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
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,042
yeah, sounds like A/C swap. Wait till tomorrow to re-select your seat, but it will most likely automatically give you the same one back even if it is not showing right now.
#32
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: UA LT GS | UA LT Club | Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,250
I understand UA not wanting to allocate an additional 2-3 77Es to this route until it gets traction.
#33
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: SBA
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 941
NAP - FRA - LAX in June just got changed to NAP - MUC - LAX, layover is 4 hours instead of 2, and 2 hours later to get home. This is on Lufthansa using UA miles.
I'm assuming they won't let me change to a UA shorter flight? NAP - EWR - LAX is showing for the same day.
I'm assuming they won't let me change to a UA shorter flight? NAP - EWR - LAX is showing for the same day.
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,405
That should be an easy change if you want it. A two-hour schedule change is plenty to allow for a re-route on UA metal.
#35
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: SBA
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 941
#37
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 610
Had a schedule change of ~75 min for a SFO-LAS flight. Originally booked in basic economy via an OTA due to a special discount, but I have the option to make changes myself on united.com. Also seeing option to change to a "United Economy" fare free of charge. Would that "upgrade" me to regular economy for free, allowing further changes free of charge if need be?
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,042
Had a schedule change of ~75 min for a SFO-LAS flight. Originally booked in basic economy via an OTA due to a special discount, but I have the option to make changes myself on united.com. Also seeing option to change to a "United Economy" fare free of charge. Would that "upgrade" me to regular economy for free, allowing further changes free of charge if need be?
The change may show but not go through (claiming you must contact the OTA), YMMV.
#41
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: CLE
Programs: UA Platinum, Starbucks Gold, PF Chang's Warrior, Wine Century 100
Posts: 1,105
Update: received an email from UA yesterday (Feb 5) noting a schedule change ... about 3 days after I noticed the seat selections went missing. Nobody else but me with a seat assigned in the F cabin, so it seems they didn't reassign the other pax seats automatically.
#42
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SEA, NW/DL 1.6Million Miler
Programs: DL 1MM Annual Silver,AS 100K 22-24, AS 75K 15-21
Posts: 4,278
Jiburi
#43
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,884
Just got a change on ORD-CVG in March. Simply an aircraft change - from 737-800 to 737-700, which ain't great...but is.
Interestingly, was alerted via text message which arrived overnight, noting they had to 'change the aircraft type or seating configuration' which required a change to seats. Never gotten a text for this. And no flag in the itinerary on my account. We got moved around a bit...from 24ACDF to 24F, 25D, and two in 26. Moved us all to row 12 instead. Don't understand how these changes really get made...you'd think if 24 were like for like seats, which they pretty much are in this case, they'd just try to do that to the extent possible. Not so much.
Not thrilled about the change, given the fewer F and E+ sears, but given every time I've been to CVG on mainline in the last, decade or so, it's always gone about half empty, I see why they might do it.
Interestingly, was alerted via text message which arrived overnight, noting they had to 'change the aircraft type or seating configuration' which required a change to seats. Never gotten a text for this. And no flag in the itinerary on my account. We got moved around a bit...from 24ACDF to 24F, 25D, and two in 26. Moved us all to row 12 instead. Don't understand how these changes really get made...you'd think if 24 were like for like seats, which they pretty much are in this case, they'd just try to do that to the extent possible. Not so much.
Not thrilled about the change, given the fewer F and E+ sears, but given every time I've been to CVG on mainline in the last, decade or so, it's always gone about half empty, I see why they might do it.
#44
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
#45
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 72
Had a flight cancelation to ACV in August. Apparently the entire airport is going to be closed for commercial aircraft from Aug 14-25 for runway work. Was able to reschedule for earlier in the month.
https://kymkemp.com/2023/02/11/long-...n-june-at-acv/
https://kymkemp.com/2023/02/11/long-...n-june-at-acv/