Jan 8, 2015, 2:07 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
*NEW* Now See All Your Electronic Travel Credit(s) (ETCs) on Your United.com Account!
Update 30 Aug 2021
See discussion in COVID19 Schedule Change (6+hrs)/Cancellation Refund, UA resisting refunds, DOT ruling
Checking the balance: http://www.united.com/web/en-US/apps...s/default.aspx
Enter type (see below) and PIN as a single code without any spaces. Then the page will say it couldn't find anything and offer you a place to enter your last name. Note, will show remaining value but not expiration date,
What does "type" mean? Good question. See the following answer from post 670:
Electronic Travel Certificates (ETCs) / vouchers canonly be used for travel on an entirely UA/UX operated paid itinerary.
Late August 2021 Now useable on partner and codeshare itins!
ETCs can now be used to pay pre-paid baggage fees.
Not valid when there are partner flights or any segment that uses partner metal.
Cannot be used to pay award flight fees.
Cannot be used for E+ fees, WiFi fees, UA subscriptions (Wifi, E+ fees, UC membership, ...), upgrades fees (but OK for up-fares), change fees, ....
ETC can be used by anyone with the PIN and last name of the original person receiving the ETC.
If not fully used the residual can be used later with the same original expiration.
ETCs will be used for the total amount needed (no partial payments if the ETC has a greater value)
TVCA certs with PINs (by far the most common ecert most customers will receive -- such as goodwill compensation from Customer Care or refunds on flights) are considered a form of payment and don't reduce thePQDs PQP earnings.. So the full value of the ticket is earned, no reduction
Expiration -- ETCs generally have a 1 2-year life. The ETC should be used prior to expiration -- but the actual travel days can be after expiration. While not publically documented, it does appear ETCs have a 30 day (one month?) post-expiration grace period.
How do I use the ETC?
Online works fine or you can call and used an agent (a fee may apply)
Online, either select "all search" options and scroll to the bottom of the screen to enter
or
wait until you get to the Payment Options at the end of the purchasing steps and select "United payment types"
Enter pin code (7 or 10 digits) and Last Name on the ETC
Where online can I view my unused ETCs?
You cannot. No such listing is available. UA now displays some ETCs in Your Account (May 2020)
Reports suggest ETCs from flight credits seem to be displayed but customer service ETCs are not.
Now See All Your Electronic Travel Credit(s) (ETCs) on Your United.com Account!
You can call and ask an agent to look these up for you. Note agents will not provide the ETC PIN on the phone.
Can an ETC be used for covering the costs of a post-purchase upfare?
Multiple reports of success but one mentioned it would need to be the sole method of payment.
Can only be done by an agent -- not online
Can not be an upgrade fee, must be an upfare.
Can an ETC be used to UC membership or E+ access fee or change fee or award fee or upgrade co-pay or baggage fee or ...
ETCs can only be used for airfare,not for any fee
August 2020 - ETCs can be used for internet access, E+, subscriptions, upgrades, bag fees
Can I partially use an ETC and then pay the remainder with a credit card (to get the card's benefits)?
No, the ETC must be fully used (up to the needed amount). Only if the ETC is insufficient, can a credit card then be used.
If I make a booking with an ETC and then cancel -- what happens?
Normally it would just stay as flight credit. If refunded, it goes back to the original ETC (recent reports suggest a new ETC is now issued). If that has expired, it gets tricky, UA may create a new ETC -- this situation generally takes manual handling. It does not get converted to cash
How many ETCs can be used at one time?
There is a limit of one ETC per passenger. If you have multiple passengers on the PNR, you can apply 1 ETC each ( does not have to be the same value ETC nor does ETC to be applied to every passenger). (Recent reports suggest the use of multiple ETCs per passenger). If you have more ETCs than passengers, you can now combine ETCs. You can also use one-ways to double the number of opportunities to use ETCs vs roundtrips.
Combinability update July 2017 - ETCs can be combined (either a new ETC created with the expiration date of the earliest-expiring ETC or multiple ETCs used on a PNR). Appears will only combine ETC if you need to do this to book a flight. Initially, UA seemed to allow the combining for future use but most reports now suggest you need to also have a flight booking in mind using the new combined ETC.
Combinability update June 2020 - ETCs can be combined at the website payment screen without calling (see post 690)
Related threads
Extending a Credit/Travel/ETC Voucher by booking a refundable fare?
Is there any way to combine multiple travel certificates into one? {out-of-date -- see not above}
UA Electronic Travel Certificate & Codeshares/partner flights
Using ETCs in Canada (outside of US) on new United.com
Archive: UA Electronic Travel Certificates (ETC): General Q&A, ... {Archive}
Link to Travel Credit Lookup by E-mail Page:
https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/travel/credit.html
Note: page first shows FFCs; scroll down further for ETCs.
David
https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/travel/credit.html
Note: page first shows FFCs; scroll down further for ETCs.
David
We’re extending electronic certificatesTo give you more flexibility when you travel, electronic certificates are now valid for 24 months from the date they were issued. This includes all currently valid electronic certificates and all new ones issued on or after April 1, 2020. All electronic certificates due to expire prior to December 31, 2022, will be extended until December 31, 2022.
This policy change will automatically appear, but it may not be reflected everywhere right away. We’d appreciate your patience as we work to make that happen.
.
This policy change will automatically appear, but it may not be reflected everywhere right away. We’d appreciate your patience as we work to make that happen.
.
Checking the balance: http://www.united.com/web/en-US/apps...s/default.aspx
Enter type (see below) and PIN as a single code without any spaces. Then the page will say it couldn't find anything and offer you a place to enter your last name. Note, will show remaining value but not expiration date,
What does "type" mean? Good question. See the following answer from post 670:
Electronic Travel Certificates (ETCs) / vouchers can
Late August 2021 Now useable on partner and codeshare itins!
ETCs can now be used to pay pre-paid baggage fees.
Not valid when there are partner flights or any segment that uses partner metal.
Cannot be used to pay award flight fees.
ETC can be used by anyone with the PIN and last name of the original person receiving the ETC.
If not fully used the residual can be used later with the same original expiration.
ETCs will be used for the total amount needed (no partial payments if the ETC has a greater value)
TVCA certs with PINs (by far the most common ecert most customers will receive -- such as goodwill compensation from Customer Care or refunds on flights) are considered a form of payment and don't reduce the
yes they do. https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...arn-miles.html Q&A #7
How do I use the ETC?
Online works fine or you can call and used an agent (a fee may apply)
Online, either select "all search" options and scroll to the bottom of the screen to enter
or
wait until you get to the Payment Options at the end of the purchasing steps and select "United payment types"
Enter pin code (7 or 10 digits) and Last Name on the ETC
Where online can I view my unused ETCs?
Reports suggest ETCs from flight credits seem to be displayed but customer service ETCs are not.
Now See All Your Electronic Travel Credit(s) (ETCs) on Your United.com Account!
You can call and ask an agent to look these up for you. Note agents will not provide the ETC PIN on the phone.
Can an ETC be used for covering the costs of a post-purchase upfare?
Multiple reports of success but one mentioned it would need to be the sole method of payment.
Can only be done by an agent -- not online
Can not be an upgrade fee, must be an upfare.
Can an ETC be used to UC membership or E+ access fee or change fee or award fee or upgrade co-pay or baggage fee or ...
ETCs can only be used for airfare,
August 2020 - ETCs can be used for internet access, E+, subscriptions, upgrades, bag fees
Can I partially use an ETC and then pay the remainder with a credit card (to get the card's benefits)?
No, the ETC must be fully used (up to the needed amount). Only if the ETC is insufficient, can a credit card then be used.
If I make a booking with an ETC and then cancel -- what happens?
Normally it would just stay as flight credit. If refunded, it goes back to the original ETC (recent reports suggest a new ETC is now issued). If that has expired, it gets tricky, UA may create a new ETC -- this situation generally takes manual handling. It does not get converted to cash
How many ETCs can be used at one time?
There is a limit of one ETC per passenger. If you have multiple passengers on the PNR, you can apply 1 ETC each ( does not have to be the same value ETC nor does ETC to be applied to every passenger). (Recent reports suggest the use of multiple ETCs per passenger). If you have more ETCs than passengers, you can now combine ETCs. You can also use one-ways to double the number of opportunities to use ETCs vs roundtrips.
Combinability update July 2017 - ETCs can be combined (either a new ETC created with the expiration date of the earliest-expiring ETC or multiple ETCs used on a PNR). Appears will only combine ETC if you need to do this to book a flight. Initially, UA seemed to allow the combining for future use but most reports now suggest you need to also have a flight booking in mind using the new combined ETC.
Combinability update June 2020 - ETCs can be combined at the website payment screen without calling (see post 690)
Related threads
Extending a Credit/Travel/ETC Voucher by booking a refundable fare?
Is there any way to combine multiple travel certificates into one? {out-of-date -- see not above}
UA Electronic Travel Certificate & Codeshares/partner flights
Using ETCs in Canada (outside of US) on new United.com
Archive: UA Electronic Travel Certificates (ETC): General Q&A, ... {Archive}
UA Electronic Travel Certificates (ETC): Q&A, OK for partners, 2 year life (Dec 2022)
Apr 12, 2020, 3:30 pm
#616
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,098
I canceled a ticket today & selected the ETC option. The emailed ETC hit my inbox before the web page even reloaded after hitting the "confirm cancellation" button.
Apr 13, 2020, 4:21 am
#617
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,597
I have an ETC issued in July 2019 due to a VDB. Is that extended? What is the new expiration date?
Apr 13, 2020, 7:34 am
#618
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 844
Interesting / annoying issue regarding ETCs.
Ten days ago, I cancelled a trip for two people online, and got the ETC emailed to me for the full value of both tickets almost instantly.
Last night I called in to cancel, because I had several reservations to modify or cancel, and some of the changes couldn’t be done online so I figured I’d take care of it all at once. One of the reservations to cancel was essentially the identical trip to the one I cancelled last week, just for a month later (same O&D pair, same two passengers, both trips probably even booked on the same day minutes apart), and the agent on the phone said she could only send me (after the stupidly long wait of up to 3 weeks) the ETC for my ticket, but that the other passenger would get a separate email with an ETC for his ticket.
Further, for a trip I had booked this summer which I was going to cancel, the agent said it was only eligible for a free change/cancellation, but not an ETC (even though online, it gives me ETC as an option). I decided to unapply the mileage upgrade on that one (and the agent has referred my copay to the refunds department), but I will just cancel that one online since it seems to work.
Ten days ago, I cancelled a trip for two people online, and got the ETC emailed to me for the full value of both tickets almost instantly.
Last night I called in to cancel, because I had several reservations to modify or cancel, and some of the changes couldn’t be done online so I figured I’d take care of it all at once. One of the reservations to cancel was essentially the identical trip to the one I cancelled last week, just for a month later (same O&D pair, same two passengers, both trips probably even booked on the same day minutes apart), and the agent on the phone said she could only send me (after the stupidly long wait of up to 3 weeks) the ETC for my ticket, but that the other passenger would get a separate email with an ETC for his ticket.
Further, for a trip I had booked this summer which I was going to cancel, the agent said it was only eligible for a free change/cancellation, but not an ETC (even though online, it gives me ETC as an option). I decided to unapply the mileage upgrade on that one (and the agent has referred my copay to the refunds department), but I will just cancel that one online since it seems to work.
Apr 13, 2020, 8:55 am
#619
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
Apr 13, 2020, 11:07 am
#620
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Independent
Posts: 470
Has anyone had luck converting an FFC to an ETC online? United sent me an email saying that I could, but I cannot find it anywhere on their website.
Apr 15, 2020, 7:16 am
#621
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: BWI, PHL, IAD
Programs: Marriott LT Titanium; Mileage Plus 1K, 1 MM; Global Entry
Posts: 1,516
Just double-checking; if I book an itinerary for two people and apply one ETC that exceeds both fares it will get used for both fares, right?
Apr 15, 2020, 10:24 pm
#623
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,085
Sorry if this was asked already somewhere in this huge thread...
I have a decent amount in UA ETC that is set to expire in May/June this year. I haven't read anything about UA extending ETC expiry due to COVID, so I'm assuming if I don't use it by their original expiration I lose them.
My question is, if I book a future ticket with the ETC now, and for whatever reason cancel the ticket booked under the COVID waiver (prior to April 30), what happens to my original ETC? Will be issued a new one with new expiration date according to when I cancelled my new flight? Or will I effectively still lose my ETC since original expiration date has passed?
I have a decent amount in UA ETC that is set to expire in May/June this year. I haven't read anything about UA extending ETC expiry due to COVID, so I'm assuming if I don't use it by their original expiration I lose them.
My question is, if I book a future ticket with the ETC now, and for whatever reason cancel the ticket booked under the COVID waiver (prior to April 30), what happens to my original ETC? Will be issued a new one with new expiration date according to when I cancelled my new flight? Or will I effectively still lose my ETC since original expiration date has passed?
Apr 15, 2020, 10:27 pm
#624
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: So Cal
Programs: UA Gold/0.744MM, WN AL, Hyatt Diamond, MR Scum, Hertz PC, National Exec, Avis PC
Posts: 5,562
Sorry if this was asked already somewhere in this huge thread...
I have a decent amount in UA ETC that is set to expire in May/June this year. I haven't read anything about UA extending ETC expiry due to COVID, so I'm assuming if I don't use it by their original expiration I lose them.
My question is, if I book a future ticket with the ETC now, and for whatever reason cancel the ticket booked under the COVID waiver (prior to April 30), what happens to my original ETC? Will be issued a new one with new expiration date according to when I cancelled my new flight? Or will I effectively still lose my ETC since original expiration date has passed?
I have a decent amount in UA ETC that is set to expire in May/June this year. I haven't read anything about UA extending ETC expiry due to COVID, so I'm assuming if I don't use it by their original expiration I lose them.
My question is, if I book a future ticket with the ETC now, and for whatever reason cancel the ticket booked under the COVID waiver (prior to April 30), what happens to my original ETC? Will be issued a new one with new expiration date according to when I cancelled my new flight? Or will I effectively still lose my ETC since original expiration date has passed?
To give you more flexibility when you travel, electronic certificates are now valid for 24 months from the date they were issued. This includes all currently valid electronic certificates and all new ones issued on or after April 1, 2020.
This policy change will automatically appear, but it may not be reflected everywhere right away. We’d appreciate your patience as we work to make that happen.
This policy change will automatically appear, but it may not be reflected everywhere right away. We’d appreciate your patience as we work to make that happen.
Apr 15, 2020, 10:28 pm
#625
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,085
There's no way to check value/expiration of the ETC online to verify extension right? Have to call in to UA to get that info?
Apr 15, 2020, 10:57 pm
#626
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
To answer your original question, if you book something while the change fee waiver is in effect, and you choose to cancel it, you'll end up with future flight credit, which can be used by the same passenger for up to two years from the date the ticket was issued. However, if your (re-)rebooked flight is less expensive, United keeps the difference. You may also have the ability to convert it to a new ETC, in which case this rule wouldn't apply. The expiration date of the original ETC would not be relevant as long as you didn't try do a refund.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 15, 2020 at 11:09 pm
Apr 15, 2020, 11:18 pm
#627
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,859
Apr 16, 2020, 7:28 pm
#628
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 240
Well i assume it became an FFC when i canceled back in March. Maybe it was something else.
Apr 16, 2020, 7:45 pm
#629
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 11
I’m a bit confused about my options. I can rebook my flight valued at $2785.65 into a new flight at $2625 and lose the difference.
or if I convert to ETC I am in hot water as all the routes to my destination involve partner metal/code share. Since UA is not operating the original flight which was all UA metal.
It seems basically I am stuck letting United keep the difference. Or am I better off refunding it at this point and paying for my new (cheaper flight)?
I think the partner metal exclusion is a real problem.
What if my original booking was 016 but involved partner metal? How can they say an ETC adequately compensates me? They simply don’t offer the options I need to get to my destination.
or if I convert to ETC I am in hot water as all the routes to my destination involve partner metal/code share. Since UA is not operating the original flight which was all UA metal.
It seems basically I am stuck letting United keep the difference. Or am I better off refunding it at this point and paying for my new (cheaper flight)?
I think the partner metal exclusion is a real problem.
What if my original booking was 016 but involved partner metal? How can they say an ETC adequately compensates me? They simply don’t offer the options I need to get to my destination.
Apr 16, 2020, 7:52 pm
#630
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,859
