Sep 16, 2014, 3:01 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Related topic: Change Fees "Gone For Good"(WW ex-USA,non-BE), credit for lower fare!, BE waiver
United;s web page: https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...ng-policy.html
United’s 24-hour flexible booking policy
and Ticket refund policies - Booking service fees
April 2020
Previous wording - Dec 2019
Note: United refers to this as "United’s 24-hour flexible booking policy", not just cancellations. UA includes routing changes, pricing changes, fare class changes, ..... as well as simple cancellations. But the timeframe is based on the original purchases and not reset by a change. Only a cancellation and then separate rebooking would achieve that.
Reservation booking service fees and close-in booking fees for award tickets are refundable only if you cancel your reservation within 24 hours of purchase. These sometimes may take an extra request.
Starting 2016Q4 ticket receipts state
The website link does now mention the 7 day restriction (new 2017Q2) and the CoCs has contained the 7 day restriction for awhile. This is allowed by the DoT rules. However, no reports yet of UA enforcing the 7 day restriction.
DOT 24 refund rule, announcement
76 Fed. Reg. 23110, 23166, Apr. 25, 2011
Further DOT Guidance on 24 hour rule
Note the present UA implementation in practice is more generous -- no 7 day limitation enforcement as of yet.
UA's 24 hour rule was in place long before the DOT requirement .
Note -- a changed ticket does not get a new 24-hour free cancel period -- that benefit only applies to the original purchase.
Does the 24 hour rule apply to award tickets?
Yes
Does the 24 hour rule apply to close in bookings?
Yes but cancellation must be done before scheduled departure.
While the policy revision in 2018 add the DOT allowed 7-day exemption, UA has generally allowed this and not enforced the 7-day exemption. There has been just one FT reported situation where the 7-day was enforced and it had other factors.
In the case of credit card purchases, on a cancellation, the credit charge may be left pending and never finalized. So in the end it is as if it never happen.
Basic Economy tickets -- are they projected by the 24 hour rule?
Yes, UA is allowing cancellation of BE tickets in the first 24 hour (consistent with DOT requirements. But as UA allows changes also of other fares in the first 24 hours, it will not allow that of BE . The distinction is minor but
Book a reservation with ETC but cancelled with 24 hours, will the ETC be refunded?
Yes it should but UA can be rather slow on this and occasionally will drop the ball. You may need to followup. Note the refunded ETC will have the same expiration as the original ETC. (So, not a way to extend the ETC
) -- Note in late 2020, UA's practice does seem to have changed to issuing NEW ETCs
Archive thread: United’s 24-hour cancellation / flexible booking policy ... {Archive}
United;s web page: https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...ng-policy.html
United’s 24-hour flexible booking policy
and Ticket refund policies - Booking service fees
April 2020
We know that life happens, and you may need to change your travel plans unexpectedly. United's 24-hour flexible booking policy gives you the freedom to make changes to select reservations within 24 hours of booking and ticketing, without being charged change fees if you made your purchase one week or more before the flight was scheduled to depart. This includes canceling your reservation and requesting a full refund of the ticket price. Although Basic Economy reservations aren’t eligible for changes within 24 hours, they’re still eligible for a full refund if you cancel within 24 hours and you made your purchase one week or more before the flight was scheduled to depart. Please view the terms and conditions below for more details.Terms and conditions
- Applies to tickets booked at united.com, United City Ticket Offices, airport ticket counters or with the United Customer Contact Center.
- The 24-hour timeframe begins at the time you book and ticket your reservation.
- Requests for refunds will be credited back in the original form of payment, except for purchases made with a United Gift Certificate, which will be credited back in the form of electronic travel certificates.
- Group tickets are subject to the terms of the group contract.
- Tickets purchased using e-certificates are excluded. (New April 2020)
- Reservations that are being held but have not yet been purchased are excluded.
- Any FareLock® fees paid to hold a reservation will not be refunded.
Spoiler
Note: United refers to this as "United’s 24-hour flexible booking policy", not just cancellations. UA includes routing changes, pricing changes, fare class changes, ..... as well as simple cancellations. But the timeframe is based on the original purchases and not reset by a change. Only a cancellation and then separate rebooking would achieve that.
Reservation booking service fees and close-in booking fees for award tickets are refundable only if you cancel your reservation within 24 hours of purchase. These sometimes may take an extra request.
Starting 2016Q4 ticket receipts state
Refunds Within 24 Hours
When you book and ticket a reservation through united.com, the United mobile app, the United Customer Contact Center, at our ticket counters or city ticket offices, or if you use MileagePlus® miles to book an award ticket, we will allow you to cancel the ticketed reservation without penalty and receive a 100 percent refund of the ticket price to the original form of payment if you cancel the reservation within 24 hours of purchase and if the reservation is made one week or more prior to scheduled flight departure.
When you book and ticket a reservation through united.com, the United mobile app, the United Customer Contact Center, at our ticket counters or city ticket offices, or if you use MileagePlus® miles to book an award ticket, we will allow you to cancel the ticketed reservation without penalty and receive a 100 percent refund of the ticket price to the original form of payment if you cancel the reservation within 24 hours of purchase and if the reservation is made one week or more prior to scheduled flight departure.
DOT 24 refund rule, announcement
DOT requires airlines to either hold a reservation for 24 hours without payment or refund a paid ticket — even a non-refundable one — if you cancel within 24 hours of purchase and you purchased your ticket more than 7 days before your flight.
Airlines are free to choose between holding a reservation without payment in these circumstances or refunding after payment; they don’t have to offer both options. ...
Airlines are free to choose between holding a reservation without payment in these circumstances or refunding after payment; they don’t have to offer both options. ...
Further DOT Guidance on 24 hour rule
Note the present UA implementation in practice is more generous -- no 7 day limitation enforcement as of yet.
UA's 24 hour rule was in place long before the DOT requirement .
Note -- a changed ticket does not get a new 24-hour free cancel period -- that benefit only applies to the original purchase.
Does the 24 hour rule apply to award tickets?
Yes
Does the 24 hour rule apply to close in bookings?
Yes but cancellation must be done before scheduled departure.
While the policy revision in 2018 add the DOT allowed 7-day exemption, UA has generally allowed this and not enforced the 7-day exemption. There has been just one FT reported situation where the 7-day was enforced and it had other factors.
In the case of credit card purchases, on a cancellation, the credit charge may be left pending and never finalized. So in the end it is as if it never happen.
Basic Economy tickets -- are they projected by the 24 hour rule?
Yes, UA is allowing cancellation of BE tickets in the first 24 hour (consistent with DOT requirements. But as UA allows changes also of other fares in the first 24 hours, it will not allow that of BE . The distinction is minor but
Book a reservation with ETC but cancelled with 24 hours, will the ETC be refunded?
Yes it should but UA can be rather slow on this and occasionally will drop the ball. You may need to followup. Note the refunded ETC will have the same expiration as the original ETC. (So, not a way to extend the ETC
) -- Note in late 2020, UA's practice does seem to have changed to issuing NEW ETCsArchive thread: United’s 24-hour cancellation / flexible booking policy ... {Archive}
United’s 24-hour cancellation / flexible booking policy ...
Mar 14, 2022, 8:31 pm
#16
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
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Posts: 66,769
Flights booked with flight credit are considered reschedule flights and do not have another 24 hour window -- so no refund. But you should have a flight credit for cancelling.
Mar 14, 2022, 8:45 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 4
I didn't receive new flight credit to use. I guess I'll need to keep calling United until they give me a flight credit some day..
Mar 14, 2022, 8:52 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,881
now I’ll admit I don’t have experience when booked as a new PNR, using the FFC as payment method. It would seem to me that should generate a refund within 24 hours, since the PNR is new (as opposed to re-booking segments in an existing PNR), but I’m honestly not sure how the logistics of that work, and if that is required to be refunded per the DOT regs.
Mar 14, 2022, 9:02 pm
#19
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 4
an FFC is an existing itinerary, with the flight segments canceled. I think you are misunderstanding the last answer, which is correct. At least traditionally, when you rebook a flight, it is rebooking within the same PNR, and so it’s not within 24 hours, since the itinerary is existing, just with old flight segments canceled, and new ones added.
now I’ll admit I don’t have experience when booked as a new PNR, using the FFC as payment method. It would seem to me that should generate a refund within 24 hours, since the PNR is new (as opposed to re-booking segments in an existing PNR), but I’m honestly not sure how the logistics of that work, and if that is required to be refunded per the DOT regs.
now I’ll admit I don’t have experience when booked as a new PNR, using the FFC as payment method. It would seem to me that should generate a refund within 24 hours, since the PNR is new (as opposed to re-booking segments in an existing PNR), but I’m honestly not sure how the logistics of that work, and if that is required to be refunded per the DOT regs.
Mar 17, 2022, 4:52 pm
#20
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: RDU
Posts: 2,262
Hi all-
I just booked a last-minute flight for tomorrow to visit a very sick relative. I booked thinking that if I didn't need to make the trip tomorrow, I could cancel within 24 hours. Here's the rules as I see them on United.com:
We know that life happens, and you may need to change your travel plans unexpectedly. United's 24-hour flexible booking policy gives you the freedom to make changes to select reservations within 24 hours of booking and ticketing, without being charged change fees if you made your purchase one week or more before the flight was scheduled to depart. This includes canceling your reservation and requesting a full refund of the ticket price. Although Basic Economy reservations aren’t eligible for changes within 24 hours, they’re still eligible for a full refund if you cancel within 24 hours and you made your purchase one week or more before the flight was scheduled to depart. Please view the terms and conditions below for more details.
As I didn't book Basic economy, I believe that 'one week or more' rule doesn't apply. However, in my ticket receipt, this is what it says... as there is NO mention of the Basic Economy stipulation:
Refunds Within 24 Hours
When you book and ticket a reservation through united.com, the United mobile app, the United Customer Contact Center, at our ticket counters or city ticket offices, or if you use MileagePlus® miles to book an award ticket, we will allow you to cancel the ticketed reservation without penalty and receive a 100 percent refund of the ticket price to the original form of payment if you cancel the reservation within 24 hours of purchase and if the reservation is made one week or more prior to scheduled flight departure.
So... am I still safe w/ this ticket to cancel within 24 hours? THANKS!!
OP Here... nevermind! I did a 'mock' cancellation and it says:You're eligible to cancel without paying a fee under our 24-hour flexible booking policy.
I just booked a last-minute flight for tomorrow to visit a very sick relative. I booked thinking that if I didn't need to make the trip tomorrow, I could cancel within 24 hours. Here's the rules as I see them on United.com:
We know that life happens, and you may need to change your travel plans unexpectedly. United's 24-hour flexible booking policy gives you the freedom to make changes to select reservations within 24 hours of booking and ticketing, without being charged change fees if you made your purchase one week or more before the flight was scheduled to depart. This includes canceling your reservation and requesting a full refund of the ticket price. Although Basic Economy reservations aren’t eligible for changes within 24 hours, they’re still eligible for a full refund if you cancel within 24 hours and you made your purchase one week or more before the flight was scheduled to depart. Please view the terms and conditions below for more details.
As I didn't book Basic economy, I believe that 'one week or more' rule doesn't apply. However, in my ticket receipt, this is what it says... as there is NO mention of the Basic Economy stipulation:
Refunds Within 24 Hours
When you book and ticket a reservation through united.com, the United mobile app, the United Customer Contact Center, at our ticket counters or city ticket offices, or if you use MileagePlus® miles to book an award ticket, we will allow you to cancel the ticketed reservation without penalty and receive a 100 percent refund of the ticket price to the original form of payment if you cancel the reservation within 24 hours of purchase and if the reservation is made one week or more prior to scheduled flight departure.
So... am I still safe w/ this ticket to cancel within 24 hours? THANKS!!
OP Here... nevermind! I did a 'mock' cancellation and it says:You're eligible to cancel without paying a fee under our 24-hour flexible booking policy.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Mar 17, 2022 at 11:13 pm Reason: merged consecutive posts by same member
Mar 17, 2022, 5:05 pm
#21
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: IAH
Programs: MileagePlus-Premier Silver, Marriott Bonvoy-Silver Elite
Posts: 696
I believe from what I’ve read is that you have to book the ticket 7 days or more before departure in order to be eligible for the refund within 24 hours of purchase. That sentence above is lumped together with the BE wording which makes it sound like a BE is refundable within 24-hours even though your flight is less than 7 days out, that’s confusing.
....but I may be wrong...
....but I may be wrong...
Mar 17, 2022, 5:27 pm
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
I don't understand how you parse that to mean that if you didn't book basic economy there is no 7 day rule. IMO it's quite clear; you should read it carefully
All it says is that basic economy tickets are also eligible to be cancelled for full refund with 24 hours. In other words, basic economy tickets are treated the same as regular tickets.
All it says is that basic economy tickets are also eligible to be cancelled for full refund with 24 hours. In other words, basic economy tickets are treated the same as regular tickets.
Mar 17, 2022, 5:36 pm
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,335
United has not enforced the 7 day policy for years. You are free to cancel a ticket within 24 hours of booking, even if booked the day of or the day before departure. Be warned: you cannot cancel the ticket after departure time for a refund, even if it's less than 24 hours after booking (obvi excluding refundable tickets). The ticket is cancelled the second you don't check-in and board your booked flight on time. You may find an agent willing to bend that rule but I wouldn't try it.
-RM
-RM
Mar 17, 2022, 11:15 pm
#24
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,769
Mar 18, 2022, 8:09 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,881
Correct. The week before language is what the DOT requires. Airlines can choose to beyond, and UA always has. However, the wording in there means they can start enforcing whenever they want.
I’m honestly surprised when COVID started and those losses started pouring in, they didn’t. However, the other said of me wonders if the occurances of people booking and then canceling within 24 hours close to departure is probably pretty low, and maybe the cost to implement isnt even worth it.
Mar 20, 2022, 2:09 pm
#26
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 233
Booked a RT on 3/24-27 on 3/9 using my $80 travel bank credit. Received the confirmation email but 1/2 hour after booking, found out someone else booked the return so I cancelled the RT and booked only the outbound. My CC was not charged for the RT (and was for the one way) but the $80 was never restored to my travel bank. Called, and the phone rep took quite a while checking with others but they could not even see the cancelled RT (maybe because it never ticketed?). Told me to go online and submit an inquiry through their CS form but that refunds could take up to 14 working days so I should just wait (hope?) for it. I did, but was wondering if anyone has any other suggestions for me.
Mar 20, 2022, 3:23 pm
#27
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,769
TB funds on a sub-24 hour cancellation can take up to 2 weeks to be returned. Apparently it takes some manual processing.
You will find much discussion of this in UA "TravelBank" Q&A , with new option to deposit funds
You will find much discussion of this in UA "TravelBank" Q&A , with new option to deposit funds
Mar 20, 2022, 6:27 pm
#28
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 233
TB funds on a sub-24 hour cancellation can take up to 2 weeks to be returned. Apparently it takes some manual processing.
You will find much discussion of this in UA "TravelBank" Q&A , with new option to deposit funds
You will find much discussion of this in UA "TravelBank" Q&A , with new option to deposit funds
Mar 23, 2022, 2:54 am
#29
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 5
I purchased a ticket and then got an alert shortly after that the price was lower. Since it was within the 24 hour free cancellation window, I cancelled and rebooked the same flight. Now a few hours later, another alert arrives that the ticket is $100 cheaper. I'm wondering if it is ok to cancel again during the new 24 hours and rebook the flight at the cheaper cost or is this frowned upon.
This is unusual to me to have 2 significant price drops so quickly (although the flight was originally much higher than it usually is for this route). I'm not sure if I should just forget about the cheaper price or is it fine to cancel and rebook the same flight again on consecutive days using the 24 hour cancellation policy.
This is unusual to me to have 2 significant price drops so quickly (although the flight was originally much higher than it usually is for this route). I'm not sure if I should just forget about the cheaper price or is it fine to cancel and rebook the same flight again on consecutive days using the 24 hour cancellation policy.