How safe/flexible is editing an existing reservation from United website?
Aug 14, 2019, 6:45 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 10
How safe/flexible is editing an existing reservation from United website?
I noticed that United's website offered an option to change my itinerary (not point to point.) Other than talking to a representative on the phone who may be more helpful around options and fees, what is the risk with changing itineraries on the website? Does it let you see the full cost and impact of change before committing to the change? I don't want to risk losing my original itinerary unless my changes are close-ish to my original budget, but am intrigued at the option of pricing out things through the website without having to hold on the phone.
Aug 14, 2019, 6:49 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Jersey Shore/YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 12,521
Yes. The only risk you take is if you are only changing one person in a multi-person itinerary, it may split the reservations even if you don't go through with the change.
Aug 14, 2019, 1:58 pm
#3
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: 66,842
Aug 15, 2019, 8:16 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 10
Success! In case anyone is wondering how this worked out, here is what happened:
- My original itinerary was EWR-HKG-HND-NRT-EWR. United flights on the end. Several days in HKG with an ANA flight from HKG to HND.
- I don't have any status and I was in regular economy or premium plus for all legs.
- Unfortunately, I needed to drop HKG from the itinerary. If it had just been me traveling I'd have hung in there.
- I changed to EWR-NRT-EWR from the website successfully. It prompted confirmation of the itinerary before going through the seat selection and payment flow. The design of the flow could be changed to give customers a much better feeling of safety.
- I was initially presented with a view of the current legs. This was a bit confusing to be honest. Was it safe to delete the middle part from HKG to HND first? Should I start at the top of the itinerary? I decided to select the advanced option which was buried inside the top node which dropped me on the more familiar multi-destination flight search page.
- From the multi-destination search page I felt more comfortable deleting the middle bit, changing the first flight, and leaving the last part intact.
- This search ran successfully and gave me options for the outbound leg as if I was booking the original flight. I could see seat availability and pricing.
- Next screen gave me the return leg. I selected the same flight and class for NRT-EWR.
- Finally, it gave me the all up cost to change the flight and all the details in a view familiar to anyone who's booked on the United side before.
- Completing the change was straightforward like the original booking.
- In the process of booking, I backed out completely a couple of times to see if anything had changed. I was able to go back in and my original itinerary was intact. I'm guessing there is some risk if my beginning/end flights had not been UA as @WineCountryUA pointed out above. Losing the ANA flight (or experiencing some other issue) would have been annoying. but I felt the convenience was worth the risk, especially when I could browse flight options easily.