Eli5 What is stand-by on airlines? Can I be placed on standby for an earlier flight w/o cost to me?
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Stand-by is basically being able to get on a flight if it’s not full.
Airlines oversell flights, so the last people to buy tickets may not have guaranteed seats and have to wait stand-by to see if there are cancellations, no-shows, etc. that free up assigned seats. There are also other classes of fliers who may be stand-by, like flight crew not working but traveling for pleasure or returning to their home base.
You might also be able to get on the stand-by list to try and get on an earlier flight… say you’re in Chicago for business and your meetings wrap early, there was minimal traffic to the airport, so you arrive at 4pm. You have a seat on a 6:30 flight to LA, but there’s a 5:15 flight, too, and you might be able to get on the stand-by list by asking. If there’s a seat open, you get home an hour+ early. If not, you have your seat on your booked flight.
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