What your United Airlines contract says

In short

This is a contract of carriage between you and United Airlines, Inc. governed by United's Contract of Carriage (UA Rule 1 et seq.) and, for international travel, the Montreal Convention. United sells fares in tiers (Basic Economy, Economy, Economy Plus, Premium Plus, United Business / BusinessFirst, and United Polaris) and the included rights (carry-on, seat selection, refundability, MileagePlus earning, upgrade eligibility) vary sharply by tier. Basic Economy is the most restricted: most routes deny a full-size carry-on, prohibit advance seat selection, and bar voluntary changes or refunds. Under the DOT 2024 Automatic Refund Rule (14 CFR Part 260), United must refund the original form of payment automatically when United cancels a flight or makes a significant change (3+ hr domestic / 6+ hr international, or material airport/connection/downgrade changes) and you choose not to travel. United eliminated change fees for most standard Economy and above tickets on domestic and short-haul international flights, but kept change fees for Basic Economy and most international itineraries originating outside the U.S. Involuntary denied boarding on oversold flights triggers cash compensation of up to 200% of one-way fare (max $1,075) or 400% (max $2,150) under 14 CFR Part 250.

What you agree to do

• You must complete check-in and bag drop by United's published cut-off (typically 45 minutes before domestic departure and 60 minutes before international departure) and be at the gate at least 15 minutes before departure, or United may cancel your reservation and forfeit the fare.
• You must comply with the carry-on policy for your fare class (Basic Economy passengers on most routes may only bring one personal item; an unauthorized rollaboard at the gate will be checked for a fee).
• You must fly each ticketed segment in the order issued; United treats skipped segments as voiding all downstream segments, including the return.

What you can ask for

• You have the right to cancel within 24 hours of booking for a full refund to original form of payment, provided the booking was made at least 7 days before departure (DOT 14 CFR §259.5 and United Rule 6.K).
• You have the right to an automatic refund to original form of payment if United cancels your flight or makes a 'significant change' (3+ hr domestic / 6+ hr international, or material airport/connection/downgrade changes) and you decline rebooking, per DOT 14 CFR Part 260.
• You have the right to deplane after 3 hours on the tarmac on a domestic flight or 4 hours on an international flight (absent safety, security, or ATC obstacles), with food and water provided within 2 hours, per DOT 14 CFR §259.4.
• You have the right to denied-boarding compensation of 200% of the one-way fare (capped at $1,075) or 400% (capped at $2,150) if United involuntarily bumps you from an oversold flight, per DOT 14 CFR Part 250.
• You have the right to file a baggage claim within 24 hours of arrival on domestic flights; on international itineraries, Montreal Convention liability is capped at approximately 1,288 SDR (~$1,700–$1,900) per passenger for delayed, lost, or damaged baggage.
• You have the right to earn MileagePlus miles, Premier qualifying credits, and lifetime status mileage on most fare classes, with the earning rate tied to the fare paid (not distance flown).

Points worth knowing

• Basic Economy is non-changeable and non-refundableOutside the 24-hour DOT window, Basic Economy tickets cannot be voluntarily changed, cancelled, or refunded; United issues no flight credit. The ticket is essentially use-it-or-lose-it.
• Basic Economy carry-on restrictionOn most domestic and transatlantic routes, Basic Economy passengers without MileagePlus Premier status or an eligible Chase United co-branded card may only bring one personal item. A full-size carry-on brought to the gate must be checked for a fee plus a gate-handling charge.
• MileagePlus award and upgrade availability is dynamicUnited uses dynamic pricing for award tickets and upgrades; the same award seat can cost vastly different mileage amounts hour to hour, and there is no published award chart. Upgrade certificates only clear when a fare class United deems eligible is open.
• Schedule changes that fall short of the DOT thresholdUnited can move a flight by up to 2 hours 59 minutes domestically or 5 hours 59 minutes internationally without triggering a refund; you must accept rebooking on the next available United flight or absorb the disruption.
• Broad disclaimer of consequential damagesUnited's Contract of Carriage disclaims liability for missed cruises, hotel costs, lost wages, and business losses caused by delays or cancellations. Airline Deregulation Act preemption forecloses most state-law claims for service quality.
• Boarding-time enforcementIf you are not at the gate by the published cut-off (15 minutes before departure for domestic), United can release your seat to a standby passenger and treat you as a no-show (voiding the rest of your itinerary even if you are inside the airport).

Dates and deadlines

24-hour free cancellation window

Within 24 hours of booking, provided travel is at least 7 days away

Tarmac delay deplaning rights

After 3 hours on a domestic flight or 4 hours on an international flight

Check-in / gate cut-off

Check in 45 min (domestic) / 60 min (international) before departure; be at the gate by 15 min before

Baggage claim deadline

Within 24 hours of arrival on domestic flights; within 7 days for damage on international flights under the Montreal Convention