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 14, 2017, 9:07 pm
#2836
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: EWR/LHR/SFO
Programs: UA 1K 1MM
Posts: 574
Have observed frequently in the last month or so on SFO-IAH/ORD. Not PS sadly.
Oct 16, 2017, 8:11 am
#2837
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, Starwood Gold
Posts: 951
How are the cities that you are allowed to connect in (if you want to add a connection city) to increase your miles chosen/allowed? Where in the fare rules can I look this up in advance of purchase?
Oct 16, 2017, 11:32 am
#2838
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SFO sometimes
Programs: UA 1K, AA gold, A3 gold
Posts: 1,634
There's nothing quite like this in the wiki, but I'm curious...
Let's say I book SFO-LAX-SFO on one PNR, departing 8pm one day and returning 8am the next day.
Can I SDC the SFO-LAX so that I end up with LAX-SFO-LAX? For example, move SFO-LAX to noon the next day, such that it's after LAX-SFO?
Let's say I book SFO-LAX-SFO on one PNR, departing 8pm one day and returning 8am the next day.
Can I SDC the SFO-LAX so that I end up with LAX-SFO-LAX? For example, move SFO-LAX to noon the next day, such that it's after LAX-SFO?
Oct 16, 2017, 11:36 am
#2839
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,323
@canadiancow when is your trip? I'm have the same question with a different city pair. I could see it going either way - on the one hand SDC let's you break min / max stay rules, but I'm not sure if re-ordering coupons is too much. I'll report back in a couple weeks once my own travel completes.
Those were not the city pairs involved, just examples.
I am curious to know whether it's possible though
Oct 16, 2017, 2:38 pm
#2840
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Independent
Posts: 470
I'm trying to understand my chances for an upcoming trip - if I book an 8:40am flight from LHR to EWR on a Sunday to get a K fare (much cheaper to return Sunday), is it likely I'll be able to change to the 6pm Saturday flight, which currently seems to be mostly empty?
Oct 16, 2017, 2:43 pm
#2841
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K 0.7MM (trying to get to 1MM!)
Posts: 1,272
Without seeing the inventory list or knowing how far in the future your upcoming trip is, it's difficult to say. I assume you have no non-UA metal connections after EWR, correct?
Oct 16, 2017, 2:49 pm
#2842
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,410
The other worry here is that if a Sunday return is "significantly cheaper" it's probably because of a Saturday night stay restriction. I forget - does the app check this when offering SDC?
Oct 16, 2017, 2:51 pm
#2843
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Independent
Posts: 470
Nope - I'm hoping to come back on November 4th, and am booking November 5th (to save ~$2000)
Oct 16, 2017, 3:04 pm
#2844
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K 0.7MM (trying to get to 1MM!)
Posts: 1,272
Anyway, looking at the 5pm flight on the 4th (flight UA921), it is still showing K9 right now, so as of now, your chances are good. But, who knows if the K fares will sell out between now and then...
Oct 16, 2017, 3:10 pm
#2845
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Independent
Posts: 470
Looking at google flights, I don't see a 6pm flight on November 4th. There's a 5pm flight on both the 3rd and the 4th, and a 6pm on the 5th...must be because of the time change, maybe?
Anyway, looking at the 5pm flight on the 4th (flight UA921), it is still showing K9 right now, so as of now, your chances are good. But, who knows if the K fares will sell out between now and then...
Anyway, looking at the 5pm flight on the 4th (flight UA921), it is still showing K9 right now, so as of now, your chances are good. But, who knows if the K fares will sell out between now and then...
In any event, I will probably take my chances since it saves a lot of money over the other available/acceptable option for me (business trip and I'm 6'5" - Norwegian Premium) and is helping me on my slow million-mile march.
Oct 16, 2017, 3:14 pm
#2846
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K 0.7MM (trying to get to 1MM!)
Posts: 1,272
Oct 16, 2017, 4:08 pm
#2847
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Independent
Posts: 470
Oct 16, 2017, 4:23 pm
#2848
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
Oct 16, 2017, 9:25 pm
#2849
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,720
This thread is great would never have known I could SDC the day before (so long as <24 for both). The only downside is that I lose my long-reserved exit row aisle and all the E+ aisles are gone on the alternative flights. But that too may change...
Oct 17, 2017, 6:26 pm
#2850
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 338
Nothing interesting in this post, only a fresh data point:
I have a roundtrip reservation, on 016 ticket stock, purchased through an agent:
SAN>SFO>FRA>HAM
HAM>FRA>ORD>SAN
The flights between FRA and HAM are operated by Lufthansa, with United codeshare.
My goal today was to change the first SAN>SFO flight to an earlier SAN>SFO flight.
a) I waited 24 hours before the original flight.
b) I checked the Android app, and the change flights option was not available. I was expecting that as I have read on this thread that you need to be checked-in first.
c) I checked in. And the “Change flights” option appeared under each flight, though shaded and unclickable.
d) Next I tried the united.com website. Where the “Change flights” option still wanted to charge change fee.
e) I called the premier line, and said that I wanted to do a Same Day Confirmed change. The agent asked if I purchased my tickets through an agent. I said yes, but I was already checked-in so now United has control over the reservation. The agent asked to which flight I wanted to change. She tried to make the change a few times, but something was not working. She put me on hold for a few minutes, after which the change was successfully done. The phone call took seven minutes.
f) I went on united.com, and noticed that the first flight was changed as I wanted, but I no longer saw my reserved seat information for the second flight of the day.
g) I checked the Android app, and it still showed all my seat reservations correctly, although it showed that I was no longer checked in.
h) I checked in again. And right now everything is looking good.
I have a roundtrip reservation, on 016 ticket stock, purchased through an agent:
SAN>SFO>FRA>HAM
HAM>FRA>ORD>SAN
The flights between FRA and HAM are operated by Lufthansa, with United codeshare.
My goal today was to change the first SAN>SFO flight to an earlier SAN>SFO flight.
a) I waited 24 hours before the original flight.
b) I checked the Android app, and the change flights option was not available. I was expecting that as I have read on this thread that you need to be checked-in first.
c) I checked in. And the “Change flights” option appeared under each flight, though shaded and unclickable.
d) Next I tried the united.com website. Where the “Change flights” option still wanted to charge change fee.
e) I called the premier line, and said that I wanted to do a Same Day Confirmed change. The agent asked if I purchased my tickets through an agent. I said yes, but I was already checked-in so now United has control over the reservation. The agent asked to which flight I wanted to change. She tried to make the change a few times, but something was not working. She put me on hold for a few minutes, after which the change was successfully done. The phone call took seven minutes.
f) I went on united.com, and noticed that the first flight was changed as I wanted, but I no longer saw my reserved seat information for the second flight of the day.
g) I checked the Android app, and it still showed all my seat reservations correctly, although it showed that I was no longer checked in.
h) I checked in again. And right now everything is looking good.