Presently UA will refund or allow a generous reschedule if there is a two or more hour change in schedule. This applied to both advance schedule changes and day of travel issues.
Many have used this schedule change policy to get better, perhaps, more direct routing or better time of day. Some have called this a "golden ticket."
The US DOT has released new rules
Airlines will now be required to give automatic cash refunds for canceled and delayed flights that seems to more aimed at day of travel changes
also
Airlines Must Provide Automatic Cash Refunds, More Transparency
The Transportation Department said airlines will be required to provide automatic cash refunds within a few days for canceled flights and “significant” delays. Under current regulations, airlines decide how long a delay must last before triggering refunds. The administration is removing that wiggle room by defining a significant delay as lasting at least three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international ones.
DOT Press Releases
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Rule Requiring Automatic Refunds of Airline Tickets and Ancillary Service Fees
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Rule to Protect Consumers from Surprise Airline Junk Fees
FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Rules to Deliver Automatic Refunds and Protect Consumers from Surprise Junk Fees in Air Travel
Additionally the DOT included
The rule will also apply to refunds of checked-bag fees if the bag isn’t delivered within 12 hours for domestic flights or 15 to 30 hours for international flights.
There are other changes -- disclosure of fees which may make for a more cluttered display.
However, hopeful the refund requirement does not impact UA's advance schedule change policy
Reminder -- let's stay focus on the impact on UA policies (therefore the impact on us) and not wander into OMNI/PR land