Quick United Airlines Question
 

I need a little help from you air travel gurus who hang out on this part of the site. We're holding a UA FF award on Lufthansa, AMS to SFO, in April. Received an email yesterday from UA reporting a 20-minute time change to our reservation on both the AMS to FRA segment and the FRA to SFO segment. Does this free us to change to a totally different flight without paying UA's $75 pp change fee? If that 20-minute change allows us to change flights without a penalty, how long do we have to make the change after UA notified us--hours, days, months?

We're currently in economy on the A380, hoping for availability to open up for a business class saver award on that flight (for added FF miles), even though that could happen just a few days prior to the flight. When did a flight from FRA to SFO in October 2012, there was tons of availability for business class saver awards. At that time changes could be made without a penalty, and we took advantage of that. There's very little availability for a business class saver award on LH in all of 2014 as far as I can see, and that's disappointing.

Thanks so much for your replies. You folks rock!

I am pretty sure a 20 minute change won't qualify you for a freebie change. It usually has to be a few hours [ 3, I think] and keep in mind there could be several more "minor" time changes between now and April.

Is there a change fee when flying with FF tickets? I've made changes in the past and haven't paid any fees as long as the itinerary was the same. Not sure if it was UA or AA, and it's been a few years so things can definitely change.

On UA FF tixs one can make changes as long as the tin remains unchanged. You can change flights or days. I have done it many times and it can usually be done online.

The fee for changing your FF flights depend on your elite level.

Thanks all. Deb, will keep in mind the possibility of further time changes. Good idea.

We have lots of miles but no status with UA, so any change in a flight booked after June 19, 2013 results in a $75 pp fee.

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...ticketing.aspx

Thanks for the web site -- some new info to me.