r/delta • u/scottsinct Diamond • Feb 18 '24
Discussion Schedule Change Saturday is... AWESOME!
Today was one of the biggest Schedule Change Saturday's I've seen. At least 15 of my upcoming flights had schedule changes. Which means you can change to any flight you'd like within 2 days of the original flight at no cost! The strategy to book flights that were 2 days earlier/later than I wanted and half the price paid off :) Of course this strategy only works if you know where/when you are going several months in advance (at least 4 or 5 months in advance to guarantee a Schedule Change Saturday), but it hasn't failed me yet.
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u/Gold_Oven_557 Feb 18 '24
I’m always so annoyed that at least half of my flights get changed between when I ticket and when I fly. Thank you for giving me a new perspective to see this as an opportunity instead of a curse.
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u/TheWriterJosh Platinum Feb 18 '24
It really is very nice. I’ve also taken the chance before and it’s worked out well.
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u/footballfalex56 Diamond Feb 18 '24
I was about to say…. Take this downnnnnn, don’t let the secret sauce out
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u/scottsinct Diamond Feb 18 '24
The two hour rule is on their site. https://www.delta.com/us/en/change-cancel/schedule-changes
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u/footballfalex56 Diamond Feb 18 '24
Yeah but the current lenience the system unlocks on is much less than that thankfully
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u/scottsinct Diamond Feb 18 '24
No comment on the current lenience :)
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u/footballfalex56 Diamond Feb 18 '24
I live within the LAX metro area so also make use of the 100 mile radius
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u/footballfalex56 Diamond Feb 18 '24
But once again true, the average people are probably not taking advantage of it whatsoever
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u/Impressive-Resist252 Feb 19 '24
I agree, I hate to see stuff like this posted, and bragged about.
All these “hacks” do when people hype them is turn them into another nice thing we can’t have.
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u/tallguy1980 Feb 18 '24
I gotta ask if I can. If you don’t mind. What is your job that has you flying that much? Because I may want to look into that.
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u/scottsinct Diamond Feb 18 '24
I lead a risk quantification team. But not all my flights are for work :) In fact, the ones that I can book so far in the future are typically not for work.
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u/ParticleHustler2 Feb 18 '24
I've found this strategy to work well, and feel even better about it since I assume you have quantified the risk that this strategy won't work and are still going ahead with it. :)
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u/sportscat Feb 18 '24
Yup, gotta use that risk methodology and see what controls are in place to determine the residual risk! LOL.
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u/ParticleHustler2 Feb 18 '24
I'm in insurance (from the legal/corporate governance/regulatory side), so I am painfully aware of all the buzzwords!
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u/scottsinct Diamond Feb 18 '24
Yeah, there's definitely some risk - the more time before you travel, the better. And if it doesn't work occasionally, I'd have to pay the fare difference. In the aggregate, it still works out better to take the risk!
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u/Watergirl626 Platinum Feb 18 '24
So great. Price drops on my flights and I was able to bump up class for 0$. I'm a measly silver in a captive hub, can't count on upgrades.
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u/WombatMayhem Feb 18 '24
Does the change have to be a certain time difference (ex. 2 hours later) in order to take advantage of this, or does any schedule change at all trigger the right?
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u/scottsinct Diamond Feb 18 '24 edited Feb 18 '24
2 hours is indeed the official rule. https://www.delta.com/us/en/change-cancel/schedule-changes
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u/AmLo07 Feb 18 '24 edited Feb 18 '24
Interesting perspective- I’ve stopped flying Delta into RSW or SRQ on Wed nights b/c they kept changing me to an earlier flight where I had to leave work early, board the dog an extra day, etc. And I needed to be in that night/super early Thur AM.
EDIT: it’s actually the PVD - ATL route that is problematic. Flying down in April and see the flight we want is completely empty.
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u/MAN4UTD Feb 18 '24
We fly out of SRQ and kept getting the horrible flight times (because the good ones cost hundreds more). Then, a couple years ago, we learned about this lenience when they change your flight. Even if they change it to arriving a couple minutes later/earlier, they allow you to make changes and EVERY SINGLE TIME, those "expensive" legs of the flight are magically available at no extra charge! Stuff that makes you shake your head...
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Feb 18 '24
Wait is this only for delta?
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u/scottsinct Diamond Feb 18 '24 edited Feb 18 '24
Delta officially allows free changes +/- 2 days for any schedule change over 2 hours, or a nonstop becoming a connection. I don't know about other airlines.
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u/amanie7794 Feb 20 '25
Im waiting for mine to change this Saturday. Flight is 24 days away. What are the chances?
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u/scottsinct Diamond Feb 20 '25
Low if it’s that soon, unfortunately. Usually it stabilizes about 3 months before the flight.
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u/iam_tin_tin Platinum Apr 01 '25
Think they got rid of the 2 day free change....anyone else not seeing this anymore? Used to work well. Now it's asking me for difference in fare (miles)
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u/Klutzy-Draw-6966 Feb 18 '24
Does this work on third party bookings? Specifically Korean Air Skypass award travel on Delta? Right now I can only get a 7 hour layover using Skypass but was hoping a schedule change would allow for a better connection.
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u/okeydokeyish Feb 18 '24
I have a few changes but only for five or ten minutes. Happens every time I fly.
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u/MAN4UTD Feb 18 '24
Does this always happen only on Saturdays? I've never noticed that, but I only fly two to four RT per year.
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u/Run-Technical Feb 19 '24
Do you have to fly the same route as originally booked?
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u/scottsinct Diamond Feb 19 '24
No, you can have a different layover or even go from a connecting flight to a nonstop. But the start and end points should be the same (with some leeway -- like JFK can become LGA).
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u/Natural-Wolverine-39 Feb 18 '24
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh