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
#76
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: UA 1K and PP, AA PPro (3MM, former CK), Marriott Ambassador and LTT, Uber One
Posts: 1,348
I noticed some unfortunate schedule changes impacting IAH-MCO flights. Specifically, now the latest flight departs at 1819 and arrives at 2143. That's rough for weekly commuters trying to maximize time at home on Sunday. This seems to extend through October. Somewhat curiously, the return flights (MCO-IAH) are unaffected. Sadly, this may push me to another airline for my outbound flights.
#77
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,053
Got more changes last night including December flights. Pretty early for these adjustments. Now a 752 BOS-EWR; don't mind the lie-flat for the short hop ... hope it sticks!
#78
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BOS<>NYC<>BKK
Programs: UA 4.3MM LT-GS; AA1MM; Amtrak SE; MAR LT TITAN; PC Plat; HIL DIA; HYA GLOB
Posts: 4,392
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,053
#83
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,053
#85
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: United, Southwest
Posts: 571
SHOULD I BE WORRIED?
United changed my first flight (of 3) from an Airbus to an Embraer 175 for over the Thanksgiving weekend. I tried to change the seat assignment myself. Have called twice. Last Thursday I was told there was a "change to the seat maps" and it would sort itself out. Today I was told, again after she spoke to her supervisor, that it's too far out to assign a seat. I am a little concerned the flight may be cancelled? I already moved from a later flight to an early morning one to allow more time between the domestic and the international flight (IAD - FRA). Should I be proactive and fly to IAD the night before or am I being too paranoid. The timing (Thanksgiving weekend) is making me more concerned. Why can't they assign me a seat? All my other seats have been assigned??? I am Biz/First and she told me I am the only person in that cabin of 12 seats. Why she told me that I have no clue . . . . I have a cruise and have allowed 2 extra days BUT . . . should I just wait until August and see how things are looking then??? THANKS!
United changed my first flight (of 3) from an Airbus to an Embraer 175 for over the Thanksgiving weekend. I tried to change the seat assignment myself. Have called twice. Last Thursday I was told there was a "change to the seat maps" and it would sort itself out. Today I was told, again after she spoke to her supervisor, that it's too far out to assign a seat. I am a little concerned the flight may be cancelled? I already moved from a later flight to an early morning one to allow more time between the domestic and the international flight (IAD - FRA). Should I be proactive and fly to IAD the night before or am I being too paranoid. The timing (Thanksgiving weekend) is making me more concerned. Why can't they assign me a seat? All my other seats have been assigned??? I am Biz/First and she told me I am the only person in that cabin of 12 seats. Why she told me that I have no clue . . . . I have a cruise and have allowed 2 extra days BUT . . . should I just wait until August and see how things are looking then??? THANKS!
#86
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,126
SHOULD I BE WORRIED?
United changed my first flight (of 3) from an Airbus to an Embraer 175 for over the Thanksgiving weekend. I tried to change the seat assignment myself. Have called twice. Last Thursday I was told there was a "change to the seat maps" and it would sort itself out. Today I was told, again after she spoke to her supervisor, that it's too far out to assign a seat. I am a little concerned the flight may be cancelled? I already moved from a later flight to an early morning one to allow more time between the domestic and the international flight (IAD - FRA). Should I be proactive and fly to IAD the night before or am I being too paranoid. The timing (Thanksgiving weekend) is making me more concerned. Why can't they assign me a seat? All my other seats have been assigned??? I am Biz/First and she told me I am the only person in that cabin of 12 seats. Why she told me that I have no clue . . . . I have a cruise and have allowed 2 extra days BUT . . . should I just wait until August and see how things are looking then??? THANKS!
United changed my first flight (of 3) from an Airbus to an Embraer 175 for over the Thanksgiving weekend. I tried to change the seat assignment myself. Have called twice. Last Thursday I was told there was a "change to the seat maps" and it would sort itself out. Today I was told, again after she spoke to her supervisor, that it's too far out to assign a seat. I am a little concerned the flight may be cancelled? I already moved from a later flight to an early morning one to allow more time between the domestic and the international flight (IAD - FRA). Should I be proactive and fly to IAD the night before or am I being too paranoid. The timing (Thanksgiving weekend) is making me more concerned. Why can't they assign me a seat? All my other seats have been assigned??? I am Biz/First and she told me I am the only person in that cabin of 12 seats. Why she told me that I have no clue . . . . I have a cruise and have allowed 2 extra days BUT . . . should I just wait until August and see how things are looking then??? THANKS!
#87
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,053
SHOULD I BE WORRIED?
United changed my first flight (of 3) from an Airbus to an Embraer 175 for over the Thanksgiving weekend. I tried to change the seat assignment myself. Have called twice. Last Thursday I was told there was a "change to the seat maps" and it would sort itself out. Today I was told, again after she spoke to her supervisor, that it's too far out to assign a seat. I am a little concerned the flight may be cancelled? I already moved from a later flight to an early morning one to allow more time between the domestic and the international flight (IAD - FRA). Should I be proactive and fly to IAD the night before or am I being too paranoid. The timing (Thanksgiving weekend) is making me more concerned. Why can't they assign me a seat? All my other seats have been assigned??? I am Biz/First and she told me I am the only person in that cabin of 12 seats. Why she told me that I have no clue . . . . I have a cruise and have allowed 2 extra days BUT . . . should I just wait until August and see how things are looking then??? THANKS!
United changed my first flight (of 3) from an Airbus to an Embraer 175 for over the Thanksgiving weekend. I tried to change the seat assignment myself. Have called twice. Last Thursday I was told there was a "change to the seat maps" and it would sort itself out. Today I was told, again after she spoke to her supervisor, that it's too far out to assign a seat. I am a little concerned the flight may be cancelled? I already moved from a later flight to an early morning one to allow more time between the domestic and the international flight (IAD - FRA). Should I be proactive and fly to IAD the night before or am I being too paranoid. The timing (Thanksgiving weekend) is making me more concerned. Why can't they assign me a seat? All my other seats have been assigned??? I am Biz/First and she told me I am the only person in that cabin of 12 seats. Why she told me that I have no clue . . . . I have a cruise and have allowed 2 extra days BUT . . . should I just wait until August and see how things are looking then??? THANKS!
#88
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: United, Southwest
Posts: 571
Thanks! The new flight is on "Mesa". Never heard of them. So I guess that's the hold up? It's not really United. One of the other flights on the six (three there and three back) changed by nearly 90 minutes so I guess I have a good case? I will see about flying into IAD the night before. Luckily the airport hotels around there look pretty cheap, compared to Boston and Chicago. Appreciate the advice! It did just seem kind of strange. And yes, I did try several times to change it on my own. I put myself in the seat, got the yellow little circle, and all looked good but the itinerary still had the old seat. Never did get it to 'stick'. Did not get an error message or the ones you get from trying to change your seat for LH on a UA ticket. And neither explanations from the phone reps made much sense. THANKS MUCH!
#89
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,406
Mesa is a regional carrier that operates many flights as United Express.
The DOT requires that the operating carrier be disclosed at the time of purchase. A change from UA-operated to Mesa-operated is grounds for a refund or a reasonable re-route.
That seat map is probably messed up. It would probably work itself out at some point. The inability to select a seat is not a secret indication that UA is planning to cancel the flight; in and of itself, it's meaningless. However, if you'd rather fly a UA-operated flight the night before, it shouldn't be a problem to get that change made.
That seat map is probably messed up. It would probably work itself out at some point. The inability to select a seat is not a secret indication that UA is planning to cancel the flight; in and of itself, it's meaningless. However, if you'd rather fly a UA-operated flight the night before, it shouldn't be a problem to get that change made.
#90
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: United, Southwest
Posts: 571
I Googled Mesa. They left American (American said they had "reliability concerns" about Mesa) and just started with United in March of this year. The seat map had changed from my original plane but perhaps wasn't accurate. If the phone rep had said "We just started flying with Mesa and I'm sure they will have their seat maps accessible by July 4th" I would have said OK. But there was too much . . . sort of making things up. Mesa is also having trouble hiring pilots (true of most airlines I guess) and had 2nd quarter losses of $35 million.
Anyway, thanks to the above replies I was able to confidently change my flight to the night before with no problem whatsoever. Thanks in particular to jsloan for the "operating carrier" comment since that helped me sound legit rather than "I don't trust those little planes!!"
I doubt this will be the last of the drama for my flights, but maybe? I almost did this Northern Lights cruise 3 years ago but getting from Nashville to Bergen seemed daunting. And Delta/KLM has some decent connections now, too, if all else fails. Thanks again. I love this forum!!!
Anyway, thanks to the above replies I was able to confidently change my flight to the night before with no problem whatsoever. Thanks in particular to jsloan for the "operating carrier" comment since that helped me sound legit rather than "I don't trust those little planes!!"
I doubt this will be the last of the drama for my flights, but maybe? I almost did this Northern Lights cruise 3 years ago but getting from Nashville to Bergen seemed daunting. And Delta/KLM has some decent connections now, too, if all else fails. Thanks again. I love this forum!!!