United Flight Change Policy

Vacation preparation might consume a significant amount of time and energy. Will it be simple to amend or reschedule your plans when something unexpected happens? Without a doubt, you can rely on the United flight change policy.

The change flight requests have been far less onerous as a result of changes taken during the coronavirus pandemic. Most fees for rescheduling the flight have been eliminated or reduced to a considerable amount by the airline.

In this guide, you may learn more about United flight changes, reschedule flight, change fees, and more.

Basic Guidelines to Change a Flight on United Airlines

The United Airlines flight change policy is rather easy-going, provided that you bought your ticket directly from the airline. There are a few crucial considerations to make:

• All flight tickets can be rescheduled within 24 hours of purchase without a fee.
• No United change flight fee will be applied if your itinerary includes travel within the US and Canada. This does not apply to the Basic Economy fare.
• You can cancel the Basic Economy fare and exchange a flight for a travel credit.
• The travel credit expires within 1 year from the date of issue.
• You can change your flight as many times as you want, as long as you pay the fare difference each time.
• You don’t have to book a new flight right away if you’re not sure about your travel plans. You can choose a flight credit, which you must use within a year of the date your original ticket was issued.
• If your new flight is less expensive, you will receive a future flight credit for the difference if your fare restrictions allow.
• There are no change fees if you are traveling on an award ticket for an Economy or Premium Economy flight. The flight must originate in the US.
• If your travel credit was given for a flight that you reserved through a travel agency, you must use the credit through your travel agency.
• If you take an earlier flight on the same day, there is no longer a standby fee.
• MileagePlus Premier members can book a seat on an earlier flight for free.
• The United Airlines change fees will still apply to group flights purchased through the airline’s Group Desk.

United Airlines Flight Change within 24 Hours

The 24-hour change policy allows passengers to change the travel date/time/origin/destination within 24 hours from the date of purchase. The following are the important points to consider – 

• The flight must be operated by United Airlines.
• No United Airlines change fee would be charged. But a fare difference may apply. 
• Except for Basic Economy, all tickets are subject to this regulation.

Flight Change Fees for United Airlines

Here is an overview of the United Airlines change flight fee for all ticket types and class of service booked – 

Fee For Basic Economy Fare

As per United flight change policy, the airline does not allow changes to a Basic Economy ticket. The best course of action would be to cancel within 24 hours (for free), and then purchase a new ticket.

Alternatively, you can choose to cancel your ticket and receive a flight credit in exchange for a cost of:

• 200 USD for a round-trip fare
• 100 USD for a one-way fare

Please note: The change fee will be applied per passenger.

Fee For Refundable Fares

A refundable ticket can now be changed without incurring any fees, thanks to the United Airlines flight change policy. But if there is a fare difference, you must pay it.

The airline will charge you for a same-day change.

• If you are a Silver-tier or general member, USD 75.
• If you are a Gold, Platinum, or 1K member, the fee is USD 0

Fee For MileagePlus Award Tickets 

The United Change fees for awarding travel tickets have been eliminated for:

Renew your deposit at least 31 days before your departure.
Travel originating in the US within 30 days of departure.
However, if a change is made to a non-US-originating international award travel ticket within 30 days before departure, you need to pay a fee. The airline fee for the members include –

• General members will pay USD 125.
• Members of Premier Silver receive $100.
• Members of Premier Gold can pay USD 75.
• For Platinum Premier members, USD 50.
• For Premier 1K members, there is no fee.

How to Change a Flight on United Airlines?

Passengers can make changes to their United Airlines reservation online as well as over the phone – 

United Flight Changes over the Phone – To make changes to your flight, call the airline’s customer service representative. Please note that, depending on your ticket type, the change fee and the fare difference may apply.

Change United Flight Online – The steps to change the flight on paid and award tickets are now virtually the same. Once you login to your UA account portal at united.com, click on the ‘My trips’ link in the menu.

• Access your flight booking by entering the six-digit confirmation number and the passenger’s last name.
• Select the flight segment that you would like to change.
• Select the Change Flight option, and then:
  1. Change the time or date of your trip.
  2. Change your destination.
  3. Add a flight.
  4. Remove a flight segment.
• To select a new flight, select Continue.
• Continue your booking to confirm your updated itinerary.
• A confirmation email for the changed flight will be sent to you.

Flight Schedule Change on United Airlines

The United Airlines schedule change policy is pretty straight-forward but fairly restrictive.

The airline publishes the flight schedule 11 months in advance to offer passengers as much time as they need to plan their travel. The airline makes some changes once they release the flight schedules to account for modifications. These modifications may involve a few of the following:

• Flight arrival or departure times being altered
• Flight frequency changes
• Routes being added or removed
• A change in the aircraft’s type

Ticket refunds – When a schedule change occurs, the airlines make every effort to offer you options that minimize interference with your travel arrangements. If one of the following applies and the new flight alternatives are not suitable for you, you can request a refund.

• Significant adjustments are made to the anticipated departure or arrival time.
• You will either receive a full refund or the difference in ticket if the airline can’t fit you into the same cabin as what you ordered.

How to Reschedule a Flight on United Airlines?

If your flight’s schedule changes, you can choose a complementary alternative flight on a UA or Express flight. The flight must depart from the same place within 24 hours after your original travel. All you have to do is find your flight in My Trips and choose another.

United Same Day Flight Change Policy

By the norms of airfare rules, United Same Day change policy is incredibly lax. The most important details are:

• The flight must be operated and marketed by the UA
• Award tickets are covered by the policy, but not basic economy fares or specific bulk, group, or consolidator tickets.
• Beginning 24 hours before your intended departure, you may ask for a same-day change. If the new flight leaves within 24 hours of the time your request is made, you can switch to one that takes off the day before or the day following your original flight.
• You may add or remove a link, but the origin and destination airports must stay the same.
• If you check bags, you can switch flights the same day as long as you do it at least 60 minutes before the departure of your new trip.

Fee for Same Day Flight Change

For confirmed same-day flight adjustments, non-elite travelers must pay a 75 USD fee. Premier Silver, Premier Gold, Platinum, 1K, and Global Services elites can make same-day modifications for no additional cost, which is a valuable perk of even lower-tier status.

You must additionally pay the fare difference if your initial fare class is not available.

Same-day Changes vs Standby

As per United flight change policy, the main distinction between a same-day change and a standby flight is that a change made on the same day is a confirmed change, but a change made on a standby doesn’t become effective until just before takeoff.

You keep your original ticket when standing by in case your preferred flight doesn’t have seat availability.

The existing 75 USD confirmation fee for a standby seat will no longer apply as of January 1, 2021, making all passengers eligible for free standby.

How to Book a Standby Flight with United?

Flyers can add their names to the standby list for domestic flights up to 30 minutes before departure and up to one hour before departure for international flights via the official United Airlines app, online, or at the airport.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)