What Are the Odds of Getting a Seat on a Standby Flight?

• Travelers who miss flights due to cancellations or delays get priority for standby. Others are prioritized by ticket type, loyalty programs, and first-come, first-serve.
• You’re more likely to get standby flights on less popular routes, off-peak travel seasons, or if you’re a member of an airline’s loyalty program.
• To improve your chances, arrive at the airport early and avoid checked luggage. Wait until the last minute in case your name is called.

What factors affect your chances of getting a standby flight?

Travelers who miss flights due to cancellations or delays get priority. When travelers request standby flights after their original flights were canceled, or after missing a connection due to delays, the airline will place those travelers’ names at the top of the standby list. If there are open seats on another flight to the same destination, those names will be called first. If other travelers ask to be added to the standby list, their names may be called next, assuming there are still seats available.

You’re more likely to get standby on flights with plenty of open seats. Airlines only allow standby passengers if there’s room on a flight. Full flights are a no-go, but if there are several open seats, you might get lucky and nab one. The number of open seats on a flight can vary depending on the airline, route, the day of the week, or even the time of year.

The higher you are on the standby list, the more likely you’ll get a seat. After adding your name to the standby list, you’ll wait at the gate until the non-standby passengers finish boarding. The staff will call names in the order they were added. So if there are six names on the list but only three open seats, you’re much more likely to get a seat if you’re one of the top three names. Sometimes, you may still get a standby seat if your name is lower on the list. For example, a couple traveling together may turn down the last standby seat because a second seat is not available. When this happens, the staff will continue down the list until someone takes that seat.

Some airlines prioritize first class and business class travelers. Paying more comes with lots of perks, including dibs on open seats. For example, United Airlines’ official policy is to give standby seats to first class and business passengers before economy class passengers, even when an economy class passenger makes the request first. First and business class passengers pay large sums of money for this special treatment.

Airlines prefer to give standby flights to their most loyal customers. Airlines with frequent flyer programs reward their members by giving them standby seats before other passengers of the same airline class. In other words, if two economy class passengers are on a standby list, but one is a member of the airline’s loyalty program, the member will usually be offered a seat before the other passenger. This may not apply to passengers of different airline classes. For example, an airline might prioritize a non-member first class passenger over a frequent flyer economy passenger since the first class passenger likely spent much more for their seat.

It’s easier to get standby seats on less popular routes. Planes on busy routes fill up fast, especially if they fly to major airports and popular travel destinations. But less busy routes aren’t so packed, so open seats are easier to come by. In some cases, less popular routes have fewer flights, so getting a standby seat may still be challenging.

It’s harder to get a standby seat during peak travel seasons. Airlines are stretched thin during the holidays and popular vacation months. Everyone is trying to fly and planes are often filled to capacity. Getting a standby flight could be difficult, especially if other passengers are given priority on open seats. Flight cancellations and rebookings are also more common during peak travel seasons. When this happens, open seats may be given to passengers from canceled flights.

You’re more likely to get a standby seat Monday-Thursday. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are the busiest days for most airlines, and flights are more likely to be fully booked. The first four days of the workweek, Monday through Thursday, tend to be slower. During peak travel seasons, any day of the week could be busy.

How to Improve Your Chances of Getting a Standby Flight

Arrive at the airport early. Most airlines only allow standby for earlier flights to the same destination. Check online for a list of earlier flights, then arrive a few hours before those flights. Add your name to the standby list using at the airport, or via the airline’s website or mobile app. Give yourself enough time to go through airport security as well. Check your airport’s website to determine how long it typically takes to go through security.

Avoid checked bags. Stick with carry-on luggage that you can bring on the plane. Since standby flights aren’t guaranteed, the airline won’t know where to send you checked bags until shortly before the plane departs. Some airlines even prohibit standby passengers from checking bags to avoid complications. If you’re at the airport and have already checked a bag, notify an airline agent at the airport before requesting standby. If you are still permitted to fly standby, ask the agent what will happen to your checked bag. For instance, you can ask, “Will my bag arrive at my destination on a separate flight?”

Travel solo. It’s easier to get one standby seat than multiple seats. If you’re traveling with family, friends, or a partner, not all of your names may be called from the list. Simplify things by signing up for standby when you’re traveling alone. If everyone you’re traveling with gets a standby seat, you may have to sit separately from each other since open seats may not be together.

Be polite to airline staff. It may sound obvious, but courtesy goes a long way when asking someone to help you. Be respectful and patient when asking to be added to the standby list, or when asking about updates and wait times. This applies to speaking with airport staff, airline agents at the gate, and customer service representatives over the phone. If you aren’t offered a standby seat on the specific flight, politely ask the staff if there are other flights available. Remember that airline staff have no control over which names get called or which flights have available seats.

Wait patiently in case your name is called at the last minute. Sometimes, a flight crew will fill a standby seat minutes before the plane departs. Pay close attention as names are called, and be prepared to get up and immediately board the plane if you hear your name. Bring something to do while you wait such as a book, music, or a laptop or tablet for watching shows and movies.

Standby Flight Policies by Airline

Alaska Airlines: Standby flights are available to passengers traveling on certain routes, members of Alaska Airlines’ MVP Gold Mileage plan, and passengers with refundable First Class or Main Cabin (economy) tickets. Your reservation must fall into one of these categories to be eligible for standby. Additional rules apply: Standby is available to passengers traveling nonstop (in either direction) between Anchorage and Fairbanks, Seattle and Portland, or Seattle and Spokane. Your ticket must be eligible for a same-day confirmed flight change, and there must be no seats available on your desired alternate flight. This applies to First Class, Main Cabin, and MVP Gold Member Mileage members. “Saver fare” tickets are not eligible for standby.

Allegiant Air: Passengers who purchase “Trip Flex” when booking their flight can change or postpone their trip for a $75 fee, per ticket. You modify your reservation up to 1 hour before your scheduled departure time. You can only do this once per reservation, and your original ticket is still non-refundable. You don’t have to pay additional fees to modify your reservation. If your alternate flight is more expensive, you may have to pay the difference in cost. This also applies to travel packages that include hotel rooms, car rentals, or other add-ons. While Trip Flex is not a “standby” policy in the traditional sense, it does allow you to change your flight at the last minute.

American Airlines: Standby flights are available to most passengers with tickets, but strict rules apply. Your new flight must depart on the same day, have the same number of stops, and take off and land at the same airports as your original flight. Any passenger can standby for an earlier flight. Standby for later flights is only available to AAdvantage members, the airline’s loyalty program. Other rules include: Fees for “confirmed” same-day changes, which guarantee a seat on another flight, start at $50. The actual fee may be higher, depending on the flight. Regular standby is available free of charge, but seats on specific flights are not guaranteed. This option is only available to passengers flying within the United States, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. International flights to Canada, the Caribbean, or between New York’s JFK Airport and London Heathrow, are eligible for same-day confirmed changes, but not free standby. Other international flights may not be eligible for either option. Complementary standby, including confirmed same-day changes, are available to active military personnel, passengers who purchase “unrestricted” tickets in any class, certain AAdvantage members, and members of some partner airlines like Alaska Airlines and JetBlue.

Delta Airlines: Standby is available for domestic flights within the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Passengers can pay for a “same-day confirmed” flight change, which guarantees them a seat on any Delta flight to the same destination, as long as it departs on the same day. Complimentary same-day standby places passengers on a standby list for an earlier flight to the same destination, though seats aren’t guaranteed. The fee for a “Same-day confirmed” starts at $75 per ticket, though the cost may be higher depending on your flight and ticket type. The fee is waived for Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Medallion members (Delta’s loyalty program). Complimentary standby passengers who do not get a seat on an earlier flight must board their original flight. Passengers with refundable tickets may be able to change their flight for no extra fee. Basic economy tickets are not eligible for same-day confirmed changes.

Frontier Airlines: Standby is only offered to elite-level members of the FRONTIER Miles frequent flyer program. To qualify, you must sign up for a FRONTIER Miles account and accrue at least 20,000 miles to reach elite status. Frontier offers same-day confirmed changes with guaranteed seats, and regular standby with no guaranteed seating. There are some important rules to keep in mind regarding accruing miles and requesting standby flights: Miles can be accrued by taking Frontier flights, or by making purchases with the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard. Your standby flight must depart earlier than your original flight, and have the same number of stops, or fewer. For example, if your original flight was nonstop, your standby flight must also be nonstop. You can change your flight’s destination to a different “sister city” that’s in the same region as your original destination. For example, you can change your destination from Milwaukee, WI to Madison, WI. A complete list of sister cities is available on Frontier’s website. Additional fees may apply when changing your destination to a sister city.

Hawaiian Airlines: Standby flights between certain Hawaiian islands are available exclusively to elite-level frequent flyers and corporate customers who bought tickets through the Corporate Web Portal. Only earlier, same-day flights between the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii Island—known collectively as the “Neighbor Islands”—are eligible for standby. There are a couple of other restrictions, too: To qualify for elite status, you must sign up for Hawaiian Airlines Pualani Frequent Flyer program and accrue at least 20,000 flight miles, or fly at least 30 segments. One segment consists of one flight—that is, one takeoff and landing. You can accrue miles by taking flights with Hawaiian Airlines, or by making purchases with the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard. You must request a standby flight prior to checking your luggage, and at least 30 minutes before your original flight’s scheduled departure time. You cannot fly standby if you have already checked in luggage for your original flight.

Jetblue: Passengers can request a standby flight that departs on the same day as their original flight, to the same destination. Seats are not guaranteed. You must request your standby flight in person at the airport—you can’t do it online or over the phone. Fees and rules include: There’s a $75 fee for all standby flights for passengers who purchase Blue Basic and Blue Plus tickets. The fee will be refunded if you are not able to get a seat on your standby flight. Passengers who purchase Blue Extra tickets, or refundable tickets, can apply for standby at no extra cost. Members of Jetblue’s TrueBlue rewards program who reach “Mosaic” status do not have to pay the standby fee. TrueBlue members can reach Mosaic status by flying frequently with JetBlue, or by making purchases with the Jetblue Credit Card. Only routes with multiple flights on the same day are eligible for standby. If your route only has one flight per day, you cannot apply for standby.

Spirit Airlines: Passengers with tickets can switch to an earlier flight to the same destination for $99, per ticket. The earlier flight must depart on the same day as the original flight. If the earlier flight is full, passengers can be added to the standby list for no extra fee. You can pay $119 to change or cancel your reservation, 0-6 days in advance, up to 1 hour before your flight’s scheduled departure time. However, this will not get you on a standby list. You can also change or cancel your flight 7-30 days in advance for $99, 31-59 days in advance for $69, or 60+ days in advance at no charge.

Southwest Airlines: Standby flights are available for free for all passengers, but seats aren’t guaranteed. Same-day changes with confirmed seats are available for free to Business Class travelers, certain members of Southwest’s A-List rewards program, folks who purchase refundable “Anytime” tickets, and travelers with special “Wanna Get Away Plus” tickets. Keep the following policies in mind: Passengers whose flights were canceled, or who missed connecting flights due to delays, get the highest priority for standby flights. Business class, Anytime ticket holders, and “Wanna Get Away Plus” ticket holders get priority over travelers with standard “Wanna Get Away” fares. “Wanna Get Away” ticket holders can still purchase a same-day flight change with a confirmed seat, but they’ll have to pay any difference in the cost of the airfare.

United Airlines: All ticketed travelers can request standby on flights that depart on the same day, to the same destination. There is no charge to be added to the standby list, but seats aren’t guaranteed. Travelers flying Economy, Economy Plus, Business, and First Class can also change their flight up to 24 hours before their original scheduled departure time, for a fee, with guaranteed seating. Additional rules apply: Travelers whose flights got canceled, or who missed connecting flights because of delays or cancellations, are automatically placed at the top of the standby list. For all other travelers, the order of priority for standby is: Premier status (members of United’s loyalty program), cabin type (first class, then business, then economy), United Infinite or Presidential Plus cardholders, United Corporate Preferred customers (a special loyalty program for business travelers), United Chase cardholders who spend $25,000 per year on their card, and lastly, the date of time you were added to the standby list. To be added to a standby list, open the United App or visit the United website. Go to “My Trips” and select “View flight options,” then follow the onscreen prompts to request standby. You can also request standby at the automated kiosk at the airport, or by speaking with a United agent at the airport check-in counter.