How do I buy a standby flight?

Some airlines will let you phone in or register online to get on the standby list, but these options may only be available for confirmed same-day changes. Others may require you to show up at the airport and speak with an agent or at least use the kiosks at the airport.



In the 2026 aviation world, you generally cannot buy a "standby ticket" directly as a member of the general public; instead, standby is a high-fidelity "service option" you utilize after already purchasing a confirmed ticket. To fly standby, you must first book a standard flight and then request a "Same-Day Standby" change, usually via the airline’s app or at the airport kiosk. This allows you to list for an earlier or later flight on the same day for a high-value fee (often $75), which is typically waived for elite frequent flyers. In 2026, the high-fidelity necessity for a "buddy pass"—a true standby ticket without a confirmed seat—is only available to airline employees and their families. For the average traveler, the high-value strategy is to buy the cheapest "High-Fidelity" fare for the day you want to travel and then use the app on the morning of departure to see if any earlier "High-Fidelity" seats are open for standby. It is a high-fidelity requirement to know that standby seats are never guaranteed and are only awarded minutes before the high-value cabin door closes.

People Also Ask

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.

MORE DETAILS

In most cases, this means showing up a few hours before the first flight of the day. Because passengers are placed on the standby list on a first come, first served basis, this will maximize your chances of success.

MORE DETAILS

Keep in mind that seat availability for same day standby travel will not be known until thirty minutes before the flight departs. During that time, be sure to stay in the boarding area, wait for your name to be called, and respond right away when the gate agent calls your name.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

The cost of flying standby depends on two things: the flight itself, and who you are to the airline. Most likely, however, there will be a nominal charge of between $25 and $100 to fly standby. receive a free standby flight as compensation.

MORE DETAILS

During boarding, as seats are available, names will be called in order from the list, and passengers will be issued seats for the flight. If the flight fills up before they get to your name, you'll be left at the gate watching the plane take off.

MORE DETAILS

Tuesdays and Wednesday seem to be two of the best for flying standby. Simply, there are generally less travelers and more space on planes.

MORE DETAILS

Myths about same-day flights Depending on your airline's rules, however, you'll only need to “walk up” if you want to book extremely close-in. If you don't need to fly any sooner than 2-3 hours in the future (in most cases), you should be able to book and receive confirmation as you would any other itinerary.

MORE DETAILS

A buddy pass is a form of standby ticket by using your family's or friend's ticket benefits. It is not a confirmed ticket and means a person with buddy pass gets on a flight if there are empty or available seats. With this kind of arrangement, a buddy pass is typically much cheaper and flexible than confirmed tickets.

MORE DETAILS

Under the Travel Status dropdown for leisure travel process, selection that is available to IndiGo employees is “R2 standby”. R2 Standby means Leisure standby.

MORE DETAILS

Most flights nowadays have standby passengers awaiting that precious open seat. Giving the airline enough notice also improves your chances of being rebooked on the next available flight, space permitting. And just because you're late doesn't mean you should throw in the towel.

MORE DETAILS

Reserve flight attendants are usually on reserve 18 to 20 days per month, but it can be even less. The more seniority a reserve accrues, the more days off they may be able to have.

MORE DETAILS

Standby, on the other hand, involves showing up at the airport without a confirmed ticket and hoping to secure a seat if there are no-shows or last-minute cancellations. While waitlisting is often done in advance, usually online or through customer service, standby is typically done at the airport on the day of travel.

MORE DETAILS

The cheapest day to book your ticket is Saturday and Sunday, but the cheapest day to actually fly on is Tuesday. And the cheapest time of day to physically book your ticket is between 6AM and 12PM.

MORE DETAILS

While flying standby offers advantages, it is also never without risk. If you absolutely must be at your destination at a certain time, either plan for a sufficient buffer or refrain from flying standby in that case. Keep the right attitude: As mentioned, standby flying is almost like a game of chance.

MORE DETAILS