Getting Off the Peloton Class Waitlist

I’ve discovered that getting off the Peloton class waitlist is the best way to get into classes at Peloton Studios New York.

I haven’t tried this method at the Peloton London studios.

However, should I get across the pond to take classes, I’ll let you know if it works.

Anyway, I’ve been trying for weeks to get into a class at Peloton New York City.

The process of going through the new Peloton online class booking system is ridiculous and frustrating.

Never once have I managed to get into a class on a Monday–now Thursdays since Peloton changed the booking days.

I couldn’t even get onto a Peloton class waitlist.

Getting on Peloton class waitlist later in the week

While it was understandably frustrating that I could not get into any of the classes I tried to book each Monday, now Thursdays, I’ve learned something important: as it gets later in the week, people cancel their spots.

And suddenly waitlist spots open up.

Granted, these spots are for a few days later.

However, if you have flexible travel plans, it would be wise to continue to check the studio website and see if there are openings.

For example, on a Tuesday I was able to get myself on the waitlist for two classes on the coming Saturday at PSNY.

There were two other classes with waitlist spots available, too.

How to get off the Peloton waitlist for classes

Because so many readers had questions about the Peloton class waitlist after I first wrote my article about the Peloton Studios reopening, I reached out to Peloton to ask.

Here’s what they told me–and here’s what I learned from my own experience.

Two waves to the waitlist

People get off the waitlist in two waves.

One, there is a wave in the days before the class.

Two, the next wave happens the day of.

FYI, I was on the waitlist for a Denis Morton Power Zone Endurance ride one day.

About 24 hours in advance, I got an email stating, “You’re in!”

Here is how Peloton explains this all:

“If someone cancels in the class, the first person on the waitlist is automatically moved into the canceled spot and they receive a confirmation email. There is no set time for this because it happens in real time as things get canceled.”

Day-of waitlist at Peloton Studios

I asked Peloton if it was possible to get off a waitlist the day of a class, whether or not you’re on the waitlist at all.

In other words, if you show up at the studio, could you possibly get into a class that day?

First, Peloton’s response below from June.

Peloton’s response:

“We do have an onsite standby list so if someone is local and would like to try their luck in case of no shows, they can come to the studio and be added to the standby list. These spots will get filled 15-20 minutes prior to the class.

Anyone can arrive and be added to this list.  We will be capping this at a certain point since we won’t want 50 people on standby for a 39 person class.”

FYI, the 39-person class is the cycling studio.

Peloton says that if you want to try to get in a class on the same day, get to the studio at least one hour ahead of start time–maybe more.

Then, definitely check in at the front desk.

There is no day-of standby list for classes

However, based on my own experience being on a waitlist, this day-of standby list is no longer true.

That is, you can no longer (it appears) show up at the studio unannounced and get added to the day-of standby or waitlist.

In fact, when I asked about this before checking in for my Denis Morton yoga class, for which I was on the waitlist (show up no earlier than one hour before class time), I was told, no.

You have to have a waitlist spot to even be let in the door.

Once you get inside, though, you can get into other classes.

In fact, when I checked in for the waitlist and was given a standby buzzer (just like at a restaurant), they offered to get me into Matty’s class.

They said it was a run class.

I don’t run so I declined.

Shouldn’t have done that.

Turns out it was a walk plus run.

Once I figured this out, I went back to the front desk.

Unfortunately, the class was now full.

Also, if you are on the waitlist, they ask that you stay in the ground level lobby by the 10th Avenue entrance.

You’re not supposed to go elsewhere in the studio.

Technically you can leave the area, like if you need to use the bathroom in the locker room.

However, the buzzers disconnect once you walk away.

So, don’t leave or you may miss your chance to get off that waitlist and into a class.

Pro tip: if you get to the studio on one waitlist and are offered a spot in another class, take the spot.

Because there is no guarantee that you will get that waitlist spot you originally booked.

I still regret not taking that spot in Matty’s class!

Some people get off the same-day Peloton class waitlist

Some people have gotten off multiple waitlists in the same day.

One person I know got into three classes in a single day.

Here is how she described her success in doing this:

“Get to the studios about an hour and 15 minutes before the start of class. It was my experience that people were brought off the waitlist according to when they got to the studios and checked in that day.

Of course there’s no guarantee, but since there are so many bikes in the studio, I saw more people being brought up the waitlist for cycling classes than any other classes.”

Arrive sooner than one hour, you’ll have to wait outside

I realize that the person I interviewed above said to get to the studio at least 75 minutes before class.

Sure, you can do that.

However, you’ll have to wait outside.

In fact, when I first arrived at the studio for a 10:30 class (at 8:30), there was a line outside.

I was already on the waitlist for a specific class, but I showed up two hours early, just in case.

I assumed this was for people wanting to get on the standby list.

So, I asked if I should join the line.

The very nice person at the front door told me that in order to get on standby, you have to be on the waitlist already.

That means you need to book a waitlist spot online, as I mentioned above.

Pro tip: head to the Whole Foods next door.

Take the escalator up to the second floor, where there are tables and chairs overlooking 10th Avenue.

You can hang out.

When I returned around 9:15, I was told to wait outside until literally one hour before the class started.

And right at 9:30 they opened the door, checked me in, asked to see my vaccination card and it was off to the races.

Keep checking the Peloton studio website for class openings

We’ve already established that bookings open each Monday Thursday at 12 noon Eastern.

And they often fill up within minutes.

However, life happens and people cancel.

So, if you’re going to be in New York City, check back on the studio website.

A class that previously was full may now have a waitlist open.

Or, even better, there is room to book.

I’ll tell you that once I got on one waitlist, which happened on a Tuesday, I booked my trip to New York City for the coming weekend.

This involved booking a flight and a hotel.

And then I stalked the Peloton studio site relentlessly.

When I tell you I refreshed it at least once an hour, I’m not exaggerating.

And by the time I got on my flight to New York City on a Thursday, I was on the waitlist for four classes.

By the time I got to my hotel, I was on the waitlist for two more classes.

On Friday, I got notice that I was off the waitlist for a Denis Morton Power Zone Endurance class for Saturday.

Yeah!

And by the end of Friday, I was on the waitlist for two more classes and off the waitlist around 11 p.m. that night.

Finally, on Saturday, I ended up taking three cycling classes.

There was the aforementioned Denis class.

Then, a Jenn Sherman class (which I got off the waitlist for the night before).

Finally, I was on the waitlist for a Hannah Corbin ride and got my buzzer.

When it went off–meaning I was in the class–I screamed!

Final thoughts on getting off the Peloton class waitlist

You’ll need persistence and patience when dealing with Peloton classes and either booking them or dealing with the waitlist.

But having learned first hand that you can actually get off the waitlist, that’s probably how I’ll go about booking classes in the future.

If you have any other questions about navigating the Peloton class waitlist, let me know.