Flight changes

Adjust your travel plans all the way up to the day of your trip.

Change flight

Cancel flight

Change fee

Flying standby

Changing your flight

You can change your flight on united.com or the United app in four steps:

Go to My Trips
Select “Change flight”
Select “Edit” to update your flight
Choose a new flight

You can also change your flight over the phone, but you might be charged a fee. If you’re at the airport you can use a kiosk or speak to an agent.

Your new flight must:

Have the same departure and arrival airport
Leave within 24 hours before or after your original flight
Be operated by United or United Express^®

If your flight is more than a day away, you may be able to change it with no fees. Or fly standby for free.

Same day changes

Premier members may be able to get another flight for free. If your original class isn’t available, you may have to pay a price difference.

All other travelers may be able to get another flight within 24 hours of the original flight. You may have to pay a price difference even if the same cabin is available.

Confirm that your bags are on the new plane by speaking with an agent an hour before your flight.

Canceling your flight

Cancel your flight on united.com or the United app in three steps:

Go to My Trips
Select “Cancel flight”
Select “Confirm cancellation”

Once confirmed, we will give you the options for a travel credit or a refund. Learn how to use travel credit.

No change fees for most flights

That includes award travel.

Learn about change fees

Flying standby

Join the standby list and possibly get an earlier flight on the same day as your scheduled flight.

To join for free:

United app or united.com

Go to My Trips and select “View flight options.” Once you’re on the list, you can also track your standby status on the app.

Airport kiosk

At the kiosk, go to your itinerary and select “View flight options.”

United agent

When you get to the airport, go to the United check-in counter and ask an agent to put you on the list.

Once you’ve been added to the list, look for the first three letters of your last name and your first initial on the screens near your gate. For example:

“Mary Clark” will be shown as “CLA, M.”

“John Smith” will be shown as “SMI, J.”

“Deshawn Brown” will be shown as “BRO, D.”

If a seat is available, we’ll assign one to you automatically. Seats are assigned 30 minutes before a domestic flight and 60 minutes before an international flight.

Standby priority

The standby list will be updated frequently as customers are always being added. The order of the list is prioritized by Premier status.

Premier status
Cabin
United Club Infinite Card^SM and Presidential Plus Cardmembers
United Corporate Preferred users
United Chase Cardmembers with $25,000 in annual spending
Date and time of request

Volunteering your seat

You can choose to give your seat to someone else only when there aren't enough seats. If you volunteer your seat, we will compensate you with a travel certificate.

Travel certificates expire one year from original date of issue, unless otherwise noted. They are redeemable toward transportation on any flight operated by United Airlines or United Express. Otherwise, travel certificates are not valid on flights operated by other airlines, including United marketed codeshare and Star Alliance flights.
You'll enter your travel certificate details on the Payment page of united.com when booking a flight. On that page, select “United payment types” and then “Electronic travel certificate.” The certificate amount will then be applied to the total trip price. If you’d prefer to book your reservation over the phone, call 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331). A fee may apply for redemption by phone. You’ll be asked to provide the last name of the certificate recipient. Certificates may not be redeemed through a travel agency.
The promotion code and PIN must be presented at time of ticket purchase.
Travel Certificates have no cash value.
Travel Certificates will not be honored in conjunction with prepaid tickets, fee-waived tickets, MileagePlus awards, tour packages or other service charges, including excess baggage charges, pet charges, etc.
If the face amount of the Travel Certificate exceeds the cost of the ticket for which it is surrendered, any residual amount will be applied to the same PIN for use toward another ticket until either the original issued amount is depleted or the expiration date has been reached, whichever comes first.
Travel Certificates are not transferable and may not be sold, traded or bartered. However, the original recipient of this Certificate may arrange travel for another person if done without selling or bartering this Certificate. Any sale or barter of Certificates, or any offer to sell or enter into such a transaction, shall render Certificates null and void such that Certificates shall no longer be redeemable by any person, including the original recipient.
Positive identification may be required when using travel certificates toward the purchase of a ticket. United is not liable for loss, theft or unintended use of travel certificates by a person other than the original recipient.
United's Contract of Carriage applies to all travel on United Airlines and United Express.

Traveler pro tip

If you're assigned a seat an hour or more before your new flight, you can change it on the United app.

Traveler pro tip

If you're assigned a seat an hour or more before your new flight, you can change it on the United app.

Download the United app

Change your flight FAQ

Yes.
Only if the price allows and there are no changes to the origin or destination airports. You can’t change your routing when you’re standing by.
Yes, but you must call the United Customer Contact Center to confirm. Or you can confirm with an agent at the airport.

All flight segments must fall within the same-day confirmation policy.
You will need to ask to be put on the standby list for each individual flight.
You may lose your seat if:
- You're not on your domestic flight 15 minutes before it departs.
- You're not on your international flight 20 minutes before it departs.
If you’ve asked to be on the standby list but don’t see your name, check with a United agent at the airport. This issue can only be resolved at the airport.
To change a trip, select the individual traveler during the first step in the change process. Then, you can continue to change flights for just that traveler.

To cancel a trip, you must divide the reservation. That will create multiple individual reservations, and then you cancel the applicable reservation. To divide the reservation, select the individual cancel option in the travelers section on the reservation.

Sign into your account

Flight changes