US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - International Ticket Credit Question

MY wife & I were to go DCA-PHL-FCO next week and are about to cancel the trip (not my choice). Bought the tickets a while ago @ about $950 each. Tickets were non-refundable w/ the $150 cancellation fee. So I should have about a $1500 flight ticket credit w/ US. Can I use that on any flight within the US system or only for an international flight. Looking to do SJU for the week before Christmas and the credit would be nice.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by RMINIONE:
Can I use that on any flight within the US system or only for an international flight. Looking to do SJU for the week before Christmas and the credit would be nice.</font>Does it really matter in your case? Anyways, I am nearly positive that the credit is for int'l only.

Maybe geo"I'm the king of cancelling int'l trips"1004 can chime in here.

Actually, you have to recognize how the credit works. You now have a $950 credit, and each time you use that credit you have to pay the $150 change fee. So, if you buy two $500 international tickets with the credit, you'll actually have to pay $300 in changes fees. The easiest way to handle that is to make sure the new ticket is the at least the same price as the old one.

Also, to answer the question before it's asked, I don't think those two $500 tickets can be for different people, but even they could be (on the same itinerary), I'd bet you'd still have to pay two fees.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by RMINIONE:
So I should have about a $1500 flight ticket credit w/ US.</font>

Actually, I read it as you and your wife will each end up with a $950 credit on US for, yes, an international flight only. When you go to use the unused ticket, each will be charged the $150 change fee. So, you will have $800 credit and so will your wife.

geo ~ I don't believe that is correct. You have a $950 credit and you have to pay a $150 change fee to use that credit. I don't believe you can get a "free" ticket using that credit, you have to pay the additional $150.

I could be wrong (note my CYA wording).

I think we are saying the same thing. After the $150 fee is assessed, each $950 ticket will be worth $800.

I've been through an intl ticket reissue with US, so let me chime in here.

THe $150 fee is a change fee if you want to change your return flight. It does not allow you to change your outbound flight. You cannot pay $150 and apply the value of the ticket towards another international ticket.

What you can do is apply the value of the ticket to a more expensive international ticket, and no change fee applies.

I was in a situation where my new ticket was $30 cheaper, and paying $150 wouldn't do the trick. I had to upgrade the new ticket to a higher fare and paid ~ $225.

Makes sense? No. Did it surprise me? Yes. In fact, I was all set to pay $150 until I showed up at the ticket counter and was told I couldn't do that.

As far as using it for SJU, probably would not be allowed unless US considered it international.

I found out that they consider SJU "Western Hempisphere" and I could not use the international credit for SJU. I will just have to to intl next year sometime-- gee that hurts!!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by geo1004:
I think we are saying the same thing. After the $150 fee is assessed, each $950 ticket will be worth $800.
</font>

I don't think we were saying the same thing and it's moot since it looks like we were both wrong http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Hmmm.Last week I called about using a credit from a trip not taken to London---and was told I'd have to pay the 150 dollar fee AND purchase a higher fare ticket.

I'm gold, not that it should change things.