Standby Flight Question...
#1
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Joined APC: Aug 2019
Posts: 38
Standby Flight Question...
Hey y’all! I am a PPL in college working on my IR and I have a unique opportunity... I am a part of the Trans States Aviators program and have (albeit the lowest possible) standby privileges on all United/Star Alliance flights. I previously tried to grab a standby flight from MCO to IAD and ended up booted off two flights in a row so that was a little bit disheartening...
So my question for United pilots, how do y’all figure out which airports are better/worse to fly standby through? I know you all have higher priority but I’m sure you’ve been able to notice how some flights are consistently pretty empty or easy to get standby on.
I am trying to fly from ATL to Tokyo this coming March and I have a number of options to get there... It seems like flying ATL to ORD is the best best to connect to Tokyo, but I’m just not sure because I’ve always bought my tickets and flown Delta out of Atlanta... I compared all the available flights from ATL to each connecting United hub and then looked at how many flights to Tokyo are available from each of those hubs. Unless another hub almost always has pretty empty flights to Japan, I guess Chicago is the way?
Thanks in advance!
Ryan
So my question for United pilots, how do y’all figure out which airports are better/worse to fly standby through? I know you all have higher priority but I’m sure you’ve been able to notice how some flights are consistently pretty empty or easy to get standby on.
I am trying to fly from ATL to Tokyo this coming March and I have a number of options to get there... It seems like flying ATL to ORD is the best best to connect to Tokyo, but I’m just not sure because I’ve always bought my tickets and flown Delta out of Atlanta... I compared all the available flights from ATL to each connecting United hub and then looked at how many flights to Tokyo are available from each of those hubs. Unless another hub almost always has pretty empty flights to Japan, I guess Chicago is the way?
Thanks in advance!
Ryan
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: 767 Pilot
Posts: 1,133
Getting out of MCO is impossible on any airline so I feel you there. With your trip to Tokyo, you really won't know which hub you should fly out of until a few days prior, so checking now won't do much good. So be prepared to get to any hub from ATL if taking United to Tokyo. That said, know all the flights into Japan. United has a flight from HNL to NRT and through GUM. So look at every city in Japan. Since they have a fabulous rail system, you can connect to anywhere once you get there. Don't forget to check both airports in Tokyo too, HND and NRT.
#3
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Joined APC: Aug 2019
Posts: 38
Getting out of MCO is impossible on any airline so I feel you there. With your trip to Tokyo, you really won't know which hub you should fly out of until a few days prior, so checking now won't do much good. So be prepared to get to any hub from ATL if taking United to Tokyo. That said, know all the flights into Japan. United has a flight from HNL to NRT and through GUM. So look at every city in Japan. Since they have a fabulous rail system, you can connect to anywhere once you get there. Don't forget to check both airports in Tokyo too, HND and NRT.
Anyways I’m glad to hear that with Orlando lol... that experience was definitely discouraging 😂 thanks again!!!
#4
Busy city to busy city domestic can be very tight, ATL-ORD. You have to try an ‘off time’ & date. That may be 1st flight on Sunday morning, or early New Year’s Day.
Domestic loads can swing in a whim, 20 seats to oversold in a heartbeat. International doesn’t swing as fast, protocols for travel slow last minute changes.
It’s an adventure, maybe buy one discounted ticket to get started. I always say have alternative plans. I had a relative at ORD trying to get to SFO then New Zealand, ended up in Ireland, couldn’t get on to the West Coast.
Bad weather also helps standby, depending. Trying to go west out of ORD with bad weather east will lead to misconnects.
Domestic loads can swing in a whim, 20 seats to oversold in a heartbeat. International doesn’t swing as fast, protocols for travel slow last minute changes.
It’s an adventure, maybe buy one discounted ticket to get started. I always say have alternative plans. I had a relative at ORD trying to get to SFO then New Zealand, ended up in Ireland, couldn’t get on to the West Coast.
Bad weather also helps standby, depending. Trying to go west out of ORD with bad weather east will lead to misconnects.
#5
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Aug 2019
Posts: 38
Busy city to busy city domestic can be very tight, ATL-ORD. You have to try an ‘off time’ & date. That may be 1st flight on Sunday morning, or early New Year’s Day.
Domestic loads can swing in a whim, 20 seats to oversold in a heartbeat. International doesn’t swing as fast, protocols for travel slow last minute changes.
It’s an adventure, maybe buy one discounted ticket to get started. I always say have alternative plans. I had a relative at ORD trying to get to SFO then New Zealand, ended up in Ireland, couldn’t get on to the West Coast.
Bad weather also helps standby, depending. Trying to go west out of ORD with bad weather east will lead to misconnects.
Domestic loads can swing in a whim, 20 seats to oversold in a heartbeat. International doesn’t swing as fast, protocols for travel slow last minute changes.
It’s an adventure, maybe buy one discounted ticket to get started. I always say have alternative plans. I had a relative at ORD trying to get to SFO then New Zealand, ended up in Ireland, couldn’t get on to the West Coast.
Bad weather also helps standby, depending. Trying to go west out of ORD with bad weather east will lead to misconnects.
Thanks again!
#8
#9
New Hire
Joined APC: Dec 2019
Posts: 2
So my question for United pilots, how do y’all figure out which airports are better/worse to fly standby through? I know you all have higher priority but I’m sure you’ve been able to notice how some flights are consistently pretty empty or easy to get standby on.
#10
New Hire
Joined APC: Dec 2019
Posts: 2
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