United Airlines Schedule Change Policy: Ticket Reservations & Refunds!

September 20, 2017

Every airline has their own policies that allow making changes in your itinerary when you want to change the schedule. But sometimes the earlier booking of flights makes the passenger stressful when airlines make the changes in the scheduled flight or when a non-stop flight is canceled.

Changes in the schedule are also considered as a big blessing, whether you are using a mile or simply purchasing a ticket because it gives a lot of flexibility into making your flight itinerary better.

So, here you will find the complete list of the United airlines schedule change policy that will help you to know what you can do if a schedule change happens.

What Is The United Airlines Change Flight Policy?

The airlines declare the flight schedules up to 11 months before to give you much time to plan your trips. After the announcement, they make some adjustments to adjust the changes in aircraft and routes.

These accommodations include the following:

They make changes in the flight departure or arrival times.
Change the frequency of flights.
Addition of the routes or connecting flights.
Change the type of aircraft.

How Will You Know If There Is A Schedule Change That Affects The Itinerary?

It depends on how you booked your flight and that is:

If you booked your flight through a website, app or at the Customer Contact Center, then the airlines will send you an email or call you to tell you about any significant changes.
If you booked your flight through a travel agency, then the travel agency will let you know about the schedule change.
You can also view any changes to your reservation by reaching out website through which you booked your flight.

What If The Schedule Change Does Not Work For The Travel Plans?

Most schedule changes are minor. But if the changes don’t work for you, then explore other options. You should know who to contact for assistance if you want to change the schedule of your itinerary. It all depends on how you booked your flights.

The following will help you to know:

Booked directly: – You will get the notification of the changes if you booked your ticket through the app or by phone. If is it so, you can also review your updated itinerary through Manage Reservations option.
Booked through a travel agency or travel website: – You will receive a notification of the change if you booked your flights through a travel agency or a travel website. You can also contact them for further assistance with your reservation.
Booked through an airline other than United: – You can also get the notification of the changes from an airline if you booked through that airline. But for further assistance, you have to contact them with your reservation.

In any case, if the new itinerary does not suites you to accept the new itinerary, or does not work for you, then contact the airline. They will also let you know about the rebooking policy.

Rebooking Options If A Schedule Change Affect the Itinerary

They will provide you the other available flight options if the scheduled departure or arrival time changes by 30 minutes, which meets your needs. But keep following things in mind:

Your departure and arrival itinerary will be the same as was your original itinerary.
You can choose a different connecting city or airport if you have a connection.
Make sure that the alternative flights are operated only by this airline or their partners.

You can also request a refund if you are not able to find any other flights that meet your needs.

Tickets Refund

They provide the refundable airline tickets that are the best options and help you to minimize the disruption in your travel plans if a schedule change happens. In any case, if new flight options do not work for you, then follow the following scenarios. They may be able to offer you a refund:

The departure or arrival time of schedule changes by 2 hours or more.
The change causes issues will depend on the overall length of the trip like making the connection time too short or longer than it was original.

If you are not satisfied with your new itinerary and do not with the above scenarios, then no need to accept the itinerary in Manage Reservations. You can request a refund online.

United Manage Reservations:

Find the reservation by confirmation number:

You can view and save your reservation into your account by entering the confirmation number and your last name if you are not signed into your MileagePlus account when you made the flight reservation.
If your flight reservation was made through a travel agent, then you can view and save your reservation into your account by entering the confirmation number and your last name.
If you were signed with the MileagePlus account, then sign into the MileagePlus account to see your existing reservations.

You can access the following features by entering the confirmation number and the last name and that are:

To review the reservations.
To view the seat assignments.
If you want to make a same-day change to your flight.
To add frequent flyer information and a special service request.
If you want to take a print copy of your reservation.
To view and request for a receipt.
Post a brief detail of your itinerary via email to anyone.

United Airlines Refund Status

Under the 24-hour flexible booking policy:

You will qualify the refund status or cancellation fees if you already purchased the ticket within the last 24 hours and completed the purchase one week before the originally scheduled departure flight.
For the schedule changes, the basic Economy tickets are not available.
You can go to the Manage Reservations page to cancel your reservation and receive a refund if your ticket qualifies.

Choose the refund type and select continue to begin the refund request process, if you want to do the changes in tickets or booked or purchase a ticket more than 24 hours ago.

Check the refund status

Enter the 8-digit refund request number or your ticket number to check the status of a refund.

Ticket Refund Policy

You can purchase the tickets within the last 24 hours to qualify the refund status or changes or cancellation fees under the 24-hour flexible booking policy.

In all other cases, a refund depending on the rules of the fare purchased and a cancellation fee may apply.
Most fares are nonrefundable and are not eligible for voluntary refunds.
Tickets are only valid for one year from the date of issuance.
The refund amount you will receive depends on several variables.

Receive flight status via e-mail or mobile phone

You can keep the travel schedule up to date with the online flight status tools.

Flight status notification subscription: They will notify you if your flight is delayed or canceled as well as when you can check-in online and print your boarding passes.
Flight status updates: It will promptly notify you if your flight is delayed more than 20 minutes or there is another change in the status of your flight. You can also receive these notifications by an email address that is associated with your reservation.
Current flight status: You can get the current flight details by entering the flight information in the required fields.
Flight reminders: They will notify you on an hourly basis of your flight’s departure or arrival time.

To obtain the current status and gate information for a flight, complete the form and then click to Continue.

United Airlines Same Day Flight Change

You will need to complete any changes at least 60 minutes before your new flight’s departure if you checked baggage on your original flight.

Different connection points are permitted but the cities remain same in stand day flight change.
The same-day flight change option will be available within 24 hours before your originally scheduled flight.
Make sure the flight departs within 24 hours from the time the request.
The same-day flight change will apply when the original ticketed fare class is available on the requested flight within 24 hours of departure.
The same-day flight change fee, as well as the additional payments or refunds for the difference in fare, will apply when the original ticketed fare class is not available on the requested flight within 24 hours of departure.
Same-day flight changes can be confirmed when during the check-in online or at an airport kiosk or by calling the representative.

United Airlines Standby

If seats are not available in the purchased fare, then you can choose Standby. The same-day change charges are also applied.

They will not be charged unless you are assigned a seat on your alternate flight.
Changes in routing are not allowed.
The passengers can request for Standby on the day of departure at the airport kiosk or with a representative at the airport.
If there is any up gradation occurs in the tickets, then that will automatically be added to the standby list.
Changes are only available for the same departure and arrival point
Connection points can be changed that will provide the new routing but the fare is to be added.

Schedule changes are not ideal, and we know that you may have plans to change routes or timings. So, read and follow the general guidelines of schedule changes and make the process as painless as possible for you.