I'm wondering if anyone has ever had a need/desire to standby for an earlier flight on the first leg of a two leg flight, without rebooking the itinerary? Right now, I have a flight from PDX to MCO connecting through MSP. The PDX flight leaves at 1am and the MSP fight leaves at 7:30am. I was hoping to leave earlier for MSP to have some extra time there, but I'm told that if I'm there more than 4 hours, its a seperate trip. I know that, and I understand that, but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't like to try getting around it.

Just curious if anyone has been able to standby for an earlier flight like that? And, what about standy by for a 1am flight, because I believe you can't standby for a flight the day before, which technically would occur.

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

What earlier flight are you looking at? 1am is pretty much as early as it gets for same day standby.

I'd like to leave anytime the day before.

I doubt that they will let you go standby on the outbound the day before.

I've done standby to get home a day earlier (on a direct though) but not anytime recently.

I just had a weird couple of tickets. ORD-DTW-LEX on NW and LEX-ATL-MSY on DL. When I was returning home I arrived in LEX early enough to catch a standby flight to DTW. I took the flight because I would rather kill a couple of hours in the World Club than sit in LEX. I had no problem changing the first flight and taking the same DTW-ORD flight that I was originally scheduled on. BTW my DL flights posted at the same time as my NW flights (They we two different tickets)

How long was your layover in DTW? Supposedly, if its more than 4 hours, its not supposed to happen. But thats what I'm trying to confirm with you guys, to see if you've made it happen.

I just looked it up. I went from a half-hour layover to almost three hours. I did not know the rule you mentioned, but It would be hard to believe that an agent would really look at that.

Well, after some readings here and other phone calls, my conclusion is that there is absolutely, positively, no way that you can fly standby if you have the 1am flight. Standby is only good for the same day. Kinda unfortunate I think, but rules are rules I suppose.

Despite your findings via a phone call with NW, I have successfully stood-by for flights which ended up making my connection more than four hours (both via the online check-in standby method and at the gate). However, I don't know if the four hour rule is negated by same-day stand-by on the first segment. All flights were thru MSP connecting onto HNL (and none included a 1 a.m. flight).

aloha

I do agree with this. As a former AA EXP and now NW Platinum I have asked about this and have been told no. Standby is for the same day only. Now if you had an 11:59pm redeye it work in your favor. But a redeye at 12:01am would mean no standby earlier.

I have indeed been successful in standing by for an earlier segment to MSP which resulted in a 5.5 hour layover.

But again it was a same-day situation so I don't see the same thing happening for you unless you really get lucky.

You can standby on the first segment as long as it's the same day. The layover doesn't matter. I've done this before. Just tell that agent that you wish to standby for the first segment.

- Pat

The 4 hour connection time is irrelevant in this case.

The pax has a 1am flight from PDX-MSP. Unless there is another NW flight that leaves between 12:01am-12:59am there is no possible way to fly standby for an "earlier" flight as they are not the same day. This would require a change fee and difference in fare price.

That's why whenever you book a redeye you should try to get the one that leaves right before midnight, that way you have the chance to fly standby.

Yup, thats the ultimate lesson I have learned. Too bad the only redeye's from PDX to MSP are 1am. Oh well ... only have 3 more of those to fly in the next month.

If you booked PDX--SEA--MSP--xxx leaving at like 10pm you'd have some flex...... standby for an afternoon PDX--MSP nonstop (which is what I imagine you want to do.

The airlines are pretty strict about the same-day thing, but I've stood by for earlier flights many, many times: with family in MSP and friends near DTW, I kill multiple birds with one stone on my transcons. Plus, now with the Mpls light rail, I can get to my mom's house a little quicker. Will try the light rail for the first time in 24 hours!!

Only once has an agent mentioned the 4 hour rule--- most don't really pay attention. In the past I've also had agents offer to put me on the standby list from MSP to my final destination, but I decline and tell them I want to support the MN economy at the Mall of America.