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United's app now lets disrupted travelers join the standby list for up to three earlier flights to the same destination while keeping their confirmed rebooking. United monitors those flights and texts when a seat opens; if you don't get on, your original rebooking stays intact. The feature is rolling out ahead of Labor Day, when United expects more than 3.4 million customers between 3 and 8 September. That's the play for anyone stuck on a later flight after a disruption.

United's new standby feature during disruptions lets full-fare passengers hold a confirmed seat while listing for up to three alternative flights. The app monitors availability and texts when a seat opens, allowing quick switches. For non-rev staff travelers, this means a seat that appears available can be instantly claimed by a passenger who was rebooked on another flight. With 84% of United passengers using the app, the competition for last-minute seats just intensified.

United's new app feature lets you add yourself to the standby list for up to three earlier flights to the same destination after a disruption, without losing your original confirmed reservation. United monitors those flights in the background and texts you when a seat opens, so you can accept the switch or stay put. No more manually refreshing or hovering at gates. This turns one of the most stressful parts of irregular operations into a passive, higher-EV system.

WestJet's flight attendant strike as of August 2 has grounded virtually all mainline flights, but Canadian law requires the airline to rebook you on the next available flight, even on another carrier. However, with peak summer travel, finding seats is tough. The government may intervene as it did with Air Canada last year, but no guarantee. Know your rights and options.