Most major airlines have special deep discounts on airfare that a lot of people are not aware of for themselves. The really low fares are the stand by tickets. Some of the disadvantages are that you might get on the flight you hope to and it might be all booked so you don't. Another disadvantage is that you cannot pick your seat. One other disadvantage is that you might not get a meal, snack or other food offered to everyone else. The really great fares are for the people willing to withstand those bad points for the excellent price of their tickets. Ask before you book your next flight if you can use a stand by fare. I do this all the time and thought I would tell those who don't know about this.
Thank you for sharing! I haven't flown in years, but it's nice to know this is an option. My cousin works for a major airline, and everyone in his family, including his own parents, can fly free on stand-by. One thing my aunt has told me is she has to dress very nicely when flying stand-by, just in case the seat that opens is in first class. Apparently, first class has a dress code. This would probably apply in the situation you are describing as well.
Yes, as they say even if the early bird catches the worm...it is the second mouse that gets the cheese. (-: Lol. Great one to know, thank you, although, I am not sure if I will be able to access a ticket like that where I am. It is worth a try though, as I am needing to purchase an airline ticket soon - sometimes one just needs to ask. Thanks to you, I will. Thank you for the share...
Nice would you just call up your booking agent and ask for stand by seats? I assume it is kind of a last minute deal? I doubt it would work for me, as my flights to the UK are ALWAYS oversold, they actually offer people money to get off the plane!
These things with airlines are so complicated! Sometimes you should book early and sometimes you should wait up to last minute as many scheduled flights remain empty and airlines give away the tickets for more than half price off. So it all depends on how urgent your trip is and how much you are willing to risk.
That is so true, that these airlines can be so complicated! It is so frustrating as their story always changes. Most airlines are so dodgy too, I just pay to get the irritation over. However, last week I went into a reputable agency and the outright lies they told me made me pray that alternative air travel becomes available sooner rather than later. The internet still offers the best deals by far...my times are always flexible which makes it simpler, or so one would think.
This is a good way to get discounted tickets if you can stand the frustration. We got stuck in Iowa once waiting to get a flight. Iowa is beautiful so we didn't mind it, but we were not happy having to wait until the next day to get a flight. If you have to pay for a hotel, you may not save as much as you hoped. Sometimes it is better to look for the best deals on the internet, as mentioned by some of the other people posting here.
If you can manage to get by, this will definitely save you some cash! Thanks for the tip! From what I've heard, this is how people working at airlines get their free tickets. Some of them get multiple tickets a year and I guess all of them will be stand by tickets. :O
It is always a plus to look nice just in case a person is actually influenced by your attire prior to boarding you on a stand by status. I do have to dress well since I like to dress up anyway and that will increase my chances of being put on the plane and yes, maybe even first class. That has been known by me to be put on and seated in first class with all the trimmings.
Yes, the person needs a temperament to travel stand by for sure. If you are the nervous type or truly actually need to be somewhere at a designated date and time , stand by is not the choice for those instances. It is an adventure and should be treated with that kind of mindset to not come unglued. You did well in Iowa and enjoyed it a bit even though you had some inconvenience.
Yes, it does take some research about what the airline policies are to determine which deals are the best for you. If you don't want to take advantage of a stand by ticket, look into booking 21 days in advance and you will most likely get the seating you want and the best price too.
Yes, ask if there are any stand by tickets on the flight you wish to board. Sometimes they will ask if you want to come down to wait, you will be put on the flight if there are stand by seats available. The key is to watch for airline employees traveling.Those people have higher priority than any stand by passengers. If your flights often ask for people to sell their seats, you can bet your bottom dollar they won't have stand by seats. There are rare ocasions where I have flown stand by and gotten on a full flight . The lady and her daughter did not have suitable passports. One lady and myself were lucky stand by passengers to France that time. One really can not ever say NEVER.
This is a wonderful tip I had no idea existed. I wish I was on a flight where people were offered money to give up their seat, lol I would be perfectly fine with that. I have been thinking more and more about traveling and I think standby would be something I could handle. As long as I knew that was what I was doing, I would look at it as an adventure and get a great deal.
There are also those discounts that some airlines offer for really early bookers. Like the ones where you book the flight almost a year before or less.
I never knew about flying stand by. It seems a bit risky, but as you stated, you need to be very flexible and bit adventurous. I can see this working for a last minute getaway or a for a fun weekend trip.
