How to Fly Standby on JetBlue

Same Day Standby (Unconfirmed Flight Change)

JetBlue offers free same-day standby to ticketed passengers. Standby can only be requested in person at the airport, and it’s available on a first-come, first-served basis, so it’s best to get there early. Connections can be changed, meaning that passengers with non-stop tickets can request to standby for flights with connections and vice versa, as long as the departure and destination cities remain the same.

Photo by Eddie Maloney.

Standby can only be requested for the flight immediately preceding the ticketed flight, if the departure city has more than one flight per day. If one flight per day or less, standby can be requested for the last flight the day before the scheduled departure. Before you decide to fly standby, check the JetBlue website for seat availability on the flight preceding your ticketed flight.

If you have booked award flights and the ticket has been issued, you can request same-day standby for a different flight, the same as with revenue tickets.

With JetBlue same-day standby, the passenger is responsible for any difference in fare, so if the fare difference is more than $50, or if the flight prior to your scheduled flight won’t work for your schedule, a better option is probably to go with a confirmed same-day flight change, which can be done over the starting 24 hours phone prior to the scheduled departure time.

Confirmed Same-Day Flight Changes

Request same-day flight changes from JetBlue at the airport or by phone at 1-800-JETBLUE (538-2583). You can travel on either an earlier or later flight the same day as your originally scheduled departure. Same-day confirmed flight changes are available only at airports with more than one flight per day to the ticketed destination.

If you request the flight change prior to departure, the fee is $50. If you request the flight change after departure (which basically means you missed your flight), the fee is $75, $100, or $150, depending on the fare difference.

With JetBlue same-day confirmed flight changes, you don’t have to pay the fare difference between your originally scheduled flight and the new flight you want to take, so if it’s more than $50 and there are seats available, this is a better option than standby.

What’s the Best Option for Standby on JetBlue?

At $50 and no fare increase, the same-day confirmed flight change is by far the best option for standby travel on JetBlue for award or revenue tickets. The benefits include being able to change your ticket by phone instead of in person and the knowledge that your seat is secure and you won’t have to wait around all day for an available seat.

That being said, if you are trying to maximize every dollar, the free standby option is quite generous. If it turns out there are no seats available on the preceding flight, simply take your originally scheduled flight instead. The only real drawback is the time you will lose, since you have to request the standby in person at the airport, and with enough time to make the earlier flight. If you can’t get a seat and have to wait for the later flight, this could make for a long day at the airport.

Missed Flight Standby (No Shows)

Officially, the JetBlue policy on no-shows (missed flights) for non-refundable fares is that all monies are forfeited. However, JetBlue generously allows passengers who have missed a flight to standby for the next available flight for no fee, or to take advantage of the Same Day No Show option for a fee ($75, $100, or $150, depending on fare difference). This is basically the same as same-day confirmed flight change.

JetBlue Employee Travel / Standby

JetBlue offers free employee travel and extends benefits to friends and family via Buddy Passes. See Flying Standby on US and Canada Airlines for more information on Buddy Passes and how to fly standby using one.

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

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