May 7, 2022, 3:00 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Active thread; UA-Schedule changes; +25% TATL 2022 capacity, Q2 TPAC down 65% vs 2019; June changes

UA publishes a schedule for 330 days in advance (called Beginning of Schedule) and in 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.
20 Oct 2021

Quote:

Originally Posted by EWR764

In the earnings call today, UA noted that has been transitioning back to its 'normal' (pre-pandemic) 90-day schedule load process, which should be complete in the very near future.

Quote:

Originally Posted by UA Insider

The only thing constant is change and at United Airlines, some of the fees associated with changes related to flying are gone for good. The carrier announced today that it is permanently getting rid of change fees on all standard Economy and Premium cabin tickets for travel within the U.S., effective immediately. And starting on January 1, 2021, any United customer can fly standby for free, regardless of fare type, on a flight departing the day of their travel, a first among U.S. carriers, while MileagePlus® Premier® members can confirm a seat on a different flight on the same day with the same departure and arrival cities as their original ticket if a seat in the same ticket fare class is available.

United is also extending its waiver for new tickets issued through December 31, 2020, to permit unlimited changes with no fee. This policy applies to all ticket types issued after March 3, 2020 and is valid for domestic and international travel.

The new change fee policy applies to all standard Economy and Premium cabin tickets for travel within the U.S. 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and customers will not be limited in the number of times they adjust their flights.

Additionally, United is giving customers more flexibility to change their flights on the day of their travel so they can head home if a meeting ends earlier or enjoy a few more hours on vacation. With the ability to list for same-day standby for free, customers will now have an option to take a different flight with the same origin and destination airports as their original itinerary if space is available at departure. This enhanced option will be available to all customers for travel within the U.S. and to and from international destinations beginning on January 1, 2021. Customers who want to switch flights will be able to add themselves to the standby list through United’s award-winning mobile app, on united.com or at the airport no later than 30 minutes prior to departure for domestic flights and one hour before departure on international flights.

The carrier is also improving the travel experience for its MileagePlus members including waiving all redeposit fees on award travel for flights changed or cancelled more than 30 days before departure and allowing all MileagePlus Premier members to confirm a different flight on the day of their travel. As a way to thank MileagePlus Premier members for their loyalty, beginning January 1, 2021, all Premier members will be able to confirm a seat for free on a different flight with the same departure and arrival cities as their original ticket. This expanded option will allow MileagePlus Silver members and above to confirm a new seat in the same ticket fare class if space is available. Earlier this year, United announced that it will extend status for MileagePlus Premier and United Global Services® members through January 2022. United also reduced thresholds for Premier qualification by 50 percent for each status level, to make reaching an even higher status tier easier.

For more information on United’s new flexible travel policies, visit https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/change-fee.html.

Quote:

Change is here. Change fees are gone.We’re permanently getting rid of change fees for most Economy and premium cabin tickets for travel within the United States. This includes Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more

For all other destinations, change fees are waived through December 31, 2020. See terms and conditions

Quote:

We’re extending electronic certificatesTo give you more flexibility when you travel, electronic certificates are now valid for 24 months from the date they were issued. This includes all currently valid electronic certificates and all new ones issued on or after April 1, 2020.

This policy change will automatically appear, but it may not be reflected everywhere right away. We’d appreciate your patience as we work to make that happen.

Quote:

Award flight redeposit fees waived

We’re waiving redeposit fees for award flights issued on or before December 31, 2020, that are canceled at least 30 days before the departure date. You can also change your award flight with no fee. Learn more about changing or canceling your award flight.

International travel advisories and waivers

For more information about international travel:

View our current travel waivers
See our country-specific travel updates
Search by destination for passport, visa and health requirements provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Visit the U.S. Department of State’s website for detailed information on coronavirus by country[/quote]

CARES service exemptions for United
United Exemption 042520 FINAL ISSUED.pdf
United Airlines 2nd Exemption_051220_FINAL ISSUED.pdf
latest (tentative) -2020-5-5 Order to Show Cause

Other Resources and Statistics

COVID19 UA-Schedule {Archive}

Closed Thread Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Mar 13, 2020, 6:37 am

#1561

glbltvlr

Join Date: Jun 2015

Posts: 710

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirkwoodj

What am I missing? Supposed to stop EU flights after today, but UA says continuing flights through March 20?

The details are a bit more nuanced than the headlines. You can read the details here but the tl;dr is that it isn't a ban on flights, it restricts the entry of non-residents that were in the Schengen area. The airlines will need to decide if the traffic levels warrant cancelling flights.

Mar 13, 2020, 6:49 am

#1562

kirkwoodj

Join Date: Apr 2009

Location: Houston

Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles

Posts: 8,704

Quote:

Originally Posted by LondonElite

You are missing that this is not a ban on flights, but a ban on non-US citizens/LPR who have been in the Schengen area (not EU) from entering the US. No one told UA to stop flights to the EU.

Quote:

Originally Posted by glbltvlr

Thanks! that's what I was missing!

Mar 13, 2020, 6:51 am

#1563

ronin

Join Date: Jul 2000

Posts: 852

Quote:

Originally Posted by uastarflyer

I waited 5 seconds yesterday and canceled an Itin within 2 minutes. 1K line. I must have gotten lucky.

Hats off to UA CS during these trying times.

Million Miler here, called the elite line at 7:22a EDT, recording estimated 27 minute wait, was an hour and 2 minutes. My return trip from ATH to IAD in April was now showing a -4:20 connection time in ZRH. Zurich may not be that big of an airport, but, even if I run, a negative four hour connection might be problematic, so I requested the entire rt itinerary be cxd for refund. Sir, we can waive the change fee and issue a credit good for a year. No, sorry, would just like a refund. Special permission needed, had to wait another 10 minutes for that to be granted.

Agents are very busy, and even in a clear case they aren't being empowered for discretionary decisions, which means supervisors, also are being taxed. My best to United staff in these troubled times.

Mar 13, 2020, 6:52 am

#1564

Muerz

Join Date: Nov 2000

Location: Hotel Guru

Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, UA Gold

Posts: 1,456

Does anyone know if they allow complete refunds for EU citizens booked during the travel ban?

Mar 13, 2020, 7:20 am

#1565

dcsnowwake

Join Date: Oct 2006

Location: ANP

Programs: UA 1k, Marriott Plat, HH gold, Avis/Hertz Pres

Posts: 1,408

AA cancels all euro flights until MAY!!!!!, DUB, MAN, LHR not affected.
When does domestic flights get grounded at this rate?

Mar 13, 2020, 7:21 am

#1566

TravellingMan

Join Date: Apr 2005

Location: DEN

Programs: Free checked in bag on UA & DL. Free icecream at Marriott checkin.

Posts: 2,862

I have couple of UA tickets where LH has cancelled their flights, the problem is that I have cancelled the UA CC that I used to buy it with. When I ask for a refund, what happens? Does it go back to the cancelled CC and Chase sends me a check? Or something else.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rankourabu

It goes back to your original credit card, you call them up when it does - they will issue a check or transfer the balance to another card by same issuer if you like,.

Last edited by TravellingMan; Mar 13, 2020 at 11:49 am Reason: Addded response from rankourabu

Mar 13, 2020, 7:27 am

#1567

djstrikkmaster

Join Date: Oct 2016

Posts: 9

Quote:

Originally Posted by CountZero

I was just told that any change/cancellation of award travel covered by the waiver dates will still incur a mileage redeposit fee, which seems like disastrously bad customer service and has lost UA my business whenever possible. Looks like I'm over to being a DL loyalist now

I'm late replying but I was supposed to fly to Vietnam on an award flight yesterday. We decided last week to cancel the trip. I was prepared to pay the fees but held off calling until the 10th. I saw that the initial leg of our flight was cancelled and called at that time. The agent waived all of our redeposit fees (the return flights were booked as two separate tickets. Someone should be able to work with you (assuming you haven't taken care of this yet.)

Mar 13, 2020, 7:34 am

#1568

edgewood49

Join Date: Jan 2011

Location: Mountain Time Zone

Programs: AS Million Miler/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/ IGH Ambassador

Posts: 5,992

I was able to cancel my trip to Italy for the first week of May and fully refunded EXCEPT for the Bernini Palace in Florence, they keep saying my reservation is not until May 10th, does anyone really think that we will back to any form of normalcy by the first week of May? Especially if your like me in a high risk grouping? Out of respect for the Italians I am not going to do anything until we April then if they still resist there is always Trip Advisor and FB. I hate t odd it.

Mar 13, 2020, 7:52 am

#1569

rankourabu

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jan 2002

Location: Canada

Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL

Posts: 23,314

Quote:

Originally Posted by TravellingMan

It goes back to your original credit card, you call them up when it does - they will issue a check or transfer the balance to another card by same issuer if you like,.

Mar 13, 2020, 9:04 am

#1570

jsloan

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2001

Location: Austin, TX

Posts: 21,419

Quote:

Originally Posted by hedur

Are they charging the fee to cancel an award ticket if the cancellation was made by the airline? Earlier today when I went to cancel my flight online (that has already been cancelled by LH), it said I may have a $125 fee. I was hoping if I waited a bit they would update their system to waive the fee. They did update their system, but to indicate the fee could now be $150. Right now the call center wait time is over 2 hours so I was hoping someone here could shed some light. Thanks!

UA is trying very hard to keep from giving refunds. They are not going so far as to try to increase the redeposit fee, which would be contrary to DOT regulation anyway.

UA may try to rebook you on another flight. If that isn't possible, they will give you a refund at no charge. If you complain enough, they may refund anyway.

Otherwise, the strategy would be to cancel -- there's no fee for that -- and then use the miles later to book a new trip once things have settled down; the normal fee for reissuing the ticket would be waived under the change fee waiver that's currently in place.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatlasercat

Question about partially flown ticket (outbound flown, return next week). Can I just click cancel on the website and later call in to change the return to a later date (as long as the fare restrictions are met)? The reason I want to do this is I don't really know what I want to change to and also the call center seems to be a bit busy these days...

In theory, yes, although the online cancellation tools aren't always the best. What you're describing is within policy, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrtrickdk

I am in the same boat. UA award, but on LH441 from IAH-FRA on this Saturday in biz, which LH has cancelled. We just want to cancel and refund miles.
Will keep an eye out. UA hold times tonight was 2+ hours.

Same situation. UA may attempt to get you to accept a re-routing on UA-operated flights, but you can try asking for a refund and see what they say.

Mar 13, 2020, 9:16 am

#1571

mrtrickdk

Join Date: Sep 2007

Programs: AA Platinum - 1MM+

Posts: 147

So UA is refusing to redeposit the miles. Booked for a flight tomorrow from US-FRA-BUD
The US-FRA-BUD is on LH. The LH flight from IAH-FRA has already been cancelled by LH. The domestic US-IAH flight is still a go.

The agent is only permitting a "travel credit", and the miles must be used within 1 year
WTH...?

Mar 13, 2020, 9:21 am

#1572

jsloan

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2001

Location: Austin, TX

Posts: 21,419

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrtrickdk

The agent is only permitting a "travel credit", and the miles must be used within 1 year
WTH...?

Did they offer a re-route? Were the updated flight times similar? This is in line with UA's newest schedule change policy; they're desperately trying to hold onto cash. There have been several similar reports, but also quite a few reports of success from calling multiple times.

Mar 13, 2020, 9:25 am

#1573

mrtrickdk

Join Date: Sep 2007

Programs: AA Platinum - 1MM+

Posts: 147

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsloan

They didn't offer a re-routing. After I told them "to put me on another flight with similar flight times and same business class space", they all of a sudden agreed to just redeposit miles into my account and waive all fees. Surprise surprise.
So advice: Be nice, but firm. And patient, took me 1 hour and 45 minutes to reach an agent today (no status with UA)

Mar 13, 2020, 9:26 am

#1574

Kacee

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Apr 2013

Location: PHX

Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)

Posts: 56,480

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsloan

That's not "trying to hold onto cash," that's trying to exploit a pandemic to extract more cash from their customers. It's really quite odious, particularly given that the State Department has already issued a warning not to travel overseas. UA wants its customers to pay $125 per ticket to heed that advice.

Mar 13, 2020, 9:28 am

#1575

jsloan

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2001

Location: Austin, TX

Posts: 21,419

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrtrickdk

That actually is a surprise, because they should have been more than willing to do that. Business class space on UA flights is plentiful right now. But I'm glad that you got the answer you were hoping for.

Closed Thread Share

First
Prev
105 / 292
Next
Last

Forum Jump