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}
Jun 13, 2018, 5:58 pm
#3916
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Madrid
Programs: IB+ Emerald (Platino), M&M Senator (Gold), Meliá Rewards Platino, NH Platinum
Posts: 436
I already can change the IAH-LAX flight because it´s scheduled for tomorrow.
When It´s <24 for the second one, will I also be able to change the second one without having flown the first?
My idea is to delay both flights 1 day - fly to LAX on 15th and to SAN on 16th. No stopovers, just fly 1 day later in each segment.
Thanks
Jun 13, 2018, 6:17 pm
#3917
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
Jun 13, 2018, 6:19 pm
#3918
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,405
Keep in mind that you need to be within 24 hours of both your current and target flight to make the change. So, if you're trying to move LAX-SAN to June 16, you can't do that until June 15. Honestly, depending on how inventory looked on LAX-SAN, and whether or not your preferred IAH-LAX flight conflicts with your LAX-SAN flight, I'd be inclined to wait and try the SDC after scanning the LAX-IAH boarding pass.
I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that you may be able to drive from LAX to SAN faster than you can fly it.
Jun 13, 2018, 7:05 pm
#3919
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: ORD
Programs: United Plat 2MM, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,727
Jun 13, 2018, 7:14 pm
#3920
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,405
The "Change Flights" link has never worked well, and it sounds like it might be acting up again. Have you tried the app? If there's availability in your current fare bucket, any fare difference should be waived.
Jun 13, 2018, 7:53 pm
#3921
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: ORD
Programs: United Plat 2MM, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,727
The app sends me to the web site. It will be interesting to see what the kiosks shjow me tomorrow.
Jun 13, 2018, 8:40 pm
#3923
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,884
You should be going to ‘check in’ In the app, and from there, there should be a block (that some say looks like it could be an ad) saying something like change to an earlier flight.
Jun 13, 2018, 8:47 pm
#3924
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,461
delete double post
Last edited by fumje; Jun 13, 2018 at 8:48 pm Reason: delete double post
Jun 13, 2018, 8:47 pm
#3925
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,461
are you using the change flights link in the app? That’s not the way to do SDC, but that will bring you to the website.
You should be going to ‘check in’ In the app, and from there, there should be a block (that some say looks like it could be an ad) saying something like change to an earlier flight.
Jun 14, 2018, 6:55 am
#3926
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Madrid
Programs: IB+ Emerald (Platino), M&M Senator (Gold), Meliá Rewards Platino, NH Platinum
Posts: 436
You should be able to do this, but I'm having a hard time coming up with the safest way to try it once you've already pushed your IAH-LAX flight to June 15. I know the kiosk will prompt you to pick a flight for check-in if you have more than one eligible journey, so I'd expect you can do it there. You should be able to do it by calling also, although there's a non-zero chance you're going to confuse the agent with what you're trying to do.
Keep in mind that you need to be within 24 hours of both your current and target flight to make the change. So, if you're trying to move LAX-SAN to June 16, you can't do that until June 15. Honestly, depending on how inventory looked on LAX-SAN, and whether or not your preferred IAH-LAX flight conflicts with your LAX-SAN flight, I'd be inclined to wait and try the SDC after scanning the LAX-IAH boarding pass.
I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that you may be able to drive from LAX to SAN faster than you can fly it.
Keep in mind that you need to be within 24 hours of both your current and target flight to make the change. So, if you're trying to move LAX-SAN to June 16, you can't do that until June 15. Honestly, depending on how inventory looked on LAX-SAN, and whether or not your preferred IAH-LAX flight conflicts with your LAX-SAN flight, I'd be inclined to wait and try the SDC after scanning the LAX-IAH boarding pass.
I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that you may be able to drive from LAX to SAN faster than you can fly it.
I pushed IAH-LAX to tomorrow morning (and the LAX-SAN is scheduled for tomorrow evening). And now the system, as both flights are on the same day, treats the journey as IAH-SAN and I can now check in for my IAH-LAX-SAN , with posibility to SDC into direct flight or via XXX
Jun 14, 2018, 7:55 am
#3927
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,405
OK, surprise.
I pushed IAH-LAX to tomorrow morning (and the LAX-SAN is scheduled for tomorrow evening). And now the system, as both flights are on the same day, treats the journey as IAH-SAN and I can now check in for my IAH-LAX-SAN , with posibility to SDC into direct flight or via XXX
I pushed IAH-LAX to tomorrow morning (and the LAX-SAN is scheduled for tomorrow evening). And now the system, as both flights are on the same day, treats the journey as IAH-SAN and I can now check in for my IAH-LAX-SAN , with posibility to SDC into direct flight or via XXX
* On a domestic itinerary, a stop over 4 hours is a stopover, unless you're leaving on the next flight to your destination (e.g., last flight of the evening and then the first flight the next morning). UA doesn't allow stopovers on itineraries within the continental US. Since your itinerary includes a stopover, and UA doesn't allow stopovers on a single fare, you must have two fares; one that covers IAH-LAX and one that covers LAX-SAN.
Jun 14, 2018, 3:11 pm
#3928
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: ORD
Programs: United Plat 2MM, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,727
Jun 15, 2018, 8:45 pm
#3929
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 498
Change from UA metal to UA-codeshare, non-UA-metal segment: N
For example, if I'm trying to go from OGG-LAX-ORD-YUL (all on UA metal) to OGG-SFO-YUL (OGG-SFO on UA, SFO-YUL on AC), will that work?
Jun 15, 2018, 9:11 pm
#3930
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,461
Does this category apply to one-segment itineraries only, or also multi-segment itineraries that start on UA metal but would switch to non-UA?
For example, if I'm trying to go from OGG-LAX-ORD-YUL (all on UA metal) to OGG-SFO-YUL (OGG-SFO on UA, SFO-YUL on AC), will that work?
For example, if I'm trying to go from OGG-LAX-ORD-YUL (all on UA metal) to OGG-SFO-YUL (OGG-SFO on UA, SFO-YUL on AC), will that work?