United App Adds Standby for Earlier Flights During Disruptions
United Airlines has added a new feature to its mobile app that gives travelers more flexibility when flights are disrupted.
Customers who are rebooked onto a later flight can now join the standby list for up to three earlier flights at the same time. United will automatically monitor those flights for open seats and send a text message if space becomes available.
The useful part is that travelers keep their confirmed rebooked itinerary while waiting. If a seat opens on one of the earlier flights, they can then decide whether they want to switch rather than giving up their confirmed seat in advance.
How It Works
United says customers can use the new feature in three steps:
- Add yourself to the standby list for up to three earlier flights.
- United automatically monitors those flights for available seats.
- If a seat opens, you’ll receive a text and can choose whether to move to that flight.
Your existing confirmed reservation remains in place until you actually decide to switch.
The feature is specifically aimed at customers who have been moved to a later flight after a disruption, reducing the need to repeatedly check the app for earlier availability.
United is rolling it out ahead of the Labor Day travel period, when the airline expects more than 3.4 million passengers between September 3 and September 8, about 300,000 more than last year.
