Standby customers are usually boarded first. If there are seats they get on. Airline employees tend to check the loads before they travel, so if there are no open seats, you typically don't see people try to standby for the flights.

Getting on a plane as a standby passenger in 2026 is a game of probability, priority, and timing. While there is never a "guarantee," your chances are significantly higher if you possess elite frequent flyer status or are an airline employee, as these groups sit at the top of the priority list. For the average traveler—often a "revenue standby" trying to catch an earlier flight—success depends heavily on "no-shows" and last-minute cancellations. Statistically, standby success is much higher on mid-week, mid-day flights compared to peak Monday mornings or Friday evenings. It is a high-value peer strategy to travel with carry-on only, as airlines are more likely to clear a standby passenger whose luggage isn't already committed to a different aircraft. In the current era of high "load factors" (fuller planes), being the first to join the list via the airline's mobile app exactly 24 hours before departure is your best bet for turning that "standby" status into a confirmed seat.