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 11, 2012, 2:48 pm
#331
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
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Feb 11, 2012, 11:50 pm
#333
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
Doesn't really work the other way (unless if you are able to control time)
.
Feb 11, 2012, 11:56 pm
#334
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton GLD, Marriott Plat, NEXUS/GE
Posts: 2,872
Feb 12, 2012, 1:46 am
#335
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 69
Note: I have Premier Executive status. Soon to be platinum starting in March I guess since I flew over 75K miles in 2011.
Is fare class part of the equation here? I booked a roundtrip Y ticket ORD > PHL recently (only because it was booked 4 days before departure). Due to working late, I missed the 6:10pm departure time. I showed up at ORD at 7:30pm and requested to be placed on standby for the 9:05pm. They put me on standby list, I made the flight, and there was no fee.
The return was 9AM, but I showed up at 6AM and changed my itinerary on the self-service kiosk to a 7AM departure. It wouldn't actually print my BP though - it said "see United representative". At first he mentioned having to pay $75, but then he looked at it and said, "well it looks like you're already ticketed on the 7AM" and then handed me a BP. I also made the upgrade to F at the gate.
Another time a few months ago I missed a 10AM flight from EWR. I showed up around 1PM, and they handed me a confirmed ticket for a 3PM flight with no fee. I don't know what fare class that was though.
Just trying to understand the process better. Thanks.
Is fare class part of the equation here? I booked a roundtrip Y ticket ORD > PHL recently (only because it was booked 4 days before departure). Due to working late, I missed the 6:10pm departure time. I showed up at ORD at 7:30pm and requested to be placed on standby for the 9:05pm. They put me on standby list, I made the flight, and there was no fee.
The return was 9AM, but I showed up at 6AM and changed my itinerary on the self-service kiosk to a 7AM departure. It wouldn't actually print my BP though - it said "see United representative". At first he mentioned having to pay $75, but then he looked at it and said, "well it looks like you're already ticketed on the 7AM" and then handed me a BP. I also made the upgrade to F at the gate.
Another time a few months ago I missed a 10AM flight from EWR. I showed up around 1PM, and they handed me a confirmed ticket for a 3PM flight with no fee. I don't know what fare class that was though.
Just trying to understand the process better. Thanks.
Feb 12, 2012, 1:54 am
#336
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,967
Feb 13, 2012, 7:15 am
#337
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: SPG Plat, HH Silver, UA 1K, DL Silver
Posts: 190
Went through this thread and didn't see an answer:
I originally booked A for ORD-IAH-AUS. I now have the opportunity to change to a direct flight. For no change in fare price I would have an M class fare. Are the EQMs awarded for the M class or the originally purchased A class?
Thanks.
I originally booked A for ORD-IAH-AUS. I now have the opportunity to change to a direct flight. For no change in fare price I would have an M class fare. Are the EQMs awarded for the M class or the originally purchased A class?
Thanks.
Feb 13, 2012, 2:13 pm
#338
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Mid Atlantic US
Programs: Hilton: Diamond/Everything else: Kettle...
Posts: 107
Went ahead and spent the $250 to guarantee. I can see DCA from my office and it takes about 10 minutes to walk there, so I was thinking of going to the airport to see about standby the day before, but when I looked at the seating options (everything in E- is full, but E+ was wide open), I wanted to ensure that I'd get a Window seat for the overnight flight.
Now I'm committed and looking forward to the extra day. (Extending it a day was just to make the long weekend a bit longer).
J
Now I'm committed and looking forward to the extra day. (Extending it a day was just to make the long weekend a bit longer).
J
Feb 21, 2012, 8:08 pm
#339
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Montgomery, Alabama, USA
Programs: UA Gold 1mm, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 662
CO itin can I standby for UA flight?
I have first leg of intl flight ATL/EWR on CO Express at 10:17 AM. Can I standby for 8 AM flight on UA express?
Feb 21, 2012, 8:17 pm
#340
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
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Feb 21, 2012, 9:51 pm
#342
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 48
Is there a rule against changes on international flights? Tried to go on standby on earlier NRT-SFO flight (within 3 hr window) at airport and was told there was a $250 fee that ALL elite levels must pay, including GS.
Feb 21, 2012, 9:55 pm
#343
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
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Posts: 66,967
Confirmed same-day travel changes are available only for flights that are wholly within the United States.
Feb 22, 2012, 9:03 am
#344
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Montgomery, Alabama, USA
Programs: UA Gold 1mm, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 662
Feb 22, 2012, 9:50 am
#345
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,967