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}
Dec 6, 2018, 11:52 pm
#4651
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
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That's surprising - last time I bought a P fare routing EWR-IAH-SFO, the fare rules expressly forbid the nonstop routing (but I was able to SDC via the App). I also checked and do not see this restriction on any of the current EWR-LAX fares.
).Last edited by Kacee; Dec 6, 2018 at 11:58 pm
Dec 7, 2018, 4:11 am
#4652
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,005
Dec 8, 2018, 3:30 am
#4653
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: dark side of the moon
Programs: papa card, UA 1K
Posts: 707
from the archived SDC thread GG SDC line 61
from the archived SDC thread GG SDC line 61states fare buckets leveling out at 3.5 hrs with a (single?) data point at 2 hrs now in the WIKI. Has there been a consensus when the fare buckets are supposed to level out and does anyone know if there is a new GG SDC code regarding this parameter.
UA Same-Day Travel Change (SDC) Fees/Questions (with Wiki) {Archive}
UA Same-Day Travel Change (SDC) Fees/Questions (with Wiki) {Archive}
Dec 8, 2018, 8:06 am
#4654
formerly 1984SW
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,058
Oh, no. You mean I was doing it wrong? I was clicking on the "Change Flight" button below the recap of my itinerary on the app. When I did that, it would display several flight options with varying add collects, with several showing "$0". When I clicked on one of the schedules with "$0" in front of it to select it, when I proceeded to do the change, I got the error message saying to call UA.
You were entering the flight change flow, not the SDC flow. Online flight changes have been broken for years, and when they added the ability to change flights into the app, it appears they didn't really fix anything.
Tap on "Travel options" and then look for a blue banner that looks like an ad and says something about "other flight options" or "earlier flights." (Even though it says "earlier," later flights will be available too). If you don't see that banner, it means that there aren't any SDC options currently available.
Tap on "Travel options" and then look for a blue banner that looks like an ad and says something about "other flight options" or "earlier flights." (Even though it says "earlier," later flights will be available too). If you don't see that banner, it means that there aren't any SDC options currently available.
Not necessarily...as mentioned, the app will only show SDC options with no upfare (those would have your fare bucket available) when you click on "Take an earlier flight". If you go the "change flight" route you may be presented options with no change fee (i.e., SDC-eligable options) but with an upfare add-collect (those would not have your fare bucket available).
On the app I don't see the "Travel options" which is supposed to lead to "Take an earlier flight." Where should I expect to find it? When I open the iOS United app, and tap on "My Reservations" on the bar of horizontally scrolling options near the top I select tomorrow's reservation ... and then what do I do?
e.g. Here's an option I get from "Change Flights" that is available in P (granted, not a glamorous option, but the only one with only two segments so I could capture it in one screenshot):
So, how do access that itinerary option via SDC?
Dec 8, 2018, 9:33 am
#4655
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,460
I'm once again within the 24-hour period of an itinerary: MID-IAH-LAS, booked in P. I have checked-in online. On the app, if I display the reservation and scroll down to "Change Flights," I am shown several $0 changes, available in P, but with a $200 change fee, so as mentioned in the quotes above clearly it's not the SDC function. However, it does show that there are several P class alternate itineraries available for $0 within 24 hours.
On the app I don't see the "Travel options" which is supposed to lead to "Take an earlier flight." Where should I expect to find it? When I open the iOS United app, and tap on "My Reservations" on the bar of horizontally scrolling options near the top I select tomorrow's reservation ... and then what do I do?
e.g. Here's an option I get from "Change Flights" that is available in P (granted, not a glamorous option, but the only one with only two segments so I could capture it in one screenshot):
So, how do access that itinerary option via SDC?
On the app I don't see the "Travel options" which is supposed to lead to "Take an earlier flight." Where should I expect to find it? When I open the iOS United app, and tap on "My Reservations" on the bar of horizontally scrolling options near the top I select tomorrow's reservation ... and then what do I do?
e.g. Here's an option I get from "Change Flights" that is available in P (granted, not a glamorous option, but the only one with only two segments so I could capture it in one screenshot):
So, how do access that itinerary option via SDC?
However, that particular option likely won't present with the SDC/take-an-earlier-flight function because of the very long connection time. If you get to IAH and then try to do the SDC again, you may be able to push the IAH-LAS flight back at that point.
Dec 8, 2018, 9:43 am
#4656
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
On the app I don't see the "Travel options" which is supposed to lead to "Take an earlier flight." Where should I expect to find it? When I open the iOS United app, and tap on "My Reservations" on the bar of horizontally scrolling options near the top I select tomorrow's reservation ... and then what do I do?
Dec 8, 2018, 9:59 am
#4657
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,391
On the app I don't see the "Travel options" which is supposed to lead to "Take an earlier flight." Where should I expect to find it? When I open the iOS United app, and tap on "My Reservations" on the bar of horizontally scrolling options near the top I select tomorrow's reservation ... and then what do I do?
Dec 8, 2018, 10:03 am
#4658
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
Try tapping on the icon in the upper right that looks like a folding card with a number on it, and select your reservation from that list, not from My Reservations. I've never tried it from the My Reservations view, and while I think they should be the same, it can't hurt to try.
Dec 8, 2018, 10:13 am
#4659
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,460
Yes, in the past few weeks the app seems to be out of sync more than it usually is. I think what you describe is just the app's request to the mainframe timing out, and so it displays nothing. That's why when you keep trying, something eventually comes up. The hamsters must be getting tired after a long year.
Dec 8, 2018, 11:32 am
#4660
formerly 1984SW
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,058
Sometimes if you just re-do check-in you can get the other flight options list to show. It depends upon there being availability in the applicable buckets and is subject to some opaque routing rules that are not the same as those applied at sale (generally the app/check-in SDC is more liberal with routing, but only somewhat).
However, that particular option likely won't present with the SDC/take-an-earlier-flight function because of the very long connection time. If you get to IAH and then try to do the SDC again, you may be able to push the IAH-LAS flight back at that point.
However, that particular option likely won't present with the SDC/take-an-earlier-flight function because of the very long connection time. If you get to IAH and then try to do the SDC again, you may be able to push the IAH-LAS flight back at that point.
There are several more reasonable $0 options under "Change flights" such as a couple connections MID-IAH-LAX-LAS, MID-IAH-SFO-LAS and MID-IAH-DEN-LAS. I only used that long layover one for the purpose of showing, in one screenshot, the fact that there is P available, it is quoting $0 fare collect, but also the $200 change fee.
In the app, if you click on a checked-in reservation, a pop-up menu should appear, with Travel Options being one of the four or five options. But as of a week ago, there was a bug in the app — sometimes clicking on a checked-in reservation would yield the pop-up menu, and sometimes it would just show you the reservation info. as it would for non-checked-in reservations. Sometimes I’d have to try six or seven times, or wait 10 minutes or so, before I could get the pop-up menu to appear. Sounds like you might be running into the same problem.
Try tapping on the icon in the upper right that looks like a folding card with a number on it, and select your reservation from that list, not from My Reservations. I've never tried it from the My Reservations view, and while I think they should be the same, it can't hurt to try.
Yes, in the past few weeks the app seems to be out of sync more than it usually is. I think what you describe is just the app's request to the mainframe timing out, and so it displays nothing. That's why when you keep trying, something eventually comes up. The hamsters must be getting tired after a long year.
[EDITED TO ADD]
Hold the phone. I went to "Change flights" again just now and no P options are available. Only Z with an add collect. So, no $0 options currently exist. I'm so confused at this point: Does the SDC option only offer $0 changes, or does it offer other options with a fare add collect? Even though I already have a P seat MID-IAH, there needs to be another one available to be booked, right?
Last edited by wpcoe; Dec 8, 2018 at 11:52 am
Dec 8, 2018, 12:56 pm
#4661
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,391
Hold the phone. I went to "Change flights" again just now and no P options are available. Only Z with an add collect. So, no $0 options currently exist. I'm so confused at this point: Does the SDC option only offer $0 changes, or does it offer other options with a fare add collect? Even though I already have a P seat MID-IAH, there needs to be another one available to be booked, right?
It's entirely possible that there's no P inventory on any available flight. Check Expert Mode.
Dec 8, 2018, 1:23 pm
#4662
formerly 1984SW
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,058
Dec 8, 2018, 1:29 pm
#4663
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,460
How do you un-check yourself? Last time I called to do it, the agent said I could do it myself; that it would be an option at the bottom of my reservation. Have never seen it, and just now looked for that option and can't find it.
There are several more reasonable $0 options under "Change flights" such as a couple connections MID-IAH-LAX-LAS, MID-IAH-SFO-LAS and MID-IAH-DEN-LAS. I only used that long layover one for the purpose of showing, in one screenshot, the fact that there is P available, it is quoting $0 fare collect, but also the $200 change fee.
I've repeatedly over three hours tried it and never seen a pop-up menu any place. (Until I tried jsloan's method below.)
Doing that I *do* get a "Travel options" option but when I tap it, up pops the reservation with even fewer options (e.g. no "Change flights") than the other way.
This is the third trip over the past four months where I've tried to do an SDC. Always found $0 options (with $200 change fee) under "Change flights" but have never seen anything close to the mythical SDC options. I think you are all pulling my leg. (J/K!!!)
[EDITED TO ADD]
Hold the phone. I went to "Change flights" again just now and no P options are available. Only Z with an add collect. So, no $0 options currently exist. I'm so confused at this point: Does the SDC option only offer $0 changes, or does it offer other options with a fare add collect? Even though I already have a P seat MID-IAH, there needs to be another one available to be booked, right?
There are several more reasonable $0 options under "Change flights" such as a couple connections MID-IAH-LAX-LAS, MID-IAH-SFO-LAS and MID-IAH-DEN-LAS. I only used that long layover one for the purpose of showing, in one screenshot, the fact that there is P available, it is quoting $0 fare collect, but also the $200 change fee.
I've repeatedly over three hours tried it and never seen a pop-up menu any place. (Until I tried jsloan's method below.)
Doing that I *do* get a "Travel options" option but when I tap it, up pops the reservation with even fewer options (e.g. no "Change flights") than the other way.
This is the third trip over the past four months where I've tried to do an SDC. Always found $0 options (with $200 change fee) under "Change flights" but have never seen anything close to the mythical SDC options. I think you are all pulling my leg. (J/K!!!)
[EDITED TO ADD]
Hold the phone. I went to "Change flights" again just now and no P options are available. Only Z with an add collect. So, no $0 options currently exist. I'm so confused at this point: Does the SDC option only offer $0 changes, or does it offer other options with a fare add collect? Even though I already have a P seat MID-IAH, there needs to be another one available to be booked, right?
As jsloan mentioned, the most direct way to look for options is to search O/D and look for flights with P inventory. The in-app SDC should offer any of those. The caveat to that 'should' is that, at least in my experience, sometimes it doesn't offer some of them. I have personal theories about why sometimes it doesn't but don't know definitively the reason. However, the important point is that, in those cases, you can call and an agent can move you with no add/collect or fee even if the app or check-in won't display the options.
The change flights for doing SDC has worked for me before, but I would say it's only very rarely.
Dec 8, 2018, 2:32 pm
#4664
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: 66,834
No aware of the present contents of GG SDC but leveling out of the fare buckets seems far more dynamic nowadays and for nearly full flights may never happen.
Dec 8, 2018, 5:48 pm
#4665
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA MileagePlus (Premier Gold); Hilton HHonors (Gold); Chase Ultimate Rewards; Amex Plat
Posts: 6,667
Today I learned that there is a huge difference between the SDC policy (flights you are switching from and switching to must both depart within 24 hours of present) and standby policy (flight you are switching to must depart on the same CALENDAR DAY). I thought I'd be able to get away with switching from an early morning flight to a red-eye the night before on standby. United rep I called (to inquire about how many seats were available and the status of pax on standby already) said nope, you can't do that, you can't even be added to the list.
Of course, our wiki says something else:
Of course, our wiki says something else:
- To a flight the previous calendar day: ?
Last edited by STS-134; Dec 8, 2018 at 6:11 pm