If you’ve ever searched for cheap airplane tickets before, you’ve probably come across sites like Kayak.com and Momondo.com that aggregate and compare ticket prices from all the major ticket sites like Priceline.com as well as the airlines themselves, but these kinds of price-aggregation sites are not always the best way to get a cheap plane ticket. In fact, by using one of those sites, you miss out on an opportunity for an even bigger discount.
A lesser-known alternative to these sites is to purchase a standby ticket, which can be profoundly less expensive. AirTech.com is probably the most well known standby ticket hub. They sell transatlantic flights from Europe to the USA and vice versa (and even flights to Hawaii). Taking a standby flight can be MUCH cheaper than any other option. You may not be familiar with how a standby ticket works, and you should understand the concept before you buy one.
How a Standby Ticket Works
- You purchase a standby ticket from AirTech.com or directly from the airline.
- You get a range of dates that your flight will leave. Usually this is a 4-day window. (So flexibility is required.)
- Call the airline the night before the day of your intended departure to confirm your ticket.
- Arrive at the airport at least 1 hour early, 2 hours early for international flights. (Keep in mind there is a very real chance you’ll be bumped to another flight, such is the nature of standby, so be open to finding accommodations for the day after, just in case.)
- Don’t check in any luggage unless absolutely necessary. There’s a chance your bags will leave on a different plane than you do (though to the same destination). You’ll be reunited with them eventually, but it’s better to take a carry on. Plus, travelling light lends itself to a more relaxed trip overall.
- Stay at your airline’s gate and listen carefully for your name to be called.
- Board the plane feeling awesome that you saved a lot of money.
You Gotta Want It
Basically, flying standby means your ticket is fulfilled when an extra seat is available on a plane to your destination. That means being ready to jump on a flight at almost any time during the day and sometimes having to wait until the next day. So a standby ticket requires you to be flexible. To guarantee you’ll get a flight, AirTech gives you a 4-day window, though it’s extremely rare to have to wait 4 days.
When you do finally settle on a date and departure city, be mindful of the comments listed under Airtech’s “seat availability” page. Sometimes (and this is rare) tax is not included in the ticket price displayed, and is an extra charge. The comments will contain all this information. The departure cities are also limited to the cities listed on the site, but if you save a few hundred dollars (or if you’re already living in a departure city) this can still be the smartest option. Be aware of the pros and cons, and you can save a lot of money.
Research Pays Off
Depending on your situation, standby tickets can be the cheapest option, especially if you’re staying with a friend in the area or live near the airport. A prime example of savings is the difference between a ticket from Minneapolis, MN to Amsterdam. During an off-season like September the best price you could get from a ticket aggregator (like Kayak.com) is $618. The trip on the same day costs $359 on AirTech.com.
While standby tickets aren’t the answer to every situation, they’re an option you shouldn’t overlook. With some research, you could very well save hundreds of dollars.
And it turns out there are some excellent books on saving money when flying, so below I’ve made a little Amazon box filled with those books. The book “Discount Airfares: The Insiders’ Guide” looks particularly interesting, and it currently has 4.5 stars on Amazon.
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Now go, and embrace your freedom!
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planning a transatlantic flight?
Maybe…
Standby can be a great money saver but depending on the season you have to watch it as you may end up stranded! I ended up on standby last holiday and was stuck for almost ten hours. In the end I didn’t pay for the flight which was good.
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I’d say being stranded is a rare experience if you’re smart about it. Worst case you have to find a cheap hotel room for an extra night. Best case is you already have a friend in the area…
Thanks to Travelogged.com for including this article in their carnival!
Can you provide more information on this?
Sure. What would you like to know?
is there a place to buy standbuy tickets from mexico to europe ??
I don’t know of a service that allows you to book standby tickets for flights leaving Mexico, however, you may be able to track one down if you do some research.
Alternatively, you could call up some of the major airlines in Mexico and ask them how you could do this. After all, you’re going to be dealing with them either way.
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Most Airlines when the season is low they are never full. They work with agents who will book the last minute flights at a cheaper rate. This kind of travelling should be for people who are able to make that last minute travelling.