How to Get Cheap Standby Flights
- 1). Determine your desired destination. In order to maximise your chances of getting the cheapest possible standby ticket, make your dates as flexible as possible. For example, you may call an airline and they say that they have a spot open on a flight leaving later than evening -- it is always worth packing your bags in preparation so you can make a quick getaway if necessary.
- 2). Contact the airline directly and ask them about their standby flights to your desired destination. Visit an airline contact information database website, such as airlinenumbers.com (resources) to quickly find the relevant contact details. Try as many different airlines as possible - persistence is the key.
- 3). Work out alternatives, such as flying to or from a different airport. Standby flights between two smaller airports are often significantly cheaper than trying to find a standby between two major airport for example. Utilize an online airport finder to help you track down the best options (resources). Use the Amtrak journey planner (resources) to work out your journey to/from smaller airports to your final destination.
- 4). Go to the airport and enquire at the various airlines' gates about the possibility of getting a standby to your destination. Make sure you arrive at the airport comfortably before the flight you ideally want to get on, as anyone can get a standby ticket and they are sold on a first-come-first-served basis. Be prepared to wait for several hours. Even once you have bought a standby ticket, airlines will only be able to accommodate you on their next flight that has empty seats available.
- 5). Listen carefully for your name being called over the airport tannoy. Once you have successfully purchased a standby, it may not yet be clear which flight you will travel on. Often spaces used by standbys only arise very shortly before the flight's departure, so be prepared to board your flight at any moment. Continue to enquire at the gate about the state of your standby and your likelihood of getting on the next flight to stay aware of the situation.
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