How to Fly Standby on Spirit Airlines

Co-authored by Madeleine Flamiano

Last Updated: January 26, 2023 References

Do you like flexibility with your flight plans and the option to travel standby? Curious if Spirit Airlines will let you be a free spirit and change your mind about boarding times? You might want to depart earlier instead of waiting around, but you want to know if that’s even possible or what it’ll cost. Like many companies, Spirit has its own rules and policies. Here, you’ll find answers about Spirit’s standby system and learn if it gives you the freedom you want to hop on another plane.

Question 1 of 9:

Can I fly standby on Spirit Airlines?

Download Article

Yes, Spirit Airlines sells same-day standby flights for an upcharge. They’re not guaranteed and you can’t reserve them online. Unlike some other airlines, they don’t offer them for free as a courtesy if earlier flights have a bunch of free seats. Spirit also prioritizes offering a selection of flights departing before your flight instead of ones after it.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- If Spirit oversold seats on the plane you were planning to board and you’re not choosing to switch to a standby flight just for added convenience, Spirit staff will book another flight for you at no charge.

Question 2 of 9:

How do I fly standby on Spirit Airlines?

Download Article

Your ticket will be your proof-of-purchase. You’ll need a booked flight to buy a standby option and change your departure time. When you pay to switch to an earlier flight, you're just making an adjustment to a previously scheduled flight plan.^{[2]
X
Research source}
2
Arrive early at the airport and talk to staff at the check-in desk. Walk up to the Spirit employees with your ticket in hand. You can’t browse standby options online, so Spirit’s staff will have to tell you what earlier flights are available in person.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- Seats are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you’re the first to show up in the morning, you’ll have a lot of standby choices. Even if one plane fills up, there might be a lot more than can take you. Your standby selection diminishes the more you postpone coming to the airport.^{[4]
  X
  Research source}
3
Be friendly with airline staff when asking for standby options. Even though Spirit charges for switching flight plans, that doesn’t mean they’re offering a guaranteed service. After all, no airline is required to provide standby flights to travelers.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- If customer service is struggling to find a standby flight, that’s normal. People can make a lot of last-minute changes to their plans. What ends up happening is that lots of seats can fill or free up. Space on a plane can really range in a matter of hours or even minutes.

Question 3 of 9:

Can I get an earlier flight if I travel standby?

Download Article

Most standby flights you can choose are scheduled for earlier times. Spirit Airlines prioritizes offering you a variety of standby flights that depart before the one you originally booked. If you arrive early at the airport and ask for a standby flight, Spirit staff will arrange to get you on one that’s available for a fee. ^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Spirit Airlines does not have an official policy for providing standby flights later in the day.

Question 4 of 9:

How much does it cost to travel standby?

Download Article

It costs $99 USD to fly standby. If you just want an earlier flight time and you’re not a member of one of Spirit’s programs, you pay an extra fee for changing when you’ll depart. Spirit Airline Reservations charges per person, so if you’re traveling with extra people who’d like to board at the same time, you’ll spend more.^{[7]
X
Research source}
Lots of airlines sell more seats than there are passengers to board the plane. This is a common practice in case people are no-shows, but if everyone who bought a ticket arrives, planes will end up with too few seats. It isn’t your fault if this happens, and to make up for the hassle, Spirit will put you on a new flight at no cost to you.^{[8]
X
Research source}
You can travel standby on any earlier same-day flight with open seats. To enjoy this perk, walk up to the check-in desk and ask Spirit staff what planes can take you. ^{[9]
X
Research source}

Question 5 of 9:

Do I need a ticket to travel standby?

Download Article

Yes, you need a ticket. When you travel standby, either your first flight is full or you want an earlier flight time. Switching to a different departure time is more like an adjustment to an original flight plan you already paid for. Spirit Airlines won’t let you book a standby flight without a ticket you bought in advance.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- Either you want to pay a fee on top of the base amount of your ticket for the convenience to get a head start leaving, or Spirit lets you board an alternate plane if the one you already paid for is full.

Question 6 of 9:

What flights are eligible for standby?

Download Article

Only same-day flights are eligible for standby. Spirit Airlines will let you board earlier flights, but they have to be on the same day you’re scheduled to depart. If you’re fine with that, you can choose from a variety of flight times, provided the planes have space.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Spirit Airlines doesn’t have a standby list you can sign up for. Some airlines let you opt to be put on a standby list just in case seats free up on another plane. With Spirit, you have to actually pay for a seat on a standby flight in advance and lock it in as yours.
- If you want to change the actual date of a flight or cancel it, Spirit Airlines has a different pricing model.

Question 7 of 9:

Can I ever get an upgraded seat traveling standby?

Download Article

You can buy a Big Front Seat if a plane still has one. Big Front Seats are Spirit Airlines’ luxury offering, with cozy leather and lots of legroom. When purchasing a standby flight, ask the airline staff if you can upgrade your seat. If the plane you want to be on has a Big Front Seat, just the upcharge for the cushy seat will be between $25 USD and $250 USD. Since that’s added on top of the fee for selecting a standby flight, you can end up spending an extra $349 USD altogether. ^{[12]
X
Research source}
- Spirit Airlines doesn’t have an official system for “seat bumping.” Seat bumping is when you can get a better seat on another plane if your flight was oversold. Some airlines give you an upgraded seat as a courtesy for this inconvenience, but Spirit doesn’t guarantee that.

Question 8 of 9:

Will I end up in a different airport if I travel standby?

Download Article

If you want to travel to a different airport because it’s closer to where you’re staying, like a hotel, ask the airline staff about where different standby flights will land. If you just want to know where you’ll go if you travel standby, check in with Spirit Airlines employees before paying for an earlier flight.^{[13]
X
Research source}

Question 9 of 9:

What happens If I don’t make my standby flight?

Download Article

Unfortunately, you may have to pay again for another flight. Spirit Airlines doesn’t have an official “no show” policy. If you miss a standby flight, the seat you booked for a later departure might’ve been sold to someone else. You can still ask if your original seat is still available.^{[14]
X
Research source}
- If Spirit doesn’t refund you because you didn’t make the time window to board, there’s still a chance other standby flights have space for you. This is more down to chance, though, so it’s best not to try your luck missing your plane!