A-List Standby is free for ANY earlier flight starting March 8, 2017
 

Looks like the A-List standby policy is getting a whole lot better. Nothing official from the company yet but my sources tell me the 2-hour restriction is dropping from Southwest's standby rules.

New rules take effect 8 March 2017 as I understand it.

Link to my story that doesn't really offer a ton of extra details, but I included it anyways.

ETA: Got an update mostly confirming the change but also that it will only apply to flights PRIOR to the original booking. No free standby on a later flight.

Alrighty then.

Thanks for the heads-up!

Thank you for the report, Seth!

This will take a lot of the sting out of the new policy of auto-canceling near-duplicate reservations.

This is a huge game-changer if true. Makes A-List much more valuable.

Now those members can just always book the cheapest remotely acceptable flight of the day (in case there is very tight availability overall) and switch to the premium departure times on the day of. This will save people a ton of money.

It can be although a little too late for me having retired from business travel and losing status for the first time since it was invented.

I'd argue that its not such a big deal since my employer would pay for any same day change costs. And if personal travel, its not going to extend to my companions, might save me some points on my booking. I'd rather had the ability to duplicate book.

But if self employed or other circumstances...

Nevermind, its the existing standby rules...


This just in via email, 3 RTs for A List status:

To qualify for A-List status through December 31, 2017, register, book, and complete three qualifying round trip (or six one-way) revenue flights between January 30 and April 30, or earn 8,750 tier qualifying points from revenue flights booked and flown between January 30 and April 30.


Say yes to the A-list perks
Priority boarding ✔
(New) Free same-day standby* ✔
Fly By® priority check-in
& security lane access** ✔
Earning bonus 25%
Dedicated phone line ✔

*Free same-day standby is not available at Southwest® kiosks. Please see a Customer Service Agent at the airport for this benefit. New flight must depart within two hours of original scheduled departure, between the same city pairs, and on the original date of travel. On flights outside of the two hour free same-day standby window, A-List and A-List Preferred Members will receive priority standby and will be required to pay the difference in fare if a seat becomes available. Free same-day standby and priority standby will not be provided for non-A-List or non-A-List Preferred Members in the same reservation.

Do we know how it will affect our companion pass holder if they are traveling with? Seems if I get a different flight and if there is another seat available, they'd be able to switch right alongside.

Anyone know for sure?

I tried using the 2 hour rule with my companion and the desk agent called the station manager (DEN) and said basically I can't use this perk if I have a companion. She agreed with me that it was stupid however if I would change my flight then my companion wouldn't be flying that day even if they had 2 seats on the flight I wanted to standby on. I hope they change this so then I can actually use this perk since I normally fly with my companion.

??? All you're bolding in your post is language from an email you received today. As OP noted, the change, if it happens, won't be for another week.

Sorry, I jumped the gun & initially thought it confirmed the new policy rumor. :o

Those damn asterisks. "New" tricked me as well being this is been in effect for 6 months now.

Odd that they wouldn't wait a week to send this out to tout the new "new" benefit (if true) as it can be worthwhile to many.

Got an update that mostly confirms the change. Also clarifies that it will only apply to flights PRIOR to the original booking. No free standby on a later flight.

Doesn't the flat tire rule kind of take care of that? It seems like their current policy is very YMMV based on the agent you talk to. I've only kind of tried to use it once. One of those winter storms was affecting one of my cities for travel later that week, but not the city I was in. I made up some story about how I might get stuck in the storm, but if they moved me to an earlier flight that day I could finish my work earlier yada yada but the agent saw I was A+ and said, oh you get free standby anyway. This was well outside the 2 hour window, she printed me and my companion new tickets and we were on our way.

You forgot the most important perk. This takes away the biggest argument of the WN bashers on this board. ;)

Seriously, this will be another reason I will not be moving to AA as I keep contemplating.

That won't work too well when the "premium departure times" are full flights!

It's true, the two hour limit is being lifted. A list and A list preferred members will be allowed to stand by for earlier flight beginning March 8. I know a WN agent who tells me they were given the info in a company e-mail yesterday. It takes effect Wednesday March 8. Watch your e-mails soon..