How to Fly Standby on American Airlines

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American Airlines standby status is reserved for passengers that wish to take an earlier or later flight the same day as their originally scheduled flight, employees, and employees’ friends and family on buddy passes. You might also be able to get onto the standby list for a later flight if you accidentally missed yours. We’ve got some tips for how to do that

Standby for Same Day Flight Changes

American Airlines allows same day flight changes on domestic flights. For a $75 fee, you can get a confirmed seat on a different flight (known as a  confirmed same day flight change). If a seat is not available, you can opt for standby status instead (unconfirmed same day flight change). If you are not allocated a seat on a standby flight, the $75 fee is refunded.

You can request standby or confirmed flight changes online, by phone, at an airport check-in kiosk, or at the ticket counter 24 hours prior to departure.



The $75 standby / confirmed same day flight change fee is waived for the following passengers:

  • Customers who purchase unrestricted Economy Class fares (Y class of service)
  • Customers who purchase Business or First Class tickets
  • Active U.S. Military personnel traveling on orders or personal travel
  • Active U.S. Military dependents traveling on orders
  • American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum or AAdvantage Gold members
  • oneworld® Alliance Emerald, Sapphire or Ruby members
  • Customers flying on the same reservation as an American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum or AAdvantage Gold member or oneworld Alliance Emerald, Sapphire or Ruby member regardless of frequent flier status or fare type
  • AAirpass members
  • First and Business Class MileSAAver Awards
  • First, Business and Economy Class AAnytime Awards
  • Customers who purchase a Choice Plus fare

Missed Flight Standby – Some Tips for Securing a Seat on a Later Flight

If you miss a flight because of a cancelled or delayed flight, the airline will try to confirm a seat for you on another flight. If the flights are booked, you can opt for standby instead. You will be placed on the standby list according to priority (full fare and elite status passengers before discount fare passengers, etc.). You may have to wait for more than one flight before a seat is available. Make friends with the customer service agents and ask them about the chances of securing a seat – it may be better to re-schedule your trip.

If the missed flight is your fault, ask to be placed on the standby list. You may be charged a fee. You’re probably a little stressed out at this point, but try to be nice to the customer service agents as this can go a LONG way toward getting you onto a flight sometime in the near future.

American Airlines Employee Standby

American Airlines employees, parents, and eligible travelers (registered travel companions) can fly as much as they want (domestic or international flights), for free. To request standby employee or buddy pass travel, you must list for standby with myID travel.

Check in for your selected flight only at an American Airlines economy ticket counter, up to 24 hours before departure. You must check in no later than 60 minutes before departure for domestic flights and 90 minutes for international flights.



If seats are not available on the requested flight, you will be “rolled” onto the standby list for the next available flight.

More Information

For general tips and information in flying standby, please see Flying Standby on US and Canada Airlines

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