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}
Oct 30, 2019, 12:04 pm
#5881
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: EAU
Programs: UA 1K, CO Plat, NW Plat, Marriott Premiere Plat, SPG Plat, Priority Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,712
It is a known issue that if your itinerary has 3 segments you have to call in to change it.
I share your surprise on being able to switch TO 3 segments however.
I share your surprise on being able to switch TO 3 segments however.
Oct 30, 2019, 1:27 pm
#5882
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: UA Premier Platinum, Skyteam Elite Plus (KE Morning Calm Premium)
Posts: 819
I have a upcoming trip with two PNRs.
Reservation 1 - Domestic + Domestic on UA metal departing Saturday 1PM (arriving Saturday 6PM).
Reservation 2 - Domestic + International on UA metal departing Sunday afternoon (first flight departing 4PM).
Original plan was to have dinner with my friend Saturday night.
Now the dinner is canceled, so I would like to SDC to Reservation 1 to Sunday morning.
Question 1: Will UA system think I have 4 segments so that SCD is not available online?
Question 2: Reservation 1 is on G fare class. My understanding is fare class opens up several hours before the departure. Therefore, higher chance for SDC to earlier flights with G T S L fare class. But not working for SDC to later flights. Realistically, do I have a chance to SDC to Sunday 6AM flight (reservation 1)?
Thanks, in advnace.
Reservation 1 - Domestic + Domestic on UA metal departing Saturday 1PM (arriving Saturday 6PM).
Reservation 2 - Domestic + International on UA metal departing Sunday afternoon (first flight departing 4PM).
Original plan was to have dinner with my friend Saturday night.
Now the dinner is canceled, so I would like to SDC to Reservation 1 to Sunday morning.
Question 1: Will UA system think I have 4 segments so that SCD is not available online?
Question 2: Reservation 1 is on G fare class. My understanding is fare class opens up several hours before the departure. Therefore, higher chance for SDC to earlier flights with G T S L fare class. But not working for SDC to later flights. Realistically, do I have a chance to SDC to Sunday 6AM flight (reservation 1)?
Thanks, in advnace.
Oct 30, 2019, 2:30 pm
#5883
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,413
Question 2: Reservation 1 is on G fare class. My understanding is fare class opens up several hours before the departure. Therefore, higher chance for SDC to earlier flights with G T S L fare class. But not working for SDC to later flights. Realistically, do I have a chance to SDC to Sunday 6AM flight (reservation 1)?
Oct 31, 2019, 11:01 pm
#5884
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: YVR
Programs: Air Canada Super Elite 2+ Million Miles
Posts: 2,478
delete
Last edited by skybluesea; Dec 22, 2020 at 5:17 pm
Nov 1, 2019, 1:39 pm
#5885
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: AMS
Posts: 899
So the advice is to hang up and keep calling until you find an agent who applies it to the new flight? [I am booked on a W fare ORD-IAD-AMS with a waitlisted GPU but would prefer ORD-AMS direct when that flight appears to have many more open J seats 24h before.]
Nov 2, 2019, 8:56 am
#5886
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: UA Premier Platinum, Skyteam Elite Plus (KE Morning Calm Premium)
Posts: 819
Update and new question
Reservation 1 - ATL-IAD-BOS on UA metal (originally today - Saturday 230PM). G fare class
Reservation 2 - BOS-SFO-ICN on UA metal (departing tomorrow Sunday 320PM - SFO-ICN is on Monday). G fare class
Original plan was to have dinner with my friend Saturday night in Boston. Now the dinner is canceled, there is no reason to be in Boston on Saturday night.
I successfully SDCed to Sunday 545AM departure ATL-IAD-BOS.
There are other flights at more reasonable departure time. However, it ways UA system says I have to pay for 915AM departure ATL-EWR-BOS or 1000AM departure ATL-IAD-BOS.
Question 1:
Buying a new ticket price is $254 for 915AM departure ATL-EWR-BOS - W class.
SDC fee is $331 for that flight.
So it does not make sense to pay the SDC price.
If I keep checking and get lucky, is there a chance for SDC without fee? Or is SDC fee pretty much set for this flight and there is no chance of change?
Question 2:
Within 24hr of BOS-SFO flight, will UA system allow me to SDC to ATL-SFO nonstop or ATL-IAH/ORD/IAD/DEN-SFO flight? Is this something I have to call UA?
Thanks, in advance.
Reservation 1 - ATL-IAD-BOS on UA metal (originally today - Saturday 230PM). G fare class
Reservation 2 - BOS-SFO-ICN on UA metal (departing tomorrow Sunday 320PM - SFO-ICN is on Monday). G fare class
Original plan was to have dinner with my friend Saturday night in Boston. Now the dinner is canceled, there is no reason to be in Boston on Saturday night.
I successfully SDCed to Sunday 545AM departure ATL-IAD-BOS.
There are other flights at more reasonable departure time. However, it ways UA system says I have to pay for 915AM departure ATL-EWR-BOS or 1000AM departure ATL-IAD-BOS.
Question 1:
Buying a new ticket price is $254 for 915AM departure ATL-EWR-BOS - W class.
SDC fee is $331 for that flight.
So it does not make sense to pay the SDC price.
If I keep checking and get lucky, is there a chance for SDC without fee? Or is SDC fee pretty much set for this flight and there is no chance of change?
Question 2:
Within 24hr of BOS-SFO flight, will UA system allow me to SDC to ATL-SFO nonstop or ATL-IAH/ORD/IAD/DEN-SFO flight? Is this something I have to call UA?
Thanks, in advance.
Last edited by poohhead80; Nov 2, 2019 at 9:02 am
Nov 2, 2019, 4:38 pm
#5887
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 258
SDC possible?
If I have a flight leaving Tuesday at 7pm is it possible to SDC to a flight on Monday at 8:15pm or is it only possible to move a flight to a future time?
Nov 2, 2019, 4:48 pm
#5888
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: 66,852
... Question 1:
Buying a new ticket price is $254 for 915AM departure ATL-EWR-BOS - W class.
SDC fee is $331 for that flight.
So it does not make sense to pay the SDC price.
If I keep checking and get lucky, is there a chance for SDC without fee? Or is SDC fee pretty much set for this flight and there is no chance of change?
....
Buying a new ticket price is $254 for 915AM departure ATL-EWR-BOS - W class.
SDC fee is $331 for that flight.
So it does not make sense to pay the SDC price.
If I keep checking and get lucky, is there a chance for SDC without fee? Or is SDC fee pretty much set for this flight and there is no chance of change?
....
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Nov 2, 2019 at 4:56 pm Reason: merged consecutive posts by same member
Nov 5, 2019, 5:40 pm
#5889
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: 1K
Posts: 220
Flying Thursday SFO->DEN (2:19PM) then DEN->DRO (7:05PM). I want to change only the second leg to Friday at 11:20AM.
Can I call at 11:20AM Thursday and make the change assuming fare class is available, or will this trigger an issue with a layover being too long? Also, have an RPU applied to SFO->DEN in case that complicates things, but it hasn't cleared.
TIA
Can I call at 11:20AM Thursday and make the change assuming fare class is available, or will this trigger an issue with a layover being too long? Also, have an RPU applied to SFO->DEN in case that complicates things, but it hasn't cleared.
TIA
Nov 5, 2019, 6:02 pm
#5890
Join Date: May 2006
Location: PMD
Programs: UA*G, NW, AA-G. WR-P, HH-G, IHG-S, ALL. TT-GE.
Posts: 2,910
You can actually call at 10:20 PT, which is 11:20 MT.
Nov 5, 2019, 6:12 pm
#5891
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,405
Only if the agent is willing to make a pretty substantive break from protocol and introduce a stopover on a domestic fare. There haven't been a lot of reports of success.
Nov 6, 2019, 2:51 pm
#5892
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: 1K
Posts: 220
Indeed. Called today and they said they can't do it because it is creating a stopover.
No checked luggage so will give this a shot tomorrow after boarding.
Thanks
Thanks
Nov 10, 2019, 11:22 am
#5893
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: United Premier Platinum
Posts: 638
SDC with split-day itinerary?
If I have a one-way itinerary with departures split across two days (eg ORD to LAX on day one, ~12 hour overnight layover in LA, then onward to Tokyo on day two), how does same-day change work?
Pending availability, would the SDC options available at T-24 of the ORD departure include flights leaving for Tokyo on day one. Would it be possible to eliminate the need to overnight?
Pending availability, would the SDC options available at T-24 of the ORD departure include flights leaving for Tokyo on day one. Would it be possible to eliminate the need to overnight?
Nov 10, 2019, 1:13 pm
#5894
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,461
If I have a one-way itinerary with departures split across two days (eg ORD to LAX on day one, ~12 hour overnight layover in LA, then onward to Tokyo on day two), how does same-day change work?
Pending availability, would the SDC options available at T-24 of the ORD departure include flights leaving for Tokyo on day one. Would it be possible to eliminate the need to overnight?
Pending availability, would the SDC options available at T-24 of the ORD departure include flights leaving for Tokyo on day one. Would it be possible to eliminate the need to overnight?
booked: 1800 ORD - 2045 LAX // 1030(+1) LAX - 1500(+2) NRT
desired: 1200 ORD - 1640(+1) NRT
If so, and if your booked flights do not have a fare break (i.e. it is fared CHI-TYO), then nominally yes, you can SDC that way. You would be allowed to do so as early as 1800(-1) ORD time.
However, I've stopped anymore trying to predict what the app offers. It might give you that option, but it might not. So it would behoove you to look at your 'take an earlier flight' options, and if you don't see what you want, do a revenue search for ORD-NRT to see if your fare class has inventory (and of course call if so).
Nov 10, 2019, 8:30 pm
#5895
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: DL Gold, UA nothing (ex-GS), Marriott lifetime Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 920