin but in a middle seat in the back row near the toilets.


But I reiterate the advice you need to contact your Delta Buddy with your questions and also say that your buddy will be responsible for your conduct.