Southwest Changes Same-Day Standby Rules for A-List and A-List Preferred Members

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Back in September, Southwest changed its same-day standby policy for A-List and A-List Preferred members. However, the changes ended up not being all that beneficial, as the terms stated that the flight must be "within two hours of your original scheduled departure, between the same city pairs, and on the original date of travel."

While the same-day standby perk was surely welcome for Southwest elite members, the two-hour window was only particularly useful for some, especially business travelers flying on routes that have high frequencies between the airline's 'hub' cities, but for the everyday traveler, it would have been hard to use.

Today, the carrier is making that benefit much easier to take advantage of. Beginning today, Southwest's same-day standby policy is good for all flights scheduled prior to the original departure. You can read the email sent to A-List and A-List Preferred members below:

While Southwest is known for its generous policy for changing flights for all travelers, as it charges no fee and only the change in fare, sometimes the only option for your needs is standby. It's worth noting, however, that Southwest didn't change the policy for non-elite members. So if you're traveling with non-elite friends or family, you'll have to split up in order to get on the earlier flight, even if its your companion on the Companion Pass.

If you're a Southwest A-List or A-List Preferred member and want to take advantage of this new and improved benefit, you'll need to talk to a Southwest agent at the airport. There's no way to fly same-day standby online or through an airport kiosk. Overall, this is great news for Southwest elites, who will now have more flexibility in using this valuable benefit.