About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Exclusive: American Airlines Now Lets Everyone Standby To Nearby Airports—Even With Checked Bags

Jul 08 2025

Everyone can now standby on American Airlines for free. They’ll no longer be told to use the website or mobile app if asking an agent for help. The airline no longer actually forbids standing by within 45 minutes of departure, they just don’t guarantee it for most customers. And they’ll allow standing by to a co-terminal airport, too. These are all real improvements, and better than what American had announced.

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