The standby list looks like visualized chaos. Events like flight cancellations can suddenly leave hundreds of passengers stranded, and the standby list is how airlines accommodate these passengers when there aren’t enough flights or seats available to rebook all of them. Essentially, passengers aren’t booked on the flight, but are on a ‘waitlist’ for a seat onboard if it remains empty, and the standby list organizes these passengers using a method far more common than a ‘first come, first serve’ process.

While passengers previously on a canceled flight are among the most prominent who use the standby list, you’ll also see non-revenue travelers using it. In addition, ticketed passengers may simply place themselves on standby for another flight on that same day, depending on the airline’s policies. As such, there are a lot of people who may be looking to grab a limited number of seats on a given flight. Airlines therefore operate with a complex system to give priority to certain passengers.

Basic Economy Passengers Are Often Excluded

You May Need To Buy Up For Standby

Credit: Shutterstock

Most airlines allow passengers to standby for an earlier flight on the same day as their original ticket, either for a fee or for free. However, many that sell basic economy tickets do not include standby on these tickets. In the US, American Airlines and United Airlines are the two largest exceptions, as they do permit basic economy guests to standby for an earlier flight. Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, and JetBlue, however, do not grant this with basic economy tickets.

Ultimately, the purpose of basic economy tickets is to encourage passengers to buy up to the next-most expensive ticket type. Passengers sit in the same seats as those with other economy tickets, but the primary disadvantage with basic economy fares is the lack of flexibility. Airlines may prohibit any flight changes, and may also not allow seat selection. In addition, a basic economy ticket doesn’t come with a carry-on bag in some cases, and the lack of standby privileges fits in with the other restrictions.

Basic economy has been successful for airlines because passengers purchase higher fares after seeing the restrictions associated with it. Selecting these tickets often results in a pop-up message warning customers of the restrictions, while promoting the next fare class as being less restrictive. These tickets have also allowed airlines to compete more directly with budget airlines, and US airlines as a whole have begun to employ price segmentation more heavily as a core commercial strategy.

Time Of Request Makes A Difference

But Elite Status Is More Important

Credit: Shutterstock

Airlines operate complicated priority systems for standby lists with several different groups in a specific order, and each airline has a unique arrangement. If two passengers within the same code are on the standby list, then the time that their request was made will break the tie, but it won’t jump that passenger ahead of someone who has a higher priority code. Meanwhile, passengers who aren’t in one of the highest priority codes are simply arranged by the time of their request, but are still at the bottom of the list.

Although many people associate the standby list with flight cancellations, the reality is that it’s often used as a convenience. In the US, even passengers on economy tickets can stand by for an earlier flight, and this has become yet another way for airlines to reward loyalty. At the top of every list are those who hold the highest status within a carrier’s loyalty program; at the US’s three largest carriers, this is American Airlines’ ConciergeKey, Delta’s 360, and United Global Services status.

Elite members within the carrier’s loyalty program are arranged by tier on a standby list, while some airlines also mix in co-branded credit card holders. There are also other priority groups determined by different factors, including fare class, but the time of request is mainly used as a tie-breaker and to sort everyone at the back of the line. Primarily, it’s loyalty status, along with factors such as recent program spending or whether a passenger holds a credit card, that determines how the list is arranged.

Passengers On Canceled Flights Get Priority

You Jump Ahead If You’re Stranded

Credit: Shutterstock

Generally, passengers with elite status get priority when standing by for a flight, but this changes when ‘distressed passengers’ (those who were unable to board their original flight due to a cancellation) are introduced into the mix. This is to be expected, given that flight cancellations are an action taken by the airline, but it’s not usually standard practice for an airline to place distressed passengers on standby. Rather, carriers will rebook customers onto later flights, but sometimes, standby is the better option.

I was traveling once with American Airlines from Charlotte to New York a few years ago, as part of a ticket that originated in London, and my flight to JFK was canceled. It was the last flight to New York of the day, and in the midst of the chaos, I managed to rebook myself onto a flight the next morning to Newark.

After about four hours of sleep on Charlotte Airport’s luxurious benches, I woke up to a notification that the Newark flight was canceled, and the earliest option was an afternoon ticket with a stopover in Norfolk. Despite the exquisite accommodations, I rushed to the customer service desk and spoke with the agents for about 15 minutes until I was placed on standby for a flight to LaGuardia. I ended up getting a seat and landed in time for breakfast.

While airlines do rebook passengers who have had their flight canceled, this may not always be the most convenient option. Standby can give you significantly more flexibility and may even allow you to arrive just shortly after you were originally intended to, depending on the route. Today, this can typically be done online, and airport agents will also place you on standby for your desired flight if you’re less familiar with the carrier’s app/website.

Your Reason For Travel Factors Into Your Placement

This Is Specifically For Business Travelers

Credit: Shutterstock

Business traffic is extremely important to full-service carriers, and these airlines often negotiate large contracts with corporations for travel. Given how fiercely American, Delta, and United compete with one another, it’s tremendously important to match the benefits that the rivals offer and to offer points of differentiation when possible. One of the benefits offered by Alaska Airlines, Delta, and United is that corporate travelers receive priority over some other passengers on standby.

Primarily, this is used as a tie-breaker when two passengers are competing within the same tier, with a corporate traveler being placed ahead of someone else within the same priority code. Generally, this requires the passenger’s employer to be enrolled with the carrier’s corporate program, and their ticket may need to be marked as a corporate itinerary.

Elite status and fare class remain the two most important factors that determine a passenger’s ranking on a standby list. However, this is still an important benefit, especially considering that corporate travelers mainly value flexibility above all. As such, giving higher priority for standby gives corporations more of a reason to choose an airline over one that does not offer it.

Employees Are Prioritized Differently

Non-Rev Passengers Have Their Own Codes

Credit: Shutterstock

Airlines are known among the general public to provide flight benefits to employees. However, this looks quite different than what many people assume, because airline employees do not necessarily receive free flights. Instead, they can be on a separate standby list from passengers and are sorted based on factors like company seniority and the reason for travel.

Airline employees traveling on standby are usually categorized as ‘non-rev’ employees because they’re not paying for the flight, unlike revenue standby customers. As such, airline employees on the non-rev standby list are only cleared after all revenue passengers, which means that they might not even get a seat on the flight. In addition, passengers who are using a buddy pass and are not an employee of the airline are given the final position on the non-rev list.

In addition, airline crew members often ‘deadhead’, which is a different practice than non-rev travel. Deadheading is intended to move pilots and flight attendants to another airport in time to work a flight, and deadheading crew is therefore given the highest priority possible.

On occasion, you may even see an airline bump passengers to accommodate a deadheading crew, because they’re traveling to operate a flight. This is entirely different than non-rev flying, which is usually either used for commuting, personal travel, or less urgent company business.