Originally Posted by
MSPeconomist
If you cancel within 24 hours, assuming that the other conditions in the DOT requirements are met, you should get a refund to the original means of payment and not just an airline voucher (although you might not care about the distinction if you purchase a lot ot tickets).
OP sounds like they want to avoid the potential issues in getting a TCV back, so wants to take credit instead. In that case, the itinerary gets removed from the PNR, but the PNR stays open with the funds attached to be used within one year - presumably because they plan on using it on/before then.
DOT rules do require a refund (as long as purchase wasnt made within 7 days of travel - though typically UA doesn’t have that restriction). But if the pax wants to take the credit instead, they should have that option - it’s been a while for me, but I’ve always been given the option when canceling within 24 hours on if I want a refund or a credit.