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}
Dec 3, 2017, 10:42 am
#2986
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: DL Gold, UA nothing (ex-GS), Marriott lifetime Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 920
Maximizing Lifetime Miles with SDC
I have a nonstop DFW-ORD flight on 12/5, and lots of extra time. Would like to SDC around a bit to increase my lifetime miles. What’s my best approach? I see connections through EWR, DEN, IAD, and IAH. Not sure which one to pick and where to SDC to from there once I arrive.
Do I recall correctly that I shouldn’t backtrack (hit the same airport twice)? E.g. if I flew DFW-IAH-DFW-EWR-ORD, I wouldn’t get the DFW-IAH-DFW miles?
Do I recall correctly that I shouldn’t backtrack (hit the same airport twice)? E.g. if I flew DFW-IAH-DFW-EWR-ORD, I wouldn’t get the DFW-IAH-DFW miles?
Dec 3, 2017, 10:52 am
#2987
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,413
I have a nonstop DFW-ORD flight on 12/5, and lots of extra time. Would like to SDC around a bit to increase my lifetime miles. What’s my best approach? I see connections through EWR, DEN, IAD, and IAH. Not sure which one to pick and where to SDC to from there once I arrive.
Do I recall correctly that I shouldn’t backtrack (hit the same airport twice)? E.g. if I flew DFW-IAH-DFW-EWR-ORD, I wouldn’t get the DFW-IAH-DFW miles?
Do I recall correctly that I shouldn’t backtrack (hit the same airport twice)? E.g. if I flew DFW-IAH-DFW-EWR-ORD, I wouldn’t get the DFW-IAH-DFW miles?
If you backtrack, you may mess up your ticket and end up needing to call to get things cleaned up. It should probably post correctly regardless. Having said that, I don't think you'll be offered IAH-DFW-XXX; realistically, the only possibility you'd probably have to do this would be DFW-EWR-IAD-EWR-ORD -- and even that I can't guarantee would come up.
Dec 3, 2017, 11:05 am
#2988
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,852
In general, if you're looking to extend a flight, you want to stay as far from your destination as possible. I would start with DFW-IAH and hope that I'd then be able to add IAH-EWR or IAH-IAD. The main reason for this is that, based on my experience, the app seems to be less likely to offer alternatives when your remaining flight is shorter, especially if there's no hub that's reasonably positioned for a transfer. If you start with DEN, you might find that you don't have any options besides the ORD nonstop once you arrive. That's less likely to happen in IAH, given that the app apparently thinks Texas to (DEN/IAD/EWR) to ORD is OK.
If you backtrack, you may mess up your ticket and end up needing to call to get things cleaned up. It should probably post correctly regardless. Having said that, I don't think you'll be offered IAH-DFW-XXX; realistically, the only possibility you'd probably have to do this would be DFW-EWR-IAD-EWR-ORD -- and even that I can't guarantee would come up.
If you backtrack, you may mess up your ticket and end up needing to call to get things cleaned up. It should probably post correctly regardless. Having said that, I don't think you'll be offered IAH-DFW-XXX; realistically, the only possibility you'd probably have to do this would be DFW-EWR-IAD-EWR-ORD -- and even that I can't guarantee would come up.
Dec 3, 2017, 11:18 am
#2989
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
I played around with this out of IAH a few weeks ago and didn't have a single option. Hoping to get more than one additional segment is probably wishful thinking.
Dec 3, 2017, 11:18 am
#2990
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,413
Note that this is just my experience -- for example, going to AUS, I know once I get to IAH, I'm stuck; the app isn't going to let me SDC to anything besides a nonstop IAH-AUS flight. But I've SDCed from AUS-ORD to AUS-IAD-ORD and ORD-AUS to ORD-DEN-AUS before; the longer legs seem to offer more options.The other thing I'd do is look up the inventory before departing. Look up your current fare class from your receipt, and then do expert mode searches for the flights you hope to change to. (Search the board for Expert Mode if you don't already have it activated). For example, suppose you're booked in L class DFW-ORD. Suppose you're hoping to go DFW-IAH-EWR-IAD-ORD. You'd need L availability on DFW-IAH-ORD, IAH-EWR-ORD, and EWR-IAD-ORD, as the app is only going to allow you to add one segment at a time (and agents are notoriously uninterested in trying to help game the system.
) If you don't see the availability you need on one of the downstream segments, it might be worth trying a different set of cities.Also, note that you can do your next SDC as soon as the coupon is lifted for your previous flight, which basically means as soon as you scan your boarding pass. So, once you're onboard your first flight, you can open the app and try the next SDC.
Good luck!
But I prefer to be an optimist and hope for the best...
Last edited by jsloan; Dec 3, 2017 at 11:20 am Reason: Added response to new reply
Dec 3, 2017, 11:37 am
#2991
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
If you backtrack, you may mess up your ticket and end up needing to call to get things cleaned up. It should probably post correctly regardless. Having said that, I don't think you'll be offered IAH-DFW-XXX; realistically, the only possibility you'd probably have to do this would be DFW-EWR-IAD-EWR-ORD -- and even that I can't guarantee would come up.
Dec 3, 2017, 11:41 am
#2992
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: 23,195
I do wonder if the ticket would have gotten completely broken if I had been successful in routing back through CLE...
Dec 3, 2017, 12:10 pm
#2993
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,413
Basically, the automated system appears only to consider where you are and where you're going, not where you've been. So, if I'm flying AUS-LAX-SEA, as soon as I leave AUS, the system looks at it as LAX-SEA, so maybe it allows LAX-SFO-SEA. Then, as soon as I leave LAX, the system sees it as SFO-SEA and might conceivably allow SFO-LAX-SEA. That's how you'd end up with loops.
Dec 3, 2017, 12:28 pm
#2994
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
Thanks for the replies. Maybe there just aren't many crazies who try to game the system, but it seems like an odd loophole for UA to leave in place.
Dec 3, 2017, 4:43 pm
#2995
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Madrid
Programs: IB+ Emerald (Platino), M&M Senator (Gold), Meliá Rewards Platino, NH Platinum
Posts: 436
In general, if you're looking to extend a flight, you want to stay as far from your destination as possible. I would start with DFW-IAH and hope that I'd then be able to add IAH-EWR or IAH-IAD. The main reason for this is that, based on my experience, the app seems to be less likely to offer alternatives when your remaining flight is shorter, especially if there's no hub that's reasonably positioned for a transfer. If you start with DEN, you might find that you don't have any options besides the ORD nonstop once you arrive. That's less likely to happen in IAH, given that the app apparently thinks Texas to (DEN/IAD/EWR) to ORD is OK.
If you backtrack, you may mess up your ticket and end up needing to call to get things cleaned up. It should probably post correctly regardless. Having said that, I don't think you'll be offered IAH-DFW-XXX; realistically, the only possibility you'd probably have to do this would be DFW-EWR-IAD-EWR-ORD -- and even that I can't guarantee would come up.
If you backtrack, you may mess up your ticket and end up needing to call to get things cleaned up. It should probably post correctly regardless. Having said that, I don't think you'll be offered IAH-DFW-XXX; realistically, the only possibility you'd probably have to do this would be DFW-EWR-IAD-EWR-ORD -- and even that I can't guarantee would come up.
Dec 3, 2017, 4:44 pm
#2996
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,347
However, standby is possible. As long as the flight you want leaves earlier, it should be fine.
Dec 3, 2017, 5:04 pm
#2997
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,413
I'm not sure if you'd be able to standby for the nonstop flight, but it certainly may be possible to standby for the earlier connecting flight. UA should be able to do that without requiring the ticket to be reissued or revalidated, which is the problem with non-016 SDCs. (UA can only reissue or revalidate 016 tickets).
Dec 3, 2017, 5:19 pm
#2998
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: SJC / DPS
Programs: AS G75K, UA Silver
Posts: 1,757
I wish SDC options included some of the incredibly loose routing rules like award tickets do. If I'm flying from SFO to EWR, having SFO-PIT-EWR or SFO-MSP-EWR would be welcome during busy periods when the hub-hub's are booked solid.
Dec 3, 2017, 5:26 pm
#2999
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: DL Gold, UA nothing (ex-GS), Marriott lifetime Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 920
I see plenty of flights with open P inventory at the moment from IAH-ORD, including some interesting non-hub airports like FLL, JAN, and PIT. I’m only on an M fare for this trip though.
Dec 3, 2017, 5:30 pm
#3000
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Madrid
Programs: IB+ Emerald (Platino), M&M Senator (Gold), Meliá Rewards Platino, NH Platinum
Posts: 436
One thing are the options to buy the ticket, other thing are the options to SDC. In 2015-2016 I was offered to SDC my ORD-IAH via DEN, IAD or even CLE. In 2017 only direct flights were available for SDC (I've flown 5 times). On Dec 16th I will fly again and I'll be able to confirm this.