What Do I Do If My United Airlines Flight Is Delayed?

United Airlines offers airline transport services throughout the United States and other countries in Europe. Despite their vast experience in the airline industry, they are not immune to flight delays due to poor weather conditions, air traffic control problems, or mechanical issues.

The delays occur mainly to ensure passengers' safety and may result in flight cancellation. To reach your destination safely after such an event, the guidelines below may be helpful.

What next after your United Airlines flight is delayed?

Once you realize that your flight is experiencing delays, you should:

1. Immediately ask for a reason behind the delay.
2. Demand for written confirmation of the delay from United Airline
3. Note the arrival time at your flight's final destination.
4. Be careful with your travel documents, which include your ticket and boarding pass.
5. Check whether you qualify for compensation over your delayed flight.

What are your options now?

United Airlines provides few options after a delayed or canceled flight, as detailed below:

1. Check whether the airline has assigned you another flight. You can download the United application and check-in or log in to "united.com/checkin" for the same.
2. You may rebook your flight by checking for the earliest flight with available seats and speak to an agent to investigate the change.
3. Alternatively, the airline company can place you on the standby list and assign a seat for you on an earlier flight.
4. Check for earlier flights listed on the website or mobile application or stop by the gate of the said flight 60 minutes before it departs to be included in the standby list.

How do you rebook your current flight?

United Airlines allows its passengers to rebook their current flights or cancel their flights and rebook later in the event a delay has occurred. Here's how you can rebook your ongoing flight.

1. Go to "united.com." On the homepage, click on "My Trips" and enter your flight information to know your flight's status.
2. Select "Change Flight."
3. Click on the icon that reads "Edit" to change your date of travel and destination as well as to remove or add a flight.
4. Select "Continue" and choose a new flight option.
5. Proceed with the booking process to confirm your new flight.

How do you cancel your flight and rebook later?

If you choose to travel another day, here's how to go about canceling and rebooking your flight later:

1. On the "united.com" homepage, select "My Trips" and add your reservation details to see your flight.
2. Click on "Cancel Flight."
3. Confirm the flight cancellation.

Passengers with future flight credit can select "Use Future Flight Credit" to apply the credit rates on the new flight.

Alternatively

If you find these alternatives not entirely satisfactory to your needs, you can contact the United Airlines customer care center for other options.