tobiashenry

As I know AC allows you to standby for earlier flight on YVR-YYC

Can I do the same on WJ? Or can I ask at the airport to do so?

Adam Smith

They don't do standby on any flights. You can do same-day change, but that's it. And the process for executing SDC can be painful. Many agents seem to want nothing to do with it, and even on flights that still show plenty of seats available when queried via EF (e.g. W3 Y7), an agent may just tell you it's not available; either they're right and there's no public data you can use to verify that, or they don't know how or don't want to do it. That doesn't mean it can't be done - I've SDCed YVR-YYC a number of times - but it's not something you can really rely on. You show up, you ask whether they can put you on an earlier flight, and if they say yes, it's a bonus. If they say no, you can walk around and do whatever is the in-person equivalent of HUCA, but best to keep your expectations low.

If you place significant value on flexibility, AC is the better choice.

YYCguy

If you have checked bags I don�t think they will let you SDC. I�m not sure if there�s other restrictions attached to SDC or not.

Adam Smith

You can SDC before you've checked your bags, either via OLCI or at the check-in counter. After you've checked the bags, I don't know, I've never tried.

There are a few restrictions on SDC. One is no SDC on Basic fares. Historically, the most noxious, from my perspective, was that SDC was only available via OLCI if you were within 5 hours of your original flight, but also at least 2 hours from the new flight. For changing to a later flight, this might be slightly more useful, but it created only a tiny window of flights if you were looking to SDC to an earlier flight. For example, if you were booked on a YVR-YYC at 1900, SDC would only be available starting at 1400, and you would only be able to change to flights departing after 1600. So you would not be able to take, say, a 1545 departure (less than 2 hours from when SDC opens) let alone a 1300 departure (SDC not even open yet). In practice, I found this meant even routes with pretty good frequency like YYC<>YLW or YYC<>LAS had no online SDC early optionality. YYC<>YVR was about the only one that tended to have flights within that narrow window.

I haven't tried to SDC anything with WS since late 2019, so it's possible this is out of date, although I've seen no indication that it has changed (it's not published in the website's SDC explainer, but I don't believe it was there in 2019 either; I found about it from a phone agent or it was buried deep on some other page). Note this should not apply at the airport, where they could perform an SDC up to 24 hours ahead of your original flight, to any flight departing same calendar day as your original.

YYCguy

It is definitely a no go AFTER bags are checked on original flight.

Nitehawk

With regards to comments on how difficult SDC is. I've experienced the opposite, it's been super easy for me with no pushback. I do it via the call center once check in opens, no need to be at the airport. Usually completed within 5 minutes of starting the call. Maybe it's not so easy if not platinum?

Adam Smith

Call centre can do SDC now? That's new. Well, new since 2020. Previously it was only at the airport or via OLCI.

V1213

Yes - I always do my SDC via the call centre, and have had no problems as a Gold. I usually call at the 24 hour mark, if I know I'm going to need the change.

Reccilake

I do same day change between Calgary and Vancouver all the time as I do the run 20 times a year. I usually book an early evening fare and go to the airport when I want and try to get on next available flight. They do something like 13 or 14 flights per day every hour so I usually have had good luck. No so much lately though as the route seems to sell out.