Jan 4, 2015, 2:01 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This wiki was created to distill SDC (and related 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, 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 currently 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: 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):
Please note that the United.com “change flight” link before checking in within T-24, is broken. The website may not show all available options and will often attempt to collect the change fee rather than the SDC fee (if any).
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 = officially permitted and possible using any method
A = not permitted but perhaps 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.
Note -- as of 11/27/2017: A datapoint indicates that UA may have updated its GG rule regarding leveling out to state the following:
Standby
You may stand by if seats are not available in the purchased fare class. In these cases, the same-day change fee will apply, but will not be charged unless you are assigned a seat on your alternate flight. Changes in routing are not allowed when standing by. Standby may be requested on the day of departure at an airport kiosk or with a United representative at the airport. Once you are added to the flight standby list, you can check your real-time standby status at united.com/flightstatus or on your mobile device at mobile.united.com/info.
Instead of paying a same-day change discounted fee, can I stand by for my desired flight for free?
No. The only time you may standby for free is when the fare does not have any penalties for making changes, or when standing by involuntarily due to a flight irregularity.
Can I pay the same-day change discount fee with cash?
Cash will only be accepted by a United airport representative when the change is available to be confirmed, not for standby travel.
original posting by mgcsinc, initiated by jackal
Previous threads:
UA Same-Day Travel Change (SDC) Fees/Questions *now with WikiPost* {pre-2015 Archive}
The official "rules" can be found here. In practice, some of the rules almost always apply, 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 currently 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: 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.
- Only applies to UA/UX operated flights, domestic or international. Changing from a non-UA operated to UA operated may be possible.
- 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 Members and Silvers - the fee 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. Once in-route, fees for an earlier connecting flight may be waived per GG SDC Line 118.
- 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.
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 mobile app
- Kiosk
- Phone
- On united.com, right now only the "Search Other Flight Options" button during On-Line Check-In (OLCI) works. This has spotty availability, particularly if the change would involve paying an additional fare due to fare bucket non-availability.
- 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)
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 = officially permitted and possible using any method
A = not permitted but perhaps 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 (see the old S*FAR/STANDBY): A
- Change destination to a co-terminal: 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: Y
- Change from a GPU-upgraded flight into J/F 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
- Change at origin airport after tendering a checked bag: N
- Change at layover airport when a bag has been checked: N
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.
Note -- as of 11/27/2017: A datapoint indicates that UA may have updated its GG rule regarding leveling out to state the following:
Code:
EVERYDAY AWARD AND REVENUE BUCKETS ARE TO LEVEL OUT WITHIN 2H OF DEPARTURE
You may stand by if seats are not available in the purchased fare class. In these cases, the same-day change fee will apply, but will not be charged unless you are assigned a seat on your alternate flight. Changes in routing are not allowed when standing by. Standby may be requested on the day of departure at an airport kiosk or with a United representative at the airport. Once you are added to the flight standby list, you can check your real-time standby status at united.com/flightstatus or on your mobile device at mobile.united.com/info.
Instead of paying a same-day change discounted fee, can I stand by for my desired flight for free?
No. The only time you may standby for free is when the fare does not have any penalties for making changes, or when standing by involuntarily due to a flight irregularity.
Can I pay the same-day change discount fee with cash?
Cash will only be accepted by a United airport representative when the change is available to be confirmed, not for standby travel.
original posting by mgcsinc, initiated by jackal
Previous threads:
UA Same-Day Travel Change (SDC) Fees/Questions *now with WikiPost* {pre-2015 Archive}
UA Same-Day Travel Change (SDC) Fees/Questions (with Wiki) {Archive}
Aug 4, 2016, 5:39 am
#1546
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 1,039
Hi all,
I'm booking a CDG-EWR-CDG trip for this November, but I'll be connecting from an AF BES-CDG flight first. Right now, I was thinking of booking the afternoon flight from CDG-EWR that departs around 1PM, as the BES-CDG flight arrives at 7:50AM. My question is, if I book the later flight and get over to United in time for the earlier 9:45AM CDG-EWR flight, can I do standby for free and change flights? Also, how would it work if I paid for E+? If there was another E+ seat on the new flight, could I get it for free, or would I have to pay again and try to get the original E+ refunded by UA? I have no status with UA.
Thank in advance for any help.
I'm booking a CDG-EWR-CDG trip for this November, but I'll be connecting from an AF BES-CDG flight first. Right now, I was thinking of booking the afternoon flight from CDG-EWR that departs around 1PM, as the BES-CDG flight arrives at 7:50AM. My question is, if I book the later flight and get over to United in time for the earlier 9:45AM CDG-EWR flight, can I do standby for free and change flights? Also, how would it work if I paid for E+? If there was another E+ seat on the new flight, could I get it for free, or would I have to pay again and try to get the original E+ refunded by UA? I have no status with UA.
Thank in advance for any help.
Aug 4, 2016, 8:27 am
#1547
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: 1 thousand
Posts: 2,112
I just discovered I have a broken fare for my flights tomorrow: segment 1 in one class, segments 2+3 in a different class. Once I've flown segment 1 can I expect SDC for segments 2+3 to work (in the app/online), or will I need to find an agent even for that? I have a somewhat short layover between 2 and 3 that I'd like to extend in order to grab some food.
Also, regarding "Change to a flight exactly 24 hours before the original flight, if the previous day's flight has been delayed" - I haven't done this myself, but I've been prevented from checking in until 24 hours before the _delayed_ time of a flight in the past, which suggests at least parts of UA's system treat the expected (and not scheduled) departure as the primary source of departure time.
Also, regarding "Change to a flight exactly 24 hours before the original flight, if the previous day's flight has been delayed" - I haven't done this myself, but I've been prevented from checking in until 24 hours before the _delayed_ time of a flight in the past, which suggests at least parts of UA's system treat the expected (and not scheduled) departure as the primary source of departure time.
Aug 4, 2016, 9:07 am
#1548
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,470
I just discovered I have a broken fare for my flights tomorrow: segment 1 in one class, segments 2+3 in a different class. Once I've flown segment 1 can I expect SDC for segments 2+3 to work (in the app/online), or will I need to find an agent even for that? I have a somewhat short layover between 2 and 3 that I'd like to extend in order to grab some food.
Aug 4, 2016, 11:33 am
#1549
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA1K
Posts: 4,044
what frustrates me about SDC is when you see a flight that is Y9 but it doesn't have many buckets open t-24 hours
i hate the waiting game
i hate the waiting game
Aug 4, 2016, 2:29 pm
#1550
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
An agent may be able to do that, not sure, but not on app or UAL.com
IIRC, old PMCO rule was you cannot standby if you can be confirmed, but perhaps someone has better knowledge of this (being lifetime Gold I can do SDC for free until UA takes that away as well).
Aug 4, 2016, 2:40 pm
#1551
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,859
the fee for standby and SDC is the same. The only difference is the fee is not charged until you clear the standby.
Some have reported successfully moving the "credit" but it appears the policy and more common practice is a new fee and refund of the old which should automatically occur.
once you have a clean situation, it should work. I would envision this is likely have a non-UA first segment -- once you have flown (and maybe have boarded or departed) the problem segment drops off and things work as expected.
once you have a clean situation, it should work. I would envision this is likely have a non-UA first segment -- once you have flown (and maybe have boarded or departed) the problem segment drops off and things work as expected.
Aug 4, 2016, 9:53 pm
#1552
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: BOS/SIN
Programs: DL PM, OZ Diamond Plus, BA Silver
Posts: 1,803
Had a rather odd SDC experience this week: was booked EZE-IAH-EWR on a G fare, EZE-IAH arrived 0500 and connecting to the 1055 IAH-EWR flight.
Was trying to SDC to either the 0750 or 0845 IAH-EWR flights, when I got to IAH app showed that there was space in Y on the 0750 (via the flight status tab), no idea what booking classes were open though and app didn't offer me any SDC options - not sure if it was a fare class availability issue or because I had checked bags.
Strolled over to an agent at the baggage recheck area, handed over my BP and asked if I could change to an earlier flight, was told that there were no seats available but she could put me on standby for the 0750 which she did, and printed the BP with SBY on it. Hand over my bag to be retagged, agent sees the priority tag and exclaims "oh you're priority?" and tears up the bag tag she printed. Types on the computer for a bit and then gives me a new boarding pass with a confirmed seat. App shows that I've been rebooked in full Y (score! just that OZ credits based on the original booking class) and no SDC/standby fee/fare difference charged either.
So question is - does SDC availability really differ if you're elite vs a regular traveller (and FWIW I'm *G with no UA status), or was I just lucky / get a confused agent? And also should I have been charged a fare difference in going from a G to a Y fare? Or was this not even an SDC to begin with but just some odd rebooking lol.
Was trying to SDC to either the 0750 or 0845 IAH-EWR flights, when I got to IAH app showed that there was space in Y on the 0750 (via the flight status tab), no idea what booking classes were open though and app didn't offer me any SDC options - not sure if it was a fare class availability issue or because I had checked bags.
Strolled over to an agent at the baggage recheck area, handed over my BP and asked if I could change to an earlier flight, was told that there were no seats available but she could put me on standby for the 0750 which she did, and printed the BP with SBY on it. Hand over my bag to be retagged, agent sees the priority tag and exclaims "oh you're priority?" and tears up the bag tag she printed. Types on the computer for a bit and then gives me a new boarding pass with a confirmed seat. App shows that I've been rebooked in full Y (score! just that OZ credits based on the original booking class) and no SDC/standby fee/fare difference charged either.
So question is - does SDC availability really differ if you're elite vs a regular traveller (and FWIW I'm *G with no UA status), or was I just lucky / get a confused agent? And also should I have been charged a fare difference in going from a G to a Y fare? Or was this not even an SDC to begin with but just some odd rebooking lol.
Aug 4, 2016, 10:00 pm
#1553
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: 1 thousand
Posts: 2,112
Had a rather odd SDC experience this week: was booked EZE-IAH-EWR on a G fare, EZE-IAH arrived 0500 and connecting to the 1055 IAH-EWR flight.
Was trying to SDC to either the 0750 or 0845 IAH-EWR flights, when I got to IAH app showed that there was space in Y on the 0750 (via the flight status tab), no idea what booking classes were open though and app didn't offer me any SDC options - not sure if it was a fare class availability issue or because I had checked bags.
Strolled over to an agent at the baggage recheck area, handed over my BP and asked if I could change to an earlier flight, was told that there were no seats available but she could put me on standby for the 0750 which she did, and printed the BP with SBY on it. Hand over my bag to be retagged, agent sees the priority tag and exclaims "oh you're priority?" and tears up the bag tag she printed. Types on the computer for a bit and then gives me a new boarding pass with a confirmed seat. App shows that I've been rebooked in full Y (score! just that OZ credits based on the original booking class) and no SDC/standby fee/fare difference charged either.
So question is - does SDC availability really differ if you're elite vs a regular traveller (and FWIW I'm *G with no UA status), or was I just lucky / get a confused agent? And also should I have been charged a fare difference in going from a G to a Y fare? Or was this not even an SDC to begin with but just some odd rebooking lol.
Was trying to SDC to either the 0750 or 0845 IAH-EWR flights, when I got to IAH app showed that there was space in Y on the 0750 (via the flight status tab), no idea what booking classes were open though and app didn't offer me any SDC options - not sure if it was a fare class availability issue or because I had checked bags.
Strolled over to an agent at the baggage recheck area, handed over my BP and asked if I could change to an earlier flight, was told that there were no seats available but she could put me on standby for the 0750 which she did, and printed the BP with SBY on it. Hand over my bag to be retagged, agent sees the priority tag and exclaims "oh you're priority?" and tears up the bag tag she printed. Types on the computer for a bit and then gives me a new boarding pass with a confirmed seat. App shows that I've been rebooked in full Y (score! just that OZ credits based on the original booking class) and no SDC/standby fee/fare difference charged either.
So question is - does SDC availability really differ if you're elite vs a regular traveller (and FWIW I'm *G with no UA status), or was I just lucky / get a confused agent? And also should I have been charged a fare difference in going from a G to a Y fare? Or was this not even an SDC to begin with but just some odd rebooking lol.
The SDC fee is officially only waived for Premier Gold and above (no mention of *G on their rules, see link below), so you probably had a nice agent, and/or maybe they just got confused and assumed you were MP because of the priority tags:
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...daychange.aspx
Usually they're supposed to keep you in the same fare class, but agents are known to sometimes choose Y for convenience (this is especially true if they were being extra nice and your fare class wasn't available - in which case they technically should charge you the fare difference). As far as I can tell there's not much difference between "rebooking" and "SDC" except that SDC restricts you to the same fare class and has a fixed/zero fee depending on status (and the app/kiosks let you do the SDC).
Aug 4, 2016, 10:48 pm
#1554
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
So question is - does SDC availability really differ if you're elite vs a regular traveller (and FWIW I'm *G with no UA status), or was I just lucky / get a confused agent? And also should I have been charged a fare difference in going from a G to a Y fare? Or was this not even an SDC to begin with but just some odd rebooking lol.
Aug 6, 2016, 8:46 pm
#1555
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: 1 thousand
Posts: 2,112
Another SDC question: how do I find the full-Y routing rules? Looking up the fare rules for a given itinerary on UA.com doesn't seem to give me the permitted routings anywhere (i.e. I can't find the city I'm connecting in - or even the alternative connections - mentioned anywhere in the fare rules).
Aug 6, 2016, 9:00 pm
#1556
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,423
Another SDC question: how do I find the full-Y routing rules? Looking up the fare rules for a given itinerary on UA.com doesn't seem to give me the permitted routings anywhere (i.e. I can't find the city I'm connecting in - or even the alternative connections - mentioned anywhere in the fare rules).
Aug 8, 2016, 12:32 pm
#1557
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Houston, TX
Programs: UA 1K, DL Platinum, BA Gold
Posts: 181
My significant other is Gold and is booked tomorrow on a flight and he wants to get on a flight today. It's within 24 hours of the original flight but it's sold out so he wants to standby for it. My understanding is that golds can standby for free within 24 hours but UA reservations as well as several ORD customer service agents and the gate says that he cannot do it - that he needs to pay $200 to standby.
He's been told this multiple times and am looking to find out if it's correct or not.
He's been told this multiple times and am looking to find out if it's correct or not.
Aug 8, 2016, 12:38 pm
#1558
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,470
My significant other is Gold and is booked tomorrow on a flight and he wants to get on a flight today. It's within 24 hours of the original flight but it's sold out so he wants to standby for it. My understanding is that golds can standby for free within 24 hours but UA reservations as well as several ORD customer service agents and the gate says that he cannot do it - that he needs to pay $200 to standby.
He's been told this multiple times and am looking to find out if it's correct or not.
He's been told this multiple times and am looking to find out if it's correct or not.
It's clearly stated here.
Aug 8, 2016, 12:50 pm
#1559
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,700
Same origin and destination and within 24 hours of the original flight, yes that's a free standby for a UA gold.
It's clearly stated here.
It's clearly stated here.
However, with the flight sold out and attempting to go standby, I was under the impression (and have been told many times on the phone as well) that I can only go standby for flights on the same day as my flight. I cannot attempt to go standby for a flight on a previous day (even if it's within the 24 hours).
Any clarification would be great as I think this is what the poster is trying to do?
Aug 8, 2016, 12:56 pm
#1560
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,909
Same origin and destination and within 24 hours of the original flight, yes that's a free standby for a UA gold.
It's clearly stated here.
It's clearly stated here.