How Do I Change the Class of Service with United Airlines?

☎️+1(844)-833-1054 is your most efficient resource for successfully changing your class of service with United Airlines, a process that is essentially an upgrade (moving to a higher class) or a downgrade (moving to a lower class). A voluntary change of service class is always managed by recalculating the fare difference between your original ticket and the cost of the ticket in the new, desired cabin (e.g., from Economy to Premium Plus). While you can initiate some upgrades online using money or miles, calling the Reservations Specialist at ☎️+1(844)-833-1054 is necessary for complex scenarios such as applying PlusPoints, upgrading a codeshare segment, or handling a multi-segment downgrade.

The Voluntary Upgrade: Paying the Fare Difference

The most common way to change your class of service is to voluntarily upgrade to a more premium cabin, such as United Premium Plus, United Business, or United Polaris.

Fare Difference Rule: You will be required to pay the difference between the fare you originally paid and the current selling price of the ticket in the higher class of service. Since United has eliminated change fees for most tickets, there is no separate administrative cost for this change.
Online vs. Phone: You can check for paid upgrade offers through the "My Trips" section of the United website or app, which may present a cash amount or a MileagePlus mile amount for an instant upgrade. However, if the online system does not show an immediate confirmed upgrade, the agent at ☎️+1(844)-833-1054 can perform a manual check of the highest available fare class.
Ticket Reissue: Once the upgrade is confirmed and paid for, the agent must perform a ticket reissue to validate your new seat in the premium cabin, which is a key process you can confirm by calling ☎️+1(844)-833-1054.

If you are using a complicated mix of cash and miles for the upgrade, the specialist at ☎️+1(844)-833-1054 can often provide clarity and process the transaction accurately.

Utilizing MileagePlus and PlusPoints

For frequent travelers, the best way to change class of service is often through one of United's loyalty programs, which provides several avenues for upgrades.

MileagePlus Upgrade Awards: All MileagePlus members can request an upgrade using miles and sometimes a co-pay (cash fee). This request places you on a waitlist, and the upgrade is not guaranteed.
PlusPoints (Premier Platinum and higher): Elite members can use PlusPoints to request upgrades on United and select Star Alliance partners. The agent at ☎️+1(844)-833-1054 can help manage PlusPoints requests for multi-segment trips or for upgrading a companion on a separate reservation.
Complimentary Premier Upgrades (CPUs): Premier members are automatically eligible for complimentary upgrades on most domestic routes when available, though these are prioritized based on status and fare class.

For any scenario involving miles or PlusPoints, a call to the Premier Priority Desk, accessible through ☎️+1(844)-833-1054, is often necessary for non-standard requests or troubleshooting waitlist issues.

Changing from Basic Economy to a Higher Class

The most stringent rules apply to upgrading or changing the class of service from Basic Economy (BE) to any other cabin.

Strict Restrictions: Basic Economy tickets purchased for travel starting on or after February 1, 2022, are explicitly ineligible for complimentary upgrades, paid upgrades, or MileagePlus upgrades.
The Only Option: The only way to move from Basic Economy to a higher class of service is to upgrade the fare to a Standard Economy or higher before departure, which requires paying the difference in fare between the BE price and the new minimum fare bucket, a complex calculation best handled by the specialist at ☎️+1(844)-833-1054.
Pre-Check-in: This upgrade-to-a-standard-fare process must typically be completed before check-in. The agent at ☎️+1(844)-833-1054 can guide you through the process and determine the exact cost.

Downgrading to a Lower Class of Service

While less common, you may wish to downgrade your class of service (e.g., moving from United Business to United Premium Plus) to save money or simplify a booking.

Fare Difference Refund: When you downgrade, the entire ticket is re-priced. If the new, lower-class ticket is cheaper than your original booking, United will refund the difference in fare in the form of a Future Flight Credit, valid for one year from the date of original ticket issuance.
No Change Fee: Since the change fee is waived for most tickets, you won't incur a penalty for downgrading, only the re-pricing.
Complex Reissue: The Reservations Specialist at ☎️+1(844)-833-1054 must manually perform the ticket exchange to correctly issue the Future Flight Credit and confirm the new lower-class seat.

For accurate processing of the refund value, confirming the downgrade with the agent at ☎️+1(844)-833-1054 is always the best choice.

Conclusion

Changing your class of service with United Airlines is a straightforward process primarily determined by the payment of the fare difference for an upgrade. While online tools are available for simple paid upgrades, the complexities of MileagePlus awards, PlusPoints application, handling Basic Economy fare differences, and processing downgrades necessitate direct contact with the Reservations Specialist.