Last edit by: lowkeyflyer
Methods to bypass flight credit restrictions (primarily being unable to use them on Basic Economy tickets)
Inspired by United thread wiki: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...redit-ffc.html
Inspired by United thread wiki: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...redit-ffc.html
GUIDE to Trip Credit, Flight Credit, Travel Voucher, Gift Card, Refund
#1171
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: A few
Posts: 5,500
So not sure if / how well this was covered before, but I also found that I was not able to apply Flight Credits to any flights departing after the TICKETING date of the original flight, not even the travel date. The FC in question was from a flight ticketed May 16th 2023 for travel June 5th 2023. It could only be used online for departures up to May 15th 2024.
#1172
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 263
My dad booked on aa.com -- WAW-ORD-WAW.
He cancelled the flight and received $650 credit for him and his wife.
He wants to use this credit now but American said it's only good for international fares. He's 82 and doesn't think that's going to happen.
What's a good solution here?
He cancelled the flight and received $650 credit for him and his wife.
He wants to use this credit now but American said it's only good for international fares. He's 82 and doesn't think that's going to happen.
What's a good solution here?
#1173
Join Date: Dec 2021
Programs: AAdvantage PPro
Posts: 124
My dad booked on aa.com -- WAW-ORD-WAW.
He cancelled the flight and received $650 credit for him and his wife.
He wants to use this credit now but American said it's only good for international fares. He's 82 and doesn't think that's going to happen.
What's a good solution here?
He cancelled the flight and received $650 credit for him and his wife.
He wants to use this credit now but American said it's only good for international fares. He's 82 and doesn't think that's going to happen.
What's a good solution here?
Though if your dad hasn’t taken the first leg of the flight I think that agent was wrong about it having to be international. Once he finds a flight he should call and try to redeem it. If you look it up on aa.com does it show a value or not?
Last edited by skviolet98; Mar 5, 2024 at 9:14 pm
#1174
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,782
Hope this is the right place. Just made an international booking and then realised I goofed on the date of the last flight - Manage My Booking cancel option is suggesting it'll go to a trip credit rather than a refund to the payment card - is that correct or is it just standard language that isn't taking the 24 hour rule into account...? Alternatively if I need to call, will the agent be able to change the date of the final leg rather than going through a refund/rebook?
#1175
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,778
Yes.
If you book a new trip with a Trip Credit (NOT A FLIGHT CREDIT) and it covers the entire value of the Trip Credit, book it for several months out. Wait until after the original trip credit would have expired to cancel (i.e., if the original trip credit expires 3/1, book a trip for 4/1 and cancel anytime after 3/1. Then your new credit should be valid for 12 months from the date you booked the 4/1 flight.
If you book a new trip with a Trip Credit (NOT A FLIGHT CREDIT) and it covers the entire value of the Trip Credit, book it for several months out. Wait until after the original trip credit would have expired to cancel (i.e., if the original trip credit expires 3/1, book a trip for 4/1 and cancel anytime after 3/1. Then your new credit should be valid for 12 months from the date you booked the 4/1 flight.
does it matter if you cancel on line vs calling in?
#1176
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Total Wine & More Reserve
Posts: 4,914
Hope this is the right place. Just made an international booking and then realised I goofed on the date of the last flight - Manage My Booking cancel option is suggesting it'll go to a trip credit rather than a refund to the payment card - is that correct or is it just standard language that isn't taking the 24 hour rule into account...?
The agent should be able to just change the date of the last flight. Just make sure you calculate the fare difference should be yourself before calling because they've tried to overcharge me before when making flight changes over the phone.
#1177
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: United 1k aa exec plat
Posts: 1,896
question about getting a flight credit for a flight i cancel..i understand this works for us domestic flights and international flights departing usa,but will this work for flights leaving japan and flying to us and back return?
if i cancel after booking will i also get a flight credit?
thanks!
if i cancel after booking will i also get a flight credit?
thanks!
#1178
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: EK Gold, A3 *G, AB Gold, Jetblue Mosaic
Posts: 1,397
Hi All,
I rarely book rountrips so this threw me a little. Booked a roundtrip BOS-ORD-BOS. Flew the outbound. Day of the return there was weather and was offered to change flights to next day. Ended up changing to ORD-PHL-BOS. Then decided later to cancel the return for flight credit. The credit shows in my account but no value is attached. I called to find out the value of the unused segment but the agent said the rate dept would only calculate it if I tried to book another ticket which seems very odd. I understand for international roundtrips have different fare calculations vs one-way but for domestic it's just been the sum of the two one-way trips so I'm a little baffled why they cant just give me an amount. Has anyone else heard of this?
I rarely book rountrips so this threw me a little. Booked a roundtrip BOS-ORD-BOS. Flew the outbound. Day of the return there was weather and was offered to change flights to next day. Ended up changing to ORD-PHL-BOS. Then decided later to cancel the return for flight credit. The credit shows in my account but no value is attached. I called to find out the value of the unused segment but the agent said the rate dept would only calculate it if I tried to book another ticket which seems very odd. I understand for international roundtrips have different fare calculations vs one-way but for domestic it's just been the sum of the two one-way trips so I'm a little baffled why they cant just give me an amount. Has anyone else heard of this?
Last edited by kq747; Mar 12, 2024 at 11:36 am
#1179
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,396
I apologize if this has been previously covered, I tried searching but it is admittedly a bit challenging to find clear data points given how much these policies seem to have changed.
I had a paid first class flight booked, I canceled and received a trip credit immediately.
I canceled that trip within 24 hours, and now have a pending flight credit that says "refund requested" and that I will receive a response within 7 business days.
Should I expect this to take a full 7 days? Is this normal, or is something wrong?
Thanks in advance!
I had a paid first class flight booked, I canceled and received a trip credit immediately.
I canceled that trip within 24 hours, and now have a pending flight credit that says "refund requested" and that I will receive a response within 7 business days.
Should I expect this to take a full 7 days? Is this normal, or is something wrong?
Thanks in advance!
#1180
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PHL
Programs: AA ExP, Marriott Amb, National EAE, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat (RIP), US CP (RIP)
Posts: 2,415
I apologize if this has been previously covered, I tried searching but it is admittedly a bit challenging to find clear data points given how much these policies seem to have changed.
I had a paid first class flight booked, I canceled and received a trip credit immediately.
I canceled that trip within 24 hours, and now have a pending flight credit that says "refund requested" and that I will receive a response within 7 business days.
Should I expect this to take a full 7 days? Is this normal, or is something wrong?
Thanks in advance!
I had a paid first class flight booked, I canceled and received a trip credit immediately.
I canceled that trip within 24 hours, and now have a pending flight credit that says "refund requested" and that I will receive a response within 7 business days.
Should I expect this to take a full 7 days? Is this normal, or is something wrong?
Thanks in advance!
Im always told 7-10 days but frequently it processes back to my cc sooner. Goes through flight credit as an interim state.
#1181
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,396
Thanks.
I realize I was not very clear.
I canceled twice, first canceling the cash booking which resulted in trip credit, and then canceling the flight that was booked with the first bookings trip credit. The first cancellation (canceling the cash booking) was immediately issued as trip credit. The second cancellation (canceling the trip credit booking) is on request but showing as flight credit, with a note I will get a a response within 7 days.
Still seem normal? I dont really care that its flight credit or trip credit necessarily, just confused by the different process, especially since the second cancellation was within 24 hrs.
#1182
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, VS Gold
Posts: 103
Expiring flight credit / no extension
As others have suggested, I made a new reservation utilizing a soon-to-expire flight credit with a small amount of additional cash. I then cancelled that booking and tried to use the subsequent credit for a new booking for travel beginning after the expiration date of the original flight credit (April 2024). That did not work either online or when calling the EP desk. Oh well ...
#1183
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 29
As others have suggested, I made a new reservation utilizing a soon-to-expire flight credit with a small amount of additional cash. I then cancelled that booking and tried to use the subsequent credit for a new booking for travel beginning after the expiration date of the original flight credit (April 2024). That did not work either online or when calling the EP desk. Oh well ...
First agent said there's nothing they can do. I was contemplating booking a random cheap flight and then getting the remaining value in the form of travel credit so that I can use the travel credit to book my actual flight in June.
Second agent I called however was able to let me use the flight credit expiring in April to book the June flight. Note that I was booking for a large group with some members needing to use their own valid flight credits, so maybe the agent was able to allow my flight credit to be used. (The only thing is that the flight credit can only be used for main cabin as my original flight was in main cabin and that fare difference with BE was $100. Maybe I could have found a cheap flight <$100 in main cabin but at this point I didn't want to go through the hassle.) Note I don't have any status with AA.
Last edited by dchobo; Apr 1, 2024 at 4:27 pm
#1184
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: SF, CA, US
Programs: AA Plat Pro, UA MM Gold, HHonors Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Plat, IHG Ambassador
Posts: 1,249
I am unable to change a domestic one-way flight to a one-way originating outside the US, I get an error msg that the fare cannot be applied to a new trip starting outside the US. Can I overcome this limitation by cancelling for a trip credit? How about cancelling and applying the trip credit to an international roundtrip (starting in the US)?
#1185
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 653
Amount of credit just shows up as dashes
Does this just take time to populate? I canceled a flight and it clearly said I would get a flight credit, and a flight credit immediately populated in my account. However, the amount just shows as
The credit was issued about an hour ago. Should I just wait? Thanks
Does this just take time to populate? I canceled a flight and it clearly said I would get a flight credit, and a flight credit immediately populated in my account. However, the amount just shows as
The credit was issued about an hour ago. Should I just wait? Thanks