How does the standby list work for flights?

What Does Flying Standby Mean? Flying standby in today's travel industry allows passengers who pre-purchased tickets the option of making same-day changes to travel plans if seats are available on their desired flights. You may enter your name into the standby list if: Your original flight was canceled.



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A standby list allows you to change to a different flight if a seat becomes available. It's an option if you're hoping for an earlier flight or if your flight has been canceled or delayed. Flying standby with us is free and easy, but there's no guarantee that you will get a seat while on a standby list.

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In summary, standby flights do offer some advantages. However, the booking should be weighed thoroughly. If you have the opportunity and enough time flexibility, it is well worth trying your luck with a standby flight ticket.

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Every airline has its own priority system, but in general, the order for boarding standby passengers is as follows:
  • Full-fare passengers.
  • Commuting flight crews.
  • Standby passengers from the airline (in order of seniority or time of check-in)
  • Buddy pass travelers.
  • Standby passengers from other airlines.


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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.

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Can you simply show up at the airport without a ticket and expect to get somewhere for cheap? The short answer is no. Airlines no longer allow you to wait around at the counter in hopes of snagging a standby flight and filling the last seat of a departing flight.

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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.

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It means exactly what it says: an agent will assign a seat to you at the gate. Chances are the flight is overbooked, so they're still figuring out who is flying and who is not.

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Standby flights are in fact quite cheap. Just about 10% of the normal price must usually be paid. So a standby flight can be quite financially rewarding.

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

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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.

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And while waiting until the last minute might sound like a good idea, it typically is cheaper to book your flights in advance. We are seeing fewer last-minute deals than in years past, especially when it comes to flights, a Kayak spokesperson tells Travel + Leisure.

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Unless there are plenty of seats available, you will probably get a boarding pass indicating 'SBY' instead of a seat number. Go to the gate and introduce yourself to the gate agent. He/she will keep your boarding pass and call you when you get a seat.

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Unless you pay for a seat, you'll be assigned one either at check-in or at boarding time. You are, however, guaranteed a seat as much as with any other ticket.

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Standby means that portion of a duty period during which a flight crewmember is subject to the control of the program manager and holds himself or herself in a condition of readiness to undertake a flight.

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phrase. If someone or something is on standby, they are ready to be used if they are needed.

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A few airlines allow you to check your position on the standby list using, an App, their Web site and/or airport gate flight displays.

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