No Result
View All Result
Eye of the Flyer
  • BANK & Travel Cards ★
    • Credit Cards
    • Travel Rewards Cards
    • Airline Credit Cards
    • Hotel Credit Cards
    • Cash Back Credit Cards
    • No Annual Fee Credit Cards
    • Small Business Credit Cards
    • 0% Intro APR Cards
    • Balance Transfer Cards
  • Rookie
  • Elite Mileage Runs
  • αbout US ✉
  • BANK & Travel Cards ★
    • Credit Cards
    • Travel Rewards Cards
    • Airline Credit Cards
    • Hotel Credit Cards
    • Cash Back Credit Cards
    • No Annual Fee Credit Cards
    • Small Business Credit Cards
    • 0% Intro APR Cards
    • Balance Transfer Cards
  • Rookie
  • Elite Mileage Runs
  • αbout US ✉
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result

Rookie Wednesday: How Do You Know if Your Flight is Oversold?

Chris Carley by Chris Carley
September 11, 2019 - Updated on June 29, 2021
in Airlines
8
Crowded gate at SEA airport during a Delta Air Lines mileage run.
Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc. has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Eye of the Flyer and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Delta plays a fascinating game of chicken when it comes to overbooking flights.

And they’re pretty darn good at not involuntarily bumping people.

As many of us know — either from flying a lot or watching Dr. Dao get dragged from a plane — airlines routinely oversell flights. It’s a perfectly legal practice. Airlines gamble that a certain number of passengers won’t show up: maybe they’ll cancel at the last minute, miss their connection, or be affected some other way (i.e. stuck in traffic, whatever).

Why Care About Oversold Flights?

There are several reasons you might be curious if your flight is oversold:

  • You’re flying standby, don’t yet have a seat assigned, — and wonder if you’ll even make it on that flight
  • You’re confirmed on the flight — but your significant other, friend, colleague, etc., who purchased his or her seat separately is on standby
  • Fewer people onboard = more open seats. Maybe no one will sit next to you! Or perhaps there’s a spot where you can move and have more room
  • My personal favorite: bumps and #Bumpertunities! (We’ll soon create an updated post about bumps)

How Can You Tell if a Flight is Oversold?

Ask The Airline!

The best way (at least, as far as I know) to check if your flight is oversold is simply to ask the airline. So consider querying:

  • Reservations agents via the airline’s toll-free number
  • Tweeting the airline’s help desk (i.e. @delta)
  • Asking a check-in agent
  • Asking a gate agent
  • Asking an airline’s club lounge agent (i.e. Delta Sky Club — not The Club or American Express Centurion Lounge)

Airline reps will tell you whether or not your flight is oversold. If your flight is indeed oversold, they likely won’t tell you by how many. They don’t know if you’re spying for another airline, prying for nefarious reasons, or what.

That being said, a few reps have told me “we’re oversold by one” or “yep, by four.” Maybe they’re telling the truth, maybe they’re making up numbers (though I tend to think the former).

Consult Expert Flyer

If you have an Expert Flyer pro subscription, search for your flight. If all available fare classes — especially in coach — show zero seats available several hours to an hour or so prior to your flight, there’s a decent chance it’s oversold.

Find Airline Award & Upgrade availability 

Is Your Flight Still for Sale?

Visit the airline’s website or app. Try shopping for your flight. If it’s no longer listed or says “sold out” for at least coach/main cabin, there’s an OK chance it’s oversold.

Check the Upgrade and Standby List

This the least reliable option, in my opinion.

Let’s use Delta Air Lines as our example airline for this situation.

You’ll find the upgrade and standby list on the Fly Delta app and gate information display screens (or “GIDS”).

Delta Air Lines gate information display screen (GIDS)

You may see 10 seats available on the standby list — and 20 people waiting for seats. Does that mean your flight is oversold? Not necessarily.

Those 20 may include some non-revenue passengers (“non-revs”): airline employees traveling for free as part of their travel benefits, people using buddy passes, etc. They aren’t necessarily guaranteed seats. (I believe Basic Economy passengers are also placed on the standby list prior to seat assignment.)

Standby List on the Fly Delta app

And, of course, people flying standby but yet not assigned seats are also included in that number.

Any Other Tips?

Do you have any other suggestions to ascertain whether or not a flight is oversold? Please share them in the Comments section!

–Chris

This blog series covers in a “rookie” way either a Delta or travel related theme and attempts to break down to a basic level each topic. You can read up on all the previous posts HERE. Are you an experienced traveler but know someone may benefit from this post? Please share it! 

Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc. has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Eye of the Flyer and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Related

Tags: Delta Air LinesExpert FlyerRookie
Previous Post

Delta Issues San Francisco Airport (SFO) Runway Construction Travel Waiver

Next Post

Two Fighter Pilots Sent to Take Down United 93 on 9/11 Planned a Kamikaze Mission — Because Their F-16s Were Unarmed

Chris Carley

Chris Carley

Chris Carley is the owner, editor, and lead writer of Eye of the Flyer (formerly known as Rene's Points).

Next Post
Lockheed Martin F-16 - Take Off

Two Fighter Pilots Sent to Take Down United 93 on 9/11 Planned a Kamikaze Mission -- Because Their F-16s Were Unarmed

Comments 8

  1. keeton says:
    3 years ago

    You confused the words overBOOKED with overSOLD.

    When you call your reservation agent, they can tell you that it is overbooked. Airlines typically overbook coach (but not domestic F) for all of the reasons you mentioned.

    It is not until the day of the flight and the gate agents start working it that they will announce that it is overSOLD and will start looking for volunteers.

    Overbooking is very common but thanks to their predictive algorithms, oversold is relatively rare. Of course, all if this assumes that this is not an IROP situation where all of the “predictive” get thrown out the window.

    Reply
  2. Wayne says:
    3 years ago

    If you want to know if a flight is over sold because you want to take advantage of a bumportunity the ultimate resource is the gate agent. If you’ve looked on line and it appears there are no seats available get to the gate an hour before departure – that’s when they open. Ask if the flight is oversold. If it is, offering to give up your seat reduces the gate agent’s stress level. I always travel with extra boarding passes for this purpose. While waiting to see what happens go on line and make screen shots of the alternate flight(s) that work best for you. If more than two gate agents and a Red Coat appear the flight is almost certainly oversold by multiple seats. Most of the time your seat will not be needed. The gate agent will thank you and ask you to board. If the flight is oversold you’ll be #1 on the bumportunity list.

    Reply
  3. Sean says:
    3 years ago

    I have always wondered how overselling a flight is not considered fraud?

    You knowingly sell more of what you physically have on hand

    And everyone buying the seat has an expectation that you will deliver said seat when they show up at the airport

    Or are there some weasel words that basically says I am buying a seat on a flight that the airline may have knowingly oversold my seat??

    Reply
  4. Sandy says:
    3 years ago

    Wayne is spot on. I follow the similar path. Being a former gate agent, I always appreciated a willing volunteer. Best to arrive the gate area early and introduce yourself and offer to volunteer if they are in an oversold situation. If they take your information, start researching options to get home, via the airline app. The gate agent is usually pressed for time, and will only offer a seat on a nonstop route. Sometimes that means spending a night in your current city. But, if you think out of the box, and can find another route for that same day/night, and there are seats available, the agent will usually accommodate. For example, I was in Denver trying to fly home to LAX on a mid day flight. The flight was oversold and weight restricted (due to hot temperatures). The gate agent said they would only have seats on the next day’s morning flight. I noticed the flights to SLC and SEA were starting to board. I suggested she rebook me on the DEN to SEA to LAX flights. It would mean a 5 hour delay in my original return time, but still getting home that night. And in return, I scored a really nice gift card and a few extra miles. The Red Coat quickly booked me and I was the last to board the SEA flight. The family of 4 (that was behind me) said “we want to go with her”. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time to rebook all 4 of them, issue the gift cards. So they ended up spending the night in Denver.

    Reply
  5. Wayne says:
    3 years ago

    Empty seats cost airlines money. Over selling seats helps keep ticket prices down. The Feds could stop the practice but we’d all have to pay more for tickets. Airlines have developed sophisticated algorithms to determine how many extra seats can reasonably be sold on each and every flight. In the rare event there are more passengers than seats volunteers are given an opportunity to give up their seats for a negotiated compensation. Very rarely are passengers actually denied boarding because seats open up when enough compensation is offered. I believe Delta gate agents have the authority to offer up to $9,950. Denied boarding is never a good thing when it occurs but overselling seats is the price we pay to keep airfares as low as possible.

    Reply
    • René says:
      3 years ago

      @Wayne – Gate agent up to 3k. Redcoat up to 10k (well, 9950 as you point out).

      Reply
  6. Frankie says:
    3 years ago

    Oversold flights now offer passengers the opportunity to volunteer at check in and bid a minimum amount. This reverse auction saves DL money by allowing the gate agent to select the lowest bids.

    Reply
  7. Wayne says:
    3 years ago

    Thanks René

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

➤ Search Eye of the Flyer

No Result
View All Result

Subscribe

Subscribe To Our NewsletterJoin our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

GREAT Travel and Cash Back Card Offers!

Eye of the Flyer May Receive a Commission from the links below. See our Privacy Policy

See CardRatings’ Top Credit Cards for This Month!

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card travel rewards credit card

Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in purchases within three months of card membership approval on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card! Learn here how to apply.

IHG Business Premier Rewards Credit Card

IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

BRAND NEW CREDIT CARD! Earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in purchases within three months of card membership approval. Plus, complimentary Platinum elite status, great points bonuses, and more! Learn now how to apply!


Capital One Venture X Credit Card

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

A must-have “it” card for travel lovers! Earn 75,000 bonus points (worth at least $750 in travel) after spending $4,000 in purchases within three months of card membership approval. Plus, enjoy up $300 annually in statement credits for travel purchased through Capital One AND 10,000 bonus points every year, after the first anniversary. The $395 annual fee can EASILY be earned back — and then some! Learn now how to apply!

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

NEW WELCOME OFFER! Earn 1.5 bonus points on top of the other points you earn during the first year of card membership. (A $20,000 spending cap applies.) Learn now how to apply!

IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card

IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card

REFRESHED CARD! Earn 140,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within three months of account opening. Plus, earn 5X points on travel, gas stations, and restaurants. 3X on everything else. Learn now how to apply!


The Platinum Card® from American Express

The Platinum Card® from American Express

THE classic travel benefits card! Earn 100,000 bonus Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases within six months of being approved. See rates and fees. Terms apply. Learn now how to apply!

American Express Business Platinum

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

Earn 35% Membership Rewards rebates when paying with points for an eligible flight booked through Amex Travel! (Capped at 1,000,000 points a year, enrollment may be required.) Terms apply. Learn now how to apply!

  Earn cash back with Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) Earn cash back with TopCashback! RebatesMe Earn cash back with DOSH!

✍ Editors Disclaimer | lock, login, protection, secure icon Privacy Policy | $ Advertisers Disclosure

 

Subscribe

Subscribe To Our NewsletterJoin our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

  • BANK & Travel Cards ★
  • Rookie
  • Elite Mileage Runs
  • αbout US ✉

Copyright © 2021 Eye of the Flyer

No Result
View All Result
  • BANK & Travel Cards ★
    • Credit Cards
    • Travel Rewards Cards
    • Airline Credit Cards
    • Hotel Credit Cards
    • Cash Back Credit Cards
    • No Annual Fee Credit Cards
    • Small Business Credit Cards
    • 0% Intro APR Cards
    • Balance Transfer Cards
  • Rookie
  • Elite Mileage Runs
  • αbout US ✉

Copyright © 2021 Eye of the Flyer

Cleantalk Pixel

Subscribe To Our Newsletter


Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.

You have Successfully Subscribed!