United Airlines Flight Change: A Detailed Step-by-Step Guide

Quick Answer

• Most United Airlines tickets can be changed without a fee.
• Basic Economy is the exception and does not allow free changes.
• The free change policy also applies to award tickets.
• Standard Economy and all premium classes allow free changes.
• When changing a flight, if the new flight is expensive, you will have to pay the fare difference.
   

United Airlines is the first airline that allows free flight changes. It can be anything: a rescheduled business meeting, a need for an upgraded cabin, or an instant plan change; United Airlines allows its passengers to take control of their flight with its highly rated mobile app and automated Same-Day Change system.

This guide will walk you through how to make changes online to your United Airlines flights, including the additional fee, the step-by-step process, the ticket parameters, the no-change fee, and other details.

How to Change a United Airlines Flight Online?

United Airlines' official Flight Change Policy has eliminated any change fee for most domestic tickets and international itineraries originating from the United States. UA’s flight change policy allows you to modify almost every structural, financial, and physical element of your booking. The step-by-step process to change your United Airlines flights is given below. Follow these steps and change your UA flights effortlessly.

Step 1: Visit the United Airlines Website

First, go to the official My Trips or Change Flight page.

• Sign in to your MileagePlus account, or
• Enter your 6-digit confirmation number and the last name to retrieve your reservation.

Step 2: Open Your Reservation

• Once your booking appears, select the itinerary that you want to modify. After selecting, you will be able to access your flight details, and if your ticket is eligible, click on the Change Flight option.
   

Step 3: Select/Tap the Change Flight Option

• Now select the ticket to change the itinerary
• Next, select the flight segment you want to modify (outbound, return, or both)

Step 4: Now search for the New Flight and choose the preferred changes you want to make

• Travel date
• Departure time
• Destination or routing (if permitted by the fare type)

Know that the airline will display available flight options for your new itinerary

Step 5: Compare Flight Options on the available flights and compare

• Departure and arrival times
• Connections
• Cabin class
• Fare difference, if applicable

If the new flight you choose costs more than the original booking, you will have to pay the fare difference. Now, if the new itinerary costs less, the remaining fare value will be issued in the form of travel credit if your ticket is eligible.

Step 6: Review the Price Summary before proceeding

United Airlines will display

• Any fare difference due
• Applicable taxes and fees
• The updated itinerary

Step 7: Once you have reviewed your new itinerary

• Confirm the change
• Pay any fare difference if the price of the ticket was higher
• Receive your updated confirmation email and revised itinerary

What Can I Change in My United Flight?

United Airlines allows passengers to change their flights and other details without a change fee. The table given below shows what all flight changes can be made:

What flight changes cannot be made on United Airlines?

If you have booked flight tickets with United Airlines, you cannot:

• Transfer your tickets to another passenger.
• Skip the first leg of your flight and use the later segments.
• Change flight without checking fare restrictions.
• Change a Basic Economy ticket under the same conditions as standard or premium tickets.
• Make all itinerary changes through the United Airlines Website.
• Change a flight that cost higher that an the first ticket without paying the fare difference.
• Cancel the flight and receive a full refund unless the cancellation is made according to the specified cancellation rules.
• Make changes to your flight by contacting United Airlines if the ticket is booked by a third-party site. 

Which United Airlines Ticket Types are Eligible for the Free Change Policy?

United Airlines does not charge a traditional fee for changes made to most Economy and premium cabins, but the tickets should be for:

• Flights within the United States
• Flights operating between the U.S. and Mexico
• Flights operating between the U.S. and the Caribbean
• International flights originating in the United States

When can you make the changes?
The ideal time to make changes to your flight is before the scheduled departure of the flight you booked. You may still have to pay the fare difference if the new flight costs more, and any applicable difference in taxes or other charges.

Can I Change United Airlines Basic Economy Ticket?

The Basic Economy class does not allow any free changes or cancellations, unless cancellation is made within 24 hours of purchase and when the original departure time is at least one week away.

Once the 24-hour booking window has passed, passengers cannot:

• Change the flight date
• Change flight time
• Change the destination

Can I Change Date and Time of United Airlines Flight Tickets?
If you have booked Standard Economy or above cabin class tickets, you can freely change the date and time of the flight, unless it is a Basic Economy ticket. Now, if the tickets are eligible, you will be able to change:

• Departure date
• Departure time
• Flight number
• Outbound flight
• Return flight

Other restrictions you should know about are:

• All the changes should be made before the scheduled departure time of the booked flight.
• You cannot change the flight to any date unless the date is available, and the ticket must be valid under the applicable fare conditions.
• If the new flight is more expensive, you will have to pay the fare difference, and if the ticket is cheaper, the refund will depend on the ticket's applicable fare, or it will be refunded as travel credit.

Can I Change the Origin or Destination of a United Airlines Flight Ticket?

United does not have any blanket rule on its public Flight Change that states passengers can freely change their origin or destination online. However, the standard no-change-fee policy only applies to eligible flights, and a change that fundamentally alters the itinerary may require rebooking or pricing. Below are the points you can check before changing the origin or destination:

• Changing the origin, destination, or routing is not governed by the same simple rule as changing the date or flight time.
• The United Airlines online change tool will determine which itinerary modifications are available for the specific reservation.
• If the requested change cannot be processed online, you will have to contact United or the ticketing agency.
• Any new itinerary booked during the change will incur the applicable fare pricing and availability.

Can I Change one flight segment or a multi-segment itinerary?

United Airlines does not have any universal public rule stating that you can independently change one segment while leaving other segments of the itinerary. However, if the reservation can be changed on an online tool that allows it, you may be able to select the applicable flight or itinerary portion for modification. 

If United Airlines displays the available rebooking options and the applicable price, the resulting change may affect:

• The entire itinerary
• Fare calculation
• Connection times
• Availability
• Remaining flight segments

Before changing your flight segment, you should confirm the information below:

• Review every flight segment
• Check the connection times
• Review the new departure and arrival times
• Check the fare difference
• Confirm the final itinerary

When you cannot change a United Airlines flight online?
United Airlines' Change Flight system is not a guarantee that every ticket can be modified online. Below are the situations where online self-service flight change cannot be made:

• Tickets are issued by another airline.
• A travel agency has booked your ticket.
• OTA flight ticket bookings.
• Complex itineraries
• Partner-airline ticketing
• Certain ticket restrictions

Can I make changes to MileagePlus Award Tickets flights?

United Airlines' current flexible-booking policy states its no-change-fee applies to most flights, including award flights. However, if there is a new itinerary, it will be subject to the following rules:

• Award ticket availability
• Current mileage pricing
• Current taxes and fees of the ticket

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my United Airlines flight online?
Yes, all eligible tickets booked by United Airlines can be changed through their official website or the mobile app.

How much does it cost to change a United Airlines flight?

United Airlines has eliminated the traditional change fee for many eligible tickets, but you will still have to pay a fare difference if the flight you choose to change to is expensive.

Can I change the date and time of my United flight?

If your ticket is eligible, like it is a Standard or Premium ticket, you can change your travel dates and time online effortlessly.

Can I change my United Airlines Basic Economy ticket?

No, you cannot change your Basic Economy ticket as it is the most restrictive one.

What happens if the new United Airlines flight is more expensive?
You will have to pay the fare difference between the new flight and the old one, and if the new flight is cheaper, you will be refunded the difference as a credit.

Can I change my United Airlines flight after I miss it?
No, if you miss your flight, you cannot change your flight. If you are about to miss the flight, you should contact the airline before departure and make the necessary changes.

Why can’t I change my United flight online?

The main reason can be that your reservation may not be eligible for online self-service changes. This is mainly because you booked through a certain travel agency, tickets were issued by another carrier, or your itinerary is complex. If you cannot make changes through My Trips, contact United or the agency that issued your ticket.

Cheapflightsfares is an independent travel agency and is not affiliated with United Airlines. Policies are subject to change. It is always advisable to verify current policies published by United Airlines on their official website.