/STANDBY

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 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.