Reader mail: Can I switch a connecting flight for a nonstop?
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Reader Patrick writes:
Hi, my family and I have four tickets to Portland which we booked with our miles. Two of us are flying nonstop, but we couldn’t book everyone onto the same flight. So two of us are flying to Denver first and connecting to Portland. Is there any way for all of us to fly together without paying hundreds of dollars in change fees? Thanks.
It’s certainly worth a shot, Patrick. In most cases, you can attempt to standby for a nonstop flight, if you are booked on a connection. Your ability to grab a seat will depend on availability and, to an extent, the mood of the gate agent working your desired flight.
The precise policy depends on the airline, but most American airlines allow for 1) free domestic standby, and 2) an oxymoronic $25 “confirmed standby” on the day of travel. With the $25 fee, you confirm into the new flight, no standing by. Trying to make a change like that earlier than the day of the flight will cost you as much as $100 per ticket, plus any difference in fare.
Some more general advice on standbys:
If more passengers want standby than there are available seats, boarding passes are awarded on the basis of a combination of elite frequent flyer status, fare paid, and time of check-in. (It’s up to each airline to determine the rules for awarding seats, but don’t be surprised if a high-level elite flyer who walks up at the last minute trumps a non-status flyer who’s been on the list for hours.)
Since you’re on award tickets, the fare you paid doesn’t help your upgrade chances, but it doesn’t disqualify you either. Check in as early as possible. If checking in online, look for a standby option. Otherwise, go to the gate ASAP to join the standby list.
Also: Checking luggage can hurt your chances, because of “bag matching.” You’re supposed to travel with your luggage, so you can’t put a bomb in your suitcase, check your bags, and then ride standby on a different flight. (Of course, if the airline screws up, your bags could ride on a different plane, but since there’s no way for YOU to control that…) So, if others in your party already have the desired nonstop flight, have THEM check the bags.
The exception to all of this is Southwest. Southwest doesn’t do standby. If you want to take a different flight, you effectively have to trade in your existing ticket and buy a replacement on the new flight. This can be costly, since you’re essentially buying a last-minute ticket. But them’s the breaks.
Good luck!
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September 14th, 2006 at 7:40 pm |
Not sure what you mean about Southwest not doing standby. I’ve switched Southwest flights numerous times (for example when a business meeting ended earlier than expected), either by walking up to the gate of an earlier flight or by calling on my way to the airport and switching flights.
The nice thing about Southwest is not paying a $100 change fee. As you note, you do pay the fare differential if you call and change flights; but if you have a fully refundable ticket, the cost differential is normally zero or a very slight amount (plus or minus).
September 14th, 2006 at 11:38 pm |
Gary — You’re right on the money regarding how Southwest does changes to your itinerary. There’s no $100 change fee, but there’s no procedure for simply getting onboard the next flight for free, either. When I said that Southwest doesn’t do standby, I meant that the process is different from the other airlines. With Southwest, you don’t sweat it out at the gate to see if you can get on the flight. It’s always a confirmed transaction, which most often involves payment. I’m not knocking it, it’s just different.