Originally Posted by
atcguy
If I book a Standard Award, and the Saver Award becomes available for the exact same itinerary, can I just pay the $25 (Premier Gold) and it's considered a change (inside 21 days) or does this require the ticket to be cancelled, miles redeposited, etc. Thus hitting me with the $100 change fee.
It should be the $25 fee, although the website isn't 100% clear on it.
Have a look at
http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...ticketing.aspx
Outside 21 days it's clear that it's free, as "Making a change 21 or more days prior to the date of travel (no change to origin/destination)" has a footnote that says "Fee will be charged for any change to cabin,
award type, carrier, date or time."
The "less than 21 days" version doesn't reference the footnote, but as the wording is otherwise the same it implies that a change of award type is allowed and included in that category - which would be a $25 fee for a gold.
Whether you can actually get an agent to do it for you for the $25 is a different matter, but by referencing the above it should be possible (or even getting it for free if they are too lazy to charge you the $25).