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}
May 9, 2019, 1:30 pm
#5296
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: ORD
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 140
Thank you
May 9, 2019, 1:36 pm
#5297
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,337
Some agents will transfer existing waitlisted GPUs from another flight; other agents will not. (It's a policy limitation, not a system limitation).
May 9, 2019, 4:12 pm
#5298
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Programs: Former 1KMM now free as UA Gold MM, former HH D, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 1,121
SDC requires all flights be UA operated. Even if the flight to NRT was UA-operated, the final segment is not, which will disable SDC anyway. An agent may be willing to do this, but even if so, that’s a big favor and not technically allowable for an SDC.
The only time you’ll be able to SDC when Non-UA/UAX segments are on the itinerary is when all the non-UA operates segments have been boarded...
May 10, 2019, 12:36 pm
#5299
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: UA 1K, LH FT, Marriott Plat, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PPlus
Posts: 72
Don't know if this was ever discussed and I'm curious to know.
I know SDCs are not usually made for such an instance but I tend to book the cheapest flight around the day that I want to actually fly and count on my luck to be able to SDC whenever I fly privately
The question is: I have never done that on very busy routes such as EWR-LAX. Do you guys have datapoints? I wouldn't mind changing planes if it's on the way.
Thx
I know SDCs are not usually made for such an instance but I tend to book the cheapest flight around the day that I want to actually fly and count on my luck to be able to SDC whenever I fly privately
The question is: I have never done that on very busy routes such as EWR-LAX. Do you guys have datapoints? I wouldn't mind changing planes if it's on the way.
Thx
May 10, 2019, 1:49 pm
#5300
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: 66,731
.... I know SDCs are not usually made for such an instance but I tend to book the cheapest flight around the day that I want to actually fly and count on my luck to be able to SDC whenever I fly privately
The question is: I have never done that on very busy routes such as EWR-LAX. ...
The question is: I have never done that on very busy routes such as EWR-LAX. ...
May 13, 2019, 1:46 pm
#5301
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
Quick question and I couldn't seem to find the answer keyword searching the thread (although I suspect it already came up):
I'm looking to do a SDC on a UA issued award ticket SAN > YYZ booked into saver (X) class. Ideally I'd like to take off the following day in the evening. Would there need to be availability in the X bucket when I SDC then or would availability in any Y bucket suffice?
Safe Travels,
James
I'm looking to do a SDC on a UA issued award ticket SAN > YYZ booked into saver (X) class. Ideally I'd like to take off the following day in the evening. Would there need to be availability in the X bucket when I SDC then or would availability in any Y bucket suffice?
Safe Travels,
James
May 13, 2019, 1:51 pm
#5302
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,337
May 13, 2019, 3:09 pm
#5303
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
That's in the FAQ, but I have some questions about the details.
What does "level out buckets" mean? Does that mean that if, for example, the flight is J6, it will also get 6 availability for every business class fare bucket?
What is "GG" (as in, "GG SDC")? Clearly it's some set of rules, but what does it stand for? Will an agent just know what I'm talking about if I say "GG"?
What does "level out buckets" mean? Does that mean that if, for example, the flight is J6, it will also get 6 availability for every business class fare bucket?
What is "GG" (as in, "GG SDC")? Clearly it's some set of rules, but what does it stand for? Will an agent just know what I'm talking about if I say "GG"?
May 13, 2019, 3:14 pm
#5304
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,378
It stands for "go get", which was the way of looking up help in command-line SHARES. I would be very careful how I mentioned a GG line to an agent; it is very easy to come off as a DYKWIA and you are not getting anywhere if an agent thinks you are lecturing them on how to do their job!
May 13, 2019, 9:58 pm
#5305
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: JFK BOS LAX
Programs: DL Diamond; VS Gold; Uber Diamond
Posts: 199
Any new reports as to changing dates via SDC in the app (e.g., moving an evening flight to a morning flight the next day, pending availability)? It was discussed upstream that app stopped permitting this, and making such a change required a call.
Similar question re changing routing at a connecting point. Reports upstream suggest that the app stopped allowing that, and required agent calls. Any recent experiences?
Similar question re changing routing at a connecting point. Reports upstream suggest that the app stopped allowing that, and required agent calls. Any recent experiences?
May 14, 2019, 1:36 pm
#5306
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: PDX
Programs: kayaker
Posts: 851
Any new reports as to changing dates via SDC in the app (e.g., moving an evening flight to a morning flight the next day, pending availability)? It was discussed upstream that app stopped permitting this, and making such a change required a call.
Similar question re changing routing at a connecting point. Reports upstream suggest that the app stopped allowing that, and required agent calls. Any recent experiences?
Similar question re changing routing at a connecting point. Reports upstream suggest that the app stopped allowing that, and required agent calls. Any recent experiences?
May 14, 2019, 6:27 pm
#5307
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,443
Recent experience was that a flight three weeks ago gave previous and subsequent date options, but flight last week only gave same-calendar-date options. However, I did not bother checking whether the previous/subsequent date flights had availability in the corresponding fare class.
May 17, 2019, 6:16 am
#5308
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: United 1K
Posts: 127
Hi all, any strategies to securing a SDC onto a flight exactly 24 hours prior to my current booking? Flying BOM-EWR, and only one flight per day, at exact same time, so no other opportunities to SDC onto anything else. Anyone have success with this?
May 17, 2019, 9:27 am
#5309
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: YXY
Posts: 3,506
I don't see how that could work since both your current booking as the one you aspire to have to be within 24 hours. By the time T-24 comes around, you've missed the earlier flight.
May 17, 2019, 12:00 pm
#5310
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,213
Probably should have read the Wiki before thinking about doing this. I still have a number of papers to grade and did not want to take them on the flight with me (but would have if necessary). Need to be in YYZ for an event on Sunday morning so decided to change to a flight tomorrow morning instead of this morning.
I called 2.5 hours before the scheduled flight so if there was nothing available I would still make the flight today.
The CS rep said nothing until 1pm tomorrow in my fare class (F - not certain which fare) and I pointed out that would not be a SDC since my flight was 10.30am. She then looked for early morning and said 10.30am. I queried if this was possible since I was concerned that my ticket would be cancelled for a no-show. The CS agent replied it takes approx. 3 hours for the system to process and canx tickets. I was still concerned as my few SDC attempts are a bit hit and miss. She assured me all would be fine if I called back at 10.30am
I called back and the CS agent said it was not possible to do the SDC as it needs to be WITHIN 24 hours. She also said the ticket had been cancelled for the no show. I was getting quite concerned and said I had spoken to someone at 8.05am and that CS agent had assured me i could make the change at 10.30am and the ticket would not be cancelled for a few hours. The CS agent on the phone said there was no record of the call - fortunately I had elected to do the survey and they had called me back after the call - and I told the agent on the phone I had done the survey for the earlier call (obviously not knowing I had been given incorrect information).
The CS agent was able to pull back the reservation and made the SDC.
Lesson learned. WITHIN 24 hours. Ticket will be cancelled at time of flight departure if a no show for the original flight.
(In March I had actually done 3 SDCs to get on a flight 24 hours later as I thought it had to be within the 24 hours but in this case my fare class was not available for flights WITHIN the 24 hour period). Kudos to second CS rep for making it happen but I suspect it was because I had been given incorrect information by the first CS rep.
I called 2.5 hours before the scheduled flight so if there was nothing available I would still make the flight today.
The CS rep said nothing until 1pm tomorrow in my fare class (F - not certain which fare) and I pointed out that would not be a SDC since my flight was 10.30am. She then looked for early morning and said 10.30am. I queried if this was possible since I was concerned that my ticket would be cancelled for a no-show. The CS agent replied it takes approx. 3 hours for the system to process and canx tickets. I was still concerned as my few SDC attempts are a bit hit and miss. She assured me all would be fine if I called back at 10.30am
I called back and the CS agent said it was not possible to do the SDC as it needs to be WITHIN 24 hours. She also said the ticket had been cancelled for the no show. I was getting quite concerned and said I had spoken to someone at 8.05am and that CS agent had assured me i could make the change at 10.30am and the ticket would not be cancelled for a few hours. The CS agent on the phone said there was no record of the call - fortunately I had elected to do the survey and they had called me back after the call - and I told the agent on the phone I had done the survey for the earlier call (obviously not knowing I had been given incorrect information).
The CS agent was able to pull back the reservation and made the SDC.
Lesson learned. WITHIN 24 hours. Ticket will be cancelled at time of flight departure if a no show for the original flight.
(In March I had actually done 3 SDCs to get on a flight 24 hours later as I thought it had to be within the 24 hours but in this case my fare class was not available for flights WITHIN the 24 hour period). Kudos to second CS rep for making it happen but I suspect it was because I had been given incorrect information by the first CS rep.
