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 19, 2011, 7:52 pm
#46
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There are a group of travelers though for whom this isn't particularly helpful. Say, I want to still leave on the same day as originally booked, but instead of the 5pm flight I'm confirmed on, I want to bolt on the first flight out at 6am. That is typically how I SDC, and unfortunately this is where you'd be dealing with the fareclass requirement or you'd have to stay up at night and lose sleep over whether there are seats that become available when the flight is opened up....Seems like it's a YMMV situation.
Thanks to Seth for helping me understand.
Thanks to Seth for helping me understand.
In any event, on CO, you can attempt to change to the 6am flight starting at 5pm the night before (T-24h from your original booking). If the flight isn't full or nearly full there's a good chance you'll find availability in your bucket. And for top-tier, the change is free. AND you can do it online. And if there's no availability, you can still go to the airport and standby.
On AA, from what I understand, as an elite, your options are to (1) pay $50 to same-day confirm, but you have to call an agent, or (2) go to the airport and standby for free. And #1 is subject to capacity controls, right? (I seem to recall there needing to be special "G" inventory regardless of your original booking class, is that still the case?). So I can't understand why you would think that AA is even remotely preferable to CO here.
May 19, 2011, 7:58 pm
#47
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The way this works on DL is you can request to SDC to any flight on the same calendar day that departs within the next 3 hours from the request.
So if your ticket is for 3 PM, and you want to depart on the 9 PM flight, you can request a SDC for the 9 PM flight at 6 PM.... but at that point, if the answer is no, you're kinda screwed.
CO's policy is very close to the old NW policy, which is MUCH better than the DL or UA policies. The primary reason, for me at least, is that I can confirm a switch to a 9 PM flight from a 3 PM flight as early as 9 PM the previous day.
When you can only do 3 hours in the future, in many cases for me that's the same as requiring me to be at the airport, as I really want to be at the airport an hour in advance and the airport is still 2 hours away from where I am.
May 19, 2011, 8:01 pm
#48
Join Date: Feb 2011
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Well, the airlines response is that they were losing a lot of revenues from people who would book the cheapo late-night flight and then just stand by for the earlier flight that was more expensive in the first place.
And keep in mind that many foreign airlines allow NO CHANGES whatsoever on their cheapest fares (and no miles earned for that matter!). I don't think this system is that unreasonable.
And keep in mind that many foreign airlines allow NO CHANGES whatsoever on their cheapest fares (and no miles earned for that matter!). I don't think this system is that unreasonable.
Also, citing something totally unreasonable to paint unreasonable in a better light isn't exactly convincing...
May 19, 2011, 9:06 pm
#49
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I have no idea of how it works on AA so I cannot speak to that comparison.
May 20, 2011, 12:00 am
#50
Join Date: Apr 2005
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You may change your connection city only if requesting the change at the airport
anyone has any idea what is the limitation on how creative your routing could be? How far out of my way can I connect? And does the second leg have to fall within the 3 hours time frame?
anyone has any idea what is the limitation on how creative your routing could be? How far out of my way can I connect? And does the second leg have to fall within the 3 hours time frame?
May 20, 2011, 12:06 am
#51
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: United 1K, HH Diamond, CBP Global Entry
Posts: 732
I also wanna know about how flexible changing connection city is. Can I fly SFO-MIA-IAD instead of IAD direct? or perhaps SFO-BOS-ORD instead of SFO-ORD direct?
Also, to confirm:
1) are we sure about the 24 hour SDC rule yet for the new UA+CO? old-CO allowed it.
2) are we sure about the fee-not-waived-if-booking-flight-AFTER-original-departure? old-UA allowed it (at our own risk)
thanks for clarifications
Also, to confirm:
1) are we sure about the 24 hour SDC rule yet for the new UA+CO? old-CO allowed it.
2) are we sure about the fee-not-waived-if-booking-flight-AFTER-original-departure? old-UA allowed it (at our own risk)
thanks for clarifications
May 20, 2011, 1:10 am
#52
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: San Diego
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I also wanna know about how flexible changing connection city is. Can I fly SFO-MIA-IAD instead of IAD direct? or perhaps SFO-BOS-ORD instead of SFO-ORD direct?
Also, to confirm:
1) are we sure about the 24 hour SDC rule yet for the new UA+CO? old-CO allowed it.
2) are we sure about the fee-not-waived-if-booking-flight-AFTER-original-departure? old-UA allowed it (at our own risk)
thanks for clarifications
Also, to confirm:
1) are we sure about the 24 hour SDC rule yet for the new UA+CO? old-CO allowed it.
2) are we sure about the fee-not-waived-if-booking-flight-AFTER-original-departure? old-UA allowed it (at our own risk)
thanks for clarifications
May 20, 2011, 8:53 am
#53
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UA's goal here is to make certain that it differentiates between Y/B (changeable,refundable) and other buckets which are changeable with a fee or not changeable at all. The easier and cheaper the change is from a discounted fare and the further pre-departure it can be done, the less likely pax are to purchase Y/B. On the other hand, if there is an empty seat which UA's software tells it won't likely be sold, either generating revenue from non-elite or building brand loyalty from an elite is a good thing.
Lastly, even though UA no longer commits to this, for GS/1K, they will almost always overbook for Y (or F with a Y seat).
Last edited by Often1; May 20, 2011 at 8:55 am Reason: Missing
May 20, 2011, 9:34 am
#54
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I really don't remember where I read this, but I do remember it was something official from CO (or MAYBE UA but I think CO) talking about the new rules. And, as far as I remember, it said NO, you cannot add the extra leg for a same day flight change; so no MIA and no BOS. As soon as I remember where I read this I will (if it's an online thing) send you the link.
May 20, 2011, 11:07 am
#55
Join Date: Jun 2007
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The way this works on DL is you can request to SDC to any flight on the same calendar day that departs within the next 3 hours from the request.
So if your ticket is for 3 PM, and you want to depart on the 9 PM flight, you can request a SDC for the 9 PM flight at 6 PM.... but at that point, if the answer is no, you're kinda screwed.
So if your ticket is for 3 PM, and you want to depart on the 9 PM flight, you can request a SDC for the 9 PM flight at 6 PM.... but at that point, if the answer is no, you're kinda screwed.
For UA fliers, with the alignment toward CO-style routing rules, it's unlikely you'll be allowed to do SFO-FAT-LAX-SEA-IAD instead of SFO-IAD anymore.
Last edited by iluv2fly; May 20, 2011 at 11:33 am Reason: merge
May 20, 2011, 4:39 pm
#56
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It often was for me (or close to it) when I was a business traveler. I'd book the last flight out on the day I was scheduled to leave as I couldn't afford to not be booked on that flight. More often than not, however, I was at the airport one or two flights ahead of that one to go home because the work was done or I had convinced the client that my having dinner with my wife was more important than my being in the office another hour. I rarely was in a position to move up 14 hours but moving up 4-6 was not uncommon.
I was specifically questioning AAExPlat's logic behind his "typical" pattern of booking a 5pm and wanting the 6am which seemed to cause him problems with SDC because of the very early nature of the desired flight. Although, as the rest of my post demonstrated, the CO SDC system does not pose any obstacles for doing this that also don't exist on another carrier, and in most cases would actually be more beneficial.
May 20, 2011, 5:50 pm
#57
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Bad news for 1Ks, as now there will be more folks freely able to make SDC.
May 20, 2011, 7:48 pm
#58
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if you're 1p or higher as all others still have to pay
May 20, 2011, 8:12 pm
#59
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May 20, 2011, 11:54 pm
#60
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Posts: 693
and
a fee not paid by someone else, means the $ comes from somewhere: higher fares, higher fees, less service (i doubt the $ comes from $mi$ek's paycheck)