Southwest Airlines same-day standby experiences?

[bcla]

I "purchased" a Christmas Day Wanna Get Away OAK-LAX ticket for less than 2000 Rapid Rewards points, plus whatever fees in cash were required. However, it's one of the later flights of the day and I'm a bit concerned that cascading delays could be an issue that gets me there really late. I'm not renting a car, and the public transportation I'm planning on using stops service around midnight. I've certainly been there when a flight was delayed hours due to equipment issues.

There will be several earlier nonstop flights and I'm thinking I might get there earlier and hopefully not stress out too much about being late.

https://www.southwest.com/airfare-types-benefits/sameday-standby-change/

I've seen some discussion about this, but I'm wondering what recent experience has been like. I'm not really all that worried about having to stay at the airport for hours as I'll have snacks and a device to keep me busy if I have to wait. As far as I can tell, my only option would be to get there early and go the gate of the earlier flight I want to board. It also looks like a passenger can request a different flight or set of flights, although I'm not sure I want to deal with nonstop flights with the possibility of delays increasing.

 

[EACarlson]

My understanding is that with a WGA fare, you'd still be on the hook for the fare difference, so you could change now or change the same day confirmed as long as there are seats available for the same price. You have to have WGA+ or higher for the same day confirmed or standby to not have a fare difference.

 

[bcla]

My understanding is that with a WGA fare, you'd still be on the hook for the fare difference, so you could change now or change the same day confirmed as long as there are seats available for the same price. You have to have WGA+ or higher for the same day confirmed or standby to not have a fare difference.

OK - I was reading it wrong. I was interpreting same-day standby as free on a space-available basis. There's no way I'm going to do that as the price has gone way, way up.

 

[cats mom]

Yep, to get same-day changes you either need to book a higher fare category or have status with SW.

My husband is A-list and he used to do same-day changes all the time. He still does occasionally, but it's been more difficult lately. He thinks it's a combination of allowing plus fare category and above the same privilege, and so many flights being completely booked.

Cheapest fare and no status = they'll gladly switch your flights, but they'll charge you the difference between what you originally booked and the current price.

Not long ago I asked about switching to an earlier (and definitely NOT full) flight, but because I booked the cheap fare, they would only do it if I paid a couple hundred bucks fare difference. Not happening. So I sat for several hours waiting for my original flight. Turns out that flight was overbooked and they had to offer $800 for someone to bump. Clearly, it would have been better for them to waive charging the price difference and put me on the earlier flight, but no, they stuck with rules are rules.

 

[JLTraveling]

Not long ago I asked about switching to an earlier (and definitely NOT full) flight, but because I booked the cheap fare, they would only do it if I paid a couple hundred bucks fare difference. Not happening. So I sat for several hours waiting for my original flight. Turns out that flight was overbooked and they had to offer $800 for someone to bump. Clearly, it would have been better for them to waive charging the price difference and put me on the earlier flight, but no, they stuck with rules are rules.

Not Southwest, but we experienced something even worse with United several years ago. We were on an open-ended trip to Alaska, and when we were ready to leave, we booked flights home using credits from previously canceled flights. Alaska Air to Denver was super-easy, and we even got randomly upgraded to first class. But the Denver to Orlando leg was United.

When I booked a few days out, the only availability they had was departing at something like 8am, the day AFTER we would arrive at 8am from Anchorage. So I booked it. That flight also happened to be on the Fourth of July. As soon as we landed in Denver, we asked if there was anything sooner to Orlando. There was. There were about three flights that day that had had a few seats open up. All we would have to do is pay FULL same-day fare. Apparently the credits had expired the day before, so while they would be honored for the tickets we already had, they would not be applied if we changed the flight. And that would be true even if we tried for standby.

So we spent 24 hours in the Denver airport. It was hell. But at least we found a rooftop with a great view of the downtown fireworks.

 

[RedAngie]

I miss the era of just showing up at the airport and asking to switch to an earlier flight and 90% of the time being accommodated. For no additional fare.

Sometimes the routing changed if a connection was involved, but in general it was super easy.

 

[fla4fun]

Not long ago I asked about switching to an earlier (and definitely NOT full) flight, but because I booked the cheap fare, they would only do it if I paid a couple hundred bucks fare difference. Not happening. So I sat for several hours waiting for my original flight. Turns out that flight was overbooked and they had to offer $800 for someone to bump. Clearly, it would have been better for them to waive charging the price difference and put me on the earlier flight, but no, they stuck with rules are rules.

I am surprised they couldn’t see in their computers that this could be an issue, and be proactive about allowing you to move to the other flight. I mean, they could have made it look like they were doing you this huge, one time only, exception of a change (like other companies do), when really it would have been to their benefit more than yours. Sometimes it amazes me how companies operate.

 

[barkley]

I miss the era of just showing up at the airport and asking to switch to an earlier flight and 90% of the time being accommodated. For no additional fare.

heck i miss the era in the 80's when i could go to SFO at 11 p.m. any night of the week and get a seat on the midnight flight to LAX. there was an airline that started some route started in seattle but had to do a quick nightly stop in san francisco before it hit los angeles. you just showed up at the ticketing desk, handed them $25 and proceeded to the gate.

 

[sam_gordon]

I miss the era of just showing up at the airport and asking to switch to an earlier flight and 90% of the time being accommodated. For no additional fare.

I've done that successfully 2/3 times in the last month and a half with Delta. The one unsuccessful the flight was full. I simply showed up for the earlier flight and asked the gate agent if they had room. I didn't have checked bags to worry about, so don't know how that would affect things.

 

[bcla]

I've done that successfully 2/3 times in the last month and a half with Delta. The one unsuccessful the flight was full. I simply showed up for the earlier flight and asked the gate agent if they had room. I didn't have checked bags to worry about, so don't know how that would affect things.

Did that once, but it was years ago. I was there about 90 minutes early and came across another gate showing a nonstop to the same destination that was pushing off in about 2 minutes. So I asked if I could get on the flight and was asked if I had everything with me. I was on the plane in less than a minute.

 

[bcla]

heck i miss the era in the 80's when i could go to SFO at 11 p.m. any night of the week and get a seat on the midnight flight to LAX. there was an airline that started some route started in seattle but had to do a quick nightly stop in san francisco before it hit los angeles. you just showed up at the ticketing desk, handed them $25 and proceeded to the gate.

The SFO-LAX corridor was extremely competitive. Several airlines (United, PSA, AirCal) had flights at least every hour. Some airlines had 2-3 flights during peak times.

As for paying - remember when it was possible to enter through security without a ticket? I used to do that often to send someone off or pick them up. Some airlines used to allow passengers to just board a plane and then pay the flight attendant a standard fare. Obviously that wouldn't be allowed now with TSA (or whatever) checking boarding passes/IDs. I have heard that at some airports they don't ask to see boarding passes now as they associate the boarding pass with the ID.

 

[EACarlson]

The SFO-LAX corridor was extremely competitive. Several airlines (United, PSA, AirCal) had flights at least every hour. Some airlines had 2-3 flights during peak times.

As for paying - remember when it was possible to enter through security without a ticket? I used to do that often to send someone off or pick them up. Some airlines used to allow passengers to just board a plane and then pay the flight attendant a standard fare. Obviously that wouldn't be allowed now with TSA (or whatever) checking boarding passes/IDs. I have heard that at some airports they don't ask to see boarding passes now as they associate the boarding pass with the ID.

In the last year I've never had my boarding pass scanned across a dozen or so flights, only once the year before that. The only BP I've seen scanned was my 10 year old, everybody else they wanted ID.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I have heard that at some airports they don't ask to see boarding passes now as they associate the boarding pass with the ID.

MCI is like that now as was Vegas and I'm sure the airports my husband has been too this year at least some of those were.

When they scan your ID it populates your picture and they can connect that with the flight manifest. Airports are switching more and more to that. I like it because I almost always use my phone as my boarding pass and it's annoying having to have that out with my personal item on top of my carry on and my ID out. Just juggling it all. It's easier to just carry my ID and hand that to them.

As far as same day standby experiences my husband has used it several times this year with work travel (getting done early, switch to an earlier flight) but he's A-list. From what I know he's not really had to do Standby but rather been able to fully switch to an earlier flight so it technically is a sameday change. This being Christmas Day and with a large blanket of the U.S. under winter weather? I wouldn't count on being able to switch even with considering having to pay the fare difference (as you mentioned in your later comments). Def. keep your eyes out on that day if you want to though.

Most airlines don't allow you to change for free. Either a fee is attached or fare difference or both. With SWA you don't pay a fee with them but if you don't have A-list/A-list Preferred (status) or WGA+, Anytime Fare or Business Select fare types you'll pay the fare difference to change.

 

[sam_gordon]

In the last year I've never had my boarding pass scanned across a dozen or so flights, only once the year before that. The only BP I've seen scanned was my 10 year old, everybody else they wanted ID.

Nashville airport wouldn't recognize my (Real)ID and he had to scan my BP. I think Cleveland airport asked for BP also.

 

[White Cat]

In the last year I've never had my boarding pass scanned across a dozen or so flights, only once the year before that. The only BP I've seen scanned was my 10 year old, everybody else they wanted ID.

Hard to believe. I fly a few dozen flights a year fior years and never had it not scanned. The airline uses that info as well.

 

[sam_gordon]

Hard to believe. I fly a few dozen flights a year fior years and never had it not scanned. The airline uses that info as well.

I assumed PP was talking about at TSA. I've had BP scanned at every gate.

 

[bcla]

I assumed PP was talking about at TSA. I've had BP scanned at every gate.

Yeah - that was the idea. Just present your ID and they'll look up if it matches with a ticketed passenger in their database.

 

[bcla]

I looked up Alaska Airlines, which used to be free for flights to/from their "shuttle" hubs (Portland, Seattle, Anchorage, and within California), but now it's $25, then $50 for other flights. However, I'm pretty sure they'll accommodate free same-day standby if someone misses a flight but then goes to the gate or ticket counter to show that they tried. My wife and child got there right as the door was closed and they had to wait something like 4 hours for the next Oakland-Seattle flight. But that was accommodated for free, and most airlines will do that if it's an honest mistake.

https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/at-the-airport/same-day-flight-changes

 

[china mom]

Hard to believe. I fly a few dozen flights a year fior years and never had it not scanned. The airline uses that info as well.

https://www.afar.com/magazine/no-need-to-show-tsa-your-boarding-pass-at-these-airports

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

https://www.afar.com/magazine/no-need-to-show-tsa-your-boarding-pass-at-these-airports

This is the full list which has the more than 100 airports on it.

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/credential-authentication-technology