Apr 16, 2015, 3:22 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
General the answers is ETCs can only be used for UA flights.
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related thread
Questions/Answers/Rules on Electronic Travel Certificates (vouchers; ecerts)
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Questions/Answers/Rules on Electronic Travel Certificates (vouchers; ecerts)
UA Electronic Travel Certificate & Codeshares/partner flights
May 29, 2019, 8:18 am
#151
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Solely operated by UA/UX. No *A.
May 29, 2019, 10:57 am
#152
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Buy a changeable all UA ticket to anywhere using the ETC, either as a refundable ticket or in the first 24 hours (don't cut too close), change the ticket to the desired route which can use non-UA operated flights. Note the new itinerary needs to be normally purchasable from UA.
Jul 8, 2019, 4:49 pm
#153
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Keep in mind however that in case of any irrops you will have tons of issues with your codeshare ticket in case you have used an ETC
Jul 8, 2019, 11:17 pm
#154
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Jul 9, 2019, 12:45 pm
#155
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You are unable to change it.
Jul 9, 2019, 5:04 pm
#156
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Jul 9, 2019, 5:39 pm
#157
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the system would not allow changes to the ticket. already happened to me
Jul 9, 2019, 5:58 pm
#158
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you got a bad agent then. There is zero reason why this would be the case. In irops most rules such as routing rules, carrier restrictions etc. become a mute point. I have had plenty of ETC-paid tickets with irop re-routing on e.g. LX w/o any issues whatsoever.
Aug 13, 2019, 3:39 pm
#159
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I’m looking to book a RT flight BOS-FRA-DXB on Lufthansa, but through United so I can use my e-cert. Is this allowed using an ETC or does it have to be operated by United to use the ETC.
I also want to apply GPUs. Q-space is available on the flights, so it should be eligible. Is there a way to tell if the upgrade will clear right away?
TIA
I also want to apply GPUs. Q-space is available on the flights, so it should be eligible. Is there a way to tell if the upgrade will clear right away?
TIA
Aug 13, 2019, 5:53 pm
#160
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I’m looking to book a RT flight BOS-FRA-DXB on Lufthansa, but through United so I can use my e-cert. Is this allowed using an ETC or does it have to be operated by United to use the ETC.
I also want to apply GPUs. Q-space is available on the flights, so it should be eligible. Is there a way to tell if the upgrade will clear right away?
TIA
I also want to apply GPUs. Q-space is available on the flights, so it should be eligible. Is there a way to tell if the upgrade will clear right away?
TIA
Folks have tried workarounds, such as booking on UA metal and then making changes. I’ve never tried, but Issue here would be there is no UA metal to DXB at all.
Aug 13, 2019, 6:50 pm
#162
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Lufthansa GPUs Go Electronic (How to use, will it clear?, issues w/flight credit,...) for details but there is not absolute certainty -- nothing like PZ
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Aug 13, 2019 at 6:58 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
Sep 16, 2019, 9:02 am
#163
Join Date: May 2010
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While the short answer and policy is no, there is a multi-step process the may work, as noted in this thread's wiki
Buy a changeable all UA ticket to anywhere using the ETC, either as a refundable ticket or in the first 24 hours (don't cut too close), change the ticket to the desired route which can use non-UA operated flights. Note the new itinerary needs to be normally purchasable from UA.
Buy a changeable all UA ticket to anywhere using the ETC, either as a refundable ticket or in the first 24 hours (don't cut too close), change the ticket to the desired route which can use non-UA operated flights. Note the new itinerary needs to be normally purchasable from UA.
My understanding is that once I've bought a 100% refundable fare, when changing to the desired route with a non-UA operated flight, the only restriction is that that new flight has to be available/purchasable from United.com - it can be with any S* partner, for any route, and it doesn't matter who markets/operates that new flight. Correct?
I'm planning to do the following:
- Use ETC to buy a random 100% refundable fare (say, $500)
- Change to BOS-FCO (Lufthansa rt) or ICN-HAN (Asiana rt) (say, $700 - I'll pay the fare difference $200 in cash)
Second question:
I notice that on United.com some S* partner flights are way more expensive than if booked directly with the partner airline. Example: for BOS-FCO on LH rt: the same flight that costs $581 with LH costs $2180 on United.com
Whereas for ICN-HAN on Asiana rt, it's the same price $513 via both United.com and Asiana.
Any reasons why, and are there any particular airlines / regions / routes for which the United-partner fare difference is less than others?
Sep 25, 2019, 12:23 pm
#164
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I have academic but very little practical knowledge of flight changes and residuals, so I wanted to run the following by those with more experience...
I currently have a United ETC that I would like to use toward a trip that includes non-UA metal segments. Obviously, this is not directly possible. However, I believe I can do the following:
- Use the ETC to book an unrestricted ticket on UA metal only, and then
- Change the ticket to my preferred itinerary
My questions are basically:
- Is this true?
- How similar does the ticket I book need to be? I should be able to do same O&D and same pax, which I assume is sufficient.
- If the change results in a refund, can I get this to the credit card used to pay the balance of the original ticket (instead of ETC)?
I currently have a United ETC that I would like to use toward a trip that includes non-UA metal segments. Obviously, this is not directly possible. However, I believe I can do the following:
- Use the ETC to book an unrestricted ticket on UA metal only, and then
- Change the ticket to my preferred itinerary
My questions are basically:
- Is this true?
- How similar does the ticket I book need to be? I should be able to do same O&D and same pax, which I assume is sufficient.
- If the change results in a refund, can I get this to the credit card used to pay the balance of the original ticket (instead of ETC)?
Sep 30, 2019, 11:26 am
#165
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Looks like my post got scooped into this (very helpful!) thread, but just confirmed that this works.
Booked the ticket from A-B on UA metal (just used discount fares so I wasn't looking for a many-thousands refund to my card) and within 24 hours changed to A-B routing over partner metal. Used different actual fares, so I ended up having to win a protracted argument with the rate desk about how much the new itinerary should cost.. for some reason it was pricing with a higher R fare than the lowest applicable when the computer fared the change (loose speculation.. it took the lowest fare not containing the /PYUP fare designator) but when all was done I got a refund back to the card and went on with my business as usual.
Booked the ticket from A-B on UA metal (just used discount fares so I wasn't looking for a many-thousands refund to my card) and within 24 hours changed to A-B routing over partner metal. Used different actual fares, so I ended up having to win a protracted argument with the rate desk about how much the new itinerary should cost.. for some reason it was pricing with a higher R fare than the lowest applicable when the computer fared the change (loose speculation.. it took the lowest fare not containing the /PYUP fare designator) but when all was done I got a refund back to the card and went on with my business as usual.