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}
Jul 29, 2019, 10:02 am
#5596
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,369
Single ticket (number); two separately priced segments, I think is the more precise explanation. Interestingly though, the system does recognize that my final destination is ORD. The old app used to allow changing the first segment independently, e.g., SFO-LAX to SFO-LAS-LAX.
OK, if you want to be technical about it, two separate fares. But, yes, my wording was imprecise, to say the least.Well, if you have an RPU attached, it should be straightforward. If you're hoping to get a CPU preserved... I'll be interested to hear what they say.
Jul 29, 2019, 12:00 pm
#5597
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: ORD
Programs: UA MM, AA PPro
Posts: 1,480
As a side note, I often find UC agents to be more helpful than 1K phone agents.
Jul 29, 2019, 1:28 pm
#5598
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: 44,302
Saver/partner business award inventory on EWR-SFO is extremely difficult to find. The chance that there's another flight to change to is negligible...
... which is good, because you're not eligible for SDC. Your ticket is under Aeroplan's rules, not UA's.
If the app allowed you to SDC, everything might be fine. Or, it might require that the ticket be reissued... and UA can't reissue the ticket, because they didn't issue it in the first place.
You may be able to stand by for an earlier flight -- which doesn't involve changing the ticket and so is safe -- but you'd likely end up in Economy.
... which is good, because you're not eligible for SDC. Your ticket is under Aeroplan's rules, not UA's.
If the app allowed you to SDC, everything might be fine. Or, it might require that the ticket be reissued... and UA can't reissue the ticket, because they didn't issue it in the first place.
You may be able to stand by for an earlier flight -- which doesn't involve changing the ticket and so is safe -- but you'd likely end up in Economy.
Jul 29, 2019, 7:16 pm
#5599
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,214
Whether you check in first or not doesn't matter, but do not try to SDC in the app (at least, not without verifying that the app is keeping you in PZ). Call, and tell the agent that you want to SDC and preserve the upgrade. You'll need availability in your original fare class all the way to your destination, and you'll need PZ availability on SIN-SFO.
The behavior where the app was preserving upgrades seems to have gone away, and it's putting people back in coach after an SDC. Granted, it's possible that UA got really clever and will preserve instrument upgrades but not CPUs, but my guess is that it's just a blatant "put you back in coach" logic, and SIN-SFO isn't the flight where I'd want to be a guinea pig.
The behavior where the app was preserving upgrades seems to have gone away, and it's putting people back in coach after an SDC. Granted, it's possible that UA got really clever and will preserve instrument upgrades but not CPUs, but my guess is that it's just a blatant "put you back in coach" logic, and SIN-SFO isn't the flight where I'd want to be a guinea pig.
So I have an extra day in Singapore which is nice but I have to overnight at SFO (the not so great).
They did the callback after the call and i provided my comments about the SDC issues with the app.
Agree i did not want to be in Y for 15+ hours.
Jul 29, 2019, 8:59 pm
#5600
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,369
So I called to be told there were no seats available in my fare class for the earlier flight (UA 2) but said I was being offered the change of flight in the app for zero cost and the CS rep then stated there would be no seat available in Polaris, so thanked her and kept my original flight tonight (UA 28). So just checked the flight status for UA 2 to see there is indeed one seat that went out empty in Polaris for the flight. If it makes any difference I called into the 1K desk at 4am for the 8.45am flight.
If you had checked again around 6 or 7, the fare classes might have evened out and you might have gotten a different answer (not necessarily, to be sure).
Jul 30, 2019, 8:03 am
#5601
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
Single ticket (number); two separately priced segments, I think is the more precise explanation. Interestingly though, the SDC algorithm does recognize that my final destination is ORD. The old app used to allow changing the first segment independently, e.g., SFO-LAX to SFO-LAS-LAX.
Limited sample size though.
Jul 30, 2019, 9:19 am
#5602
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,369
My experience has been that if the connection is less than 4 hours, it recognizes the final destination, and if it's more than 4 (domestically) it will let you change them separately, regardless of whether they're separately fared or not. Was your connection less than 4 hours?
Limited sample size though.
Limited sample size though.
IME, it also allows you to SDC segments individually when you're doing an overnight transfer, even on an international itinerary where that doesn't create a stopover.
Jul 30, 2019, 11:29 am
#5603
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: ORD
Programs: UA MM, AA PPro
Posts: 1,480
My experience has been that if the connection is less than 4 hours, it recognizes the final destination, and if it's more than 4 (domestically) it will let you change them separately, regardless of whether they're separately fared or not. Was your connection less than 4 hours?
My memory may be failing me, but I recall that prior to the latest app refresh, I could always SDC the first upcoming segment independent of the rest of the itinerary (when fare buckets were available). That is, I could SDC ORD-SFO to ORD-DEN-SFO, or another ORD-SFO nonstop, or ORD-AUS-SFO, and on the return, I could SDC SFO-LAX to SFO-LAS-LAX while keeping the LAX-ORD segment intact. The new app tries to "guess" my destination point and suggest flights to that airport.
I do realize that the old way may have been too generous and/or too easy to abuse, but it was one of the main reasons I stuck with MileagePlus over the years. The "new" SDC is still better than AA, but not by much. IMHO.
Jul 30, 2019, 11:49 am
#5604
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,369
My memory may be failing me, but I recall that prior to the latest app refresh, I could always SDC the first upcoming segment independent of the rest of the itinerary (when fare buckets were available). That is, I could SDC ORD-SFO to ORD-DEN-SFO, or another ORD-SFO nonstop, or ORD-AUS-SFO, and on the return, I could SDC SFO-LAX to SFO-LAS-LAX while keeping the LAX-ORD segment intact. The new app tries to "guess" my destination point and suggest flights to that airport.
Jul 30, 2019, 12:43 pm
#5605
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: BWI/DCA/IAD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titan., Hilton Diamond, Hertz Pres
Posts: 143
Not sure if this was previously noted, but the app is back to showing change of calendar day and change of connecting city. Very good news!
Jul 30, 2019, 2:26 pm
#5606
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
I'm definitely showing flight options for today and tomorrow for a flight scheduled tomorrow. Will check if I see options for Thursday tomorrow morning.
Jul 30, 2019, 2:46 pm
#5607
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: SFO
Posts: 181
That's fantastic news! As recently as last week I had to call to make a next-day change. Now I wonder if the limits were a glitch all along, or a trial balloon for a policy change? Either way, I'm relieved and happy.
Jul 31, 2019, 1:21 pm
#5608
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
This is pretty much THE benefit that keeps me with United, and has me evangelizing United to other frequent flyers in my industry. Had a 5-hour drive to the airport and while I COULD have made the original flight time, the ability to bump it back two hours just made life easier today. It doesn't cost the airline anything (only works if there's seats available, and I'd never pay the change fee+fare difference if the policy were more restrictive), delivers a lot of loyalty value.
Last edited by raehl311; Jul 31, 2019 at 1:27 pm
Jul 31, 2019, 2:02 pm
#5609
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: Free checked in bag on UA & DL. Free icecream at Marriott checkin.
Posts: 2,862
This is pretty much THE benefit that keeps me with United, and has me evangelizing United to other frequent flyers in my industry. Had a 5-hour drive to the airport and while I COULD have made the original flight time, the ability to bump it back two hours just made life easier today. It doesn't cost the airline anything (only works if there's seats available, and I'd never pay the change fee+fare difference if the policy were more restrictive), delivers a lot of loyalty value.
Jul 31, 2019, 2:07 pm
#5610
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1k
Posts: 312
I'm looking at booking SFO-BOS-EWR in biz as it is coming quite a bit cheaper for the set of dates I want than SFO-EWR non-stop. When I look at the underlying faring it is in fact SFO-BOS in D and then BOS-EWR in Z. Can I on the day switch to SFO-EWR non-stop if D opens up? Does SDC enforce the routing restrictions for p.s. or does it look at origin and destination?