United Airlines Eliminates Change Fees: A New Era for Travelers

United Airlines has announced that certain fees related to flight changes are now a thing of the past, and consequently, other U.S. airlines are beginning to adopt similar policies.

On a recent Sunday, United Airlines declared that it would abolish change fees on all standard economy and premium cabin tickets for travel within the , , and the . However, passengers must still cover any applicable fare differences.

Furthermore, United confirmed that customers are no longer limited in how many times they can modify their flights. This policy allows for greater flexibility, including the option to change flights on the day of travel. It is important to note that basic economy tickets are excluded from this policy, as they do not permit changes. Nonetheless, United has extended the waiver of change fees for all ticket types issued after March 2, facilitating both domestic and international travel through the end of the year.

Moreover, passengers now have the ability to list for same-day standby without any charge. This means travelers can opt for a different flight with the same origin and destination as their original itinerary, granted that space is available at departure. This option will be accessible for all customers traveling within the U.S. and to/from international destinations starting January 1, 2021. Prior to this significant policy shift, passengers faced a $200 (€166) fee to change flights and a $75 (€63) fee for flying standby. Travelers wishing to switch flights can add themselves to the standby list via United’s mobile app, on united.com, or at the airport at least 30 minutes before domestic flights and one hour prior to international flights.

Following the lead of United Airlines, various other airlines are making changes. On the following Monday, American Airlines announced that “change fees for all domestic and short-haul international flying on Premium Cabin fares and most Main Cabin fares will be eliminated.” Similarly, Delta Airlines announced that it would also eliminate change fees effective immediately for tickets purchased for travel within the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, also excluding basic economy tickets. Moreover, Delta will extend its waiver of change fees for newly purchased flights, including international destinations and basic economy fares, through the end of the year.