I'm flying domestic with AC tomorrow, I wanted to switch to an earlier flight but my agent said the price diff is huge and said I should go to the airport and stand by instead.
Do I not have to pay for the price difference plus the change fee if I standby at the airport? Has anyone tried this? I don't want to go to the airport 6 hours early only to find that I would still have to pay a few hundred bucks....
Thanks

if theres room, they generally just throw you on the flight at no charge. I dont know if the rules have changed, but thats how it used to be.

You have the best chance if you have a full-fare ticket, but sometime they will do it for sale fares and even points flights if there is space available.

I flew with air canada the other day from MTL back to Van city. I tried to get an earlier flight they wouldn't let me without a charge since I wanted to change my ticket ! They said try stand by but there will still be a price.. 75$ for the stand by and there might be another fee also. I guess depends on there mood that day. The agent I spoke to was giving me ridiculous prices so I ended up staying with my flight cause I didn't want to take the chance of staying there all day for nothing or having to pay too much....
Honestly prob depends on there mood lol.. And how full the flight is

Actually, now that Marissa mentioned it, it depends on the flight class you are on. Check your ticket. Tango class was not possible, but some of the upper classes it was. its actually on their website but it depends on what class your ticket is. (and lucky gal, Montreal would be awesome right about now)

Montreal is awesome! My home town! Moved to Van couple months ago. I also think I was with tango that may be why!

But again you could get some nice people and yah never know lol.. Check and see if the plane is full or not

I took a flight this morning Dublin-Yvr via London , when I got to the Dublin airport I asked the agent is it possible to go earlier cause I didn't want to rush and they just sent me on an earlier flight and got an upgrade as well

Ac let you go on earlier flt without extra charge only if you're the frequent flyer member . Tango fare, which is the lowest type doesn't give you the flexibility to go on different flt . Expect to pay the difference if you really have to go on earlier flt . Last minute standby tix is always ridiculously expensive . and also if you want to try for standby , do not have checkin luggage

TANGO = Thanks alot no get off

Air Canada has never given anything but a ridiculous fee option to switch to an earlier flight for me, even when they have plenty of room. They'd rather have the fee than repeat customers.

I tried this last year they wanted $ to put me on earlier flight

i tried to get on an earlier flight years ago (when the gauging wasn't even as extreme as today) and they wanted to charge me $50. i would think it would be whatever the change fee is.

Thanks everyone. Apparently everything is full. I can't even get on if I'm willing to pay

Well that solves that.

what day? what flight?

well, got the day, what routing - where are you going?

Instead of busy bashing #aircanada why not give the girl some good advice
On air canada domestic flights, as long as you go "same day standby" you can pay $75 per person per direction to the same direction IF there is still seats in the other flights. Agents at the airport can do that for you to put u on standby...however, they CAN but not guaranteed. Perhaps try calling and see if u can kindly ask an agent the load of the flights tomorrow...or arrive at the airport early and ask
hope that helps

Thanks. I went to the ticket counter to see if there's a connecting flight (YYZ to YVR) but no luck either. I was lucky cuz the agent this time was super helpful and managed to get me on a slightly earlier flight 1.5 hour before my scheduled flight. I still have a good 6 hours to kill at the airport but it's better than 8. I was charged a change fee of $75 but did score a preferred seat.

Oh and I have checked luggage so standing at the Gate was not an option

great that everything worked out