Star Alliance Gold vs US Standby list

I was done with work early so instead of waiting around until 9 pm I tried my chances at an earlier flight. Usually on United this results in a "you have a snowball's chance on the sun", but the agent at the first class/elite desk put me on the list with no commentary. I appreciated that because I already knew I had a snowball's chance! Flight when I got there was oversold and I was added to the list during boarding anyway so I had little hope.

Next flight was asking for volunteers and offering $450 in travel vouchers which is very generous for US.

Next flight was technically oversold (i think they said +2), but they were able to accommodate a few of the people I'd been waiting with, then a party of 2 didn't show so I got on as well as a lady traveling to DTW. She said she had been there since 11 am and needed to get on this flight or she'd miss her flight to DTW. I'm not sure what flight she was originally confirmed on, but I was called before she was and I was not connecting and I was confirmed for a flight in 3 hours.

After they called my name off the standby list the lady next to me in the waiting area asked how I got on an earlier flight so I told her about free standby and the Move Up program, but since no seats were confirmable there was no chance for move up. She was apparently just waiting there for all the Charlotte flights for no real reason! I didn't ask which flight she was confirmed on either, but I bet she was probably also on the last one of the night.

During Holiday rush star alliance gold beats standby again!

Most fun travel week of the year

Thanksgiving week is the week where people who only travel once a year turn up in droves at an airport near you. Most of us business travelers don't have to travel for business due to the shortened week, but some do. I, unfortunately, fall into that second category.

Thanksgiving can be a good time for collecting bump vouchers, but since I have to go straight from the airplane to work I'd prefer not to take my chances.

To bump or not to bump

My flight this afternoon was oversold and they were seeking 3 volunteers to take a flight 4 hours later. Normally I do not take bumps because the exchange is worthless, but this time it was on Airtran and they were offering 2 r/t tickets to anywhere they fly. It was quite tempting and if the flight they were offering wasn't 4 hours later I might have, but sometimes I just want to get to my destination.

I'm not sure how useful their bump vouchers are. On many airlines when they do the free* r/t ticket it's very limited so the odds of using it limit its true value. United will give flight credit if asked. This is usually better b/c then you can book your own flight and even use it internationally. With this option the odds of getting a free trip are lower, but there are more options.

I just never get a good opportunity to bump. Either I want to get to my destination or I just don't feel like waiting around that airport any longer.