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 23, 2011, 4:56 am
#76
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Upstate NY or FL or inbetween
Programs: US former CP Looking for a new airline to love me
Posts: 1,674
Friday, May 13th., I wrote 1K voice to explain how, in 3 areas important to me, UA was falling way behind DL. The 3 specifically;
1) DL allows free standby at the Gold level (equivalent to 1P)
2) DL allows any reasonable alternate routing when using standby or SDC
3) DL is using mainlines to serve SYR at the same time UA is cutting back to Colgan Dashers on the evening IAD flight.
I suppose it's acceptable that it took till the next Tuesday to resolve 1 and 2
. And I suppose I'll have to be patient to see the resolution to #3. 
Is there anything else you guys would like me to grumble about?
Did this at TPA in ~ Feb. this year. Did not call ahead to canx my cheaper earlier morning reservation. IIRC OLCI told me I had to see a customer service rep. I did have to argue with everyone up to the station manager to get standby on a routing thru ORD vice IAD, an issue that will now be resolved with the dozen copies of the relevant web-site page I'll be carrying with me. NO discussion about additional charges, penalties, etc., I recall a kind of a surprised response that someone would deliberately miss an earlier flight and rely on standby space being available. And I saved ~ $200.
And I'm looking forward to educating the leftover SYR UA reps that revised connections are now permitted. After all, they still haven't figured out that 1K > 1P 
1) DL allows free standby at the Gold level (equivalent to 1P)
2) DL allows any reasonable alternate routing when using standby or SDC
3) DL is using mainlines to serve SYR at the same time UA is cutting back to Colgan Dashers on the evening IAD flight.
I suppose it's acceptable that it took till the next Tuesday to resolve 1 and 2
. And I suppose I'll have to be patient to see the resolution to #3. Is there anything else you guys would like me to grumble about?
Is this on UA or CO?
If it is on UA, did you call to cancel the 6am reservation prior to departure? How do you access OLCI to do the SDC? Is OLCI available either in your .bomb account or under your PNR 12 hours after you scheduled departure? Does the PNR exist if there is no reserved flight?
I've never tried it and would like to have it in my toolkit going forward.
If it is on UA, did you call to cancel the 6am reservation prior to departure? How do you access OLCI to do the SDC? Is OLCI available either in your .bomb account or under your PNR 12 hours after you scheduled departure? Does the PNR exist if there is no reserved flight?
I've never tried it and would like to have it in my toolkit going forward.
May 23, 2011, 7:00 am
#77
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SEA
Programs: UA AS DL Hyatt SPG/Bonvoy HHonors
Posts: 2,008
Did this at TPA in ~ Feb. this year. Did not call ahead to canx my cheaper earlier morning reservation. IIRC OLCI told me I had to see a customer service rep. I did have to argue with everyone up to the station manager to get standby on a routing thru ORD vice IAD, an issue that will now be resolved with the dozen copies of the relevant web-site page I'll be carrying with me. NO discussion about additional charges, penalties, etc., I recall a kind of a surprised response that someone would deliberately miss an earlier flight and rely on standby space being available. And I saved ~ $200.
May 23, 2011, 9:51 am
#78
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA. UA 1K, reluctant but * best in class * DL FO/MM. Former BA jumpseat rider and scourge of Dilbertian management and apologists. As LX might - and do - say: "....an experienced frequent flyer of international airlines"
Posts: 3,386
In general, however, it looks like more training needed.
May 23, 2011, 11:18 am
#79
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: WAS
Programs: UA Gold, Marriott Gold Elite, CZR 7*, MGM Plat
Posts: 159
Not according to the UA CSRs at SJC...where I spent all day Friday waiting on stdby at the gate. Although UA serves DEN as well as LAX, and I could have flown to TUS from either, I was told by three different agents that no changes were possible to routing for standby. It doesn't frost me too much because I saw that all the DEN flights went out full as well, so I wouldn't have been successful either way.
In general, however, it looks like more training needed.
In general, however, it looks like more training needed.
If you have a SEA-LAX-LAS flight booked for 8pm and show up at 1pm trying for a 1:30 SEA-SFO-LAS routing you can only get it if can be confirmed all the way through to LAS. If it can't be confirmed but they could get you to SFO, there is no guarantee they could get you from SFO-LAS that day. Therefore, you can only do unconfirmed standby to LAX where if even if you are not able to standby onto an earlier LAX-LAS flight, you always have you original seat waiting for you.
May 23, 2011, 12:55 pm
#80
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXPLT, NZ GE, VA PLT Hyatt Diam, Marr Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 3,445
I don't see why that is a logical conclusion. I expect that SDC will only be available in low fare buckets on flights that aren't overbooked, so there's no expense to the airline and maybe it frees up some inventory on other flights that can be monetized by the airline. It's basically an inexpensive benefit the airline can give to loyal travelers while still charging the non-loyal who are price-insensitive - lawyers, bankers, consultants with no status who can be reimbursed by their employers will continue to pay, and those with status will get it for free. No reason this benefit is on a path to elimination.
May 23, 2011, 1:02 pm
#81
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXPLT, NZ GE, VA PLT Hyatt Diam, Marr Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 3,445
Umm... how about you try again. A person is just as likely to SDC off of your flight, as to SDC on it. Whether that person pays the fee or not - that's irrelevant. Capacity remains the same. A free SDC will not magically increase the number of people flying. That number remains the same.
Concern from the GS/1K perspective is that we now have 10x more pax competing for those earlier/preferred flights, many of which only have a few seats avail on them. So, it's a devaluation of GS/1k benefits. If, OTOH, UA allowed GS/1K to confirm SDC 4~6 hours before, that's another story.
I seem to recall that CO allowed 24 hours in advance? Or was it AA?
May 23, 2011, 1:46 pm
#82
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 257
I have a flight in July SJC-LAX-LAS 6am. I would like to go the evening before. I don't care if it's SJC-LAX-LAS or SJC-DEN-LAS or even SJC-IAH-LAS. With the new policy of 24 hours and routing changes permitted, would I be able to do SDC if my fare bucket is available?
May 23, 2011, 1:46 pm
#83
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Honolulu, HI
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 1,240
Concern from the GS/1K perspective is that we now have 10x more pax competing for those earlier/preferred flights, many of which only have a few seats avail on them. So, it's a devaluation of GS/1k benefits. If, OTOH, UA allowed GS/1K to confirm SDC 4~6 hours before, that's another story.
Continental is very flexible. Allows 24hr before or AFTER original schedule time, as long as the fare class is open.
Hopefully UA will be moving in the direction later...
May 23, 2011, 2:56 pm
#84
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: YVR SFO
Programs: UA G
Posts: 4,866
I hope that UA still allows us to book the last avail seat on the flight, rather than requiring us to have avail the orig booking class. Given that we now have 10x? more potential free SDC candidates (with the inclusion of PremExec), I can see a beancounter in the future saying that the airline should monetize all of that flight switching. Hope that doesn't happen, of course.
This is potentially worse than UA's former SDC policy. The old policy only required space in the H bucket, even if you were on a G, K, or L ticket. Requiring that I confirm in my original fare class will suck for me, since I generally buy GKLST tickets...
May 23, 2011, 3:34 pm
#85
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXPLT, NZ GE, VA PLT Hyatt Diam, Marr Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 3,445
What they do is book the pax into either the orig booking class, if avail, or into H class (they force a sale into H even if H is showing zero). They don't want the pax confirmed as a Y class pax because then it unfairly jump lists the pax on standby UPGs ... also, yield mgt might think lots of pax are buying Y fares at last minute, which messes up the yield mgt systems. So, they book it into nothing higher than H ... but the H doesn't need to have the inventory.
http://www.flyerguide.com/wiki/index...NFIRM_SAME_DAY
Allowing a 4~5 hour advance would alleviate this problem. Allow GS 5 hours, 1Ks 4 hours, others 3 hours?
Last edited by iluv2fly; May 23, 2011 at 4:47 pm Reason: merge
May 23, 2011, 3:51 pm
#86
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: YVR SFO
Programs: UA G
Posts: 4,866
From my experience, agents haven't been restricted to the avail of H bucket or lower. Have been told a few items by them they can/could confirm so long as it wasn't creating an oversale AND at least one more seat was avail for sale. Have, several times, had SDC on flights showing Y2 B0 ....
What they do is book the pax into either the orig booking class, if avail, or into H class (they force a sale into H even if H is showing zero). They don't want the pax confirmed as a Y class pax because then it unfairly jump lists the pax on standby UPGs ... also, yield mgt might think lots of pax are buying Y fares at last minute, which messes up the yield mgt systems. So, they book it into nothing higher than H ... but the H doesn't need to have the inventory.
http://www.flyerguide.com/wiki/index...NFIRM_SAME_DAY
What they do is book the pax into either the orig booking class, if avail, or into H class (they force a sale into H even if H is showing zero). They don't want the pax confirmed as a Y class pax because then it unfairly jump lists the pax on standby UPGs ... also, yield mgt might think lots of pax are buying Y fares at last minute, which messes up the yield mgt systems. So, they book it into nothing higher than H ... but the H doesn't need to have the inventory.
http://www.flyerguide.com/wiki/index...NFIRM_SAME_DAY
Agents wouldn't let me do SDC without H availability. According to the profile, my experience was correct:
2. RSSR MUST BE ABLE TO REBOOK IN SAME BOOKING CLASS OR
H-CLASS.
H-CLASS.
I guess they're more lenient now.
May 23, 2011, 3:54 pm
#87
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Upstate NY or FL or inbetween
Programs: US former CP Looking for a new airline to love me
Posts: 1,674
Not according to the UA CSRs at SJC...where I spent all day Friday waiting on stdby at the gate. Although UA serves DEN as well as LAX, and I could have flown to TUS from either, I was told by three different agents that no changes were possible to routing for standby. It doesn't frost me too much because I saw that all the DEN flights went out full as well, so I wouldn't have been successful either way.
In general, however, it looks like more training needed.
In general, however, it looks like more training needed.
Routing can only be change for confirmed standby. This is completely reasonable and keeps passengers from getting stranded at a hub. If seats aren't available to be confirmed you are SOL.
If you have a SEA-LAX-LAS flight booked for 8pm and show up at 1pm trying for a 1:30 SEA-SFO-LAS routing you can only get it if can be confirmed all the way through to LAS. If it can't be confirmed but they could get you to SFO, there is no guarantee they could get you from SFO-LAS that day. Therefore, you can only do unconfirmed standby to LAX where if even if you are not able to standby onto an earlier LAX-LAS flight, you always have you original seat waiting for you.
If you have a SEA-LAX-LAS flight booked for 8pm and show up at 1pm trying for a 1:30 SEA-SFO-LAS routing you can only get it if can be confirmed all the way through to LAS. If it can't be confirmed but they could get you to SFO, there is no guarantee they could get you from SFO-LAS that day. Therefore, you can only do unconfirmed standby to LAX where if even if you are not able to standby onto an earlier LAX-LAS flight, you always have you original seat waiting for you.
I experienced 1) a DL interliner take "my" seat on an ORD alternate routing I had pleaded for with a TA who claimed a routing change wasn't just as simple as "putting it in the system" (ROC)
2) A TA stating that she'd change the routing for a $150 fee, (she did drop that approach quite quickly after I got no standby fee 1K snarly about it) (SYR)
3) a TA who decided he would not make a routing change unless I paid a >$200 change fee and stuck me with a 3 hour wait(SYR)
and 4) a Service Director who told me she'd worked for United for many decades and UA had never permitted changes in routing for standby. (TPA)
Of course, I also experienced some of the opposite where helpful UA employees bent over backwards to get me where I needed to be, and earlier if possible. Unfortunately their numbers have been dwindling lately.
Now this policy has clearly changed and has been advertised, I'll be pleasantly surprised when I can get an agent to research alternate routings without me using one of my many copies of this page from the UA web-site to educate them on policy changes. Most may not need this, but I'll betcha many will.
May 23, 2011, 5:36 pm
#88
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXPLT, NZ GE, VA PLT Hyatt Diam, Marr Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 3,445
... Might get a data point this weekend and will report back.
May 24, 2011, 11:52 am
#89
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: LAT/LONG
Programs: UA 1k; Hyatt Plat; SPG Gold; Avis PC Preferred; Priority Pass Select; AMEX Platinum
Posts: 442
Sorry to ask this question; however, going through the rest of the post, did not make it any more clear to me.
If i am flying IAD-SFO on UA metal UA ticket departing at 2:41pm, and for whatever reason want to get on, for simplicity, a UA metal operated flight at 8:12 am, i can only request the change 3 hours prior to my 2:41 departure. Is that correct? or can i request the change 24 hours prior to departure?
Maybe now to make matters a little more muddled, if my ticket is IAD-SFO-HNL, and lets say i want to spend the day in SF to have a beer at the wharf, can i request a change for that same 8:12 am flight if I check a bag?
Thanks for the clarification
If i am flying IAD-SFO on UA metal UA ticket departing at 2:41pm, and for whatever reason want to get on, for simplicity, a UA metal operated flight at 8:12 am, i can only request the change 3 hours prior to my 2:41 departure. Is that correct? or can i request the change 24 hours prior to departure?
Maybe now to make matters a little more muddled, if my ticket is IAD-SFO-HNL, and lets say i want to spend the day in SF to have a beer at the wharf, can i request a change for that same 8:12 am flight if I check a bag?
Thanks for the clarification
May 24, 2011, 12:52 pm
#90
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SEA
Programs: UA AS DL Hyatt SPG/Bonvoy HHonors
Posts: 2,008
Sorry to ask this question; however, going through the rest of the post, did not make it any more clear to me.
If i am flying IAD-SFO on UA metal UA ticket departing at 2:41pm, and for whatever reason want to get on, for simplicity, a UA metal operated flight at 8:12 am, i can only request the change 3 hours prior to my 2:41 departure. Is that correct? or can i request the change 24 hours prior to departure?
Maybe now to make matters a little more muddled, if my ticket is IAD-SFO-HNL, and lets say i want to spend the day in SF to have a beer at the wharf, can i request a change for that same 8:12 am flight if I check a bag?
Thanks for the clarification
If i am flying IAD-SFO on UA metal UA ticket departing at 2:41pm, and for whatever reason want to get on, for simplicity, a UA metal operated flight at 8:12 am, i can only request the change 3 hours prior to my 2:41 departure. Is that correct? or can i request the change 24 hours prior to departure?
Maybe now to make matters a little more muddled, if my ticket is IAD-SFO-HNL, and lets say i want to spend the day in SF to have a beer at the wharf, can i request a change for that same 8:12 am flight if I check a bag?
Thanks for the clarification
I believe that under the CO's program, you can start looking for flights 24 hours before your flight, and the new flight has to be available in your purchased fare class and within +/- 24 hours of the original flight, so you could have flown the night before (if the fare class was available) or could have confirmed the 8:12am the evening before.
I have no idea what happens if the connecting times goes over 4 hours - whether that creates a fare break and fare recalculation (on most domestic fares connections cannot exceed 4 hours.)
