Should I expect to pay more or less on "standby" than booking round trip online three weeks in advance?

Question

Should I expect to pay more or less on "standby" than booking round trip online three weeks in advance?

Answer 1

As another poster mentioned, most airlines don't offer standby tickets any more.  Often if you just show up and expect to purchase a standby ticket you'll pay the last minute fare which can be much, much higher than if you booked in advance.  

Also, with overbooking flights becomming standred procedure with most airlines, flying standby is becomming more and more difficult.  When you fly standby you're flying space available, meaning that you don't get on the plane until all the passengers who were booked on that flight get on.  You could end up spending hours upon hours waiting around the airport for an available seat.  Most pepople who fly standby now are passengers who have missed their flight for whatever reason, or that need to be accomodated on a different flight than the one they were orgionally scheduled.

Edited to add:

Standby tickets and buddy passes aren't really the same thing.  Buddy Passes are issued to airline employees for use by family and friends.  There is a charge to use the pass.  Buddy pass holders fly at the lowest boarding  priority and are usually the last passengers to get a seat.

Answer 2

More. Much more.

Answer 3

Most airlines do not have stand by tickets anymore. The only stand by tickets are tickets that are called buddy passes and are given by airline employees. If that is what you are referring to, they may be cheaper. If not, you should purchase three weeks in advance and sometimes there are internet specials.

good luck