Need to cancel or change a flight due to an emergency? Don’t worry, the United Airlines flight change policy is made for people like you who change their flight for any reason. United Airlines understands that emergencies happen and that sudden changes of plans are a part of life, which is why the airlines allows passengers to change their flights and look for alternatives.
However, United Airlines change flight policy has some loopholes. The airlines may charge you in some scenarios. Depending on your flight type, route, fare, and cabin upgrade, the change in cost may vary. In most cases, airlines allow rescheduling only if the new flight is on the same route, i.e., the departure and arrival airports must exactly match. In addition, the passenger must follow the 24-hour time window to change their flight.
Furthermore, there are different types of seat changes in United Airlines. Some of these changes are free, but others are chargeable. It is better to check with the airlines before you cancel your flight or confirm a new one. Want to know more about the United Airlines policies for flight changes? We have got you covered. This blog features a detailed explanation of United Airlines flight change policy. So read more and dig deeper to better understand the policies.
What is the United Airlines Flight Change Policy?
The United Airlines Flight Change Policy is quite useful when a customer needs to change their flight within the airline due to a sudden change of plans or an emergency. The airlines allow the customers to reschedule their flights without paying any additional fee. However, there are certain conditions for rescheduling the flight without paying any additional fee. So, make sure to check with the airlines if you are eligible for a free flight rescheduling or not. Moving on, the airline’s customer service representative can assist you to reschedule you flight. You can even visit the United Airlines website or mobile app to manage rescheduling your flight yourself.
Is it Possible to Change Seats within 24 Hours of Booking?
Yes, you can change your seats within 24 hours of booking a United Airlines flight without paying any additional seat change fee. However, the flight must not depart for at least the next 7 days. In addition, there are certain limitations of the free flight change policy. If the fare for the rescheduled flight is high, you must pay the difference. Similarly, with the upgraded seat’s availability scenario, like if the new flight has only premium seats available, i.e., premium economy, first, or business class, then you have no other option but to pay the difference to confirm your booking. Moreover, if you are making same-day changes, the availability of the option depends upon your fare type and the status of your MileagePlus program with the airlines.
United Airlines Seat Change Types
United Airlines promotes a traveler-friendly environment. This is why they offer such policies that travelers find suitable. The following are some types of United Airlines change flight:
Free Changes
Free changes in the United Airlines flight change policy are only applicable in the following cases:
Within 24-Hour
If a passenger changes the flight within 24 hours of booking and at least 7 days remain before the booked flight's departure, the flight change will be free of cost. It doesn’t matter what the fare of the next flight is, as long as it is not basic economy.
Changes for Same-Day Flight
At United Airlines, same-day changes are allowed, but it depends on the route and fare type. You can opt for an earlier flight on the same day at no extra cost, if available for some specific regions, namely the United States, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands.
Domestic or International Award Tickets Originated in the US
If a passenger has earned award tickets for domestic or international routes originating in the United States, they do not need to pay any United Airlines change flight fee. Passengers can apply for an award flight ticket if they are part of the miles program.
Changes with Fees
The changes in fees are applicable under the following situations:
Non-Refundable Flight Tickets
Changing the flight is possible. However, an additional fee may be applied, depending on your flight route and fare. You must pay the fare difference if the new flight you choose has a higher fare.
Basic Economy Tickets
Passengers are not usually allowed to change their basic economy tickets. But they can cancel the flight, and the airlines will offer a partial e-credit. However, this totally depends on various factors. It's best to check with the airlines.
Exceptional Cases
The following are some exceptional cases in the flight change policy:
Flight Change Fee is Waived by the Airlines
In the past few instances, United Airlines has waived the flight change fee, ensuring the passenger incurs no additional fees for rescheduling. In some cases of domestic and international flights, except for basic economy, the airlines didn’t even charge passengers who missed their 24-hour window to change their flights.
Schedule Change
If the airlines have made schedule changes and your flight’s departure time has been shifted by 30 minutes or more, you can rebook another flight with United Airlines or a United Express flight at no extra cost. Booking within 24 hours is absolutely free, but make sure the new flight departs from the same airport.
How to Change Flight on United Airlines
Changing flights is quite easy with United Airlines. The airlines offer 2 options to their passengers. They can either seek help from the customer service representative or do it themself by visiting the airline’s website or mobile application. No matter which option you opt for, both are easy and prompt. Here’s how to change flight on United Airlines:
Customer Service Assistance to Change Flight
If you are not sure how to change flights by yourself, you can always seek assistance from the customer service team. Simply call the customer service and request a flight change. The customer service agent will require you to provide your confirmation number, and they will explain the available options you can choose to confirm your new flight.
Online United Airlines Flight Change Policy
The online method is another option to change a flight. Anyone can do it using a laptop or a mobile phone. Just visit the site or open the app and follow the instructions below:
- Log in to your United Airlines account and go to your profile.
- Go to “My Trips”.
- Click on “Change Flight” and add your desired route.
- Now tap on the “Edit” button to update your flight details.
- Look for a new flight that suits your preferences, such as travel date, time, and route.
- Check for any fare differences for your new flight on United Airlines.
- If there is any fare difference, then pay the amount and confirm the changes.
Things to Ensure
The following are the things that the passengers must ensure when selecting a new flight:
- Your new flight’s departure and arrival airports should exactly match the ones given in your original flight.
- A new flight must depart within 24 hours of the scheduled time of your canceled flight.
- The United Airlines flight change policy applies only to United or United Express flights.
Policy for Non-Refundable Tickets
United Airlines flight change policy for non-refundable tickets:
Waived Fee for Changes
As explained above, the United Airlines change flight fee has been waived in some cases, even for non-refundable flights. The airlines can waive the fee for standard tickets if any significant delays are expected.
Difference in the Flight Fare
Even if the flight ticket type is the same, the passenger may still be required to pay the difference in flight fare. This usually happens when the new flight fare is higher than the original flight fare.
Fees for Same Day Changes
According to the United Airlines flight change policy, no change fee will be charged for same-day changes on non-refundable flights. For general and Silver members, United Airlines can charge $75 for changes. But Gold, Platinum, and 1K members don’t need to pay any change fee.
Policy for Refundable Tickets
United Airlines flight change policy for refundable tickets:
No Extra Flight Change Fee
United Airlines does not charge any extra fee to passengers who change their refundable flight ticket.
Changing Flight with an Expensive One
If the passenger switches to a flight with a higher fare than the original, they must pay the fare difference.
Opting for a Cheaper Flight Ticket
If the passenger’s new flight ticket is cheaper than the original one, then the airlines can do the following things:
- Directly refund the difference to the payment method you used to purchase the ticket, for example, your credit card.
- Issue an e-credit to your airline’s account, and you can use that credit to pay for your future purchase of a United Airlines flight ticket.
- Airlines credit the refund via direct payment or e-credit, depending on the passenger's ticket type.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line of United Airlines flight change policy is that changing a flight is not complicated at all. Anyone can do it if they have no other option. Just make sure you know the airline’s policies so you don’t incur any loss. Try to look for free change options if possible. If not, look for alternatives that don’t cost much. In addition, United Airlines’ refund policies can vary, depending on your ticket type. Moreover, passengers can either opt for the online flight change method to do it by themselves or can seek assistance from the customer service team of United Airlines. Both methods are easy and will not take too much time. Thus, that’s it for the flight change policy of United Airlines.
