Free standby for A-list
Sep 12, 2016, 4:28 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Houston (HOU/IAH)
Programs: WN, UA, DL, AA, Chase UR, Amex MR
Posts: 2,267
Free standby for A-list
Just got the following email:
Dear alggag,
Rapid Rewards® just got more rewarding! Beginning Tuesday, September 13, A-List and A-List Preferred Members will get to enjoy free same-day standby as a new benefit when flying standby within two hours of your original scheduled departure, between the same city pairs, and on the original date of travel.
To take advantage of this new benefit, see a friendly Customer Service Agent at the airport on your day of travel.**
Limiting it to two hours of original departure sounds like this will have limited usefulness to the high frequency routes but still a nice change.
Dear alggag,
Rapid Rewards® just got more rewarding! Beginning Tuesday, September 13, A-List and A-List Preferred Members will get to enjoy free same-day standby as a new benefit when flying standby within two hours of your original scheduled departure, between the same city pairs, and on the original date of travel.
To take advantage of this new benefit, see a friendly Customer Service Agent at the airport on your day of travel.**
Limiting it to two hours of original departure sounds like this will have limited usefulness to the high frequency routes but still a nice change.
Sep 12, 2016, 5:36 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Dallas
Posts: 130
While I'm happy to see this, it is unfortunate it is only two hours. There are only a few flights that I take that I can even utilize this.
I'm going to make a comment about it on the Southwest's own forum. Maybe it will find the right person at WN...maybe. For those who don't know about the forum (it's pretty new), here is the link: https://community.southwest.com/
Edit: Here is the link to my exact post on the WN-run forum: https://community.southwest.com/t5/R...atch/m-p/47830
I'm going to make a comment about it on the Southwest's own forum. Maybe it will find the right person at WN...maybe. For those who don't know about the forum (it's pretty new), here is the link: https://community.southwest.com/
Edit: Here is the link to my exact post on the WN-run forum: https://community.southwest.com/t5/R...atch/m-p/47830
Last edited by AlexM125; Sep 12, 2016 at 5:53 am
Sep 12, 2016, 6:12 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: USA
Programs: Chase Sapphire Reserve, WFBF
Posts: 1,573
Yeah, I wonder how they decided on a 2-hour cutoff. Two possibilities:
- This is a marketing gimmick to "align" with other loyalty programs but they don't want us to really be able to use it.
- They are targeting this to folks who fly specific, high-frequency routes, and I guess the rest of us are less important.
Sep 12, 2016, 6:34 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
I vote for #1. Hopefully (and wishful thinking) they'll empower Agents at the airport to have a little discretion & leeway and stretch it a bit. Although not many people will show up early just to wait and take a chance with the rule as is. Really a whole lot of nothing. Surprised it wasn't touted on NFL ads yesterday...
Last edited by joshua362; Sep 12, 2016 at 6:40 am
Sep 12, 2016, 7:50 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,174
At least those at a certain level.
Sep 12, 2016, 9:19 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: MCI
Programs: Southwest A-List, AMC Stubs A-List, Chick-fil-A-List
Posts: 399
I'd love to see how this policy plays out in the real world for:
Taking an earlier connection -- I'd have saved three hours at Midway last week if that flight just under the MCT was available to me.
Coterminals, both departing and arriving.
Taking an earlier connection -- I'd have saved three hours at Midway last week if that flight just under the MCT was available to me.
Coterminals, both departing and arriving.
Sep 12, 2016, 9:21 am
#12
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,286
The website hasn't been updated with details yet, but this graphic makes it appear that this replaces "standby priority." While that feature had it's problems, it's arguable that it could be utilized by many more A-Listers than free standby with a 2-hour window limitation could. Meaning, in essence, that this could actually be a downgrade.
Sep 12, 2016, 9:55 am
#14
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,618
This. The price differential by time of day can be very high. Southwest doesn't want you to pay for a cheap hour and fly at a peak hour. They want you to pay the price for peak or near-peak travel time if that's when you fly.
Sep 12, 2016, 9:58 am
#15
Moderator: Southwest Airlines, Capital One
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: California
Programs: WN Companion Pass, A-list preferred, Hyatt Globalist; United Club Lietime (sic) Member
Posts: 21,618
The website hasn't been updated with details yet, but this graphic makes it appear that this replaces "standby priority." While that feature had it's problems, it's arguable that it could be utilized by many more A-Listers than free standby with a 2-hour window limitation could. Meaning, in essence, that this could actually be a downgrade.