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Southwest Airlines standby & non-rev travel
Every Southwest Airlines flight needs a listing, and you make it in myIDTravel when you buy your ticket: Southwest agents can't list other airline staff for you. Standby boarding goes by the time you checked in, so check in as early as you can. Staff Airlines shows estimated open seats on Southwest Airlines flights before you go.
Rules for staff travel
Source: Southwest Airlines staff travel rules published in the FlyZED directory.
Work for Southwest Airlines? Official Southwest Airlines staff travel site: nonrev.southwest.com ↗
How to list for standby on Southwest Airlines
A listing is required for all Southwest Airlines flights. You create it in myIDTravel at the moment you purchase your ticket. Only myIDTravel can do this: Southwest agents can't make listings for travelers from other airlines.
Baggage
- Other airline staff and their eligible travelers can check up to 2 bags weighing up to 50 lbs for free.
- Excess, oversized and overweight bags are charged the normal fees listed at https://www.southwest.com/help/baggage.
- Checked bags are screened and may be physically inspected under TSA rules, and you may be asked to show ID.
- Put your name on the outside of every bag (this is required) and preferably on the inside too. Name labels are available at Southwest ticket counters.
- After check-in, make sure you get a separate claim check for each bag and that the city on it is your final destination.
- The list of prohibited items is on the TSA website.
- Keep money, jewelry, laptops, phones, medications, keys and travel documents out of your checked bags.
Check-in
Check-in opens 24 hours before departure. You can check in and print your security document at an airport kiosk, the ticket counter or the gate. You can also check in online at southwest.com and print the document at home, or use the Southwest Mobile App to get a digital security document.
Once you are checked in, you can see the standby list in the Southwest Mobile App:
- Open the app and tap "Continue as a guest".
- Tap the menu icon in the upper-left corner and choose "Manage Reservations".
- Enter your flight details and tap "Retrieve reservation".
- In your listing, tap "View standby list".
Boarding, seats and upgrades
Your standby priority depends on when you checked in. Southwest employees and their eligible travelers are boarded first, then staff of other airlines on ZED passes, then commuting pilots and flight attendants of other airlines.
If you don't get on, agents will move you to the next available flight. If you don't show up for your flight, your name is taken off the standby list and you will have to refund your ticket.
Special services, children and pets
Pets: you pay the same fees and follow the same rules as paying customers. Details are on southwest.com
Dress code
Casual clothes are fine on Southwest: you just need to look neat and well groomed. Bare feet are never accepted. Use your own good judgment.
Changes and refunds
For anything about the transaction, refunds, booking errors, booking and rebooking, open the ID Agreement section in myIDTravel and select Southwest Airlines. Contact details are there too.
Don't contact Southwest's Reservations or Customer Relations/Refunds departments about non-revenue issues.
Southwest Airlines destinations for non-rev travel
106 airports in 6 countries.
Main airports
- Denver DEN81 destinations from here
- Chicago MDW72 destinations from here
- Nashville BNA69 destinations from here
- Las Vegas LAS63 destinations from here
- Baltimore BWI60 destinations from here
All 106 airports
United States 100
Albany ALB, Albuquerque ABQ, Atlanta ATL, Austin AUS, Baltimore BWI, Birmingham BHM, Boise BOI, Boston BOS, Bozeman BZN, Buffalo BUF, Burbank BUR, Charleston CHS, Charlotte CLT, Chicago MDW, Cincinnati CVG, Cleveland CLE, Colorado Springs COS, Columbus CMH, Corpus Christi CRP, Dallas DAL, Denver DEN, Des Moines DSM, Detroit DTW, El Paso ELP, Eugene EUG, Everett PAE, Fort Lauderdale FLL, Fort Myers RSW, Fort Walton Beach VPS, Fresno FAT, Grand Rapids GRR, Greer GSP, Harlingen HRL, Hartford BDL, Hayden HDN, Honolulu HNL, Houston HOU, Indianapolis IND, Jackson JAN, Jacksonville JAX, Kahului OGG, Kansas City MCI, Knoxville TYS, Las Vegas LAS, Little Rock LIT, Long Beach LGB, Long Island ISP, Los Angeles LAX, Louisville SDF, Lubbock LBB, Līhuʻe LIH, Manchester MHT, Memphis MEM, Miami MIA, Midland International Air and Space Port MAF, Milwaukee MKE, Minneapolis MSP, Myrtle Beach MYR, Nashville BNA, New Orleans MSY, New York LGA, Norfolk ORF, Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative OAK, Oklahoma City OKC, Omaha OMA, Ontario, California ONT, Orlando MCO, Palm Springs PSP, Panama City ECP, Pensacola PNS, Philadelphia PHL, Phoenix PHX, Pittsburgh PIT, Portland PDX · PWM, President Donald J. Trump DJT, Providence PVD, Raleigh RDU, Reno RNO, Richmond RIC, Rochester ROC, Sacramento SMF, Salt Lake City SLC, San Antonio SAT, San Diego SAN, San Francisco SFO, San Jose SJC, Santa Ana SNA, Santa Barbara SBA, Santa Rosa STS, Sarasota SRQ, Savannah SAV, Seattle SEA, Spokane GEG, St. Louis STL, Tampa TPA, Tucson TUS, Tulsa TUL, Washington DCA, Wichita ICT
Mexico 2
Cancun CUN, Puerto Vallarta PVR
Other countries
George Town GCM (Cayman Islands), San José SJO (Costa Rica), San Juan SJU (Puerto Rico), Charlotte Amalie STT (U.S. Virgin Islands)
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Cape AirQuestions, answered
Do I need to list in myIDTravel for a Southwest Airlines standby flight?
Yes. Every Southwest flight needs a listing, made in myIDTravel when you buy your ticket. Southwest agents can't list you.
Can I fly on a Southwest Airlines buddy pass?
Only if a Southwest Airlines employee gives you one. Buddy passes are issued by the airline to its own staff for friends and family, and Southwest Airlines's employee rules decide who can use them and what they cost. Buddy pass travelers fly standby and usually board after employees.
How is standby priority decided on Southwest?
By check-in time. Southwest employees and their eligible travelers go first, then other airline staff on ZED passes, then commuting pilots and flight attendants of other airlines.
How many bags can I check on Southwest as other airline staff?
Up to 2 bags weighing up to 50 lbs, free of charge. Excess, oversized and overweight bags cost the normal fees.
What should I wear when flying standby on Southwest?
Casual clothes are fine as long as you look neat and well groomed. Bare feet are never acceptable.
What happens if I don't get on my Southwest flight?
Agents move you to the next available flight. If you don't show up, you are removed from the standby list and need to refund your ticket.
Which airlines can I fly on ZED fares?
It depends on the ZED and interline agreements of the airline you work for. In Staff Airlines, the partner airlines filter shows only the flights you can board.
Airline rules change often and this summary may be out of date. Always confirm important details with Southwest Airlines’s staff travel department or in the booking tool you use before you travel. Staff Airlines is not responsible for denied boarding, missed flights or other losses. Found a mistake? Let us know.
Check Southwest Airlines loads before you go
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