Understanding Airport Standby Procedures And Protocols

Flying standby used to be as simple as showing up at the airport and buying a cheap ticket in exchange for waiting hours or days in the terminal. Now, it's reserved for those who have been bumped from their original flights, those who want to get on an earlier or later flight on the same day, and airline employees and their families. Passengers can request to fly standby when checking in online or at the airport, and then head to the departure gate early.

Who can fly standby?

Flying standby is reserved for a few specific groups of people. Firstly, those who have been involuntarily bumped from their original flights can fly standby. Secondly, passengers who want to get on an earlier or later flight on the same day as their original flight can fly standby. Thirdly, airline employees, their families and eligible companions can fly standby for free or nearly free. Finally, if you know someone who works for an airline, you can ask them for a 'buddy pass', which will allow you to fly standby for the cost of the ticket's taxes and fees.

How to get on the standby list

Standby flying is now reserved for those who have been bumped from their original flight, those who want to get on an earlier or later flight on the same day as their original flight, and airline employees, their families and eligible companions who fly for free or nearly free.

Non-employees can get on the standby list by speaking to a ticket agent or gate agent at the airport. When the flight boards, agents give any available seats to standby passengers, who wait at the gate to be called. Standby passengers who don't get seats are rolled into the standby list for the next flight.

Passengers can request to fly standby when checking in online or at the airport. The airline will then advise passengers to head to the departure gate early, but standby status won't be known until 30 minutes before flight departure.

The only other instance where flying standby still works is if you know someone who works for an airline. Airline employees are issued a handful of buddy passes per year, which they can distribute to friends and family. These enable the pass holder to fly standby for only the cost of the ticket's taxes and fees.

Priority for standby passengers

Standby flying is now an extra service for ticket-holders, rather than a cheap alternative for non-ticket holders. Passengers can request to fly standby when checking in online or at the airport. Standby passengers are typically given priority based on how much they paid for their tickets and their relative status in the airline's frequent flyer program. For example, a person who paid full fare has higher priority than someone who purchased a 21-day advance fare, who, in turn, has higher priority than someone who just showed up hoping to board the plane.

Non-employees can get on the standby list by speaking to a ticket agent or gate agent. This usually must occur in person at the airport, and not over the phone. When the flight boards, agents give any available seats to standby passengers, who wait at the gate to be called. Standby passengers who don't get seats are rolled into the standby list for the next flight.

The only instance where "flying standby" in the original sense -- just turning up at the airport and hopping on a flight -- still works is if you know someone who works for (or is retired from) an airline. Airline employees are issued a handful of buddy passes per year, which they can distribute to friends and family. They enable the pass holder to fly standby for only the cost of the ticket's taxes and fees. However, you'll have to wait at the airport until a flight has an open seat.

How to request to fly standby

Flying standby is reserved for passengers who have been involuntarily bumped from their original flights, those who want to get on an earlier or later flight on the same day as their original flight, and airline employees, their families and eligible companions who fly for free or at a discounted rate.

To request to fly standby, passengers can ask to be put on the standby list when checking in online or at the airport. This usually has to be done in person at the airport, and not over the phone. It is also possible to request to fly standby by speaking to a ticket agent or gate agent.

Once requested, the airline advises passengers to head to the departure gate early. However, standby status won't be known until 30 minutes before flight departure. Standby passengers who don't get seats are rolled into the standby list for the next flight.

Standby passengers typically have priority based on how much they paid for their tickets and their relative status in the airline's frequent flyer program. A person who paid full fare has higher priority than someone who purchased a discounted fare in advance, who, in turn, has higher priority than someone who just showed up hoping to board the plane.

Standby tickets for airline employees

Standby tickets are a great way for airline employees to fly for free or nearly free. Airline employees are issued a handful of 'buddy passes' per year, which they can give to friends and family. These passes allow the holder to fly standby for the cost of the ticket's taxes and fees. However, you will have to wait at the airport until a flight has an open seat.

To fly standby, passengers can request to do so when checking in online or at the airport. Once requested, the airline advises passengers to head to the departure gate early. Standby status won't be known until 30 minutes before flight departure.

Standby passengers who don't get seats are rolled into the standby list for the next flight. Standby passengers typically have priority based on how much they paid for their tickets and their relative status in the airline's frequent flyer program. A person who paid full fare has higher priority than someone who purchased a 21-day advance fare, who, in turn, has higher priority than someone who just showed up hoping to board the plane.

In the past, flying standby was simply showing up at the airport a couple of hours before the flight and trying to find the cheapest available flight. However, in recent years, it has become an extra service that ticket-holders can invoke if certain conditions apply.

Frequently asked questions