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}
Apr 25, 2014, 11:36 am
#3451
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: NJ
Programs: World of Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Premier Platinum
Posts: 462
Thanks! That's the game plan.
Nope. Two different markets. SDC isn't (generally) possible even in co-terminals within the same market. The wiki at the top of the page has all the details.
That said, you might have luck SDCing (space available) PEK-EWR-ZFV (EWR-ZFV being an Amtrak codeshare), since ZFV and PHL are co-terminals, but that will require an exceptionally willing agent on your part. If EWR-ZFV isn't the last segment on your itinerary, don't skip it to stay in EWR--your remaining segments will be canceled. If EWR-ZFV is your last segment, you can get away with skipping it, although it's against the spirit of the ZFV codeshare program. Tons more info on that over here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ladelphia.html
That said, you might have luck SDCing (space available) PEK-EWR-ZFV (EWR-ZFV being an Amtrak codeshare), since ZFV and PHL are co-terminals, but that will require an exceptionally willing agent on your part. If EWR-ZFV isn't the last segment on your itinerary, don't skip it to stay in EWR--your remaining segments will be canceled. If EWR-ZFV is your last segment, you can get away with skipping it, although it's against the spirit of the ZFV codeshare program. Tons more info on that over here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ladelphia.html
Apr 25, 2014, 12:16 pm
#3452
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,724
3 or more segments
So if I have a 4 segment trip (AAA-BBB-CCC-DDD) in one day and I get to BBB, can I use the kiosk or app to SDC to another BBB-CCC-DDD flight? The wiki post says anything over 2 segments isn't possible to SDC at a kiosk or app and I wondered what the screen would say at the BBB kiosk if you try to SDC with more than 2 segments left in the itinerary.
Apr 25, 2014, 12:19 pm
#3453
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
So if I have a 4 segment trip (AAA-BBB-CCC-DDD) in one day and I get to BBB, can I use the kiosk or app to SDC to another BBB-CCC-DDD flight? The wiki post says anything over 2 segments isn't possible to SDC at a kiosk or app and I wondered what the screen would say at the BBB kiosk if you try to SDC with more than 2 segments left in the itinerary.
Once there are only two segments left, everything works.
Apr 25, 2014, 12:26 pm
#3454
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,724
On another note, has anyone ever been offered a SDC to an intinerary with a double connection (3 segments)?
Apr 25, 2014, 1:12 pm
#3455
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
I just wonder what the system (kiosk/app) would even say if you were on a 4 segment trip and you tried to SDC at the first connection point when you still had 3 (not two) segments left.
On another note, has anyone ever been offered a SDC to an intinerary with a double connection (3 segments)?
On another note, has anyone ever been offered a SDC to an intinerary with a double connection (3 segments)?
Apr 25, 2014, 6:13 pm
#3456
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,724
LGA and JFK are a "multi-airport city" and usually share commonly-filed fares. JFK and EWR are technically co-terminals but have distinct fares. The former is much easier to switch between than the latter. Perhaps we should clarify this in the wiki.
The site/app/kiosk will not offer you an SDC at all if you have >2 segments left. If you are on a leg with four segments, the site/app/kiosk will start offering SDC options once you flown the first two segments. I have flown a couple dozen three-segment itineraries in the last couple of years and have never once been offered an SDC until I've flown to where I only have two segments left.
The site/app/kiosk will not offer you an SDC at all if you have >2 segments left. If you are on a leg with four segments, the site/app/kiosk will start offering SDC options once you flown the first two segments. I have flown a couple dozen three-segment itineraries in the last couple of years and have never once been offered an SDC until I've flown to where I only have two segments left.
Apr 25, 2014, 6:25 pm
#3457
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
Correct. It appears to either be a hard-coded limit or a functional limitation of the system's programming. Either way, it does not handle 3+-segment legs.
Apr 28, 2014, 12:34 pm
#3458
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 734
SDC confirmed can get you through security on the previous day.
SDC unconfirmed, on the previous day, is a thing of the past. That is a boarding pass, for flight the next day, will no longer get you past security to hang out at the boarding gate.
Apr 28, 2014, 2:42 pm
#3459
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA 1P, AA Plat, SW AL/CP
Posts: 253
YMMV, just called and asked this to a UA agent at the premier desk. She had to ask a supervisor, but her answer was:
"A star alliance gold member would be treated the same as a non-premier, so they'd be paying the same $75 fee for a same day change."
"A star alliance gold member would be treated the same as a non-premier, so they'd be paying the same $75 fee for a same day change."
Apr 28, 2014, 2:53 pm
#3460
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
There has never been a (realistic) contention that the rules permit it for free. But the systems don't enforce the rules.
Apr 29, 2014, 8:28 am
#3461
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, UA Nobody, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,372
Apr 29, 2014, 11:29 am
#3462
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Gold-MM, AA Gold-MM, F9-Silver, Hyatt Something, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,393
Do international tickets get 48 hours of SDC options?
I was recently offered options for the next two days. (And I took one of those to create a stopover at my final connection city.)
Can't seem to find this mentioned in the wiki.
I was recently offered options for the next two days. (And I took one of those to create a stopover at my final connection city.)
Can't seem to find this mentioned in the wiki.
Apr 29, 2014, 11:34 am
#3463
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
Not in theory. What method were you using? You commenced travel on the entire new itinerary more than 24 hours from the time if the change?
Apr 29, 2014, 12:30 pm
#3464
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,466
No. Perhaps there was a potential oversell or some other unusual circumstance (weather?) such that UA wanted to encourage changes.
Apr 29, 2014, 1:26 pm
#3465
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, UA Platinum, Alaksa MVP 75K, Air Berlin Gold, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,389