Same day change vs same day standby

[dfwskier]

"Say someone standbys at midnight, for a full late-morning flight.  Sometime that morning, a seat becomes available.  Will that seat be available for SDC for elites or WGA+ fares prior to the standby clearing?"

Standbys are assigned at the airport - roughy at flight time - not before then. If someone signs up for standby, and a seat become available, then anyone eligible for same day change may snag it before the standby passenger ever gets a shot at it.

[bluemr2]

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@dfwskier wrote:

"Say someone standbys at midnight, for a full late-morning flight.  Sometime that morning, a seat becomes available.  Will that seat be available for SDC for elites or WGA+ fares prior to the standby clearing?"

Standbys are assigned at the airport - roughy at flight time - not before then. If someone signs up for standby, and a seat become available, then anyone eligible for same day change may snag it before the standby passenger ever gets a shot at it.

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That's my hope as an A-Lister.  But, there's DPs that people are being cleared well before the flight time.  In fact, on SWA Twitter (or X), they said that standbys can be cleared anytime before the flight.

[DancingDavidE]

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@bluemr2 wrote:

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@dfwskier wrote:

"Say someone standbys at midnight, for a full late-morning flight.  Sometime that morning, a seat becomes available.  Will that seat be available for SDC for elites or WGA+ fares prior to the standby clearing?"

Standbys are assigned at the airport - roughy at flight time - not before then. If someone signs up for standby, and a seat become available, then anyone eligible for same day change may snag it before the standby passenger ever gets a shot at it.

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That's my hope as an A-Lister.  But, there's DPs that people are being cleared well before the flight time.  In fact, on SWA Twitter (or X), they said that standbys can be cleared anytime before the flight.

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I checked on X as well - they said the standby option can be done on the app for moving forwards, but must be in person for moving later. 

I didn't hear back yet about when they think the clearing takes place. My suspicion is that the list can be cleared continually as long as there are some number of seats available - just me making up a number but say as long as there are ten open seats clear the standby requests instantly. Then at some point start keeping a list to award by priority if it seems there could be more requests than seats.

[bec102896]

Prior to this change clearing was done 10min prior to departure (hints the 10min rule announcements you might hear) 

In my experience of standby normally the agent working that flight did the clearing of standby passengers and that agent usually shows up to work that flight an hour before flight time which you could be cleared at that point as they will look at if there are any flight weight restrictions, how many seats, and so on. I had a couple times where I was cleared at the ticket counter but usually those flights were 50 seats open or more 

back before same day change became a thing A List only got standby and usually I was cleared right before boarding with the occasional right after boarding started 

why would you do standby as A List maybe at midnight you look and the flight you want is full then you could standby but if a seat is available you would just do same day confirmed. 

standby for later flight I did this a couple times when my original flight was late but a later flight would depart before my original but the later flight was full so I went on standby. But in a non delay situation I wonder how it would work if you don’t make the later flight and your flight left (hopefully you don’t become a no show)