Feb 27, 2013, 5:45 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This wiki was created to distill SDC (specifically not standby) down to a set of rules in the hopes of benefiting others.
The official "rules" can be found here. In practice, some of the rules almost always apply almost, and some are more flexible.
Note there have been reports of SDC to one segment removing confirmed CPU upgrades on downline segments. If maintaining the confirmed upgrade is important then these changes should be handled with care.
Most Frequently Asked Question: When do I call/go online to make the change?
Follow this flowchart:
Question 1: Are you within 24 hours of your first originally scheduled UA(*) operated flight that you're trying to change off of? If yes, continue to question 2. If no, continue to answer 1.
Question 2: Are you within 24 hours of the first UA operated flight you're trying to change on to? If yes, continue to to answer 2. If no, continue to answer 1.
Answer 1: No, you cannot call/go online yet to make an SDC.
Answer 2: If the answer to both questions is yes, then you can call/go online to make an SDC.
General Baseline Rules
These are the general rules that usually apply to SDC's; falling outside these rules usually requires payment of a full change fee and the fare difference:
How to SDC
SDC can be accomplished in a few different places (in rough order of likelihood of being able to get the rules bent):
NB: An SDC where the original itinerary (in one direction) has three or more segments cannot be done online.
Nuances and Loose Rules
Now for the hard part: figuring out where the flexibility is in the rules. This list is compiled from the responses to people saying "Can I do X?" where X is something that is not clearly permitted by the rules. One's likelihood of success here depends a bit on the method used for the SDC.
For each item, the following codes apply:
Y = possible using any method
A = possible using an agent (phone/counter), perhaps having to HUACA
A* = mixed reports of success with an agent (phone/counter),
N* = possible only if you find a very accommodating agent
N = little or no reported success.
If you encounter issues with an agent (phone or counter/gate), you can ask the agent to reference GG SDC. Additionally, GG SDC line 61 specifically references that fare classes are supposed to level out 3.5 hours before departure, so you might be able to use that to your advantage if fare classes have not leveled out and you're trying to ask an agent to open up the correct inventory or force you onto the flight.
The official "rules" can be found here. In practice, some of the rules almost always apply almost, and some are more flexible.
Note there have been reports of SDC to one segment removing confirmed CPU upgrades on downline segments. If maintaining the confirmed upgrade is important then these changes should be handled with care.
Most Frequently Asked Question: When do I call/go online to make the change?
Follow this flowchart:
Question 1: Are you within 24 hours of your first originally scheduled UA(*) operated flight that you're trying to change off of? If yes, continue to question 2. If no, continue to answer 1.
Question 2: Are you within 24 hours of the first UA operated flight you're trying to change on to? If yes, continue to to answer 2. If no, continue to answer 1.
Answer 1: No, you cannot call/go online yet to make an SDC.
Answer 2: If the answer to both questions is yes, then you can call/go online to make an SDC.
General Baseline Rules
These are the general rules that usually apply to SDC's; falling outside these rules usually requires payment of a full change fee and the fare difference:
- The departure time of the first segment of the old itinerary and the departure time of the first segment of the new itinerary must both be within 24 hours of the moment that the change is made.
- The ultimate origin and destination airports must remain the same.
- Routing can be changed (addition, deletion, or change of connection points) but the routing rules of the original fare usually apply.
- All remaining unflown segments in single fared itinerary are considered together (i.e., if you're flying WWW-XXX-YYY-ZZZ, you can go to a kiosk at XXX and potentially fly XXX-AAA-ZZZ or XXX-ZZZ direct).
- SDC can be done an unlimited number of times, and can therefore be used to extend a trip indefinitely (pending availability).
- SDC costs $75 for GM's and Silvers - the fees is waived for Golds and up (plus any applicable fare difference, see below). *G's may also get free SDC, although there is no mention of this in the official rules.
- Non-elites on the same PNR benefit from any waived fees for SDC.
- No fare difference is charged so long as there is availability on all of the new segments in the originally ticketed fare class. Fare class availability in all classes often opens up after T-24 and almost always opens up at T-3 unless the plane is very full.
- SDC on bulk tickets, including United Specials, is not permitted.
- SDC is permitted on both domestic and international itineraries.
- The proposed remaining itinerary must be operated by United or United Express, and the ticket number must begin with 016. (see nuances below)
How to SDC
SDC can be accomplished in a few different places (in rough order of likelihood of being able to get the rules bent):
- United.com change flight link before checking in, within T-24. (Many have reported recently that this has problems and attempts to collect the full fare difference and $200 change fee.)
- "Search Other Flight Options" button during OLCI. (This has spotty availability, particularly if the change would involve paying an additional fare due to fare bucket non-availability.)
- United mobile app
- Kiosk
- Phone
- Counter/Gate (although reports are that most airport agents are not familiar with the SDC policy and may not allow you to SDC to a valid itinerary--you can try to direct them to look up GG SDC, but they often won't understand that what you're trying to do is permitted by those rules)
Nuances and Loose Rules
Now for the hard part: figuring out where the flexibility is in the rules. This list is compiled from the responses to people saying "Can I do X?" where X is something that is not clearly permitted by the rules. One's likelihood of success here depends a bit on the method used for the SDC.
For each item, the following codes apply:
Y = possible using any method
A = possible using an agent (phone/counter), perhaps having to HUACA
A* = mixed reports of success with an agent (phone/counter),
N* = possible only if you find a very accommodating agent
N = little or no reported success.
- Violating various non-routing fare rules (day/time, minimum stay, etc.): Y
- Change destination to ultra-close airport (e.g. JFK-> LGA; see the old S*FAR/STANDBY): A
- Change destination to a co-terminal (e.g. JFK -> EWR): N*
- Change destination to an entirely different place: N
- Change itinerary at the beginning to include illegal layovers (> 4 hours): N*
- Change itinerary at the layover point (using kiosk, app, or agent) to create an otherwise illegal layover: Y
- Change itinerary at the beginning to add a layover point not permitted by the routing rules: N*
- Change itinerary at a layover point to add another layover not permitted (either in terms of number of segments or routing rules) by the routing rules: Y
- Change to a flight exactly 24 hours before or after the original flight: N*
- Change to a flight exactly 24 hours before the original flight, if the previous day's flight has been delayed: Y (based on one report)
- Combining separately-fared segments to do SDC (e.g. XXX-YYY+YYY-ZZZ -> XXX-ZZZ): A
- Change UA-codeshare, non-UA-metal segment to UA metal: A
- Change from UA metal to UA-codeshare, non-UA-metal segment: N (see post 1813 for one exception)
- Change from UA-codeshare, non-UA-metal segment to a different UA-codeshare, non-UA-metal segment: ??
- Change on a non-UA ticketed segment: N* (with potential dire consequences)
- Change from an upgraded flight into Y on the new flight: A
- Change from a CPU-upgraded flight and get confirmed into available R space on the new flight: N*
- Change from an instrument-upgraded flight and get confirmed into available R space on the new flight: A*
- Non-elite on different PNR benefiting from Elite's waived-fee SDC: A
If you encounter issues with an agent (phone or counter/gate), you can ask the agent to reference GG SDC. Additionally, GG SDC line 61 specifically references that fare classes are supposed to level out 3.5 hours before departure, so you might be able to use that to your advantage if fare classes have not leveled out and you're trying to ask an agent to open up the correct inventory or force you onto the flight.
original posting by mgcsinc, initiated by jackal
UA Same-Day Travel Change (SDC) Fees/Questions *now with WikiPost* {pre-2015 Archive}
Sep 10, 2014, 11:45 am
#3946
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,854
Factoid: Go to Agent in INTL arrivals. Would like to SDC to tomorrows flight. Oh your in R (Upgraded to F) Let me call the help desk. I cringe.. Help Desk (Through Fare not Eligiblle) was coming in from ARN and now to LAX. Say skip it when newbie agent asks what the fare change would be to the Help Desk. Go to T-C (Landed in B) no Kiosks in Arrivals after Customs (at least could not find one).. Kiosk in T-C. Many opportunities today and YUP 1 for tomorrow exactly what I wanted 
Moral of the story. Don't talk.. Kiosk!! Safe Travels to all..
Moral of the story. Don't talk.. Kiosk!! Safe Travels to all..
Sep 10, 2014, 12:45 pm
#3947
Used to be MBS PremExec
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Saginaw, MI (MBS)
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Marriott Titanium w/Lifetime Plat, Hilton LIfetime ♢, National Exec, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,723
I was booked on this summer's deal...Paid P fare and booked into Y on the RJs:
MBS-ORD-IAD-Europe
Europe-EWR-ORD-FNT
Notice I booked out of MBS (my home airport) and back into FNT (an hour away, because coming from Europe, I couldn't make it home without overnighting at ORD unless I went to FNT)...
Anyway, on the return, got to EWR early. Did the SDC for an earlier EWR-ORD that would have allowed me to make the last ORD-MBS flight of the night...I knew it wasn't possible to change final destinations, but it was worth a shot!
Landed at ORD, checked the app, and it gave me the "Weather may affect one or more of your flights..." messages. It actually gave me the opportunity to select MBS (or LAN or DTW), as an alternate destination. One click, and I was confirmed back to the airport where my car was parked, and instead of walking in my door at midnight, I'd walk in my door at 8PM.
The interesting thing was that there was ZERO weather issues that day. ORD and EWR were both running rather smooth. The only hiccup on my itinerary was that we left Europe 10 minutes late (which was more than made up in the air), and not one of my other flights were late or delayed...Not my originally-booked EWR-ORD or my flown EWR-ORD.
I'll definitely 'take it'...For all of the hours that United has stolen from me over the years, it was nice to get 4 of them back for a change!
But I was dumbfounded (in a good way) when it allowed me to change things as I did. The only other thing I can think of was that maybe because I was booked in 'full Y', that it gave me some extra leeway? Because, believe it or not, weather certainly wasn't an issue.
Sep 11, 2014, 1:45 pm
#3948
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: SNA and BNA depending on work and time of year
Programs: UA Silver/ AA EXP/Hyatt Globalist/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,189
Could have been weather from where your aircraft was coming from. But great data point for us all....
Sep 11, 2014, 7:07 pm
#3949
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: CMH, sometimes AVP, formerly down the Shore
Programs: UA 1K/3MM, AA EXP/3MM, DL MM, former fan of TWA
Posts: 1,856
I've received this "irrops recovery" option (offering other nearby airports, more than 24 hours) when any of the flights in my itinerary have had delays for any reason. In fact, I think that one time, a flight that I had already completed had some delay and it let me change downstream flights. It really is a wonderful thing when it works well.
Sep 11, 2014, 9:48 pm
#3950
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,351
I've also had the weather delay thing come up when there is seemingly no weather issues at origin, connection or destination airport.
Brings me to my question...what is the longest "closest airport" match that the weather delay brings up? For me it's SEA. I'm based in SEA so am usually flying to/from there. When the weather delay comes up it offers alternate airports and will list PDX (Portland, OR) as the only alternate. It's 160 miles between the two airports with no regularly scheduled train/bus options to my knowledge. Technicaly YVR (Vancouver, BC) is closer to Seattle but because it's another country they probably don't offer it because too many people would pick it without realizing they need a passport now
-RM
Brings me to my question...what is the longest "closest airport" match that the weather delay brings up? For me it's SEA. I'm based in SEA so am usually flying to/from there. When the weather delay comes up it offers alternate airports and will list PDX (Portland, OR) as the only alternate. It's 160 miles between the two airports with no regularly scheduled train/bus options to my knowledge. Technicaly YVR (Vancouver, BC) is closer to Seattle but because it's another country they probably don't offer it because too many people would pick it without realizing they need a passport now
-RM
Sep 11, 2014, 10:32 pm
#3951
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA 1K, NW forever
Posts: 1,390
I've read the last 150 posts and haven't found the answers to my questions:
1) I'm booked SFO-ORD-LHR-FRA, last segment on LH. Can I call 24 hours before the SFO-ORD flight and change to SFO-LAX-LHR-FRA? Or do I have to wait until 24 hours before LAX-LHR?
2) Can I change to SFO-XXX-FRA (with XXX a domestic hub)? The wiki says an agent can do it, a recent post said many agents wouldn't do it bc of the LH segment.
3) My return is FRA-BRU-ORD-SFO, but it's fared as an SFO-BRU roundtrip with a stopover in FRA. Assuming yes to (2), can I SDC to FRA-ORD-SFO over the fare break?
4) The FRA-BRU flight is in U and BRU-ORD-SFO flight is in W. Assuming yes to (3), which fare class needs to be available on FRA-ORD?
1) I'm booked SFO-ORD-LHR-FRA, last segment on LH. Can I call 24 hours before the SFO-ORD flight and change to SFO-LAX-LHR-FRA? Or do I have to wait until 24 hours before LAX-LHR?
2) Can I change to SFO-XXX-FRA (with XXX a domestic hub)? The wiki says an agent can do it, a recent post said many agents wouldn't do it bc of the LH segment.
3) My return is FRA-BRU-ORD-SFO, but it's fared as an SFO-BRU roundtrip with a stopover in FRA. Assuming yes to (2), can I SDC to FRA-ORD-SFO over the fare break?
4) The FRA-BRU flight is in U and BRU-ORD-SFO flight is in W. Assuming yes to (3), which fare class needs to be available on FRA-ORD?
Sep 11, 2014, 11:42 pm
#3952
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: SNA and BNA depending on work and time of year
Programs: UA Silver/ AA EXP/Hyatt Globalist/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,189
Unless you get a really good phone agent, don't plan on making changes when you have partner flights. The help desk simply won't allow it. You are also not likely to get offers on the app or the kiosk even if your partner flights won't change. See my issue upthread in mid-August where it took more than a dozen calls to finally get an agent to help me. I got lucky but it was pure luck from a long time HNL agent. You're not likely to have such luck unless you fall under irrops. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that IAH based help desk will kill any changes outside the box even if they are technically legal (which yours technically is not). I wish you luck, but don't be surprised if the answer is no.
Sep 12, 2014, 2:05 am
#3953
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Tri Valley Area Northern CA
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 579
I've read the last 150 posts and haven't found the answers to my questions:
1) I'm booked SFO-ORD-LHR-FRA, last segment on LH. Can I call 24 hours before the SFO-ORD flight and change to SFO-LAX-LHR-FRA? Or do I have to wait until 24 hours before LAX-LHR?
2) Can I change to SFO-XXX-FRA (with XXX a domestic hub)? The wiki says an agent can do it, a recent post said many agents wouldn't do it bc of the LH segment.
3) My return is FRA-BRU-ORD-SFO, but it's fared as an SFO-BRU roundtrip with a stopover in FRA. Assuming yes to (2), can I SDC to FRA-ORD-SFO over the fare break?
4) The FRA-BRU flight is in U and BRU-ORD-SFO flight is in W. Assuming yes to (3), which fare class needs to be available on FRA-ORD?
1) I'm booked SFO-ORD-LHR-FRA, last segment on LH. Can I call 24 hours before the SFO-ORD flight and change to SFO-LAX-LHR-FRA? Or do I have to wait until 24 hours before LAX-LHR?
2) Can I change to SFO-XXX-FRA (with XXX a domestic hub)? The wiki says an agent can do it, a recent post said many agents wouldn't do it bc of the LH segment.
3) My return is FRA-BRU-ORD-SFO, but it's fared as an SFO-BRU roundtrip with a stopover in FRA. Assuming yes to (2), can I SDC to FRA-ORD-SFO over the fare break?
4) The FRA-BRU flight is in U and BRU-ORD-SFO flight is in W. Assuming yes to (3), which fare class needs to be available on FRA-ORD?
Original - IAH-IAD-MUC-NAP. The IAD-MUC-NAP segments on LH
Changed - IAH-MUC-NAP. IAH-MUC segment was on UA
Original - EWR-MUC-FCO.
Changed - EWR-FCO (UA non stop)
Original - IAD-FRA-CDG.
Changed - IAD-CDG (UA non stop)
1) You may be able to make the change with the first flight. On the IAH-IAD-MUC-NAP flight, the origination was actually SJC (with an 18 hour connection in IAH). I was able to make the change from IAH-IAD-MUC, to IAH-MUC within 24 hours of my first flight SJC-IAH.
However, on the change from EWR-MUC-FCO, again originating is SJC the day before. When I tried to make the change 24 hours before the first flight, SJC-EWR, I was told I couldn't do so, until 24 hours of the EWR-FCO flight.
2) All 3 changes involved eliminating a LH or German wings segment. The agents were able to make the changes without any issues.
3) Is the FRA stopover over 24 hours? Assuming so, I doubt United would make the change.
4) I'm assuming that the lower Fare class applies (W).
Sep 13, 2014, 5:49 am
#3954
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Florida
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 1,917
UA Same-Day Travel Change (SDC) Fees/Questions *now with WikiPost*
Confirmed today for 4pm flight, online (app and website) is not offering a change option to 12pm flight. All classes are zeroed.
But my friend is at the airport now - 7am - taking a different flight, and I had her put my record locator into the kiosk and it didn't offer any confirmed change but it did offer stand by for the 12 p.m. flight.
If she accepted the standby at the kiosk, does anybody know if this standby might clear more than 90 minutes prior to the flight so that I would know about it and I could get to the airport? Or is this just putting me on the standby list that is cleared at the gate minutes before departure?
But my friend is at the airport now - 7am - taking a different flight, and I had her put my record locator into the kiosk and it didn't offer any confirmed change but it did offer stand by for the 12 p.m. flight.
If she accepted the standby at the kiosk, does anybody know if this standby might clear more than 90 minutes prior to the flight so that I would know about it and I could get to the airport? Or is this just putting me on the standby list that is cleared at the gate minutes before departure?
Sep 13, 2014, 5:56 am
#3955
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,351
Confirmed today for 4pm flight, online (app and website) is not offering a change option to 12pm flight. All classes are zeroed.
But my friend is at the airport now - 7am - taking a different flight, and I had her put my record locator into the kiosk and it didn't offer any confirmed change but it did offer stand by for the 12 p.m. flight.
If she accepted the standby at the kiosk, does anybody know if this standby might clear more than 90 minutes prior to the flight so that I would know about it and I could get to the airport? Or is this just putting me on the standby list that is cleared at the gate minutes before departure?
But my friend is at the airport now - 7am - taking a different flight, and I had her put my record locator into the kiosk and it didn't offer any confirmed change but it did offer stand by for the 12 p.m. flight.
If she accepted the standby at the kiosk, does anybody know if this standby might clear more than 90 minutes prior to the flight so that I would know about it and I could get to the airport? Or is this just putting me on the standby list that is cleared at the gate minutes before departure?
-RM
Sep 13, 2014, 9:30 am
#3956
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Florida
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 1,917
UA Same-Day Travel Change (SDC) Fees/Questions *now with WikiPost*
Thanks Rob, very helpful.
Sep 15, 2014, 8:31 am
#3957
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, UA Platinum, Alaksa MVP 75K, Air Berlin Gold, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,389
Did a MR this past weekend LGA-IAH-SEA-IAH-LGA. On the return, I was hoping upon arrival in IAH it'd let me SDC to IAH-DEN-LGA as my fare class (G) was open for that routing after looking online. I've also SDC'd to this exact routing on a MR last year. This time it wasn't an option for me via app, kiosk or website. Not sure if the system is now aware of what routing rules are allowed for a given fare class, or not. I'm sure I could've pushed this with an agent in IAH, but after a mid-con redeye, it wasn't worth the hassle. I was able to SDC to IAH-ORD-LGA via the app, but not what I was hoping for.
Sep 15, 2014, 5:08 pm
#3958
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA1K
Posts: 4,045
Did a MR this past weekend LGA-IAH-SEA-IAH-LGA. On the return, I was hoping upon arrival in IAH it'd let me SDC to IAH-DEN-LGA as my fare class (G) was open for that routing after looking online. I've also SDC'd to this exact routing on a MR last year. This time it wasn't an option for me via app, kiosk or website. Not sure if the system is now aware of what routing rules are allowed for a given fare class, or not. I'm sure I could've pushed this with an agent in IAH, but after a mid-con redeye, it wasn't worth the hassle. I was able to SDC to IAH-ORD-LGA via the app, but not what I was hoping for.
i'm actually planning on doing something creative with my MR this weekend. we shall see how it goes.
Sep 16, 2014, 1:56 pm
#3959
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Home, where we should all be
Programs: Who knows anymore. It's a f---ing pandemic.
Posts: 273
Listening to Rhapsody modified while waiting for Premier Line agent to come back from Rate Desk on a SDC request where fare class is available. No routing change, just five hours earlier. 14 minutes and counting now. Sigh......
Sep 16, 2014, 3:22 pm
#3960
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 812
Do you guys think I can SDC from SFO-NRT to SFO-HNL-NRT to add a night (less than 24 hours) in Honolulu? Is that a valid routing for SFO-NRT?