Question on Credit from Non-refundable Tickets
 

If I purchase a non-refundable ticket on Continental Airlines using Thank You points and then cancel it, how much flexibility will I have on using the credit? I assume the total ticket value less a $150 change fee would be available for use, correct? If I could find a non-refundable $2500 first class domestic ticket, could I use the $2350 balance to book many (say 8) cheap coach tickets on CO.com and get full EQM credit? I know there is another forum for TY points, but this question is mostly about how the residual credits can be used on Continental and you guys are the experts. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

I have no idea if CO will treat the payment differently because it comes from TY points as opposed to normal/direct payment channels. Assuming they treat it the same the process goes something like this:

• You pay the change fee as an additional payment; it is not deducted from the value of the ticket.
• The change fee is paid when you book the new flight, but you have to call to cancel the old one prior to the old departure.
• You must book a new ticket under the same name as the original ticket. This new ticket can be for any price.
• Should the new ticket value be lower than the original ticket value the residual credit will be issued as a TCV.
• The residual TCV value can be used to book as many tickets as you want for any passengers (not just the original name).

In your case you'd pay the extra $150 (or whatever the change fee is) out of pocket, and you'd have to redeem one for yourself first, but after that the TCV value can be used to buy tix for anyone.

Thanks for the reply SB12! I knew better on the change fee, but forgot.

I have been reading the very long threads in the other forum and came across this information. Please see post #436 in this link where the poster claims that on CO you can only use the residual ticket value for one additional ticket. Do you know if there has been a recent change, or perhaps you really can only get one additional ticket? Have you ever used the residual value for more than one ticket?

http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...529921&page=11

The ability to use a TCV and store the residual value is relatively new; I believe it post-dates the experience of that poster.

As an FYI, if you want to link to a specific post, the #NN in the top right corner of that post is a direct link. If you link just to the page it may be a different page if someone has their preferences set to display a different number of posts per page.

Edit to add: I just found the thread that discusses the residual value bit; the policy took effect on November 12, 2007.

Also to add, I've only ever redeemed a TCV on a single ticket, but all mine have been low in value and not really worth more than one ticket anyways.

One key thing about most, if not all, TY tickets is that ALL subequent tickets can only be issued in the name of the original ticket holder. The $150 change fee is deducted and then you can purchase 1 or more tickets. Any balance will be a credit that can be used towards additional tickets, as long as they are for the original ticket holder.

This was the big question that I left open in my initial reply. How does CO know to limit the TCV, and can they actually do so? I'd be somewhat surprised based on their IT infrastructure, but it wouldn't be completely out of the realm of possibility.

I'm in the process of going through it right now on a ticket that I purchased
for someone else that was cancelled. Now that I'm fighting this through I'll never buy another TY ticket. I'll run the points down on other stuff.

She (my son's gf) doesn't need the ticket since she's an FA and usually non-rev's on NW.

The first rebooking needs to be in her name. Have you already done that part?

FWIW, I also added a post in the FAQ thread on this topic, as it has come up a few times recently.