United Airlines is getting rid of most US change fees -- forever

Good news about airlines has been hard to come by over the past several months, but United Airlines just came up with something that is bound to put a smile on most travelers' faces: It is eliminating change fees on economy and premium cabin tickets for flights within the United States -- for good.

The company announced Sunday that it will begin offering free same-day standby and flight changes to flyers starting in January 2021. For customers with tickets issued before December 31, United will extend a waiver, allowing travelers to change their flights an unlimited number of times for free. So, essentially, change fees are officially a thing of the past on United.

The new policy comes as the coronavirus pandemic has decimated air travel. Although travel has rebounded somewhat, it remains a fraction of what it was before the outbreak. Airlines, eager for customers, extended waivers to change fees as uncertain travelers wished to move their flights to avoid contagion.

"Change is inevitable these days -- but it's how we respond to it that matters most," said Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, in a video message to customers. "When we hear from customers about where we can improve, getting rid of this fee is often the top request."

Alluding to the post-September-11-2001 time for airlines, when they implemented more restrictions on customers, United said it had learned from some past mistakes.

"Following previous tough times, airlines made difficult decisions to survive, sometimes at the expense of customer service," Kirby said. "United Airlines won't be following that same playbook as we come out of this crisis. Instead, we're taking a completely different approach -- and looking at new ways to serve our customers better."