Catching an earlier flight on standby, have ticket for later flight.

Welcome to DR1!

berkelyblue said:

My first trip to DR. Gonna fly AA out of JFK to SJU and then POP, but I inadvertantly booked a flight for 12 noon, I don't want to get there at 8pm, so I was wondering. Is it possible to show up early at the airport, and get on an earlier flight on standby. I was looking on AA.com and saw that they have a 6am flight, that would arrive at POP at 2pm, which would be GREAT!

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You can try that, but they still might charge you the change fee. You do realize that you may be able to get on the earlier JFK-SJU flight and then have to wait standby in SJU for the SJU-POP segment.

berkelyblue said:

If they won't let me do that is there any other way to change the time of my flight?

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Go onto AA.com or call the airlines and make the change. I'm not familiar with AA's policy, but other airlines charge change fees of $50-$100 plus the difference in the airfare.

American Airlines
800 433-7300

It will cost you $100 to change it PLUS any fare difference if your class of ticket is not available on the earlier flight.

No more FREEBEES, Crude oil at $69.50 certainly does not help.

berkelyblue said:

My first trip to DR. Gonna fly AA out of JFK to SJU and then POP, but I inadvertantly booked a flight for 12 noon, I don't want to get there at 8pm, so I was wondering. Is it possible to show up early at the airport, and get on an earlier flight on standby. I was looking on AA.com and saw that they have a 6am flight, that would arrive at POP at 2pm, which would be GREAT!

If they won't let me do that is there any other way to change the time of my flight?

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Dont pay the change fee!!!!! Just get to airport early and let them know you are on the noon flight and would like to go stand by on the earlier flight, If there are seats available you will get on the earlier flight with no charge. Ohh and welcome to DR1.
Badpiece

I fly American about once a month and I frequently go on an earlier flight standby with no change fee whatsoever. Enjoy your trip

badpeice is right on as usual. in march i had my "aa free miles ticket" which was for screwd up times.I showed up early at sdq and was processed thru on earlier and better connection. I believe if you are or (are not) an Advantage member they will do this. That means 1st class!! I guess for international flights there is no standby , but there can be upgrades or flight changes as long as ticket was bought 2 weeks in advance? hopefully we can get more feedback from other members on this. Personally i believe its all a crap shoot!! but we need to ask to receive. And if you get bad service tell someone! Oh, and the agent at sdq said he was not cancelling my connection with earlier ticket. Goodservice. Thinking back the service at the counter at sdq has always been good.

I fly often and use AA most of the time. I rarely take the flights I'm booked on. I arrive early at the airport and get put on the standby list.

So long as you go standby, meaning if there is a seat you get on, there is no additional charge and/or penalty. There is a charge, however, if you actually change your flight.

Standby has worked for me for years including trips to the DR from JFK. If there is room on the plane, there is no problem getting you on.

And it doesn't matter if you have frequent flyer status; the only difference being those people with status get kicked up the list in front of those who don't and have a better chance of getting on.

Hope this helps.

On AA you do not pay a penalty and difference in fare for standby, only if you changed your reservation a day(s) before you actual flight. You will have to pay $25 for changing your itinerary, as long as their is an open seat on earlier flight.

Check their website for standby rules. https://www.aa.com/content/utility/sameDayTravel.jhtml

You won't have to pay the $25 fee if you have status with AA, and will be placed in the priority of the list of standby's.

Drro said:

And it doesn't matter if you have frequent flyer status; the only difference being those people with status get kicked up the list in front of those who don't and have a better chance of getting on.

Hope this helps.

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But it's better to have status ! I'm Platinum with AA and love the fact I can do standby anytime without paying the $25 fee. A few months ago there was a problem in Chicago, lots of lost connection, and I lost my last flight to Dublin because of a missed connection, so I was placed on standby on a Chicago-London flight. I got a seat ! I spotted at least 16 people who didn't get a seat.

Drro said:

I fly often and use AA most of the time. I rarely take the flights I'm booked on. I arrive early at the airport and get put on the standby list.

So long as you go standby, meaning if there is a seat you get on, there is no additional charge and/or penalty. There is a charge, however, if you actually change your flight.

Standby has worked for me for years including trips to the DR from JFK. If there is room on the plane, there is no problem getting you on.

And it doesn't matter if you have frequent flyer status; the only difference being those people with status get kicked up the list in front of those who don't and have a better chance of getting on.

Hope this helps.

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It does! Thanks for posting. If you have more of the ins and outs, all your fellow members do enjoy updates etc.

Flight Status

For those of you who are not frequent flyers, become one with the airlines you use the most. Not only do the miles accumulate and you get free tickets (and with flexibility I've never not gotten a flight), you also have clout at the airports. If you have status, you don't have to stand in the coach line even if you're flying coach, you can stand in the business class line (which usually there isn't one).

If you decide to go standby, status moves you up. I once had a flight cancel in Chicago and put myself on standby for the next flight. I was told there were 60 people on the standby list. I asked if I should wait around - it seemed hopeless. They said yes, and I got called fourth!

It also helps that most of the time I'm flying alone and so somehow they seem to find one seat.

I used to be AA Platinum but had a bad business year and got demoted to Gold.

At POP, instead of standing in the cattle line, status allows you to go to first class window instead.

All in all, it saves time, money, stress, and when there's a problem you are first in line.

Good luck.