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}
May 17, 2013, 8:16 pm
#1726
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: MP
Posts: 350
What happens if I have multi-segment itinerary with connections, and different segments have different fare classes. Say, one segment is S fare and another is V fare. Or some other combinations. How to handle this through SDC?
If I want to SDC to direct flight, what fare bucket should the direct flight have available to SDC? Highest? Lowest?
If I want to SDC through a different connecting city, what fare buckets for the new segments?
If I want to SDC to direct flight, what fare bucket should the direct flight have available to SDC? Highest? Lowest?
If I want to SDC through a different connecting city, what fare buckets for the new segments?
May 18, 2013, 3:52 pm
#1727
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Up In The Cloud
Programs: UA 1K MM; BA S, AA G; AS G; DL | SPG P50, M G, CC G, IHG P, HLT S | Hertz PC, Avis F
Posts: 682
Originally Posted by v1rok:20769405
What happens if I have multi-segment itinerary with connections, and different segments have different fare classes. Say, one segment is S fare and another is V fare. Or some other combinations. How to handle this through SDC?
If I want to SDC to direct flight, what fare bucket should the direct flight have available to SDC? Highest? Lowest?
If I want to SDC through a different connecting city, what fare buckets for the new segments?
If I want to SDC to direct flight, what fare bucket should the direct flight have available to SDC? Highest? Lowest?
If I want to SDC through a different connecting city, what fare buckets for the new segments?
May 23, 2013, 9:25 pm
#1728
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 812
I'm Gold. If I book a reservation using my miles for someone else, is that reservation eligible for free SDC?
May 23, 2013, 9:27 pm
#1729
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,122
May 23, 2013, 10:55 pm
#1731
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: ny, ny
Posts: 39
I am flying MKE-IAH-LAX next week. I am hoping to change the routing within the 24 hour window to MKE-ORD-LAX. My question is this: can I skip the MKE-ORD segment and show up at ORD and catch that flight using my ORD-LAX boarding pass and switch to an earlier flight mid-trip but just knocking out the previous segment or will that cancel everything. I would time the MKE-ORD to be later than the earlier flight that I would trip to pick up.
May 23, 2013, 11:08 pm
#1732
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
I am flying MKE-IAH-LAX next week. I am hoping to change the routing within the 24 hour window to MKE-ORD-LAX. My question is this: can I skip the MKE-ORD segment and show up at ORD and catch that flight using my ORD-LAX boarding pass and switch to an earlier flight mid-trip but just knocking out the previous segment or will that cancel everything. I would time the MKE-ORD to be later than the earlier flight that I would trip to pick up.
May 23, 2013, 11:41 pm
#1733
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 239
Perhaps asked and answered, but 2 questions:
Does a checked back at the origin make it impossible to SDC at a connection point (e.g. does the bag must fly with traveler rule apply)
Also, can an SDC be used to change just the fare class of an itinerary, with the buy up but without any change fees?
Does a checked back at the origin make it impossible to SDC at a connection point (e.g. does the bag must fly with traveler rule apply)
Also, can an SDC be used to change just the fare class of an itinerary, with the buy up but without any change fees?
May 23, 2013, 11:47 pm
#1734
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: ny, ny
Posts: 39
What if i check in for my MKE-LAX flight BEFORE the ORD-MKE is scheduled to leave thereby avoiding for the first segment being cancelled?
May 23, 2013, 11:51 pm
#1735
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
What purpose would buying up serve, though (unless you're trying to jump the upgrade queue)?
May 24, 2013, 6:51 am
#1736
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
1. AAA-BBB
2. BBB-CCC
You MUST fly 1 before 2. There is no way to make a change so that 2 is before 1. There is no way to skip 1 and still take 2. It does not matter when you've checked in for your flights. Again, a boarding pass is not a bus ticket. Just because you have the boarding pass doesn't mean they'll let you on the plane. If you skipped your first segment, they won't.
May 24, 2013, 8:35 am
#1737
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: United-1k, Marriott-Lifetime Plat
Posts: 111
I have a quick question. I am going on a golf trip with a buddy next week to Phoenix. I am booked on a 9am UA express flight but thinking we may want to hop on a 6am us airways flight. I am United Premiere Gold. Can I change it to an earlier flight if it's a US Airways flight and I'm booked on a United flight? Also, will I get free bags if I can change it to that US Airways flight?
Hopefully that makes sense.
Or... Can I change it to leave the night before?
Hopefully that makes sense.
Or... Can I change it to leave the night before?
Last edited by iluv2fly; May 24, 2013 at 8:53 am Reason: merge
May 24, 2013, 8:53 am
#1738
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Jersey Shore/YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 12,521
No.
You can't do a free SDC from United to US Airways. For that matter, no SDC at all across metal.
If there are other issues, like an oversell on the UA flight, then maybe.
Yes, you'll get the *G bag allowance if you somehow move over.
You can't do a free SDC from United to US Airways. For that matter, no SDC at all across metal.
If there are other issues, like an oversell on the UA flight, then maybe.
Yes, you'll get the *G bag allowance if you somehow move over.
May 24, 2013, 8:54 am
#1739
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Programs: Former 1KMM now free as UA Gold MM, former HH D, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 1,121
More info here: https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...daychange.aspx
You could get free bags on US as *G.
You could get free bags on US as *G.
May 24, 2013, 10:29 am
#1740
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: United-1k, Marriott-Lifetime Plat
Posts: 111
Can you change your flight to the night before on United Same Day change? If I were to leave on a Thursday morning... changing to a Wednesday night..???