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}
Apr 8, 2019, 6:20 am
#5176
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,462
This is a new one (to me). Made a SDC from a non-stop to a connecting flight. Wanted to SDC that back to a non-stop (which is available) and got the following on .com:
We are unable to process your request. Please see the message below for details.
- For pricing 0, unable to parse FareCalculation. Possible problem: Farecalc represents fewer segments than described by CouponInfos.
Having no insight into how their systems work, this message seems consistent with the theory that they are adding some segment-limiting logic to SDC.
Apr 8, 2019, 8:01 am
#5177
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
These changes coupled with the new award chart is making me lose interest in United as my airline of choice by the day.
Apr 8, 2019, 9:12 am
#5178
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
goalie-parents are flying PBI-EWR-SFO with a 4 1/2 hour layover at EWR and I'm looking at doing a SDC to shorten their layover where I can try for a later departure ex-PBI or an earlier departure ex-EWR.
I know that the SDC kicks in for the first leg at t-24 but if I want to SDC the second leg, is it t-24 for the second leg or does it all fall under t-24 for the first leg/start of the trip as if t-24 for the second leg, then I'll hold off checking them in until t-24 for the second leg if I can't works a SDC on the first leg
I know that the SDC kicks in for the first leg at t-24 but if I want to SDC the second leg, is it t-24 for the second leg or does it all fall under t-24 for the first leg/start of the trip as if t-24 for the second leg, then I'll hold off checking them in until t-24 for the second leg if I can't works a SDC on the first leg
but the phone agent took care of it in under 5 minutes so goalie-parents now have a 90 minute layover at EWR instead on 4 1/2 hours (kept the original return EWR-SFO and took a later PBI-EWR departure)
Apr 8, 2019, 10:04 am
#5179
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Naples - Chicago - Park City
Programs: UA 1K Million Miler, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Amex Plat
Posts: 290
Was this generated from the change flights function on .com (the one that displays results similarly to the normal revenue search)?
Having no insight into how their systems work, this message seems consistent with the theory that they are adding some segment-limiting logic to SDC.
Having no insight into how their systems work, this message seems consistent with the theory that they are adding some segment-limiting logic to SDC.
Apr 8, 2019, 10:35 am
#5180
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
Prior SDC on the same PNR
Yes, although it never got that far; the error popped up after attempting the search. After calling the 1K line, the rep had to escalate to clean up the reservation and make the change. She said something (half mumbling under her breath) about "Basic Economy" and I jumped in and said at no point was this ever a Basic Economy ticket (but it sounded like the prior SDC might have somehow morphed it into one).
For another trip, I had an SDC on outbound flights using App. I called 1K line to do a SDC for the return flights. She had to clean up my PNR first and called the rate desk to do an equivalent "SDC." It was "even exchange" or something similar. It took a while to get this done.
My recent experiences explained why the second SDC was unavailable/unsuccessful on App after the first SDC with App on the same PNR.
Happy travel.
Apr 8, 2019, 8:03 pm
#5181
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,345
So far I'm still sticking with my three points made above. Routing rules are NOT being followed still (which was not one of the three criteria I put in my post above). I have a non-stop flight tomorrow booked in "Z". I know the fare rules only allow non-stop travel. Whenever I attempt to check-in via the mobile app I'm offered connection options in both ORD and DEN to my destination. So this part of SDC hasn't been changed (yet).
EDIT 4-9-19: There's something definitely up with the "same day" part of SDC. There are several connecting flights open for tomorrow (within 24 hours) that do not appear in my SDC options. Only non-stop and connecting flights for today (I'm flying today) will show up. The non-stops on the flight I'm on are zeroed out for tomrw morning so I wouldn't expect those to show up.
Again, this is through the mobile app only. If I try to 'change flight' via the website I do get tomorrow's options with $0 fees.
-RM
EDIT 4-9-19: There's something definitely up with the "same day" part of SDC. There are several connecting flights open for tomorrow (within 24 hours) that do not appear in my SDC options. Only non-stop and connecting flights for today (I'm flying today) will show up. The non-stops on the flight I'm on are zeroed out for tomrw morning so I wouldn't expect those to show up.
Again, this is through the mobile app only. If I try to 'change flight' via the website I do get tomorrow's options with $0 fees.
-RM
Last edited by RobOnLI; Apr 9, 2019 at 10:35 am Reason: Add more data points
Apr 9, 2019, 1:27 pm
#5182
Join Date: Apr 2019
Programs: UA
Posts: 38
Another data point: I have a non-stop flight and SDC is only showing non-stop alternatives. Right after I called in and changed to a connecting flight, many connecting SDC options(up to 1 connection) showed up in both App and Web.
Pretty sure UA is only showing SDC options with <= segments of existing flight.
Pretty sure UA is only showing SDC options with <= segments of existing flight.
Apr 9, 2019, 9:08 pm
#5183
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: Free checked in bag on UA & DL. Free icecream at Marriott checkin.
Posts: 2,862
A quick question:
I have a flight this Saturday evening - DEN-EWR-LHR. The DEN-EWR is Saturday night red-eye followed by a long layover in EWR before taking the flight to LHR on Sunday evening. Can I SDC this onto the morning DEN-EWR flight that connects to the EWR-LHR flight on Saturday evening? I realize the DEN-EWR-LHR are married segments and one segment is on the following day.
I have not attempted this where the flight segments fall into different dates.
I have a flight this Saturday evening - DEN-EWR-LHR. The DEN-EWR is Saturday night red-eye followed by a long layover in EWR before taking the flight to LHR on Sunday evening. Can I SDC this onto the morning DEN-EWR flight that connects to the EWR-LHR flight on Saturday evening? I realize the DEN-EWR-LHR are married segments and one segment is on the following day.
I have not attempted this where the flight segments fall into different dates.
Apr 9, 2019, 9:49 pm
#5184
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,412
Apr 10, 2019, 9:14 am
#5185
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: Free checked in bag on UA & DL. Free icecream at Marriott checkin.
Posts: 2,862
Apr 10, 2019, 10:04 am
#5186
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,345
Another data point: I have a non-stop flight and SDC is only showing non-stop alternatives. Right after I called in and changed to a connecting flight, many connecting SDC options(up to 1 connection) showed up in both App and Web.
Pretty sure UA is only showing SDC options with <= segments of existing flight.
Pretty sure UA is only showing SDC options with <= segments of existing flight.
However, as has been the case for a little while now, once I boarded in my origin airport I was only given connection options that were on the same day and only for the connection airport to my destination. I was not allowed to add another segment.
-RM
Apr 10, 2019, 11:08 am
#5187
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 114
I SDCed my flight from a direct EWR to LAX with an RPU applied to a flight with a connection and annoyingly, the RPU I applied fell off the reservation. I called and they were able to apply it again. Is this normal behavior?
Apr 10, 2019, 3:42 pm
#5188
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,855
Very standard and while many agaents will reapply, some will push back quoting the policy -- no new waitlisting after T-24.
Apr 10, 2019, 4:29 pm
#5189
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 114
So if you do any SDC, will a waitlisted certificate fall off the reservation, or was it just because I changed the routing on the flight? Also, if PZ opens up within 24 hours, would I be able to reapply the RPU to confirm a seat?
Apr 10, 2019, 4:36 pm
#5190
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,855
In the case of SDC, if the waitlisted flgith is in the group of flights being SDCed the RPU will drop off.
A phone agent can restore the waitlisted RPU
It is waitlisting that is problematic (but agents can do it if you were previously waitlisted)