Originally Posted by
Specialist1900
So I grabbed the Economy refundable ticket. Is there a catch to this?
No.
Originally Posted by
Specialist1900
I've been traveling for 15yrs and always thought refundable fares were MUCH more expensive.
The introduction of discount, refundable fares is new within the last 5-6 years, as airlines have developed more sophisticated sales models.
Originally Posted by
Specialist1900
How many mins/hours prior to flight do I have to cancel by to get refunded back to my CC?
Check the fare rules, but in most cases a refundable fare can be refunded at any time, including after departure. If you'd prefer to be cautious, canceling prior to the deadline to check in for the flight -- 30 minutes prior to departure -- would definitely be sufficient.
Note that if you purchased a round-trip fare, UA will happily sell you a non-refundable fare in one direction and a refundable fare in the other. The more restrictive rule will win, so a fare combined in this manner will be non-refundable.