Feb 3, 2017, 11:44 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
United's Farelock
A FareLock is a reservation for space pending ticketing.
Why is farelock not offered at times?
Also, only fares that would be valid at the future purchase time, such as due to advance purchase (AP) requirements, can be farelocked. So if looking at 21 day AP ticket, 22 days before the applicable segment neither a 3 day or 7 day farelock will be available.
FareLock is available on flights operated by United and United Express® only, and the charge is per reservation. FareLock is also offered for both Saver and Everyday Award tickets on United- and United Express-operated flights.
Farelock fees are not refunded even under the 24 hour ticket cancellation rule.
Fareock reservations cannot be changed until after you have purchased the reservation.
If you do not purchase your ticket before your Farelock period expires, your reservation will be canceled unless you have selected the automatic purchase option. The 24 hour cancellation clock does not start until the actual purchase is made.
Caveats
Per the CoC, UA reserves the right to cancel reservations made for the same passenger on flights traveling on or about the same date between one or more of the same or nearby origin or destination cities. There have been multiple reports of UA exercising this option to cancel duplicate FareLock segments conflicting with either another FareLock reservation or with a ticketed reservation, often making the remainder of the FareLock (if any) unticketable. Generally, unticketed segments will be canceled over ticketed segments, and older bookings will be canceled over more recent bookings if ticket status is identical. UA does not automatically refund the FareLock service charge if this happens, but it is possible to call in and ask for the refund.
You can purchase your Farelock online using Payment methods (credit card, for example), and there's an option button for CERTIFICATES. Note that this seems to only allow ETC and not FFC (future flight credit vs. "certificate" which have a 10-digit number). You *may* be able to call United and have an agent convert your FFC into an ETC and then apply that to the Farelock so you can purchase over the phone, but this is not guaranteed.
Archive thread: Farelock - Questions/Answers/Experiences {Archive}
Preserve your fare and your peace of mind.FareLock℠ lets you hold your reserved fare and complete the purchase of your itinerary at a later time. Enjoy peace of mind that the price of your itinerary won't go up and that the flight won't sell out while you take your time with your purchase. Available only through united.com, the United app and the Customer Contact Center, FareLock allows you to reserve an itinerary and then complete your purchase later.
Itineraries can be held with FareLock for your choice of either three, seven or 14 days. The price of your itinerary is guaranteed during the hold period, until you decide to complete your purchase.
Itineraries can be held with FareLock for your choice of either three, seven or 14 days. The price of your itinerary is guaranteed during the hold period, until you decide to complete your purchase.
Why is farelock not offered at times?
FareLock is available on select flights operated by United and United Express (Star Alliance® flights and marketed codeshare flights are not eligible).
FareLock is available on flights operated by United and United Express® only, and the charge is per reservation. FareLock is also offered for both Saver and Everyday Award tickets on United- and United Express-operated flights.
Farelock fees are not refunded even under the 24 hour ticket cancellation rule.
Fareock reservations cannot be changed until after you have purchased the reservation.
If you do not purchase your ticket before your Farelock period expires, your reservation will be canceled unless you have selected the automatic purchase option. The 24 hour cancellation clock does not start until the actual purchase is made.
Caveats
Per the CoC, UA reserves the right to cancel reservations made for the same passenger on flights traveling on or about the same date between one or more of the same or nearby origin or destination cities. There have been multiple reports of UA exercising this option to cancel duplicate FareLock segments conflicting with either another FareLock reservation or with a ticketed reservation, often making the remainder of the FareLock (if any) unticketable. Generally, unticketed segments will be canceled over ticketed segments, and older bookings will be canceled over more recent bookings if ticket status is identical. UA does not automatically refund the FareLock service charge if this happens, but it is possible to call in and ask for the refund.
You can purchase your Farelock online using Payment methods (credit card, for example), and there's an option button for CERTIFICATES. Note that this seems to only allow ETC and not FFC (future flight credit vs. "certificate" which have a 10-digit number). You *may* be able to call United and have an agent convert your FFC into an ETC and then apply that to the Farelock so you can purchase over the phone, but this is not guaranteed.
Archive thread: Farelock - Questions/Answers/Experiences {Archive}
Farelock - Questions/Answers/Experiences
Feb 10, 2020, 6:42 pm
#16
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,855
Feb 16, 2020, 8:03 am
#18
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,138
Using farelock does preclude you from using ecerts and travelbank, as well as PayPal, as part of the final payment, though, IIRC.
Feb 16, 2020, 9:01 am
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,889
yes, you can pay for farelock with 1 card, and purchase the itinerary with another card. Just make sure not to have the farelock auto-purchase at the end (there’s a checkbox to allow that). Or, make sure you purchase manually before farelock expires where you should be able to use the payment method of your choice.
Feb 1, 2021, 11:31 pm
#20
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 963
Are there any safe ways to have two illogical Farelocks in place? With AA (at least in the old days), if you didn’t add your FF #, the sweeps wouldn’t catch multiple holds (different from Farelock in that you didn’t pay and it was only for 24 hours). Is the UA system more sophisticated?
In others words if I put a ticket on my account on Farelock from XXX-YYY on Day 1, returning on Day 5 with all more normal information and then did another one without my middle name, without my FF number, with a different phone and email from XXX-YYY on Day 2, returning on Day 6 - would the system catch it?
In others words if I put a ticket on my account on Farelock from XXX-YYY on Day 1, returning on Day 5 with all more normal information and then did another one without my middle name, without my FF number, with a different phone and email from XXX-YYY on Day 2, returning on Day 6 - would the system catch it?
Feb 1, 2021, 11:37 pm
#21
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Oakland CA
Programs: DL Gold, AS MVPG, Globalist
Posts: 1,008
Are there any safe ways to have two illogical Farelocks in place? With AA (at least in the old days), if you didn’t add your FF #, the sweeps wouldn’t catch multiple holds (different from Farelock in that you didn’t pay and it was only for 24 hours). Is the UA system more sophisticated?
In others words if I put a ticket on my account on Farelock from XXX-YYY on Day 1, returning on Day 5 with all more normal information and then did another one without my middle name, without my FF number, with a different phone and email from XXX-YYY on Day 2, returning on Day 6 - would the system catch it?
In others words if I put a ticket on my account on Farelock from XXX-YYY on Day 1, returning on Day 5 with all more normal information and then did another one without my middle name, without my FF number, with a different phone and email from XXX-YYY on Day 2, returning on Day 6 - would the system catch it?
All that said, if you change your contact info, I don't think they'd catch it even if it was truly impossible. I'd definitely use a different credit card, with a different billing address, in addition to new email, etc.
Apr 14, 2021, 1:16 pm
#22
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 151
Can a Farelocked airfare be purchased using ETC?
Good afternoon everyone,
I found a good airfare SFO-EWR-OPO r/t in Business class last week for travel in July and I put a Fare Lock on it to determine if it would work for our needs. I called to purchase it today using travel credits that I accumulated due to several Covid canceled trips. (I called because I've had bad experiences making changes on the app in the past and I had a gut feeling that this could go wrong if I tried.) The reservations agent advised me that I couldn't use travel credits to purchase an airfare on a Fare Lock which seems crazy to me. She told me that I can only use a credit card for itineraries that are held by Fare Lock. There was also a schedule change since I purchased the Fare Lock, so she asked me if I would like her to deal with the schedule change. I told her no thank you, as I had to think about whether or not I would need the trip if I couldn't use my credits. I still have 3 days left on the 14 day Fare Lock and the original fare is not available via EWR any more. Similar fares are available via partner airlines but I won't be able to use the ETCs.
Is the agent correct about this, or was I right to hang up and try calling again later?
Thank you.
misterfuss
I found a good airfare SFO-EWR-OPO r/t in Business class last week for travel in July and I put a Fare Lock on it to determine if it would work for our needs. I called to purchase it today using travel credits that I accumulated due to several Covid canceled trips. (I called because I've had bad experiences making changes on the app in the past and I had a gut feeling that this could go wrong if I tried.) The reservations agent advised me that I couldn't use travel credits to purchase an airfare on a Fare Lock which seems crazy to me. She told me that I can only use a credit card for itineraries that are held by Fare Lock. There was also a schedule change since I purchased the Fare Lock, so she asked me if I would like her to deal with the schedule change. I told her no thank you, as I had to think about whether or not I would need the trip if I couldn't use my credits. I still have 3 days left on the 14 day Fare Lock and the original fare is not available via EWR any more. Similar fares are available via partner airlines but I won't be able to use the ETCs.
Is the agent correct about this, or was I right to hang up and try calling again later?
Thank you.
misterfuss
Last edited by misterfuss; Apr 30, 2021 at 11:58 pm Reason: Changed destination to OPO vs. LIS
Apr 14, 2021, 1:25 pm
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA Plat 2MM. DL Plat, AS MVP
Posts: 12,752
I don’t believe she was correct. But if you still reach a dead end, you can always take your credit and purchase a refundable United ticket. Then take the new ticket and use it toward the flights with partners at the available fare.
Apr 14, 2021, 1:27 pm
#24
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: APC/SFO
Programs: UA 1K, B9, AA, DL, WN
Posts: 280
I had the same surprise just three days ago. I had a plain-vanilla domestic RT on Fare Lock, and went online to purchase it. I was going to use up an ETC for part of the payment, but there was no option to do so. CC only. I was pretty surprised, and annoyed. Didn't bother calling in. I can't believe this is a restriction, it seems really ridiculous 
Apr 14, 2021, 3:07 pm
#25
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,855
ETCs can be used for flight purchases BUT not other fees, such as farelock fee, bag fees, in the old days - change fees, UC membership fee, ....
However, the actual flight purchase, ETCs should work
However, the actual flight purchase, ETCs should work
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 14, 2021 at 3:18 pm
Apr 14, 2021, 3:56 pm
#26
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: APC/SFO
Programs: UA 1K, B9, AA, DL, WN
Posts: 280
Apr 15, 2021, 2:00 pm
#27
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 151
An update to my situation: Yesterday evening, I decided to ask @UNITED on Twitter if purchasing a Fare Locked airfare using TCVAs was possible and the answer was yes, I "should" be able to enter them in the Form of Payment. I replied back that it was not an option and supplied a screenshot of the same. The Twitter agent then offered to purchase it on my behalf using my TCVAs. The agent got back in touch several times advising me that they were still working on the reservation. All told, it was about 3 hours of back and forth on Twitter when I was told it was all done. I filled out the survey at the end praising the agent because it was better than sitting on hold while various people got involved.
Unfortunately, it isn't completely resolved at this time. Almost 24 hours later I see that my reservation is indicating "Your purchase is confirmed and your reservation is processing.
We'll email you when your reservation has been ticketed." on the website and showing as still Fare Locked on the mobile app. I plan on checking back in a few hours to see if the status changes. Wish me luck!
Unfortunately, it isn't completely resolved at this time. Almost 24 hours later I see that my reservation is indicating "Your purchase is confirmed and your reservation is processing.
We'll email you when your reservation has been ticketed." on the website and showing as still Fare Locked on the mobile app. I plan on checking back in a few hours to see if the status changes. Wish me luck!
Apr 15, 2021, 2:42 pm
#28
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: EDI/GLA
Programs: DL 2 MM Unobtainum | UA 1.1MM Gold | MR Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 2,272
An update to my situation: Yesterday evening, I decided to ask @UNITED on Twitter if purchasing a Fare Locked airfare using TCVAs was possible and the answer was yes, I "should" be able to enter them in the Form of Payment. I replied back that it was not an option and supplied a screenshot of the same. The Twitter agent then offered to purchase it on my behalf using my TCVAs. The agent got back in touch several times advising me that they were still working on the reservation. All told, it was about 3 hours of back and forth on Twitter when I was told it was all done. I filled out the survey at the end praising the agent because it was better than sitting on hold while various people got involved.
Unfortunately, it isn't completely resolved at this time. Almost 24 hours later I see that my reservation is indicating "Your purchase is confirmed and your reservation is processing.
We'll email you when your reservation has been ticketed." on the website and showing as still Fare Locked on the mobile app. I plan on checking back in a few hours to see if the status changes. Wish me luck!
Unfortunately, it isn't completely resolved at this time. Almost 24 hours later I see that my reservation is indicating "Your purchase is confirmed and your reservation is processing.
We'll email you when your reservation has been ticketed." on the website and showing as still Fare Locked on the mobile app. I plan on checking back in a few hours to see if the status changes. Wish me luck!
Apr 16, 2021, 4:52 am
#29
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: CLE
Programs: UA:1K 0.81M
Posts: 135
I was able to do it about six weeks ago on the website. Even used multiple credits.
Apr 16, 2021, 2:20 pm
#30
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 151
Ticket finally shows purchased today.
Just to clarify that I definitely was NOT given the opportunity to apply travel credits when I went to purchase the itinerary. I was only offered Credit/Debit card or PayPal.
I wanted to use my Travel Credits to book UA/UAX travel and not deal with the workarounds that were suggested (although I appreciate the suggestions!)
Thanks for everyone's input!