Buckdany

My understanding is: 1PAX=1ETC, 2PAX= 1 or 2 ETC, 3+PAX=1 or 2 ETC max (I found this to be true both online on through 1k desk)


Brand new reservation (not change) after original is cancelled

Unfortunately, this has never worked for me in the past.

thirdcoastx

This is why it's absurd.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Again - buy a refundable ticket if you want your money back in the form you paid with. If you buy a non-refundable ticket, you agree to the terms and conditions that go with it. If you don't like the T&Cs, then don't buy the refundable ticket in the first place.

It's one thing to say it's an absurd policy and not buy a ticket because of it, but another to agree to the policy and then say it's absurd when you try to use it contrary to what you agreed to.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

This is what you need to do.

Forget trying to use your ETC in a way that is contrary to the terms you agreed to. You may think the policy is stupid or absurd, but you agreed to it.

Buckdany

You can buy a service (sometimes because you have no choice) and still think it's absurd. Before and after the fact.

Steve M

If your ETC came from a reservation that originally had non-UA(X) flights on it, then you have a stronger point. It would have been nice for you mention it prior to now if that was the case. And looking closely at what you said above, you still haven't really said that the ETC came from a non-UA(X) reservation originally, only that you agree with what someone else said about such situations.

SkinsFan0521

I've read through several pages of this thread and a version of this question seems to be a question that is asked more than once, but not necessarily answered clearly.

I have a few 13TCVA ($500, $300, $300) that expire in a couple weeks. Is there any way to extend the validity of these and/or combine them?

Eventually, I'll be booking something for my wife and I, so I know that I can only use 1 per passenger.

My thought was that I could book 3 fully refundable tickets and then cancel those tickets. Could I then combine the full value ($1100) onto a single PNR at a later point?

Any help/suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

SkinsFan0521

Sorry, I'm not really into "bumping" threads, but I'd really appreciate it if somebody could help me out with my question above.

If you'd prefer to PM me, that's perfectly fine, I'd just like to know if it would be possible to book 2 refundable tickets using one TCVA and then one other refundable ticket using a separate TCVA, then cancel them both and apply the credit to a single PNR (for 2 people) later.

eleeut

just used 2 TCVAs for my parents to book a 2 stop trip on UA.com from North America and back. after recalling that these certs don't work on code shares, i was able to use both in about 20-30 min. phew. there should be a prompt indicating that TCVAs don't work for itins with those flights though with the pathway, i'm not sure where a good placement for such.

again, not for the novices to use these!

KevinInRI

I have a United travel certificate (one of the ones starting with 1016) that I'd like to use for a flight but I don't want to ticket it just yet if I don't have to (in case the flight price goes down). When I go to price out the flights with the certificate it gives me 2 options - (1) RESERVE - "Continue to reserve. A credit card is required to hold your reservation until midnight [tomorrow]" or (2) Continue to traveler information [which I assume means ticket now].

If I hit RESERVE, can I still cancel out the reservation the next day and rebook with the same certificate? Or is the certificate considered "used" as soon as I hit RESERVE? Ideally I'd like to make a res for 24 hours and if the price is the same tomorrow, make another res for another 24 hours and so forth until the price goes up, then I'll ticket it.

RjOllos

I tried to change a reservation made with a "customer care certificate" within the 24 hour window and I was told it "typically is not allowed, but they'll make an exception." It's stupid that the certificates would be treated any different than a regular booking.

emcampbe

If you're using TCVAs, you don't (or don't have to) put anything in until the payment page. I think you can put the TCVA14 (or whatever) into the promo code box on the main search, but I never do since you need to put it in on the payment page anyway - you need to select a travel voucher, then enter the code (TCVA## and PIN). The ability to use a travel voucher doesn't (or isn't supposed to) display if using anything operated by a partner carrier.

username

What is the latest rule on this? I used a voucher+credit card for a new reservation before the voucher expired. Now it went into a 3 hour schedule change and there is no option.

The agent basically said "too bad about the voucher, we can't refund that". It does not make sense to me. How do I get this (i.e. credit card refunded and new voucher) done?

If I left the money in the PNR and have them waive the chane fee when I rebook, would having paid with an expired voucher screw anything up when I try to rebook it?

Thanks.

emcampbe

If its UA that changed the reservation, then they have to give you a refund to the original form of payment.

The type of voucher used may change the ease of this. If its one of the promotional certificates, (i.e. the old PMUA style ones that start with 016 or 1016), they are supposed to be use it and lose it, though you'd think that since this is irrops, they'd give you a replacement. Certainly, I've seen reports of replacement even when they're not supposed to (customer-initiated cancellation), so they should be able to.

For TCVs (the ones that start with, say, 13TCVA or 14TCVA), a refund should issue for the same amount to each of the original forms of payments. So if you bought a $300 ticket, with $200 on a CC, and the additional $100 on a TCVA, you should get the $200 refunded to the credit card, and $100 going to a new TCV. I've always heard of it going to a new one, with a new PIN. I think they email those now, but they used to only snail mail them (and I never got them, so spent several calls trying once to track down the new PIN).

Certainly, if it was a TCVA, I'd HUCA and find an agent who knows what they're doing and can confirm that the amount on a TCV will be refunded to a new one - believe they should even be able to find the new PIN immediately upon cancellation (unless that's changed).

username

Thanks. It was a UA schedule change, it is over 3 hours, it is the only nonstop for the day and alternatives won't work for me.

It was a 2013 TCVA voucher - it was a refund due to reroute to start with, not even a customer compensation voucher. I booked this trip before it expired and now it has expired, thus the problem.