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}
Feb 13, 2014, 2:22 pm
#3196
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
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see wiki http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...-wikipost.html
Feb 13, 2014, 2:28 pm
#3197
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
no problem OP, the other week I was in OGG (Maui) and it was raining everyday all day. @ T-24 I called up to see if I could get out that night I was booked OGG-HNL ( HA UA award tkt) then HNL-SFO-JFK, the csr said that HNL-SFO doesnt have any F left but OGG-SFO does and comfirmed me on it., ( was using an RPU).
Then she CXed my HA tkt and that saved me $5k & $2.50, and I earned only 30 miles less then HNL-SFO
Then she CXed my HA tkt and that saved me $5k & $2.50, and I earned only 30 miles less then HNL-SFO
Feb 13, 2014, 3:38 pm
#3198
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 12
Thanks! I hope it works. I was not looking foward to spending six hours travelling to travel what should be a 30 minute flight. But I also didn't want to pay the ticket price for the direct flight. Right now, there appears to be plenty or room on direct flights. Fingers crossed! 
Feb 13, 2014, 3:46 pm
#3199
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: San Diego
Programs: UA Premier 1K
Posts: 182
If I read the wiki correctly, it is possible to interrupt your travel at a layover airport and then SDC for a later flight.
Let's say I am flying from A to B to C to D.
If I want to extend my stay in C for a couple of hours, could I do that? Would I have to do it with an agent or can I do it through the app?
Let's say I am flying from A to B to C to D.
If I want to extend my stay in C for a couple of hours, could I do that? Would I have to do it with an agent or can I do it through the app?
Feb 13, 2014, 5:42 pm
#3200
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 188
If I read the wiki correctly, it is possible to interrupt your travel at a layover airport and then SDC for a later flight.
Let's say I am flying from A to B to C to D.
If I want to extend my stay in C for a couple of hours, could I do that? Would I have to do it with an agent or can I do it through the app?
Let's say I am flying from A to B to C to D.
If I want to extend my stay in C for a couple of hours, could I do that? Would I have to do it with an agent or can I do it through the app?
Feb 13, 2014, 5:54 pm
#3201
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
Extending a layover past the legal time limit (4 hours domestically) is only possible once you get to the layover point (i.e., after you land in C). At C, you can change to any other C->D flight within 24 hours, provided that there is availability. This can be done by kiosk/app/agent...however, agents may offer resistance if you try to change the date (i.e. original C-> D leaves at 2000 on 13 FEB, but the desired C-> D leaves at 0800 on 14 FEB)...
I've never encountered any resistance about moving to the next day, unless you mean from an airport agent. Airport agents are clueless about SDC.
Feb 13, 2014, 6:11 pm
#3202
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: a proud member of FT since 05-05-1998
Programs: DL, AF and KL - UA - *G
Posts: 2,239
Hi,
would it be possible to change a TATL itinerary that contains LH-codeshares?
I would like to change from LH (TATL)-UA to LH(intra Europe)-UA (TATL)-UA would that be possible?
Thank you for your input!
would it be possible to change a TATL itinerary that contains LH-codeshares?
I would like to change from LH (TATL)-UA to LH(intra Europe)-UA (TATL)-UA would that be possible?
Thank you for your input!
Feb 13, 2014, 7:04 pm
#3203
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: 23,212
SDC on non-UA metal is not allowed. Additionally, if you are originating on another carrier, it's not technically possible, as you are not checking in directly with UA.
Feb 13, 2014, 7:14 pm
#3204
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,800
I have SDC'ed from an AC operated TATL codeshare to UA metal (LHR-YVR-SFO to LHR-SFO).
Feb 13, 2014, 7:36 pm
#3205
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: San Diego
Programs: UA Premier 1K
Posts: 182
If you use the language "I only want to touch that one segment," you actually have a pretty good shot even before getting to the layover point. I've done it several times.
I've never encountered any resistance about moving to the next day, unless you mean from an airport agent. Airport agents are clueless about SDC.
I've never encountered any resistance about moving to the next day, unless you mean from an airport agent. Airport agents are clueless about SDC.
Feb 13, 2014, 9:57 pm
#3206
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: 23,212
You might get lucky with a willing phone agent, but as per http://www.united.com/web/en-us/cont...aychange.aspx:
The itinerary must be operated by United**.
** Includes flights operated by United and United Express
** Includes flights operated by United and United Express
Feb 13, 2014, 10:09 pm
#3207
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,800
How did you manage that? Since you're not checking in with United.com but rather AirCanada.com, there's no SDC option.
You might get lucky with a willing phone agent, but as per http://www.united.com/web/en-us/cont...aychange.aspx:
You might get lucky with a willing phone agent, but as per http://www.united.com/web/en-us/cont...aychange.aspx:
Feb 14, 2014, 10:33 am
#3208
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 188
If you use the language "I only want to touch that one segment," you actually have a pretty good shot even before getting to the layover point. I've done it several times.
I've never encountered any resistance about moving to the next day, unless you mean from an airport agent. Airport agents are clueless about SDC.
I've never encountered any resistance about moving to the next day, unless you mean from an airport agent. Airport agents are clueless about SDC.
Feb 16, 2014, 6:50 am
#3209
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Everywhere you wanna be
Programs: AA EP | UA 1K
Posts: 1,657
So long story short im booked for Feb 1st ERI-CLE-LAX-SYD. Since its more than 3 segments i cant change online and will have to call over the phone.
My original flight departs at 3:15PM.
What i want to do is fly out one day earlier and the flight on Jan 31st leaves at 4:44PM, so i figure i can call right at the 3:15PM mark on friday, get it done, and get to the airport really quickly for my 4:44PM flight.
Question being, how quickly can phone agents do these? should i already be at the airport when i call or are they generally competent enough to do what i want in 5 minutes. (i live 15 mins from the airport FYI)
assuming all this is even legal/possible (i assume it is).
Doing this, i will probably lose my miles+copay upgrades but meh oh well id like an extra day in australia if possible
My original flight departs at 3:15PM.
What i want to do is fly out one day earlier and the flight on Jan 31st leaves at 4:44PM, so i figure i can call right at the 3:15PM mark on friday, get it done, and get to the airport really quickly for my 4:44PM flight.
Question being, how quickly can phone agents do these? should i already be at the airport when i call or are they generally competent enough to do what i want in 5 minutes. (i live 15 mins from the airport FYI)
assuming all this is even legal/possible (i assume it is).
Doing this, i will probably lose my miles+copay upgrades but meh oh well id like an extra day in australia if possible
Feb 16, 2014, 1:27 pm
#3210
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Hamburg
Programs: UA - 1K, Marriott - Titanium, Hertz - President's Circle
Posts: 155
Sorry, meant airport agent. Even the ones that know about SDC seem to be wary of moving to the next day/day before. I was trying to change an ORD-SFO flight from the first one out in the morning to the last one leaving the night before at the counter and was denied by the agent. Proceeded to call MP and get this change taken care of in < 5 min.