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}
Mar 19, 2019, 11:37 pm
#5086
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,390
So, I actually pulled up my timetable and I'm a little confused. If price were no object, how would you plan to get to IAD "before 3pm Monday"? The early morning IAD flight (UA291) arrives at 15:27. Meanwhile the Monday night flight has plenty of inventory but would book into C due to AP restrictions. Are you not actually originating SFO?
Mar 20, 2019, 12:22 am
#5087
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 19
So, I actually pulled up my timetable and I'm a little confused. If price were no object, how would you plan to get to IAD "before 3pm Monday"? The early morning IAD flight (UA291) arrives at 15:27. Meanwhile the Monday night flight has plenty of inventory but would book into C due to AP restrictions. Are you not actually originating SFO?
Mar 20, 2019, 1:03 am
#5088
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,357
So, I actually pulled up my timetable and I'm a little confused. If price were no object, how would you plan to get to IAD "before 3pm Monday"? The early morning IAD flight (UA291) arrives at 15:27. Meanwhile the Monday night flight has plenty of inventory but would book into C due to AP restrictions. Are you not actually originating SFO?
Some of the SFO-IAD Z fares are still missing the p.s. restrictions, so SFO-EWR-IAD or SFO-BOS-IAD may be possible.
That said, what's your backup plan? SDC is great, but I'd never count on it when I absolutely needed to be at a destination by a certain time.
Mar 20, 2019, 1:44 pm
#5089
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 19
There's another nonstop redeye after the 9:40 PM departure, along with several one-stop redeye options.
Some of the SFO-IAD Z fares are still missing the p.s. restrictions, so SFO-EWR-IAD or SFO-BOS-IAD may be possible.
That said, what's your backup plan? SDC is great, but I'd never count on it when I absolutely needed to be at a destination by a certain time.
Some of the SFO-IAD Z fares are still missing the p.s. restrictions, so SFO-EWR-IAD or SFO-BOS-IAD may be possible.
That said, what's your backup plan? SDC is great, but I'd never count on it when I absolutely needed to be at a destination by a certain time.
Mar 21, 2019, 10:50 am
#5090
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,098
Having some decent SDCs lately. HKG-SFO-LAX routing was given the option for HKG-EWR-LAX.
Still can't break farther east than Denver on my SFO/LAX routes.
Still can't break farther east than Denver on my SFO/LAX routes.
Mar 21, 2019, 3:37 pm
#5091
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Last week I had a strange SDC experience. I checked in for EWR-RDU at T24 and my CPU upgrade cleared. After it cleared my inbound flight to EWR (separate PNR) cancelled. I went to SDC but there were zero options available on the app or on United.com on my computer. So I called UA and an agent SDCed me to the flight of my choice for free and put me back into Y and onto the upgrade list. That upgrade cleared at about T4. After landing at EWR early I SDCed onto an earlier EWR-RDU flight and this time stayed in CPU upgraded F despite there being an upgrade list which I don't think I should have been able to do.
Mar 21, 2019, 3:39 pm
#5092
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,390
This is normal since they switched to PZ. App SDC uses PZ as your RBD, not the underlying Economy one.
Mar 21, 2019, 8:05 pm
#5093
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,940
New SDC experience
I will fly to PVG through SFO. I tried to move the first segment to an earlier departure time. My original fare class was available on this new flight, but not on SFO-PVG (completely full flight). The 1K agent mentioned “married segments,” which was the reason that it took him a little longer to make the change. I had no complaint about the waiting time. The bonus was that he moved over the RPU upgrade request to the new flight although I did not ask for it.
Cheers!
Cheers!
Mar 22, 2019, 8:09 am
#5094
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,335
I think several have reported this with SDC but I had never seen this before until yesterday. Boarded at my origin on a flight to IAH and normally when you board you can SDC the downline segments. I pulled up the app to see what options were available for the IAH-destination leg. It only gave me non-stop flights on that calendar day only. No connection options (which were available) and no non-stop options the next day (still within 24 hours) appeared at all. This happened all the way up until I boarded the connection in IAH. First time I've seen this and I hope it's not a new policy that's about to be enforced (e.g., can't SDC to the following day, can't SDC more than "x" times on a ticket, etc.).
-RM
-RM
Mar 22, 2019, 9:15 am
#5095
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: San Francisco
Programs: 1K 2.2MM
Posts: 2,352
Any recent experiences with a situation like this?
I have paid business ticket on 016 stock from SFO-CDG on Swiss. Any chance I might be successful trying to SDC to the UA non-stop same day? Wiki indicated might be possible... Has anyone been successful in doing something like this?
I have paid business ticket on 016 stock from SFO-CDG on Swiss. Any chance I might be successful trying to SDC to the UA non-stop same day? Wiki indicated might be possible... Has anyone been successful in doing something like this?
Mar 22, 2019, 10:53 am
#5096
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,335
Any recent experiences with a situation like this?
I have paid business ticket on 016 stock from SFO-CDG on Swiss. Any chance I might be successful trying to SDC to the UA non-stop same day? Wiki indicated might be possible... Has anyone been successful in doing something like this?
I have paid business ticket on 016 stock from SFO-CDG on Swiss. Any chance I might be successful trying to SDC to the UA non-stop same day? Wiki indicated might be possible... Has anyone been successful in doing something like this?
-RM
Mar 22, 2019, 12:55 pm
#5097
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: LAX, BOS, and Seat 1A
Programs: DL Plat, VS Gold, UA Plat, VX Gold (RIP), AS MVP 75K, Starriot Plat, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 387
For example, if you are flying AAA-CCC direct & SDC to an AAA-BBB-CCC itinerary, then once you scan your boarding pass @ AAA, the SDC function in the app will show you all BBB-XXX-CCC itineraries that would show up in a revenue search AND have availability in your fare class. Of course it definitely depends on the days of week & loads as to the options you see. If you are flying midweek, you can easily turn a 1 segment direct flight into a 4 segment trip if you have the time 
I miss this. I was able to *repeatedly* SDC LAX-LAS (and similar) into LAX-EWR-SFO-LAX-EWR-LAX-SFO-ORD-LAS and crazy stuff like that via the app. There was one time I SDCed a direct flight into a 2 day itinerary that passed through all of UA's hubs (AND was mostly on wide bodies in F).
Mar 22, 2019, 2:44 pm
#5098
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: IAD, DEL, IXC, BWI, DCA, YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Amex Plat, UA Club Card, National EE, Global Entry, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 275
I've been observing I only get SDC options for the same day (of the flight) and not a rolling 24hr period. ex. my flight is tomorrow, but I'm not seeing SDC options for tonight despite the fare class being open.
Mar 22, 2019, 4:12 pm
#5099
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: LAX, BOS, and Seat 1A
Programs: DL Plat, VS Gold, UA Plat, VX Gold (RIP), AS MVP 75K, Starriot Plat, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 387
Mar 22, 2019, 4:19 pm
#5100
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: IAD, DEL, IXC, BWI, DCA, YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Amex Plat, UA Club Card, National EE, Global Entry, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 275
