Your timing certainly makes it more likely that you'll be able to get on. However, it's still standby, so it's still not going to be guaranteed. It's possible that you won't get on and you won't know until the last minute. If you can deal with the possibility of not getting a seat, it's well worth it. If that would create unacceptable problems, might be better to pay the full fare.

Earlier in my life I didn't have much money, but had a lot of time. My life was simple and flexible. I could do stuff like fly standby. Now I have more money, but much less time. I pay the money for the guarantees and the peace of mind. In some ways I miss that earlier lifestyle.

bluwater,

never flown usa stdby but have "non-reved" atl to stt on delta 5 times since oct 04. the key is flexibility. i'm retired and the bride is a kept woman. so we pick a time period we'd like to go , off season villa rate wise, and usually more empty seats on flights.

once we have a time period, i begin looking at villa availability and flt loads. as we get closer to dpt, villa availability usually narrows but those available normally start offering last minute discounts. if flts begin looking full we alter travel days and again look at available villas. 3 years ago we actually changed destinations because of seating availability. normally don't reserve villa until max 3 days before dpt (on 2 trips reserved day before) when we're comfortable with available flt seats. also seems most last minute seats are first class, you get the picture.

we've never missed a trip, but had anxious moments oct 05 when daughter, soninlaw and granddaughters made trip, all on passes. bride and i had to go down of fri and kids came on sat. actually worked great since we were able to get in villa and provision etc before herd arrived.

we also always rent car at stt airport and use barge. always worked out fine. BUTTTT, I KNOW SOMEDAY WE WON'T MAKE A FLIGHT, WE'LL MISS A BARGE OR OR RENTAL CAR WILL CRASH AND BURN ON STJ AND THERE WILL BE A LOT OF DISAPPOINTMENT. CREATES A LOT OF ANXIETY, BUT MAN THINK OF THE MONEY I SAVED.

i will also add we've been flying nonrev for years and know what to expect . bride's father was delta pioneer (1938 employment date) and she still has memories or being allowed to pass out chewing gum on flights in early 50s and vacation destinations changing on departure date due to seat availability.

if you can stand the pressure and are willing to alter dpt or rtn days or even cancel if flts fill up, you'll save a bundle. if you absolutely positively have to keep a set schedule, try fed ex!

happy hunting.

papabou

papabou,

I like your idea of selecting a villa days before departure so that you can get a discount. I've done that, but not days before - I have gotten as little 15% off for booking within 6 weeks and as much as 50% off for booking a couple of weeks ahead.

When booking just a day or so ahead, what % discounts have you come to expect?

You mentioned First Class. Are seats in FC given to non-revs if available?

Hi Bluwater.

August is indeed low season but kids are still out of school and of course low season means fewer flights to accomodate everyone. I suspect that standing by on Friday would be safer than Saturday as vacationers who fly tend to work a full week before their trip and then use their vacation time in full weeks so that they get the benefit of weekend days at both ends of their trip.

Yeah, dntw8up, I was thinking about the fact that flights are fewer in august. Saturday has two nonstop AM fligts to STT, while Friday only has one. So, I am now not sure that Friday is really the better option.

I should just stop being cheap. I have enough miles and vouchers to make the trip for $0.......but I wanted to try to save those for another trip if I could.

It might help you make your decision if you checked the available seats for each flight to see how full they are.

yes, my friend has access to the view the "load". She checked yesterday and they both looked like they had much availability, but she said it is best to check around a week before. I can always book a "miles" ticket and redeposit the miles if the load looks light enough.

On some airline websites you can "pretend" to buy a ticket and check seat availability before paying. I've done this many times on American but USAir doesn't fly to our destinations so I don't know if this works on their site.

bluwater,

villa discounts have been as high as 40% (oct & mid dec) and got summer rate in early april for villa that still had winter rates (pickings were thin in april though and wound up with second choice but really enjoyed).

our only pass experience is with delta, with her, its space available. you can "list" your preference, dua, who wouldn't prefer ist class. however dress code is different for ist class, not long ago guys had to wear sport coats (no longer) but slowly getting less restrictive. we always list first class and dress for in case we make it. you don't want to miss any chance for a seat especially one with meal service and lots of room!

what you really need is to know the flt loads, availble seats, and priority of your pass and other standby passengers. maybe your friend who has offered pass can help you. as another post implied, usually more empty seats mid week than weekends during off season, eventhough theremay be extra flts on weekend. there's a reason there's an extra flt, more passengers. also highly unlikely the only flt to stt will be cancelled due to a bunch of empty seats. we few both ways on tuesdays in oct 04 and there were over 100 empty seats each way. kids flew on a sat when there were 2 flts, but only 40 empty seats total and they were almost all taken by nonrevers. you just have to plan and be flexible.

happy hunting

papabou

Bluwater,

If you’re not on a schedule I’d try it. But I’d definitely try to fly out on Friday and see how it goes. I’d also have my FF seat booked for Saturday. (Although with USAir it will probably cost you double the miles since they never have anything available for 30,000 miles.) If by chance you get on the Friday flight, I’d cancel my flight for Sat. before I even left the airport in STT. However, I believe you might have to pay something to redeposite the miles unless you have status with USAir or your friend can help you out with the fees.

If you don’t get on Friday’s flight at least you have a place to stay to wait for your Sat. flight. It’s not like you’d be stuck in the airport or a hotel, you have your home. But then again you’re spending $120.00 on a chance you might get on.

I look for the best deals as well and hate to use my FF miles because I think something big is going to come along (like a family trip to STT in Feb.) and I’ll need them. I don’t know how many I think I’ll need because I like you I have plenty.

You should have been around when American Airlines had a sale in May. I couldn’t believe the price. PHL to STT on any and every date imaginable for $148.00 round trip. I couldn’t believe the price and booked a trip over Martin Luther King’s birthday weekend in Jan. I should have booked more than one trip at that price. I could kick myself. No need to use FF miles at that price.

Good luck and let us know what you decide.

Tmpy,

OK, I thought I got a deal from AA when I booked my flight in March for July 30 at $540 out of Boston. How did you hear about AA's sale back in May?

Thaks for the feedback Papabou. You and I seem to have similar approaches to travel - Pay less and get more. Actually, that was the entire premise for my website - sharing that info with others and collecting resource info from other travelers like you.

Tmpy, I need to start checking other carriers. I stick with USAir because I prefer to fly nonstop. But, for $148 I would have gladly stopped - twice! 🙂

About 3 yrs ago, it was common to find a $225 r/t summer deal for PHL to STT on USAir. No more. USAir seems to be "stuck" in the $450 range now.

Bluwater..are you flying out of PHL (can't tell from your post) or CLT?...As a 28 year USAir F/A/ original Piedmont...(Now out on a voluntary leave and no plans for going back !!) hope I can offer a little insight...I have 'non-reved" and commuted my entire career....Papabou is right on the money...You need to be "LIMMIN" BEFORE you get to the airport .. Attitude is everthing...If you are not flexible and can't handle the thought of the plane pushing back from the gate without you on it...then use your FF miles....There is one flight a day outta PHL.. although I think you could go PHL to SJU and then catch the commuter ( Cape Air Maybe?) over to STT...that's another option...I would strongly recommend not going on Saturday... Remember that is when most villas rent..from Sat to Sat. and also Cruise ship departure/arrival days...Also yes you can upgrade to First Class "if there are seats available".( $ 20 bucks one way).. Is your USAir friend going with you or are you traveling without them??? If they go with you, then you are boarded based on their seniority/hire date... if not then you go to the bottom of the buddy pass heap...Also remember that occasionally the size of equipment can be downgraded at the last minute, which will reduce the number of available seats, just another part of non-reving...In May, my beau and I left on a Tuesday outta CLT, it was a 767, we upgraded and had a great flight, came back on the following Wedneday, the flight looked great, got to the airport in STT and a 757 was sittin out there! Needless to say we werer lucky to get on and didn't get to upgrade ....I'm going back with my "gurlfriends" in Nov, they are not employees and have been checking the flights already... haven't found anything less than $ 450 out of CLT.. although is is still pretty far in advance.....USAir has tightened up in more ways than one with the impending merger with Am West.... They are running at an all time high as far as capacity goes....My friends and family tell me that almost all the flights are full, but it is summer after all.....FYI in May we could not get out of ILM, we had to rent a car and drive to CLT....Hope I haven't rained on your parade, but that's the way it goes...Trust me, .I've been left at the gate alot!! Good luck, whatever you decide, I always enjoy you posts, wish I could go back in August too!!!

BOATSBEUS, Thanks!!

My USAir employed friend is not going with me (though she did call me on Friday night asking me if I wanted ot fly to STT with her to have lunch on Saturday - I laughed, but she was serious and she went for one night!!)

So, I'll be at the bottom of the buddy heap. I am flying out of PHL.

I appreciate you for taking the time to wite of your experiences with non-revs.

If I can't get onto the PHL -STT flight, will I have the immediate option of selecting another route? Can I immediately try PHL-SJU (with the Cape Air leg at the end)? I've flown that route before. And, on the return from STT, if we aren't able to get onto the early flight, can we just try for the later flight thru CLT? And, if we do that, do we run the same chance of not getting on at CLT? Or, once we're on in STT, do we have seats all the way thru CLT and to PHL? I just don't know how these passes work with connections are involved.

I'm also considering booking myself and my daughter on firm tickets (miles) and letting my son (19), who is joining us a week later, use the buddy pass. But, if he doesn't get on, he won't know what to do and doesn't have a good sense of alternate routes to try....so he'll then blow up my cell phone and throw a teenaged tantrum....nothing worse - I can hear it now "these passes are crap!". But, he'll probably have a better chance of getting on as a single traveler than I would with my daughter - needing two seats.

Then again, like some of you have said, I might just "buy" myself peace of mind and skip the passes on this trip.

(sigh)

I really appreciate everyone's advice and info.

Got that fare by using Travelocity's Fare Alert. I receoved the notice Sat. morning 5/6/06 and booked immediately on AA's wevsite. Only downside is I have a stop in San Juan. Last time I flew USAir and like Bluwater said it's usually nonstop. Leave in the cold and when you land it's nothing but 80 degree heat. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!!!