Originally Posted by
Kacee
You mean if you pay-up to the refundable fare so some portion of the ticket is refundable? That sounds plausible, I've never tried it.
I do currently have a HKG-SFO ticket which is in its fourth iteration. Interestingly, when I changed it from US originating RT to HKG originating OW, the change fee dropped from $300 US to $2000 HKD which I don't think technically should happen.
Yes, which was I think OP's original question. I believe once the coupon is exchanged, only the new fare rules matter. Technically speaking, the new ticket is fully "refundable" - it's just that some portion of the funds used to purchase it were based on the exchange of a non-refundable coupon, so I assume that SHARES marks it as a United-restricted form of payment (i.e. ETC).
I think that also makes sense with regard to your change fee - once you pay a change fee and reissue the ticket, only your new fare rules apply, which in that case would become HKD 2,000.