United will now let you join standby lists for earlier flights through its mobile app

United has launched a new feature for its mobile app meant to make it easier to switch flights in case of disruptions, just in time for Labor Day weekend. This feature could prove very useful if you get bumped off your original flight, say due to your earlier reservation getting delayed or due to a cancellation, and transferred to a later schedule. It will let you join standby for up to three earlier flights to the same destination than the one you got rescheduled to. 

For example: If you get bumped off your original 10PM travel from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Newark Liberty International and get rescheduled to a 9AM flight the next day, you'll be able to add yourself to the standby list for up to three earlier flights in the mobile app. United will then monitor all three for you, and you'll get a text when a seat opens up. You'll be able to choose whether to switch to the earlier flight, and United will not cancel your confirmed reservation until you decide to do so. 

With this feature, you don't have to speak to a United agent, whether in person or through the phone, if you want to get on standby lists. United says this feature is part of its efforts to roll out self-service recovery tools, which so far, include real-time inbound aircraft status updates, a TSA wait times tracker and the ability to share the location of a suitcase with an AirTag or Find My network accessory with the airline.