United Airlines: Baggage Fees, Fares, Reviews

United Airlines Reviews

2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Surprisingly fine”
by Cyndelewis on June 16, 2013
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
No stops
Date of Flight:
March 2013
Seat Class:
economy
United did a great job, the staff was very pleasant . Looking forward to the Dreamliner on my next flight.
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Surprise bag fee for international travel”
by tolsen on June 4, 2013
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
1 stop in Newark, New Jersey
Date of Flight:
April 2008
Seat Class:
economy
United Airlines states that first checked bag is free for international travel. They honored that policy on the outbound trip, but then forced me to pay a $25 bag fee to return home. A phone call to customer service confirmed there should be no fee, but sent me to online refunds to resolve it. The refunds department refused to make the refund with no clear explanation. It costs me much more in time hassling with this issue. That's an obnoxious way to do business.
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Delays, cancellations!”
by eweicher on May 8, 2013
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
2 stops in Dallas, Texas and Newark, New Jersey
Date of Flight:
April 2013
Seat Class:
economy
Scheduled to fly from CLL to YHZ on April 24, 2013. The final flight from Newark to Halifax turned into a nightmare. Flight 4321 scheduled to depart at 7:07 p.m. was delayed three times and eventually cancelled at 10:30 p.m. that night. United re-booked me on three different itineraries on the 25th and 26th. Eventually had to go back to United counter to get it straight. Customer service was definitely lacking. Additionally, there was no offer to cover meals, hotel room, transfers, anything! What a mess.
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“PRICE GOUGING - UNITED AIRLINES”
by shaynes1 on May 4, 2013
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
No stops
Date of Flight:
February 2013
Seat Class:
economy
A family member was found dead, and the coroners office required an immediate family member be present to determine where the remains of individual need to me shipped. This required flying the sole remaining family member to fly to Houston, TX from Toronto, Ontario to accompany a 70 old grandmother with driving to SC to make arrangements to have the remains taken care of. Bottom-line: Due to the urgency of the situation, a ticket was purchased one day prior to departure. The flight had open seating, was booked on-line (United), seat assignment was made on-line, and the price with taxes was $2,404.66, 5'x times the normal RT airfare. When writing to the CEO, the head of marketing, and the head of customer service to address price gouging, I was directed to a cleak in customer service. The best they could do was give me coupons worth $300.00 for another flight on United. I received no monetary compensation, and now I am once again FORCED to fly United, just to recover a pitance of my $2,404.66. WHAT GOVERNMENT AGENCY OVERSEES THE GOUGING TAKING PLACE BY THE AIRLINES INDUSTRY? IF ANYONE KNOWS, PLEASE PROVIDE ALL CONTACT INFORMATION.
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Too bad sucker - Bereavement Discount a Joke - United is Expensive”
by DontflyUnited on April 17, 2013
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
No stops
Date of Flight:
April 2013
Seat Class:
economy
Had to fly out next day for a funeral - I had to be back at work in a few days - my round trip discounted ticket was $320 - not bad. My husband had to stay the week to take care of things - his discounted ticket was $900! Both tickets received the standard 5% bereavement discount. Then when tried to pick our seats, half of the plan was full and the other half required a $45 premium seating payment which nixed the 5% discount. I even called customer service and complained about the cost - they said they could not do anything.
Who has time to worry about a very very expensive ticket when you have to get home in an emergency. Last time I fly with United.
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Change policy worthless”
by Disappointed on April 14, 2013
RT/OW:
One Way
Number of Stops:
No stops
Date of Flight:
June 2013
Seat Class:
economy
United has higher change/cancellation fees than the rest of the airlines in the same market. UA makes no attempt to match its competitors or work with the customer. The fares are the same but the change policies vary dramatically. Southwest offers a full credit on a cancelled flight or a credit in price if the new flight is cheaper to be used in one year. Frontier charges $50 but will credit back if the new fare is cheaper. United charges $150 and offers no credit if the new fare is cheaper. UA has not kept up with the market.
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Nightmare going, nightmare coming back”
by min on March 31, 2013
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
1 stop in Denver, Colorado
Date of Flight:
March 2013
Seat Class:
economy
This was the first time my family decided to use United airlines due to the timing and better rates , for our spring vacation. After an hour or so delay in Miami ( leaving on Saturday March 23rd ) we arrived to Denver to find out that all flights to Hayden were cancelled. We then were told to go to their customer service to look into options to get to our destination. After four hours of waiting in line the agent basically told us that they can not put us on any flights until two days later , however the option of getting a shuttle or renting a car is up to us, except that they can NOT release our luggage for another hour! then we were told to go to the baggage claim and wait for our luggage. Now its about five hours later ,the agent at the baggage claims informs us that it may take up to 8 hours to claim our suitcase and it is not guranteed that we will receive it and encouraged us to take a shuttle to our destination and they will try to put our bags on the first flight out of Denver which was the next day, ( four flights were scheduled the next day) . We then paid 600.00 to get a shuttle from Denver to Steamboat and arrived to our destination by midnight! For two days the United baggage claim dept or "the I am so sorry but can not help you " dept. had no idea where or when our suitcases will get to us. Here we are , left Miami with t-shirt and a jacket , and stuck in Steamboat for two days without any warm clothes. Finally after our own investigation thru our hotel we found out that our suitcases are going to be on the flight on Monday. Just when we thought the saga was over with, on our return flight back from Hayden the united airlines informs us due to the fact that we didnt make it to our cancelled flight!!! their system automatically cancelled the rest of our reservation. At that time , everything i learned from meditations and staying calm went out the window. I just could not beleive this was happening to us. At the very last seconds, and i truly mean seconds, the American airline agent was able to put us in their flight that was leaving momentarily and we were able to catch that flight otherwise they basically told us to wait another two days. The handling or lack of and the shortage of staff and lack of knowledge was mind boggling to me. THEY JUST DONT CARE. Never again......
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“United sets a new low standard for service”
by shudanish on March 16, 2013
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
1 stop in Chicago, Illinois
Date of Flight:
March 2013
Seat Class:
economy
I have travelled for years, my most recent experience with United was the absolute worst.
To sum up my experience...I was trying to get from Little Rock to Washington DC. I would have been better off driving. That way my luggage would not have ended up somewhere else, and I would have not ended up in Denver.
Seriously, if you read reviews to try to make a decision on your carrier choice....stay well clear of United...they have no integrity that I could see. Uncaring, unhelpful, and if you need help with luggage, all your hopes are pinned on a couple of guys in New Dehli India. Guess how much use they were at finding my bag? The refund people are in the Phillipines, and they want to charge me for flying me into Denver. Buyer beware.
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Great airline to fly/Good service.”
by grangersb on February 6, 2013
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
No stops
Date of Flight:
November 2012
Seat Class:
economy
I personally have always had good service on my flights from AVL to ORD. I have flown this route many times as I am originally from the Chicago area. The flight has always been great (except the seats are built for the size of a 5 yr old) My rear end is a little bigger. I have always had good service and often the plane will land sooner then arrival time, which I like. Kudos to United Airlines.
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Beats going thru Lax”
by PeterD on February 2, 2013
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
1 stop in Denver, Colorado
Date of Flight:
April 2012
Seat Class:
economy
Around a 5&1/2 hr flight 6:00am to 1:00p, Far time.$500 to $600/person R/T. Usually on time. Friendly crew. A-OK!!! B+
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Baggage fee Discrimination”
by qwerty on January 2, 2013
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
1 stop in Chicago, Illinois
Date of Flight:
December 2012
Seat Class:
economy
Are flights from the USA to Canada considered to be International?? Last I chaecked, I had to clear customs when I entered from one country to the other.
Why Does United not charge for the first bag from Mexico to Detroit/ Detroit to Mexico and feel they have to charge first bag fee of $25.00 from Detroit to Vancouver British Columbia??
This seems to be discriminating towards Canadaians and appears to be a complete money grab!!
Thanks United for sticking your fingers in my pocket one more time.
Too boot...they lost my luggage in Chicago on the way back to Canada after a 1 hour delay loading luggage onto the plane.
Odviously my $25.00 has not been used to improve service to its customers.
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Poor treatment of handicapped passengers”
by bjstruthers on January 2, 2013
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
No stops
Date of Flight:
December 2012
Seat Class:
economy
I use a walker, and need a wheelchair to get through an airport. On three different round trip United flights in the past year I have had difficulty with very slow and fractured wheelchair service. On both Dec. 26 leaving O'Hare and Dec 30 returning, it took 10 minutes to get a wheelchair after I curb-checked my luggage, then I was taken to a wheelchair waiting area for another 15 minutes for a chair to take me to security. After security I was transferred to a cart. I had arrived at the airport 2 hours before my flight, and got to the baggage area just as they were beginning to board.
On the return trip there was a 25-plus minute wait for a cart for 3 of us, and a transfer from the cart to wait again for a wheelchair outside the baggage area. It was 50 minutes from the time the plane landed until I was helped with my checked bag to get to the curb to be picked up.
This is the 3rd time this has happened.
Wheelchair service used to be pretty good and it was in SNA; it's gotten terrible at O'Hare United.
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“United Gouged on ticket changes”
by daleinkansas on November 20, 2012
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
1 stop in Denver, Colorado
Date of Flight:
November 2012
Seat Class:
economy
United today received a negative 5 stars. After my Flight Partner broke her leg last week, we decided it was best we not fly the day after Thanksgiving, I called United, to change flights they in turn verbally said it would cost $150 per person, when I got my confirmation of the flight changes, it was two charges of $322.00 and $644.00 on top of what i had already paide for the flights, over $200 more then quoted on Uniteds Web Site for the same flights? would you be upset?
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Don't (Attempt To) Fly United”
by harvard1962 on October 22, 2012
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
2 stops in Denver, Colorado and Washington, D.C.
Date of Flight:
October 2012
Seat Class:
economy
Round trip flight from NW Colorado to Albany and back. 6 legs. Perfect weather coast to coast both days. 1 leg on time, 1 leg cancelled, 4 legs delayed 1 to 3 hours. Missed connections. Automatic re-booking by airlines sent via txt message of over 24 hour delay (flights already full, no capacity to fit you on another earlier flight).
On return we finally gave up had our child drive 3 hours to pick us up as United said they just couldn't get us there for 24 hours. Our flights ended up costing us nearly 20 hours additional travel time on a planned 72 hour weekend.
1 of perhaps 20 airline representatives cooperative and helpful/honest.
Sat at one gate for 2 hours waiting for a mechanic to check out a suspected problem then waited 50 minutes more for a ground crew to push us back after the problem was deemed to not be a problem. Good thing we now have the "3 hour rule" else we'd still be jailed on that plane.
Don't fly United. They can't keep a schedule or even reasonably close enough that you can plan a 3 day trip
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Miserable airline”
by Mab12345 on October 21, 2012
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
1 stop in Los Angeles, California
Date of Flight:
October 2012
Seat Class:
premium
I will never fly united again. After it became obvious that the severely delayed plane was not making it to San Diego, the united agents made no attempts to assist customers. I was told I could get home in 2 days at the earliest, and I was also told to google hotels because there regular hotels were full. Another flight to lax from another airline was discovered by another passenger, at which time all nine passengers were squeezed on. No assistance but a begrudging transfer was made by the united agents. Upon finally getting in a plane, we landed and literally ran for a significant time with luggage to get to our gate - plane still there. Then told they boarded ten min early and we were too late - "nothing we can do". 9 people didn't board but they boarded ten min early! Getting a flight the next day required me correcting the ticket agent by using their own app! I was told no flights until the afternoon but found some leaving at 6 am - by using their own app! Then upon getting 3 hrs of sleep, get to counter and have a snarl saying the counter opens in 20 min. Then said attendant points to a huge line. Thanks united - never flying you again. You hire angry bottom feeders without any problem solving abilities.
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Not what they used to be”
by forgionejohn1732 on September 28, 2012
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
No stops
Date of Flight:
February 2010
Seat Class:
economy
My flight was the ONLY one canceled that day because the crew was delayed the night before; kind of ironic for that time of year since it wasn't Buffalo's weather. It did make me realize that there is no consideration that this might occur because of bad weather elsewhere and if 'your crew' is delayed so are you because there isn't another to replace it. However, all the complaining I sent to United must have went straight to the waste basket because I got NOTHING in reply, not even an automatic reply with some canned statement. I still have my old paper United frequent flyer card with its pre-merger number, not out of loyalty, but this is another custumor service issue. I gave up on getting a new card with number and finally just crossed out the old number and hand wrote the new one and have yet to have an agent notice or care. Since my frequent flyer loyalty means nothing, I shop around for the lowest fare when I fly and no longer give preference to United.
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Charging for carryons”
by dorythecat on September 14, 2012
RT/OW:
One Way
Number of Stops:
No stops
Date of Flight:
September 2012
Seat Class:
economy
We just left Oahu 2 days ago. Left Maui and flew to Oahu and then were getting a nonstop night flight to Newark. In Oahu they told us that our carryons weighed too much. We were dumbstruck. We do a decent amount of flying, in fact had flown 2 months previous, and never had any problem. Debi, the customer services person we got at Hawaiian airlines told us that we had too much in our one carryon. She said United had the same rule. We asked why and she said they had 2 head injuries in several months. I got a bit beligerent and told her that since they charge for lugagge, and people use more carryons they had to "drum up business." I know I was nasty back to her but every time we fly there are new rules. We flew from Newark 2 months ago and landed in Phoenix where we had to go through security a second time. When I asked why he said that's the way its done. I told him in all my travels, which include Egypt, Turkey, and Greece it never happened and it never happened here in the US. His answer was well then they are all wrong. I am so sick of airlines and their food. The next thing that will happen is that we won't be able to bring any food on board or we'll have to pay t bring it on. I'm a type 1 diabetic and if that happens, I will definitely feel a law suit coming on.
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Quick, convenient flight, but DON'T splurge on First Class”
by Joe on September 7, 2012
RT/OW:
One Way
Number of Stops:
No stops
Date of Flight:
May 2010
Seat Class:
first
United Express' non-stop OKC-LAX flights are operated by SkyWest using regional jets. I cashed in a bunch of miles to upgrade to "First Class." What a waste of miles THAT was. "First Class" on a regional jet is not even equivalent to Coach on a small mainline jet (e.g., 737, A320, MD-80, etc.). The ability to fly non-stop from OKC to Los Angeles was great ... saves at least 2 hours. But that was the most uncomfortable airline seat I've ever endured, and my first class "meal" was a cardboard box of individual snack items. Fortunately, the friendly (and sympathetic) flight attendant kept the free booze coming, so I didn't really care anymore after the first 90 minutes.
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Horrible!! Horrible!!! Horrible!!!”
by United on August 14, 2012
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
1 stop in Newark, New Jersey
Date of Flight:
August 2012
Seat Class:
economy
We just finished a great vacation in Vegas!!! We were feeling happy and stress free until we got to the airport and found out our connecting flight on united was cancelled!! We were told it was due to weather. However when we got into Newark ( where the flight was departing from) the weather looked fine and we also checked back home and weather was fine there as well. We were left stranded. They could not get us on another flight for 27 hrs. We have 2 small children at home that would have no caretakers so that wasn't an option. The staff who assisted us at the terminals could care less and did not want to be bothered which was evident. We ended up paying to take a train home. (not in the budget!!!) thanks united!!! We know 140.00 might not be a lot to you but it is to us everyday people"!!! Oh and they also charge you to use direct tv and offer food but only have enough for @ 20 people. I guess when your in economy class they feel they can treat you like your nobody!!! Great feeling. Anyone who reads this use another airline. There are a few that offer free tv and treat you like you matter!!!
2. Check-in Experience:
3. In-flight Service:
4. Seat Comfort:
“Nightmare flight. No longer breaking guitars, now it's people!!!”
by tambones2 on August 14, 2012
RT/OW:
Round Trip
Number of Stops:
1 stop in Denver, Colorado
Date of Flight:
August 2012
Seat Class:
economy
We flew First Class (Fare-A) round trip. Last flight of our journey was Flt #1496 on 8-12-12. Husband who just had major abdominal surgery earlier in the week needed crackers and gatorade every 5 hours per doctors order. Flight attendant refused to bring him a snackpack with crackers in place of a fancy first class meal he couldn't eat.. After 50 minutes of her continuing to ignore him and watching him become sicker and sicker, I got the lead flight attendant involved. Disgusting!!!!! Had to listen to the same undertrained, beligerant, flight attendant complain during the flight about how all of her boyfriends keep dumping her and not understanding why. I listened to a preflight recording talking about their dedication to "Service". They need to stop "talking" and start "acting" upon their mission statement.

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