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}
Oct 31, 2017, 9:17 am
#2896
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,415
Thanks. I have Platinum status. The flight I want is at 6:30am and my flight is at 11:00am. I am in California so three hours from now until I am in the 24 hour window. Just to clarify, will that $76 drop off at 11:00am (assuming G is available) or only tomorrow (i.e., November 1)(assuming G is available)?
The flight is wide open so I don't see an issue. I could probably standby but have never done that. I prefer a SDC.
The flight is wide open so I don't see an issue. I could probably standby but have never done that. I prefer a SDC.
Oct 31, 2017, 10:12 am
#2897
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: UA:1k; MR: PLT; Hilton: Gold
Posts: 1,324
In which case, start the check in process and you should be prompted with 'take an earlier flight' (can also use the app for this). If you don't see the flight you want, and you know 'G' is >0, then you'll have to call.
Oct 31, 2017, 11:41 am
#2898
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 26
I have a NRT-ORD-GRU-XXX itinerary. 016 ticket, and NRT-ORD / ORD-GRU on UA metal. Would it be possible to SDC change the NRT-ORD flight?
GRU-XXX has a UA flight number, not on UA Metal (operated by azul).
I checked and the only way to do this within 24hr would add a connection (NRT-IAH-ORD).
Also, i'm a *G (not UA gold), will this make anything easier?
GRU-XXX has a UA flight number, not on UA Metal (operated by azul).
I checked and the only way to do this within 24hr would add a connection (NRT-IAH-ORD).
Also, i'm a *G (not UA gold), will this make anything easier?
Last edited by newtonc; Oct 31, 2017 at 12:03 pm
Oct 31, 2017, 1:14 pm
#2899
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 451
One more question. If I do a SDC from SFO to SAN to SFO-LAX-SAN, will I get 1000 PQMs (with Platinum status) instead of 500 PQMs? I didn't think this routing would be an option but this would be very helpful if I can do it (I think). It might be a waste but looks like I will be short about 650 miles by end of the year and may be able to find the 150 somewhere else.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Oct 31, 2017, 1:17 pm
#2900
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,415
One more question. If I do a SDC from SFO to SAN to SFO-LAX-SAN, will I get 1000 PQMs (with Platinum status) instead of 500 PQMs? I didn't think this routing would be an option but this would be very helpful if I can do it (I think). It might be a waste but looks like I will be short about 650 miles by end of the year and may be able to find the 150 somewhere else.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Oct 31, 2017, 1:32 pm
#2901
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 451
Great, thank you. There is a change in flight number. It may be a waste if I cannot pick up the remaining miles and have to do a MR anyway but I may do it.
Oct 31, 2017, 10:18 pm
#2902
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: 66,858
Nov 1, 2017, 8:50 pm
#2903
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: LAX
Programs: UA MM | BA Silver
Posts: 7,193
Direct Flight SDC on Second Leg?
I have an upcoming direct flight BOS-SFO-LAX in P. I tried to have the segments split but it would increase the fare so I left it alone. There is a 3 hour layover in SFO and I would like to SDC to an earlier SFO-LAX. Is that possible? I'm thinking no, but once I arrive in SFO will an agent have a problem placing me on standby at that point?
Also, any chance I can SDC to BOS-EWR-LAX?
Also, any chance I can SDC to BOS-EWR-LAX?
Last edited by anc-ord772; Nov 1, 2017 at 8:56 pm
Nov 1, 2017, 9:16 pm
#2904
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: United GS/MM, Marriott LT Titanium Elite
Posts: 242
I've had success changing the layover routing of a ticket from a useful gate agent, although I'm not sure if they were supposed to have done it. I don't see why they wouldn't let you SDC to an earlier SFO-LAX either, assuming there is availability.
Nov 1, 2017, 9:21 pm
#2905
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,415
I have an upcoming direct flight BOS-SFO-LAX in P. I tried to have the segments split but it would increase the fare so I left it alone. There is a 3 hour layover in SFO and I would like to SDC to an earlier SFO-LAX. Is that possible? I'm thinking no, but once I arrive in SFO will an agent have a problem placing me on standby at that point?
Also, any chance I can SDC to BOS-EWR-LAX?
Also, any chance I can SDC to BOS-EWR-LAX?
BOS-EWR-LAX should be a possibility if there's P space; you're already on a p.s. flight so I don't see why they would care which.
Nov 1, 2017, 9:30 pm
#2906
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,468
But SFO-LAX can be so variable in terms of which flight goes when, you might want to just wait until you're on the ground at SFO. You'll come in either at 88/89/90 or the E concourse, so a UC will only be a 2-3 minute walk.
Nov 2, 2017, 12:47 am
#2907
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
The app may not give you the option to SDC SFO-LAX, but an agent should be able to do it, and I can't think of any problem at all requesting standby, except that you'll likely end up in Y for the short leg. Your PNR may look strange afterwards, but I've been able to get an agent to make this change for me before, although in my case there were IRROPs so that may have helped.
BOS-EWR-LAX should be a possibility if there's P space; you're already on a p.s. flight so I don't see why they would care which.
BOS-EWR-LAX should be a possibility if there's P space; you're already on a p.s. flight so I don't see why they would care which.
The general feature is that you can't route p.s. on BOS/LAX per the fare rules, and these direct P fares are taking advantage of a fare template which forgot to exclude SFO-BOS (since the routing rules don't allow it), and also require travel which is not nonstop. However, technically flying LAX-SFO-BOS as a direct flight routes as LAX-BOS and is not nonstop.
But, since most things go out the window during SDC, it's unclear how relevant this is.
Nov 2, 2017, 7:24 am
#2908
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Jersey Shore/YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 12,521
I don't see why OP can't reroute BOS-EWR-LAX if both legs have P at OLCI.
OP can also SDC on the app the second the flight takes off to SFO since at that point, it's a 1-leg itinerary, and the direct flight aspect no longer matters. Assuming no checked luggage, should be a breeze. If the flight does get in early, OP can then do a gate standby to an even earlier flight, if available.
OP can also SDC on the app the second the flight takes off to SFO since at that point, it's a 1-leg itinerary, and the direct flight aspect no longer matters. Assuming no checked luggage, should be a breeze. If the flight does get in early, OP can then do a gate standby to an even earlier flight, if available.
Nov 2, 2017, 8:05 am
#2909
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 8,700
Done that plenty of times, but always in person/on phone, not online. Should be no problem (based on availability)
Nov 2, 2017, 1:24 pm
#2910
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 233
I have an upcoming direct flight BOS-SFO-LAX in P. I tried to have the segments split but it would increase the fare so I left it alone. There is a 3 hour layover in SFO and I would like to SDC to an earlier SFO-LAX. Is that possible? I'm thinking no, but once I arrive in SFO will an agent have a problem placing me on standby at that point?
Also, any chance I can SDC to BOS-EWR-LAX?
Also, any chance I can SDC to BOS-EWR-LAX?