Has anyone flown standby on Southwest recently? I have a couple of questions:
>If I get to the airport early, do I just go up to the counter and ask about getting on an earlier flight than the one on which I am booked?
>We are 2 travelers on the same itinerary but separate reservation numbers. Is there any way to get us BOTH onto an earlier flight, other than crossing our fingers (i.e., can we ask them to list us as both-or-neither or do we just get consecutive spots in the standby list and hope for the best)?
>If one gets the standby but the other doesn't, what are the chances of the first person getting their original flight back?
I know, probably not questions that can be directly answered as it will depend on the loads for the day, but if you have any experience, I'd be happy to hear about it!
We've done this a few times...here is our experience.
First of all, for those asking, if you have checked luggage you CANNOT do same day standby. It only becomes an option if you have not checked luggage.
If you have booked the cheapest Wanna Get Away fare this is available on the day of travel. You should be at the airport and prepared to wait at the gate of the flight that you WANT to change to, as you may not know if you get that flight until all other passengers have boarded.
You can go on the app and each select the flight you want to change to for standby that day...for free. You select one flight and it will show you the number you are in the queue for getting the flight, so you can see how many others are trying to do the same. If you are number 1 and 2 in the queue, you have a good chance. HOWEVER you can get bumped as we've also learned. My husband and I were once 2 and 3 and later we would get bumped down. We had no success that trip, so we just went to the gate for our initial flight and took that one after waiting at the gate for our other flight. There is also the display boards at the gate that will show you the queue and you can keep checking the app to confirm your number. Remember be AT the gate to hear if you are called and get your boarding pass!
My daughter was once 2 and even though the flight was full she did find out as they were boarding group B that she got it. You have to be at the gate as the gate agent will call your name to come get your new boarding pass. Also remember you'll likely be one of the last to board, so think of yourself as group C and hope you don't need overhead if it's a full flight. My daughter gate checked her bag in that case, just to be safe.
If you are on different reservations, and the flight is full, one of you may get it and one may not and I don't know the rules for if you get it and want to revert to your other flight if your other person doesn't. I assume you could make that change at the counter at the gate, as long as your initial flight is still available.
If you book the more expensive Wanna Get Away PLUS initially, you can change that day for free and you are put on the flight right away. If you get it, you can then check bags. This happened to us, only they had only 1 seat. I checked our bags and my husband selected same day standby and waited at the gate with me. As I was boarding in Group C, almost at the last minute I guess somebody wasn't showing up after being called for the flight, so he got a very last minute boarding pass...and in fact ended up in a boarding number higher than mine!
Any questions please ask.
