United airlines- Does anyone know non toll free number

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/contact/reservations/europe.aspx

Try calling a different European country - several appear to have seven day a week service (see for example Luxembourg, it says they are open daily)

Karen,

I tried calling United's 1-800 number to see if they could give me a non toll free number in the US for you to use. it was interesting phone call... I was connected to a very nice young man at a call center in Manila. It took several minutes of checking only to be told that the only number anyone in that call center knew about for the US was the toll free number.

I did notice on the website that every European Country that I checked had a reservations number that was available, but the mileage plan office was closed on the weekends.

The only US non toll free number I was able to get was one at SEATAC, which is also closed for the weekend and may end up being someone who couldn't help you anyway. Here is the number 206 433 4221.

If I understand what you're trying to do, you may (probably will) run into some resistance and/or large fees. I assume you booked your flights using United's "MileagePlus" frequent flyer points.

First, I do not see any non-toll-free numbers in the USA for United MileagePlus or anything remotely related. Everything points to toll-free numbers. That said, you can try calling any United Airlines airport ticket counter - they should be able to either transfer you directly to MileagePlus, or give you a non-toll-free number if any exists. Here's the non-toll-free phone number for Honolulu Airport (they ought to be in a good mood, right?): 808-241-6522. If that fails, call their corporate HQ in Chicago - they ought to be able to send you to the right place: 872-825-4000.

United's website lists four numbers in Italy for MileagePlus contacts, but none are open on weekends - I assume those is the same numbers you found. Here's the link to their MileagePlus contact numbers for Europe.

Assuming you are correct and there are indeed available award seats at the low ("saver") level, I believe the primary issue you will have (other than reaching them on a weekend) is going to be fees for making a change at this late date. Unless you have elite status, I believe the cost is going to be $125 per person.

If you are successful in calling, you may also get dinged with a fee for the privilege of speaking with a human (United says: Service charges for ticketing with a United representative in the United States and Canada are $25 by phone, $10 at a City Ticket Office and $50 in person at the airport. Ticketing charges may vary outside of the U.S. and Canada and based on MileagePlus status level.). I would ask them to waive that fee since you were unable to do it online (they should be willing to waive that).

A potentially more problematic issue may be if you booked a round-trip, and if they have a rule that prohibits or limits making changes to an award itinerary that has already begun (that is, if they consider this one itinerary there-and-back, and if they disallow/limit such changes). I don't t know their exact rule on this but have some vague recollection that some airlines do this. Just be prepared if they raise that.

My advice would be to try to make it work the way you want, but be prepared to stick to the original flights in case you run into a roadblock that you can't (or don't want to pay to) overcome.

Good luck. At least you're in Italy!

I have no idea if this works, but someone recently posted that using Whatsapp or Skype via WiFi allowed connection to 800 numbers.

Other than what has already been suggested, it looks like going to MXP or FCO and talking to a ticket agent in person, may the only way to reach UAL on a weekend.

If you booked a r/t ticket with miles and now want to change the return for your convenience, expect to meet resistance or large fees or both. If its some type of emergency, hopefully they will be merciful and not clean out your wallet.

How this has worked for me in the past is you have to cancel your existing ticketing then rebook your return flight as a one way if you want to do it online. It does take a few days for the miles to reappear in your available balance, so don't take this approach if you don't have enough miles to get the replacement flight(s) you need.

My United Mileage Plus card says dial 001-800- to reach the office from outside of the US instead of 1-800. It is no longer a toll free call at that point. Don't know if that will work as I have never needed to do that.

On the United site under contacts, I see two numbers to call from within Italy, but their hours are only Monday-Friday, not weekends

You could try calling the UK reservations number +44 207-136-0582 shown on this page. It is a toll number and has service on weekends.

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/contact/reservations/europe.aspx?Mobile=1

Karen, don't leave us hanging...

Were you ever able to get through and how did you manage it?

definitely US toll free numbers are free and easy on Skype.

So today we called the Milan # for United and were transferred to the US call center. I was able to change our flights from the 21st to the 12th for the $125 pp. (expected). We were not charged the service fee to change over the phone (maybe because I said I was unable to do the change on line). Later I checked the mileage balance on my account and it appeared they took out an additional 50,000 miles, so called them again. I guess we lucked out since out tickets were originally booked over a year ago, and had since changed dates from January to April, in theory, I should not have been able to make the change at all and United was charging me 50,000 miles for the FLR-FRA leg. But since they had already made the change per my request, didn't mention anything about the 50K extra, they refunded my miles.

And you ask why on earth would we return from Italy early and pay the $250.00? We are applying for a long term Italian visa and needed a 1 year lease for an apartment, which was the purpose of this trip. Fortunately, we found our town (Verbania), an apartment, and have a signed and register lease for our SF Visa Appointment in less time than expected. Flying home 9 days early saves us 9 nights of lodging and eating out and 10 days of dog boarding back home.

We'll be back in Italy in August to live full time for at least a year (and with our dog).

Glad to hear it all worked out!

Happy to hear United was flexible.