I haven't flown United since 2007. However, I bought a ticket on United last summer. 10 days notice.

Two days after I bought it they announced a "schedule change." My non-stop from LAX to Seattle had become a 9-hour layover in Phoenix. Also, the plane type had changed. Curious, I looked to see if United was still flying the leg I was on. Guess what? The same plane was still flying from LAX to Seattle at the exact time and date I had booked... except the flight number was different.

And the ticket price had gone from $120 to $1477.

United tried to argue that they weren't going to refund my fare because fuck you, that's why, if I wanted on the flight I'd bought I could pay $1477 (after all, my ticket was non-refundable). So I dug into their boilerplate and turns out, even though they wish you didn't read it, it says that if they add a layover with schedule changes you get out no-fuss, no muss. When I pointed this out to United (while also pointing out that my ticket was bought with a credit card that says "ALASKA AIRLINES" across the front) they said they'd get the money back to me in 4-6 weeks. I told 'em they had 'til the end of the day before I reversed charges on the credit card.

Money was miraculously reversed an hour later.

Fuck United.