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 2, 2019, 7:26 am
#5251
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,361
May 2, 2019, 10:51 am
#5252
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,335
Flying today at 4:00pm, I am booked in U, wife is in L. Want to SDC to 12:30pm flight. ExpertFlyer and UA expert mode show U1 L0. Interesting that the app offers BOTH wife and me SDC to 12:30pm flight, even though she is in L.
I called UA and they cannot confirm us both because only one seat left. Flight status shows "economy Full". What do you think the chances of 2 seats becoming available? Or would you recommend confirming one SDC now and hoping for one more to come up?
I called UA and they cannot confirm us both because only one seat left. Flight status shows "economy Full". What do you think the chances of 2 seats becoming available? Or would you recommend confirming one SDC now and hoping for one more to come up?
Sure enough, when I select one of the flights I know isn't valid I get an error that basically says "due to changing inventory, this flight is no longer available." You're then given options to go back and see other SDC options or keep your original itinerary.
My guess is if you chose the flight for your wife (who is on an "L" fare), it would have presented the same error above. You could have made the change though on your "U" fare. But then one of you is flying at 12:30p while the other goes at 4:00p. Maybe that was the desired result
PS - this bug is not related to changing inventory FYI. The flight that I was presented with on this past trip didn't have my fare class (Z) open for days.
-RM
May 2, 2019, 12:06 pm
#5253
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,940
Be careful with this. In addition to the "changes" UA has programmed for SDC in the mobile app, it is now erroneously showing flights that are NOT available for you to SDC to. I've had this happen three times in the past few weeks. And I knew the flights weren't available because I have an EF subscription and I knew ahead of time which flights I could get on (even within the ridiculous new rules of only non-stops, same day, etc.)
Sure enough, when I select one of the flights I know isn't valid I get an error that basically says "due to changing inventory, this flight is no longer available." You're then given options to go back and see other SDC options or keep your original itinerary.
My guess is if you chose the flight for your wife (who is on an "L" fare), it would have presented the same error above. You could have made the change though on your "U" fare. But then one of you is flying at 12:30p while the other goes at 4:00p. Maybe that was the desired result
PS - this bug is not related to changing inventory FYI. The flight that I was presented with on this past trip didn't have my fare class (Z) open for days.
-RM
Sure enough, when I select one of the flights I know isn't valid I get an error that basically says "due to changing inventory, this flight is no longer available." You're then given options to go back and see other SDC options or keep your original itinerary.
My guess is if you chose the flight for your wife (who is on an "L" fare), it would have presented the same error above. You could have made the change though on your "U" fare. But then one of you is flying at 12:30p while the other goes at 4:00p. Maybe that was the desired result
PS - this bug is not related to changing inventory FYI. The flight that I was presented with on this past trip didn't have my fare class (Z) open for days.
-RM
May 2, 2019, 2:40 pm
#5254
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Florida
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 1,917
So I decided to SDC my wife on the L fare if it was offered to her. About 3 hours before the 12:30 flight, she got the 12:30 p.m. flight as a SDC option. I immediately accepted it and it went through okay. Then I pulled up my app and I also got the SDC offer for the 12:30 p.m., which I accepted immediately and it went through okay. Just before I did both of these things, there was U1 L0 available on expertflyer, and immediately after I made the changes, there was also U1 L0 available on expertflyer.
I guess I should chalk this up to very quickly changing inventory, or the United system dynamically adding another seat once one is taken. I guess the odd part was she did her SDC from L when there was never L1 as far as I saw.
I guess I should chalk this up to very quickly changing inventory, or the United system dynamically adding another seat once one is taken. I guess the odd part was she did her SDC from L when there was never L1 as far as I saw.
May 2, 2019, 7:46 pm
#5255
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,940
So I decided to SDC my wife on the L fare if it was offered to her. About 3 hours before the 12:30 flight, she got the 12:30 p.m. flight as a SDC option. I immediately accepted it and it went through okay. Then I pulled up my app and I also got the SDC offer for the 12:30 p.m., which I accepted immediately and it went through okay. Just before I did both of these things, there was U1 L0 available on expertflyer, and immediately after I made the changes, there was also U1 L0 available on expertflyer.
I guess I should chalk this up to very quickly changing inventory, or the United system dynamically adding another seat once one is taken. I guess the odd part was she did her SDC from L when there was never L1 as far as I saw.
I guess I should chalk this up to very quickly changing inventory, or the United system dynamically adding another seat once one is taken. I guess the odd part was she did her SDC from L when there was never L1 as far as I saw.
Did you to try the same booking and check inventory with expert mode? I do not know that expertflyer instantly updates the UA inventory. Someone may be able to give you a definite answer.
May 3, 2019, 7:59 am
#5256
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,335
I encountered the error message that you described a few times. I had a prior SDC on outbound flights on App. When I SDCed the return flights, this message came out even though I tried to SDC from two segments to two segments or one segment to another. If I had SDC done with an agent on the outbound or earlier flights, this message did not occur and I could successfully complete an SDC.
-RM
May 3, 2019, 8:58 am
#5257
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K 0.7MM (trying to get to 1MM!)
Posts: 1,272
This is slightly off-topic, but I'm curious about that statement. Perhaps that's just for domestic flights? I do mostly international travel, and always have to book R/T, because each one way always seems to be MUCH more expensive than the whole R/T ticket. Am I doing something wrong?
For example, DEN-LHR-DEN (R/T) June14-21 is $1115 on UA (for a non-BE fare). Or if I book a one way DEN-LHR on June 14, UA wants $2000+ for that ticket alone, and another $2000+ for the return on June 21. It's the same routing, both options are in economy. The R/T is booking into the S fare class on the outbound and a K on the return, but for the one way the lowest fare available is a B. Why would that be?
For example, DEN-LHR-DEN (R/T) June14-21 is $1115 on UA (for a non-BE fare). Or if I book a one way DEN-LHR on June 14, UA wants $2000+ for that ticket alone, and another $2000+ for the return on June 21. It's the same routing, both options are in economy. The R/T is booking into the S fare class on the outbound and a K on the return, but for the one way the lowest fare available is a B. Why would that be?
May 3, 2019, 9:30 am
#5258
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,361
This is slightly off-topic, but I'm curious about that statement. Perhaps that's just for domestic flights? I do mostly international travel, and always have to book R/T, because each one way always seems to be MUCH more expensive than the whole R/T ticket. Am I doing something wrong?
May 3, 2019, 9:34 am
#5259
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: DEN
Programs: UA 1K 0.7MM (trying to get to 1MM!)
Posts: 1,272
OK, I figured it was an international vs domestic issue, but just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something! Thanks for the clarification! ^
May 3, 2019, 1:02 pm
#5260
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: United Premier Platinum
Posts: 638
Same day flight change on award ticket issued by partner
I am about to fly a domestic UA award ticket that was booked with NH miles.
Is such a ticket eligible for SDFC if I am Premier Platinum?
Is such a ticket eligible for SDFC if I am Premier Platinum?
May 3, 2019, 1:16 pm
#5261
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: 66,769
Standby may be an option
first SDC rule
The itinerary must be operated by United or United Express®, and the ticket number must begin with 016.
May 3, 2019, 2:52 pm
#5262
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MCI
Programs: UA 1K, WN A+
Posts: 54
As a data point, I successfully SDC'd to an earlier flight yesterday with PZ on one segment and W on the other segment. My CPU carried over to the originally upgraded flight, and my non-CPU flight remained the same.
I was happy to see it work that way. Your results may vary.
I was happy to see it work that way. Your results may vary.
May 3, 2019, 6:19 pm
#5263
Join Date: Dec 1999
Programs: UA 1K/1MM, AC 25K, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 436
I would think the booking class (e.g. Y/B) determines the mileage posting, but I had a different experience recently (on another itinerary). I was ticketed AAA/BBB/CCC in P/P. I was involuntarily rerouted to AAA/DDD/CCC. FC was full on the first segment, so they booked me in Y, but on the second segment, they booked me in J. However, the flights posted with only 100% PQMs for AAA-DDD (lower percentage than my paid P or my flown Y) and 150% PQMs for DDD-CCC (same percentage as my paid P, but lower than my flown J). Therefore, it's not clear that the booking class is the sole determinant of mileage posting.
May 4, 2019, 8:51 am
#5264
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: United Premier Platinum
Posts: 638
It turns out I was able to do free SDC via the app, even though my ticket is on 205 ticket stock. The website had the SDC button disabled, instead displaying a prompt to call United, but the app went through. Sounds like at least some of the app gateways to the SDC applet don’t check the ticket for eligibility.
May 4, 2019, 9:17 am
#5265
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,361
It turns out I was able to do free SDC via the app, even though my ticket is on 205 ticket stock. The website had the SDC button disabled, instead displaying a prompt to call United, but the app went through. Sounds like at least some of the app gateways to the SDC applet don’t check the ticket for eligibility.
Then, I was unable to check in, because the ticket was out of sync and couldn't be re-synced. I had to call UA and get the old flights put back onto my record.
I imagine you might be OK if you didn't add a connection or change the routing. If you did, I fear you may have the same problems I did.