Last edit by: WineCountryUA
By 2023, UA has returned to the more traditional pre-COVID schedule update process. There are still some closer in changes but far less than during the COVID era.
UA publishes a schedule for 330 days in advance (called Beginning of Schedule) andin the past would make tweaks quarterly and things would be fairly settles 3-4 months out. Updates would occur Friday evening / Saturday morning (Chicago time). Routine additions could occur anytime.
Present updates are every Friday and sometimes mid-week usually focused on the next month and farther out.
Check Your UA Itineraries for Schedule Changes and what to do after one
20 Oct 2021
However, during the COVID era, UA has gone to a more dynamic and shorter-term setting of schedule (as has the other carriers). Presently UA, while UA is still publishing a schedule for 330 days in advance it reflects pre-COVID operational levels and is considered just a placeholder schedule. Then 3-5 weeks prior to a month, UA makes a major update of that month's schedule.
Examples (Major updates)
The October 2020 schedule was updated 4-5 September 2020
The November 2020 schedule was updated 2-3 October 2020
The December 2020 schedule was updated 30-31 October 2020
Holidays can move the major date a week earlier or later.
Weekly updates are still generally done over night Friday-Saturday (Chicago)
UA does not publish a summary of most schedule changes but a variety of sources below do and summaries / links of those sources can be found in this thread & wiki.
Always crosscheck with UA's Travel Notices , Coronavirus (COVID-19) travel waivers and information, www.united.com/coronavirus as the situation is dynamic
Other Resources and Statistics
Archive: COVID19 UA-Schedule {Archive}
new Archive : UA-Schedule changes {Archive}
UA publishes a schedule for 330 days in advance (called Beginning of Schedule) and
Present updates are every Friday and sometimes mid-week usually focused on the next month and farther out.
Check Your UA Itineraries for Schedule Changes and what to do after one
Examples (Major updates)
The October 2020 schedule was updated 4-5 September 2020
The November 2020 schedule was updated 2-3 October 2020
The December 2020 schedule was updated 30-31 October 2020
Holidays can move the major date a week earlier or later.
Weekly updates are still generally done over night Friday-Saturday (Chicago)
UA does not publish a summary of most schedule changes but a variety of sources below do and summaries / links of those sources can be found in this thread & wiki.
Always crosscheck with UA's Travel Notices , Coronavirus (COVID-19) travel waivers and information, www.united.com/coronavirus as the situation is dynamic
Other Resources and Statistics
- CDC Travel Notices (Worldwide)
- US State Department Advisories (Search or Click "Date Updated" to Sort by Date)
- US State Department - COVID-19 Country Specific Information
- John Hopkins' Incident Map
- Worldometer Statistics
- WHO Page on Covid-19
- IATA Latest Travel Document News
- UA's Page to Query TIMATIC Database (an IATA database with the current documentation and entry requirements worldwide
Archive: COVID19 UA-Schedule {Archive}
new Archive : UA-Schedule changes {Archive}
UA System Schedule changes
#61
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,944
#63
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,235
Have CDG-EWR saver J award flight late April booked a long time ago, with Mrs Tarheelnj. 773 chosen for the 2nd cabin bulkhead because of my height. Just noticed (no heads-up) an aircraft swap to a 781, reassigned to a few rows from the back of J. Bulkhead already taken. I called to ask if we could swap out to the later non-stop with open bulkhead, and was told no (or yes, if I paid another 140k miles). The agent said only a meaningful schedule change is grounds for a "free" flight change. Anyone have experience getting this type of change approved? I'm fine to keep calling if it's at agent discretion.
#65
Join Date: Mar 2022
Location: LHR, RDU
Posts: 80
2 min phone call for free seat with extra legroom!
Hope this is the right place to post this.
I received an email that my upcoming UA flight from LHR to EWR was delayed/pushed back 30 mins. I saw a post from someone on FT that encouraged us to call in any time there is ever a schedule change made to our flights, as it is an opportunity to be compensated by the airline. I called UA and asked what they can do because of this inconvenience and they updated me to a seat with extra legroom for free! Only took 2 mins. If you don't ask, you don't get.
I'm curious, what have you gotten for free in compensation due to a forced schedule change? Any tips for future reference?
I received an email that my upcoming UA flight from LHR to EWR was delayed/pushed back 30 mins. I saw a post from someone on FT that encouraged us to call in any time there is ever a schedule change made to our flights, as it is an opportunity to be compensated by the airline. I called UA and asked what they can do because of this inconvenience and they updated me to a seat with extra legroom for free! Only took 2 mins. If you don't ask, you don't get.
I'm curious, what have you gotten for free in compensation due to a forced schedule change? Any tips for future reference?
#66
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: SBA
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 941
Hope this is the right place to post this.
I received an email that my upcoming UA flight from LHR to EWR was delayed/pushed back 30 mins. I saw a post from someone on FT that encouraged us to call in any time there is ever a schedule change made to our flights, as it is an opportunity to be compensated by the airline. I called UA and asked what they can do because of this inconvenience and they updated me to a seat with extra legroom for free! Only took 2 mins. If you don't ask, you don't get.
I'm curious, what have you gotten for free in compensation due to a forced schedule change? Any tips for future reference?
I received an email that my upcoming UA flight from LHR to EWR was delayed/pushed back 30 mins. I saw a post from someone on FT that encouraged us to call in any time there is ever a schedule change made to our flights, as it is an opportunity to be compensated by the airline. I called UA and asked what they can do because of this inconvenience and they updated me to a seat with extra legroom for free! Only took 2 mins. If you don't ask, you don't get.
I'm curious, what have you gotten for free in compensation due to a forced schedule change? Any tips for future reference?
Finally, because it's UA metal, I can now select E+ for free (as a Gold)
#67
Join Date: Aug 2022
Location: South Carolina USA
Programs: IHG Platinum
Posts: 47
Schedule Change Timing
Is the most recent UA schedule change (in my case for CHS-ORD and EWR-CHS) likely the last one before my July 2023 trip, or should I expect another round before then? Thanks.
#68
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,279
UA generally firms up the schedule (in ~monthly blocks, though summer/end of year holiday periods get included earlier) about 3 months out and finalizes the schedule about 6 weeks prior (barring anything major like airport capacity issues, equipment grounding etc, no changes should happen within that window). For July flights you could theoretically have changes into late/mid May, but this month/next month should be the last big round of any changes.
#69
Join Date: Aug 2022
Location: South Carolina USA
Programs: IHG Platinum
Posts: 47
UA generally firms up the schedule (in ~monthly blocks, though summer/end of year holiday periods get included earlier) about 3 months out and finalizes the schedule about 6 weeks prior (barring anything major like airport capacity issues, equipment grounding etc, no changes should happen within that window). For July flights you could theoretically have changes into late/mid May, but this month/next month should be the last big round of any changes.
#70
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 10
EWR- CDG Plane change
Since we are on the subject involving CDG, starting tomorrow they are suddenly temporarily scaling back from 787-10 to a 777-200 for 6:30 Flt out of EWR for a week. There will be many unhappy souls because flights are way oversold now . Anyone have any idea for the A/C downgrade?
Last edited by WineCountryUA; May 5, 2023 at 9:27 pm Reason: moved to schedule change thread
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,470
Since we are on the subject involving CDG, starting tomorrow they are suddenly temporarily scaling back from 787-10 to a 777-200 for 6:30 Flt out of EWR for a week. There will be many unhappy souls because flights are way oversold now . Anyone have any idea for the A/C downgrade?
#73
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,470
#74
Join Date: May 2023
Posts: 3
Hope this is the right place to post this.
I received an email that my upcoming UA flight from LHR to EWR was delayed/pushed back 30 mins. I saw a post from someone on FT that encouraged us to call in any time there is ever a schedule change made to our flights, as it is an opportunity to be compensated by the airline. I called UA and asked what they can do because of this inconvenience and they updated me to a seat with extra legroom for free! Only took 2 mins. If you don't ask, you don't get.
I'm curious, what have you gotten for free in compensation due to a forced schedule change? Any tips for future reference?
I received an email that my upcoming UA flight from LHR to EWR was delayed/pushed back 30 mins. I saw a post from someone on FT that encouraged us to call in any time there is ever a schedule change made to our flights, as it is an opportunity to be compensated by the airline. I called UA and asked what they can do because of this inconvenience and they updated me to a seat with extra legroom for free! Only took 2 mins. If you don't ask, you don't get.
I'm curious, what have you gotten for free in compensation due to a forced schedule change? Any tips for future reference?
#75
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: LAX
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,531
From https://www.regulations.gov/document...2019-0014-0094, LAX-NRT planned resumption Oct 28