United Airlines Flight Change Policy

About United Airlines

Changing the itinerary after paying for the flight reservation can be hazardous. It becomes time-consuming if you don’t know the United Airlines flight change rules. However, several airlines have undergone specific changes to make the rescheduling process flexible and convenient. Being a major US-based airline, United Airlines has gotten rid of its change fees permanently for some specific routes and fares. To know about it more, read the conditions below:

United Airlines Flight Change Policy

There have been significant changes to United Airlines change flight policy, which states that the airline has permanently eliminated its change fees for specific destinations and fare types. To learn about it, read below:

• Economy and Premium cabin ticket holders flying within the US or between the US, Mexico, and the Caribbean and flying from the US to any international destinations, are no longer required to incur any flight change fee.
• If you are changing the itinerary within 24-hours of booking, you no longer have to incur change fee as long as the scheduled departure is at least 7 days later.
• You can change your itinerary multiple times, as long as you are incurring the flight change fee each time you are making the changes.
• In case you are unsure about your next trip, you do not have to mention the date right away. Instead, you can request for a future travel credit, which you must use within one year of your original ticket issue date.
• If your new flight is cheaper than the original flight, you will receive a future travel credit for the difference in fare, if your fare rules permit.
• If you are holding an award ticket on Economy and Premium Economy fare and you are traveling within the US or from the US, you don’t have to pay any change fee.
• United Airlines have eliminated its same-day standby fee for taking an earlier flight on the same day.
• MileagePlus Premier members can confirm a seat on an earlier flight with no extra charges.

United Airlines 24-hour Flight Change Policy

United Airlines 24-hour flight change policy gives passengers the freedom to change their flight free of charge as long as the scheduled departure is at least 7 days later from the time of booking. This policy is applicable to all fare types, except for Basic Economy.

• The 24-hour free change policy is applicable to all tickets (except for Basic Economy) booked via United Airlines’ official website, United City Ticket offices, airport ticket counters, or with United Airlines’ customer support number.
• Basic Economy ticket holders are not entitled to change the itinerary even if they request to make it within the 24-hours. They must cancel the flight and rebook a new reservation. The 24-hour cancellation is free for Basic Economy ticket holders.
• The airline will initiate a refund against the change fee request, which will be credited to the original payment mode. If the purchase was dine with a United Gift Certificate, the refundable amount will be credited back in the form of electronic travel certificates.
• Tickets purchased with e-certificate are excluded.

Flight Change Policy for Non-refundable Tickets

Non-refundable ticket holders can change their booking free of charge. However, it depends on the time you are requesting to change the itinerary. If there is any fare difference, you must pay for the fare difference.

• If you are a general or silver-tier member and making same-day change, you must incur $74 as change fee.
•  The airline will not charge you any change fee if you are a gold, Platinum or 1k member and making same-day change.

Flight Change Policy for Refundable Tickets

Refundable ticket holders are entitled to no change fee, even if they make changes in their itinerary after the 24-hour risk-free period. They may have to pay for the fare difference, if the new flight costs more than the original flight.

Flight Change Policy for Award Tickets

United Airlines has eliminated its change fee from Award tickets. The fare difference will be applicable if the new flight costs more than the original flight. However, if you make the changes within 30 days of departure, a nominal change fee charge will be applicable.

United Airlines Same-day Flight Change Policy

United Airlines’ same-day flight change depends on the fare type, route, and various other factors. Not all tickets are entitled to change the flight on the same day of departure. You can change your itinerary after or before check-in, even if you booked with miles. The same-day change flight rules for different fares are as follows:

Premier Members

Premier members are eligible to change their booking within 24-hours of booking. They may have to pay for the fare difference. If the original ticket fare class is not available in the new flight, the passenger can always opt for standby for free.

All Other Travelers

If you are an United Airlines customer or MileagePlus member without PremierⓇ status, you may be able to confirm a seat on a new flight within the 24-hour of the original flight’s departure. Pay for the fare difference if applicable, and if you choose, you can always standby for free.

Basic Economy Tickets

Basic Economy ticket holders are not eligible for any changes, not even if they try to change the flight within 24-hours of booking. However, they may choose to stand by for other flights within 24-hours of the original departure time.

United Airlines Standby Policy

United Airlines allows its passengers to fly standby on a flight departing within 24-hours of the original flight’s departure. This policy is applicable to all fare types. If you want to confirm a seat on a different flight instead of standby, then following are the rules:

• MileagePlus elite holders are eligible to confirm a seat on the same day with the same origin and destination.
• Non-premier MileagePlus members and general non-members may have to pay for the fare difference.

United Airlines Flight Change Fee

United Airlines change fee has been eliminated from most Economy and premium Economy tickets for flights within the US (including Alaska, Virgin Islands, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico) or between the US, Mexico, and the Caribbean, except for basic Economy.

• If you are traveling within Continental US, you do not have to incur any change fee.
• If you are traveling within Alaska, and have an Economy Plus ticket, you do not require to pay for any change fee.
• If you are traveling within Hawaii and traveling with UnitedFirst fare, there will be no change fee charge.
• If you are traveling within the Caribbean, and have United Business class tickets, you do not have to pay for any change fee.
• United Premium Plus members traveling within Mexico are no longer required to pay for any change fee.

Steps to Change United Airlines Flight

• Visit https://www.united.com/en/us
• Click on My trips
• Enter Confirmation number and the passenger’s last name
• If you are a MileagePlus member, sign in by entering your MileagePlus number, and password
• Click on Search
• Select the itinerary you want to change
• Request for the changes you want to make
• Click on continue to choose a new flight
• Pay for any change fee and fare difference if applicable
• If the airline approves your request, you will receive a confirmation mail from the airline

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