This major airline will no longer charge passengers to change their flights, it says

United Airlines will no longer charge passengers to change their flights, the company said Sunday.

The change is effective immediately and applies to Economy and Premium tickets for flights in the U.S., according to a news release.

Passengers will permanently be able to change their flights as many times as they need without having to pay, the airline said.

United added that it will also allow passengers to fly standby for free on a flight departing the same day as their originally scheduled travel “regardless of the type of ticket or class of service.”

Standby will be available for passengers on flights within the U.S. and on flights to and from international destinations, the airline said.

Additionally, MileagePlus Premier members will be able to confirm seats on another flight leaving on the same day with the same departure and arrival cities, assuming a seat from the same ticket class fare is available, the company said.

“Change is inevitable these days — but it’s how we respond to it that matters most. When we hear from customers about where we can improve, getting rid of this fee is often the top request,” CEO Scott Kirby said in the release.

“Following previous tough times, airlines made difficult decisions to survive, sometimes at the expense of customer service,” he said. “United Airlines won’t be following that same playbook as we come out of this crisis. Instead, we’re taking a completely different approach – and looking at new ways to serve our customers better.”

United is also extending its travel waiver for new tickets issued through Dec. 31, allowing passengers to change flights an unlimited number of times without fees, the airline said.

It applies to all ticket types issued after March 3 and is valid for both domestic and international travel, the company said.

This story was originally published August 30, 2020 at 3:47 PM.