You’ve wrapped up your business meetings sooner than you thought, and now you have just enough time to catch an earlier flight. After years of pricey fees for standby travel or same-day confirmed changes, many airlines have shifted toward offering them for free once again.
However, some airlines still add fees, and others may charge the fare difference while claiming to have no change fees. Let’s look at the same-day change policies of the major U.S. airlines and see how you can make that earlier flight (or even change to a later flight) without paying handsomely for the privilege to do so.
Why make a same-day change?
The most common reason for wanting a different flight is that you’ve ended your trip a little early and you’re ready to head home. Sometimes, you might arrive at the airport early, unexpectedly fly through security and find yourself passing a gate for an earlier flight to your destination. Other times, you might schedule a generous layover only to find that there’s an earlier connecting flight that hasn’t left yet.
One of the more “innovative” ways to use same-day standby is to purchase a much less expensive later flight in the hope of catching the more costly, earlier flight. Some people will also buy a cheaper early morning flight and then try to change to a later, more desirable flight the same day.
Taking an earlier flight can be a good strategy to make it to your destination in advance of approaching bad weather.
Standby vs. confirmed
There are actually two types of same-day changes that you can make to your ticket.
The traditional way is called flying standby. This means that you’re placed on a list to receive an available seat. When there are lots of unsold seats, you often receive a ticket at the gate and board with the group that you normally would. But when the flight is sold out or oversold, you’re left waiting to see if there are any no-shows before being handed a boarding pass.
Although more flights now leave full than ever before, you’d be surprised by how many people miss their connections or change their plans without modifying their tickets because they don’t want to pay change or cancellation fees.
The more recent type of same-day change is a confirmed change. This takes all the guesswork out of the equation by giving you a confirmed reservation and seat assignment if the flight you want to change to has an open seat. Some airlines even let you make a same-day confirmed change to a later flight.
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Tips for same-day changes
Act quickly. Some airlines let you make same-day confirmed changes or join a standby list within 24 hours of departure of the new flight, while others look at the original flight’s departure time. So, you’ll want to understand the rules and confirm your same-day change or request to be put on the standby list as early as you can.
Use delays to your advantage. You should always try to benefit from airline discretion before paying the fee. For example, if your scheduled flight is delayed for any reason, then the airline may waive its fees to allow you to be confirmed or stand by for the earlier flight. You can also ask for fee waivers by citing predicted bad weather, even if your flight hasn’t been delayed yet. Sometimes, the airline might even waive the fee if your original flight is oversold or if you just ask nicely.
Act strategically with upgrades in mind. Another trick is to consider same-day changes to improve your chance of an upgrade. If the upgrade availability of an earlier or later flight is better than that of the flight you’re on, you might prefer a first-class seat to sitting in economy with your current reservation.
Keep in mind that refundable fares are typically eligible for same-day confirmed and standby travel at no cost. But if you already purchased a full-fare, refundable ticket, you might as well check the price of alternative tickets on the same airline and other carriers. If there’s a flight available that costs less than the one you already have, you can simply purchase the other ticket, have your original one refunded and pocket the difference.
In addition, the information in this post reflects the published policies of the airlines. With any of these carriers you’ll find reports of exceptions made by a flexible and accommodating agent, but if you’re looking to make a same-day flight change, I wouldn’t count on anything outside of the written policy.
Same-day change policies by airline
Alaska Airlines
Cost: There are two different fees for same-day confirmed changes on Alaska. If you’re traveling on shuttle flights between Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska; Seattle and Portland, Oregon; or Seattle and Spokane, Washington; or on flights entirely within California, same-day confirmed changes cost $25. For all other flights, same-day confirmed changes cost $50.
Standby is free if your reservation falls into one of the following three categories:
- You’re traveling on one of the shuttle flights between Anchorage and Fairbanks, Seattle and Portland, or Seattle and Spokane.
- You have a refundable first-class or Main Cabin ticket (fare class Y or J) that is eligible for a same-day confirmed flight change, but there is no space on the desired flight to make a confirmed change.
- You are an MVP Gold Mileage Plan member (or traveling in the same reservation as one) and are eligible for a same-day confirmed flight change, but there is no space on the desired flight to make a confirmed change.
For all other flights, standby is not offered.
Rules: You can change to an earlier or later flight, but the change must be made before your originally scheduled departure, and you can only change to flights that depart the same calendar day as your original departure. Saver fares (Alaska’s term for basic economy) aren’t eligible for same-day confirmed changes or standby.
Fee waivers: The fee is waived for Mileage Plan members with MVP Gold, MVP Gold 75K and MVP Gold 100K status; American Airlines AAdvantage members with ConciergeKey, Executive Platinum and Platinum Pro status; and those traveling on the same reservation. The fee is also waived for customers with refundable Main Cabin or refundable first-class tickets.
American Airlines
Cost: Same-day standby is free for AAdvantage members, along with Oneworld status members, active U.S. military members and Main Cabin Select customers for flights within the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Same-day confirmed changes start at $60 for flights within the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, plus flights to Canada and the Caribbean. And if you’re booked on one of American’s numerous daily flights between New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR), the charge starts at $150 for a same-day confirmed change.
Rules: Flights may be confirmed up to 24 hours before the new flight time. The new flights have to be on the same routing as you were originally ticketed on, so you can’t change your connecting city to arrive home earlier. Basic economy tickets are eligible for both same-day confirmed and standby travel.
Fee waivers: Confirmed change fees are waived for those with AAdvantage Executive Platinum and AAdvantage Platinum Pro status (and companions on the same reservation); those flying on unrestricted economy fares in Y class, business class and first class; and AirPass flyers.
Delta Air Lines
Cost: The fee is $75 for a same-day confirmed reservation, and it is available for travel within the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Same-day standby is only offered if confirmed is not available and is free for all customers traveling within the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (Canada is excluded). Basic economy fares are not eligible for same-day confirmed or standby.
Rules: You can request same-day confirmed or standby on Delta within 24 hours of your original flight with no route changes. The new flight must still depart on the same day as your original ticketed flight. Silver Medallion members, general SkyMiles members and nonmembers may only fly same-day standby for a flight that is earlier than their original flight. Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members may fly standby for a flight that departs at any time on the same day as their original flight.
Fee waivers: The same-day confirmed fee is waived for Gold, Platinum and Diamond Medallion members.
Frontier Airlines
Cost: Although many of its routes are served just once a day, Frontier offers same-day confirmed changes for $99 for basic fares. Same-day changes are free for economy, premium or business bundles and BizFares. All confirmed changes are subject to paying the difference in fare and options. Frontier Miles elite members can stand by for an earlier or later flight on the day of travel for no fee.
Rule: Standby travel on eligible tickets must follow the original ticketed itinerary.
Hawaiian Airlines
Cost: Standby is free for interisland flights, but only if you’re a Pualani Gold or Platinum elite member, or you’re a corporate customer who booked through the corporate web portal. All other customers looking to make a same-day change must pay the fare difference.
JetBlue
Cost: If you book a Blue, Blue Plus or Mint fare, a confirmed same-day change to an earlier or later flight is $75. When same-day confirmed reservations aren’t available, standby travel is available for the same $75 charge. No fare difference applies for same-day confirmed or standby. If you booked a Blue Basic fare before March 18, 2024, you are eligible for same-day confirmed or standby for a $75 fee. Blue Basic fares are no longer eligible for tickets booked on or after March 18, 2024.
Rules: You must travel between the same city pairs or, where applicable, in or out of nearby airports, and you must change your flight prior to the departure of your original flight.
Fee waivers: Same-day confirmed and standby fees are waived for Mosaic elite members. Mosaic members can also continue to make free same-day switches or travel standby on Blue Basic fares until February 28, 2025. Blue Extra fares include free same-day confirmed changes and standby.
Southwest Airlines
Cost: Southwest famously doesn’t have any change fees. Same-day standby is free for all fare types with no fare difference required. Same-day confirmed changes are free for Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime and Business Select fares with no fare difference required. Wanna Get Away fare passengers must pay the fare difference for a confirmed change, unless you have A-List or A-List Preferred status.
Rule: Your origin and destination airports must remain the same.
Spirit Airlines
Cost: You can stand by for an earlier flight for no charge. A same-day confirmed change requires paying the price difference between your current flight and the earlier flight you want to take.
United Airlines
Cost: There are no fees for same-day confirmed changes or for flying standby.
Rules: For same-day confirmed changes, United MileagePlus Premier members may have to pay a price difference if the original class is not available. Non-elite United MileagePlus members may have to pay a price difference for a confirmed change even if the same cabin is available. Changes in routing aren’t allowed when standing by. You need to keep the same departure and destination cities but can change your routing for a connection if it’s allowed based on your original ticket’s fare class.
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