Interesting Residual Ticket Value Scenario
Oct 24, 2025 | 4:47 pm
#1
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Interesting Residual Ticket Value Scenario
(Mods: Feel free to move this if there’s a good thread it should belong in)
Ran into an interesting residual value calculation on United’s website.
Went to go change the return leg of an in-process itinerary from EDI-ORD to LHR-ORD and pull up the date a few weeks (my son is able to come home from Uni earlier).
When united.com went to calculate the fare differential, it used the *entire* ticket value and not just the return leg.
Feels like this is an error in my favor and am curious if this is common or I just lucked out.
Ran into an interesting residual value calculation on United’s website.
Went to go change the return leg of an in-process itinerary from EDI-ORD to LHR-ORD and pull up the date a few weeks (my son is able to come home from Uni earlier).
When united.com went to calculate the fare differential, it used the *entire* ticket value and not just the return leg.
Feels like this is an error in my favor and am curious if this is common or I just lucked out.
Oct 24, 2025 | 6:19 pm
#2
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In most cases, when changing the return leg of an itinerary, the entire ticket is repriced as if you’d bought it that way originally. Thus, you’re effectively exchanging a partially-used ticket that cost $X for a partially-used ticket that would have cost $Y; it’ll show you ($Y-$X) as the “fare difference” and it will tell you that it’s applying $X toward the total ticket purchase.
It’s a bit confusing, but it works out in the end.
Oct 25, 2025 | 9:09 am
#3
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It’s not an error at all. It’s just not computing the price the way you’re suggesting.
In most cases, when changing the return leg of an itinerary, the entire ticket is repriced as if you’d bought it that way originally. Thus, you’re effectively exchanging a partially-used ticket that cost $X for a partially-used ticket that would have cost $Y; it’ll show you ($Y-$X) as the “fare difference” and it will tell you that it’s applying $X toward the total ticket purchase.
It’s a bit confusing, but it works out in the end.
In most cases, when changing the return leg of an itinerary, the entire ticket is repriced as if you’d bought it that way originally. Thus, you’re effectively exchanging a partially-used ticket that cost $X for a partially-used ticket that would have cost $Y; it’ll show you ($Y-$X) as the “fare difference” and it will tell you that it’s applying $X toward the total ticket purchase.
It’s a bit confusing, but it works out in the end.
Oct 25, 2025 | 9:13 am
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Oct 25, 2025 | 9:27 am
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Oct 25, 2025 | 2:10 pm
#6
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Maybe I am being too logical, but that first leg is done and therefore that fare component is spent.
Oct 25, 2025 | 4:41 pm
#7
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Oct 25, 2025 | 9:55 pm
#8
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Oct 26, 2025 | 1:35 am
#9
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Note that it’s actually possible for a voluntary change to result in a higher fare for the flight you already flew. For example, if you book a RT fare with a 7-day minimum stay, and then you change your return flight to be after only three days, the fare difference is going to be computed by throwing out the fare you already booked and looking for one without the minimum stay requirement.