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 25, 2017, 2:54 am
#3076
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: SFO/SJC/OAK
Programs: OZ Diamond (*G), KQ Asante Gold (ST+), Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,511
I'm starting to realize just how valuable of a perk free SDC at check in is for *G. I thought this was now a general benefit that United is giving to anyone to avoid the Dao oversell situation, but for the past year, I've been able to SDC onto half empty flights with far better timings or connections.
Just today, I was able to go from a cheapo SFO-IAD-LHR routing to direct SFO-LHR, which cost 2x when I had been buying my ticket.
Probably the best "non guaranteed" *G benefit I've ever experienced, even better than the fact that I've also gotten free TSA pre✓ for every United flight I've taken in the past 2 years (and not any other carrier). Now if only we had access to E+ like in the old days
.
This is the kind of stuff that builds loyalty, and I'm certainly willing to pay a little more for UA under such circumstances.
Just today, I was able to go from a cheapo SFO-IAD-LHR routing to direct SFO-LHR, which cost 2x when I had been buying my ticket.
Probably the best "non guaranteed" *G benefit I've ever experienced, even better than the fact that I've also gotten free TSA pre✓ for every United flight I've taken in the past 2 years (and not any other carrier). Now if only we had access to E+ like in the old days
.This is the kind of stuff that builds loyalty, and I'm certainly willing to pay a little more for UA under such circumstances.
Dec 26, 2017, 10:04 am
#3077
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA1K
Posts: 4,044
some odd things on SDC this morning. flying SFO-SNA and SDC is giving me some really odd ball options. via DEN, ORD, IAH, and EWR. if i didn't have to be at work tomorrow i would certainly take a joyride. anyone else seeing this?
Dec 26, 2017, 12:48 pm
#3078
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
I'm frequently offered SFO-ORD-YVR, which is roughly 4.5x the distance of the non-stop.
Dec 26, 2017, 3:10 pm
#3080
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
A
a good reason to check the options provided by App often!
Dec 26, 2017, 3:44 pm
#3081
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: LAX
Programs: UA:1k; MR: PLT; Hilton: Gold
Posts: 1,324
Recently had PHX-ORD-LAX, PHX-IAD-LAX and PHX-EWR-LAX offered for my simple PHX-LAX one way , despite the routing rules explicitly stating nonstop only. Already hit 1K or I might have gone for an adventure.
Don’t remember the app offering such bizarre routings ever.
Don’t remember the app offering such bizarre routings ever.
Dec 26, 2017, 4:00 pm
#3082
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
Never would have guessed those possibilities would be offered at all, let alone this time of year with so many people traveling. Incredible for people needing PQM.
Dec 26, 2017, 7:06 pm
#3083
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Florida
Programs: United 1K, Marriott Ambassador, Hilton Gold
Posts: 673
I did have a similar thing happen last week flying TPA-EWR. The night before, the app was offering me routes via DEN + IAH which are normally never allowed (I believe only ORD/IAD would be viable connection routings from TPA-EWR). I didn't try to confirm one of them as I had somewhere to be and my upgrade had cleared, but I do concur I would have given it a whirl if I had nothing else to do and could get good seats and/or needed PQM.
Dec 26, 2017, 10:42 pm
#3084
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: PDX (wish I was in HNL)
Programs: Platinum
Posts: 1,687
We had a red “delay of flight” warning on our app last night despite no evidence of delays. It offered a HNL-IAH-SFO-EUG for our HNL-LAX-SFO-EUG flight. My wife didn’t want the extra miles 😄
Dec 28, 2017, 1:24 pm
#3085
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
Could I use SDC to switch from YVR-DEN-LGA to YVR-DEN-EWR? I'm on a P fare, and DEN-EWR is on a 757 with lie-flats, versus an A320 to LGA. The only downside I can think of to this switch is that I've never seen the Centurion Lounge at LGA.
Dec 28, 2017, 1:28 pm
#3086
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
Can't change origin or destination via SDC, even if it's still within the same market.
The Centurion at LGA is very nice. Great view of NYC and arriving/departing aircraft.
The Centurion at LGA is very nice. Great view of NYC and arriving/departing aircraft.
Dec 28, 2017, 6:28 pm
#3087
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
So LGA and EWR are not treated as "co-terminals". Oh well, sounds like I'll have the CL to look forward to as consolation.
Dec 28, 2017, 6:51 pm
#3088
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,421
Dec 28, 2017, 6:56 pm
#3089
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
In general, yes, but not for purposes of SDC.
EDIT: Beaten by findark.
EDIT: Beaten by findark.
Dec 29, 2017, 5:34 pm
#3090
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: CLE
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, MR Gold, HH Gold, GE
Posts: 50
I am currently scheduled to fly XXX-YYY-ZZZ. All flights are UAX or UA. YYY-ZZZ is international and XXX-YYY is domestic. I have successfully applied a GPU to my YYY-ZZZ leg and cleared into Polaris. My current XXX-YYY leg is on a UAX single craft plane so no chance of upgrading that segment. I’m considering using SDC to change my XXX-YYY to an earlier flight. As a SDC newbie, I still have a couple of questions after reading this thread:
1. If I SDC XXX-YYY, am I putting my confirmed Upgrade on YYY-ZZZ at any risk?
2. The XXX-YYY flight that I’m considering SDCing onto is not only W7 but also currently R6. Can I apply the GPU to that flight at the time of SDC to confirm 1st? I think that might work despite being inside 24 hours due to the open R space.
Thanks in advance for your guidance.
1. If I SDC XXX-YYY, am I putting my confirmed Upgrade on YYY-ZZZ at any risk?
2. The XXX-YYY flight that I’m considering SDCing onto is not only W7 but also currently R6. Can I apply the GPU to that flight at the time of SDC to confirm 1st? I think that might work despite being inside 24 hours due to the open R space.
Thanks in advance for your guidance.