United Airlines permanently drops change fees

[zoo2tycoon]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1238840
Standard and premium economy....
Clearly don’t buy basic economy if you think plans may change!

 

[rwdavis2]

I was stunned. I wonder how long "permanent" will actually be.

 

[OffToDWD]

I'm wondering what other fees they will increase/add to replace that lost revenue...

 

[dina444444]

American Airlines has also joined them

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info...positoryName=undefined&repositoryId=undefined

 

[Husker Mike]

This is an interesting development. We have a rather large flight credit from our cancelled March cruise and parks visit. We've rescheduled for next April, but I continue to be really skeptical that we'll be able to go. But just for giggles, I checked flights for our rescheduled trip, and fares are half of what they were for this year. In fact, we can now fly first class for less than our flight credit.

Which raises the question... with no change fees, what's my risk for going ahead and booking my airfare now? I still suspect we won't go and probably will have to cancel, but if there's no change fee, it's just letting the money I plopped down a year ago ride along further. And if we do go, I can choose between either flying first class or saving half of my credit for another trip. (I'm tempted to just go ahead and take the first class option...)

 

[jerseygal]

This is great to hear! We purchased a United flight up to NJ for this coming Christmas back in June which had a promo with No Change Fees and one year to use the ticket. Hoping to go depending on state of Covid then.
This is really good for folks who are "on the fence" about flying!

 

[rwdavis2]

This is an interesting development. We have a rather large flight credit from our cancelled March cruise and parks visit. We've rescheduled for next April, but I continue to be really skeptical that we'll be able to go. But just for giggles, I checked flights for our rescheduled trip, and fares are half of what they were for this year. In fact, we can now fly first class for less than our flight credit.

Which raises the question... with no change fees, what's my risk for going ahead and booking my airfare now? I still suspect we won't go and probably will have to cancel, but if there's no change fee, it's just letting the money I plopped down a year ago ride along further. And if we do go, I can choose between either flying first class or saving half of my credit for another trip. (I'm tempted to just go ahead and take the first class option...)

I was wondering the same thing. I think it will depend on the time limit. Southwest gives you a year from when the flight was booked.

On a related note, first class air fare from the DC area to the west coast has dropped from $1100+ to $700+.

 

[js]

We usually fly first class. Has anyone flown since Covid in first class, domestic flights? Have they done away with the meals and drinks? Is it just the larger seats now? Thank you.

 

[nkereina]

if there's no change fee, it's just letting the money I plopped down a year ago ride along further.

Are you sure it would extend the expiration date of your credits, if that's what you mean? I can't speak to United, but with Southwest, if I book a flight using credits and then have to cancel/change the new flight, the credit still retains the expiration date of the original credit I used to book it. Southwest offers the option to extend the expiration date of the credits for a fee of $100. United may offer the same, which may be worthwhile if you have a lot.

 

[JM23457]

We usually fly first class. Has anyone flown since Covid in first class, domestic flights? Have they done away with the meals and drinks? Is it just the larger seats now? Thank you.

I flew first class on United in July, between Houston & Orlando. The first class section was 100% packed, meaning they chose to upgrade their elites at the expense of safety (during booking, I had been told people would be spaced apart).

Everyone got drinks & a big snack box, so people were eating & drinking throughout the flight. Flight attendant on outward bound flight had mask under nose, as did the passenger across the aisle from me. Flight attendant on the return flight had mask completely under his chin (so no coverage) whenever he was in the galley, including during passenger boarding and when prepping drinks/snacks.

Bottom line: don't fly United unless you're not concerned about Covid.

 

[gatour]

I was stunned. I wonder how long "permanent" will actually be.

This my thought also. "Permanent" will no longer be permanent when passenger count increases to a certain level.

 

[Leigh L]

This is an interesting development. We have a rather large flight credit from our cancelled March cruise and parks visit. We've rescheduled for next April, but I continue to be really skeptical that we'll be able to go. But just for giggles, I checked flights for our rescheduled trip, and fares are half of what they were for this year. In fact, we can now fly first class for less than our flight credit.

Which raises the question... with no change fees, what's my risk for going ahead and booking my airfare now? I still suspect we won't go and probably will have to cancel, but if there's no change fee, it's just letting the money I plopped down a year ago ride along further. And if we do go, I can choose between either flying first class or saving half of my credit for another trip. (I'm tempted to just go ahead and take the first class option...)

Be careful, United isn't like SW and some other airlines when you change and have leftover funds. I rebooked our flight at a cheaper rate and now it appears my credit would be at the cheaper rate if I canceled or changed (I don't plan to but I was hoping to try for the morning flight and it was a much higher rate).

I think it actually states this somewhere. I don't fly United often so never really thought about it and, at the time, November seemed a million months away. Unless I'm misunderstanding, but I'd definitely double-check.

Edited to clarify since I did try to change my flight to an earlier time.