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}
Sep 6, 2018, 5:14 pm
#4336
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Programs: United Gold
Posts: 2,047
A buncha posts above (last month), I posted about an upcoming itinerary where I and a colleague are flying PIT-IAD-PEK which is now this weekend. Originally, I was in P and they were in G on the outbound, but they got their ticket refunded and have the same exact outbound P itinerary as me. We are on separate reservations of course.
As the original question said, we're hoping to change our current reservation - a late PIT-IAD departure on the 9th (and mid-day flight on 10th to PEK, arriving 11th so wasting a day) to instead have an early am departure on the 9th connecting to a hub for a PEK flight also on the 9th. We're both in P now so thats a little easier to watch. ORD, EWR, and IAD all have P2 or more as of right now for both outbound legs.
Obviously, P can disappear again, but my question is a little easier now: We are on separate records, I am 1K and they have no status. Aside from a SDC fee, what problems should I worry about? My main concern at this point is going in and doing both SDCs simultaneously on the web or app - we want them to both work, or neither. I can envision one looking fine and then getting to the last screen and it crapping out and then being stuck with one change and one not changed.
Is this a case of easier to call in to 1K desk (and can they help me with the other reservation?). Any advice?
Thanks.
As the original question said, we're hoping to change our current reservation - a late PIT-IAD departure on the 9th (and mid-day flight on 10th to PEK, arriving 11th so wasting a day) to instead have an early am departure on the 9th connecting to a hub for a PEK flight also on the 9th. We're both in P now so thats a little easier to watch. ORD, EWR, and IAD all have P2 or more as of right now for both outbound legs.
Obviously, P can disappear again, but my question is a little easier now: We are on separate records, I am 1K and they have no status. Aside from a SDC fee, what problems should I worry about? My main concern at this point is going in and doing both SDCs simultaneously on the web or app - we want them to both work, or neither. I can envision one looking fine and then getting to the last screen and it crapping out and then being stuck with one change and one not changed.
Is this a case of easier to call in to 1K desk (and can they help me with the other reservation?). Any advice?
Thanks.
Sep 6, 2018, 5:58 pm
#4337
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,395
If staying together is critical, I would call and explain. You might even get the fee waived.
Sep 7, 2018, 7:15 am
#4338
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
As We're both in P now so thats a little easier to watch. ORD, EWR, and IAD all have P2 or more as of right now for both outbound legs.
Obviously, P can disappear again, but my question is a little easier now: We are on separate records, I am 1K and they have no status. Aside from a SDC fee, what problems should I worry about? My main concern at this point is going in and doing both SDCs simultaneously on the web or app - we want them to both work, or neither. I can envision one looking fine and then getting to the last screen and it crapping out and then being stuck with one change and one not changed.
Is this a case of easier to call in to 1K desk (and can they help me with the other reservation?). Any advice?
Thanks.
Obviously, P can disappear again, but my question is a little easier now: We are on separate records, I am 1K and they have no status. Aside from a SDC fee, what problems should I worry about? My main concern at this point is going in and doing both SDCs simultaneously on the web or app - we want them to both work, or neither. I can envision one looking fine and then getting to the last screen and it crapping out and then being stuck with one change and one not changed.
Is this a case of easier to call in to 1K desk (and can they help me with the other reservation?). Any advice?
Thanks.
Sep 7, 2018, 7:21 am
#4339
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,369
Sep 7, 2018, 7:26 am
#4340
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
Sep 7, 2018, 1:11 pm
#4341
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Programs: United Gold
Posts: 2,047
Guys - I hadn't thought of the -UP issue. I will check, but thanks.
Also - P really did explode overnight. Most of the flights for the 9th were at P1 to P3 now generally >P5, including an "oddity" where the ORD-PEK 3-class 772 is P7 with only 2 open seats in J (but presumably 5 in F).
I wish we had a better SFO connection to take the 77W. But as scheduled there is only a 51 minute connection between PIT-SFO landing and the SFO-PEK departing. Given the time of year, switching to SFO seems like a crazy idea. Darn.
Also - P really did explode overnight. Most of the flights for the 9th were at P1 to P3 now generally >P5, including an "oddity" where the ORD-PEK 3-class 772 is P7 with only 2 open seats in J (but presumably 5 in F).
I wish we had a better SFO connection to take the 77W. But as scheduled there is only a 51 minute connection between PIT-SFO landing and the SFO-PEK departing. Given the time of year, switching to SFO seems like a crazy idea. Darn.
Sep 7, 2018, 1:49 pm
#4342
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,395
Yeah, that's pretty normal within a few days of departure.
Sep 8, 2018, 6:26 pm
#4343
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Programs: United Gold
Posts: 2,047
Thought I would post an update. I had asked my colleague what their new fare basis was and they said "P" but they didn't note that the initial outbound leg from PIT-IAD was Y (connecting to P), so when we went to do the SDC, mine (P-P) would work but hers can't because it is a through fare. They called the fare desk to get an exception, but they said no.
So, we lose a day here in the US waiting to fly to China. Darn. Would rather be there.
I tried to look at her reservation on the app for SDC options, but it will only let us do SDC on the first leg (and charge $75) without even seeing if it would let me do anything on the second (IAD-PEK) leg. (It also is only letting either of us check in for the first segment - is that because the second leg is way more than 24 hours away due to a stopover?). Is there something I am missing with being able to look at availability for the second leg also?
So, we lose a day here in the US waiting to fly to China. Darn. Would rather be there.
I tried to look at her reservation on the app for SDC options, but it will only let us do SDC on the first leg (and charge $75) without even seeing if it would let me do anything on the second (IAD-PEK) leg. (It also is only letting either of us check in for the first segment - is that because the second leg is way more than 24 hours away due to a stopover?). Is there something I am missing with being able to look at availability for the second leg also?
Sep 8, 2018, 10:06 pm
#4344
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,369
It's unlikely you have a stopover, although that would have torpedoed your SDC plans anyway. However, an overnight transfer -- less than 24 hours in IAD, but overnight -- will cause the app (and kiosk) to treat things as two separate journeys even though it's not technically a stopover.
Sep 8, 2018, 10:45 pm
#4345
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K 0.7MM (trying to get to 1MM!)
Posts: 1,272
Sep 9, 2018, 7:26 am
#4346
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Programs: United Gold
Posts: 2,047
A final update that I called back and got them changed - not exactly sure what was different, but in line with the best advice (HUACA!). Thanks for help as always.
Now just hoping we can coerce people on the 787 to swap seats around since we arent sitting together.
Now just hoping we can coerce people on the 787 to swap seats around since we arent sitting together.
Sep 11, 2018, 2:14 pm
#4347
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,983
No SDC on a "through" flight...?
Just checked in to tomorrow's AUS-IAH-AMS flight and wanted to SDC the AUS-IAH segment to an earlier flight to ensure >1hr connect time, given the current weather conditions in IAH. This outbound leg of the RT itinerary was booked in 'W' and I did a buy-up to 'P' for the IAH-AMS segment. After checkin, I didn't see any SDC option even with W9 for the AUS-IAH segment. So, I called the premier desk and was informed that this is an illegal SDC as this is a "through" flight, and that the itinerary had to be repriced for me to take the earlier flight. I've done SDC's quite a few times before and this "through" flight rule is news to me.
When I mentioned that I was not comfortable with a 1hr connect time in IAH due to the current weather conditions, the agent mentioned that she'll do this SDC without repricing this one time as a special case.
Did I misunderstand SDC rules?
When I mentioned that I was not comfortable with a 1hr connect time in IAH due to the current weather conditions, the agent mentioned that she'll do this SDC without repricing this one time as a special case.
Did I misunderstand SDC rules?
Sep 11, 2018, 5:37 pm
#4348
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,777
Just checked in to tomorrow's AUS-IAH-AMS flight and wanted to SDC the AUS-IAH segment to an earlier flight to ensure >1hr connect time, given the current weather conditions in IAH. This outbound leg of the RT itinerary was booked in 'W' and I did a buy-up to 'P' for the IAH-AMS segment. After checkin, I didn't see any SDC option even with W9 for the AUS-IAH segment. So, I called the premier desk and was informed that this is an illegal SDC as this is a "through" flight, and that the itinerary had to be repriced for me to take the earlier flight. I've done SDC's quite a few times before and this "through" flight rule is news to me.
... Did I misunderstand SDC rules?
... Did I misunderstand SDC rules?
When you SDC, you can not SDC just one segment, you have to SDC all the remaining flights to the destination. So you would have needed to SDC AUS-IAH-AMS and the purchased fare class would have been needed all the way. Additional this is a broken fare (segments with different fare classes) this is nearly impossible to SDC.
That was the best way to handle. It wasn't a SDCbut an itin change with the agent waiving the change fee,
Sep 14, 2018, 8:41 am
#4349
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR, GVA
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 78
So I have flights coming up from 9/23-25, EWR-RDU-EWR. I can no longer go for those days as my schedule has changed. Is it possible to SDC my 9/23 flight each day to 9/26 and fly back to EWR or it won't work since my return flight is on 9/25? The reason being, I will need this 1000 miles to get to Gold again for next year so don't mind doing a mileage run if this is possible.
Sep 14, 2018, 8:55 am
#4350
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,369
So I have flights coming up from 9/23-25, EWR-RDU-EWR. I can no longer go for those days as my schedule has changed. Is it possible to SDC my 9/23 flight each day to 9/26 and fly back to EWR or it won't work since my return flight is on 9/25? The reason being, I will need this 1000 miles to get to Gold again for next year so don't mind doing a mileage run if this is possible.