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}
Jul 19, 2018, 11:54 am
#4111
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: ORD
Posts: 435
Originally booked roundtrip U fare code ORD-MSY. Upfared to A class on both legs. tried to SCD to ORD-IAH-MSY. new flight was A fare ORD-IAH, and only economy (B) from IAH-MSY. Thought I could convince the agent to let me take the economy seat (B). She said that after an upfare, the original fare code is relevant and it was expensive to switch from the original U fare to B, even though I had upfared to A. Was going to cost $1k, so did not make the change. she also said in irregular ops I would be subject to original U fare code. agent seemed knowledgeable and as if she had many years of experience. any thoughts on if she was correct? no reason for me to think she was wrong.
Jul 19, 2018, 11:55 am
#4112
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,469
My flight departs SFO on 18 Aug at 7:xx am. If I want to do a SDC or standby a day earlier for a flight departing on 17 Aug @ 8:xx am, will I be able to pass through TSA security check on 17 Aug at 7:xx with my 18 Aug boarding pass?
I realize I can purchase a fully refundable ticket for a flight on 17 Aug.
I realize I can purchase a fully refundable ticket for a flight on 17 Aug.
Of course, that then means you need to clear TSA quickly to get to the gate by 8:xx am – 0:15.
Originally booked roundtrip U fare code ORD-MSY. Upfared to A class on both legs. tried to SCD to ORD-IAH-MSY. new flight was A fare ORD-IAH, and only economy (B) from IAH-MSY. Thought I could convince the agent to let me take the economy seat (B). She said that after an upfare, the original fare code is relevant and it was expensive to switch from the original U fare to B, even though I had upfared to A. Was going to cost $1k, so did not make the change. she also said in irregular ops I would be subject to original U fare code. agent seemed knowledgeable and as if she had many years of experience. any thoughts on if she was correct? no reason for me to think she was wrong.
Jul 19, 2018, 12:06 pm
#4113
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
Originally booked roundtrip U fare code ORD-MSY. Upfared to A class on both legs. tried to SCD to ORD-IAH-MSY. new flight was A fare ORD-IAH, and only economy (B) from IAH-MSY. Thought I could convince the agent to let me take the economy seat (B). She said that after an upfare, the original fare code is relevant and it was expensive to switch from the original U fare to B, even though I had upfared to A. Was going to cost $1k, so did not make the change. she also said in irregular ops I would be subject to original U fare code. agent seemed knowledgeable and as if she had many years of experience. any thoughts on if she was correct? no reason for me to think she was wrong.
The app will likely offer flights that have A inventory, regardless of whether or not the underlying economy fare basis is available. A fares will delegate to Y class on one-class planes, but if IAH-MSY was a two-class plane, I can see the agent's point.
In IRROPS, again, assuming a true up-fare, you should have had access to any F inventory, and, if F isn't available, any Y inventory.
Jul 19, 2018, 1:17 pm
#4114
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SFO
Programs: COdbaUA Platinum 2MM
Posts: 5,532
Thank you for your advise. Due to limited time, I decided to purchase a new ticket, which costs less than $200 change fee. If there is more time, I would definitely try to SDC.
Jul 20, 2018, 5:39 pm
#4116
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 151
SDC P BOS-SFO unavailable initially but available at T-12ish
I had a flight booked in biz (P) class LAX-EWR. I tried doing SDC online, when I selected the flight which displayed saying -$0 for confirmed seat- it kept on saying the flight is not available. The flight clearly showed P class available. So I called in. The agent said (global services..) that since the P class class which I bought originally was based on economy fare and the economy fare it was based on was S class, and since S is not available on the flight I want to switch to I can not get it free as SDC even though P is available. Makes ANY sense?
I went to bed but checked the app in the morning when I got up to see that my desired non-stop was available, so I made the change.
Jul 21, 2018, 10:14 am
#4117
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Delta Diamond for 10 years(2004-2014),Hilton Gold,Club Carlson gold
Posts: 90
SDC with GPU
I've applied a GPU to TPE-SFO-ORD-PAH
TPE-SFO have cleared, but SFO-ORD does not look like it will
if I SDC to TPE-SFO-DTW-ORD-PAH (SFO-DTW and DTW-ORD have R available), will I be automatically upgraded, or will I have to call in. Thanks!
TPE-SFO have cleared, but SFO-ORD does not look like it will
if I SDC to TPE-SFO-DTW-ORD-PAH (SFO-DTW and DTW-ORD have R available), will I be automatically upgraded, or will I have to call in. Thanks!
Jul 21, 2018, 1:38 pm
#4118
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
Good luck.
Jul 21, 2018, 10:15 pm
#4119
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Delta Diamond for 10 years(2004-2014),Hilton Gold,Club Carlson gold
Posts: 90
Jul 21, 2018, 10:52 pm
#4120
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Delta Diamond for 10 years(2004-2014),Hilton Gold,Club Carlson gold
Posts: 90
Hello, If I SDC into a flight with R space available, is CPU automatically given at that time, or will I be added to the gate upgrade list? Thanks!
Jul 21, 2018, 10:54 pm
#4121
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
Jul 23, 2018, 11:01 am
#4122
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
The app will only let you make one connection (at a time per change). Since PAH is only serviced from ORD, that means any SDC would have to be XXX-ORD-PAH, which means only changing SFO-ORD flights and ORD-PAH flights.
SFO->DTW->ORD->PAH would only be possible if there was a nonstop flight from DTW-PAH, and you'd have to first SDC after boarding in TPE to SFO-DTW-PAH, and then after boarding SFO-DTW, change DTW-PAH to DTW-ORD-PAH. But since DTW-PAH isn't a thing, the app won't give you the option and you'll be stuck with maybe another SFO-ORD option.
Jul 23, 2018, 11:59 am
#4123
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
If there were a direct (same flight number) flight from DTW-PAH, whether it had an enroute stop or not, the app might offer it.
Jul 24, 2018, 12:46 pm
#4124
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, UA Nobody, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,372
I'm flying LHR-DEN-SFO on on a business class award on UA metal on Friday with a long layover in DEN. I no longer have UA status. Simple question: if I pay for a SDC to improve my connection at T-24 do I have to pay again if a better SDC (e.g. direct) opens up nearer to departure and I want to take it?
Sorry if this has been answered, my search-fu has failed me.
Sorry if this has been answered, my search-fu has failed me.
Jul 24, 2018, 12:57 pm
#4125
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,891
I'm flying LHR-DEN-SFO on on a business class award on UA metal on Friday with a long layover in DEN. I no longer have UA status. Simple question: if I pay for a SDC to improve my connection at T-24 do I have to pay again if a better SDC (e.g. direct) opens up nearer to departure and I want to take it?
Sorry if this has been answered, my search-fu has failed me.
Sorry if this has been answered, my search-fu has failed me.
That said, and I’m sure there are those who know more than me and will chime in, there is supposed to apparently be a policy where they’ll SDC for free at a layover point (ie, once you arrive at the layover airport). I’m almost certain the app doesn’t offer it, but an agent should be able to do this...so probably best place to start is at the baggage recheck desk, or with CS desk.