Sep 16, 14, 4:01 pm
Last edit by: DELee
Related topic: Change Fees "Gone For Good"(WW ex-USA,non-BE), credit for lower fare!, BE waiver
United;s web page: https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/reservations/refunds/24-hour-booking-policy.html
United’s 24-hour flexible booking policy
and Ticket refund policies - Booking service fees
April 2020
Previous wording - Dec 2019
Note: United refers to this as "United’s 24-hour flexible booking policy", not just cancellations. UA includes routing changes, pricing changes, fare class changes, ..... as well as simple cancellations. But the timeframe is based on the original purchases and not reset by a change. Only a cancellation and then separate rebooking would achieve that.
Reservation booking service fees and close-in booking fees for award tickets are refundable only if you cancel your reservation within 24 hours of purchase. These sometimes may take an extra request.
Starting 2016Q4 ticket receipts state
The website link does now mention the 7 day restriction (new 2017Q2) and the CoCs has contained the 7 day restriction for awhile. This is allowed by the DoT rules. However, no reports yet of UA enforcing the 7 day restriction.
DOT 24 refund rule, announcement
76 Fed. Reg. 23110, 23166, Apr. 25, 2011
Further DOT Guidance on 24 hour rule
Note the present UA implementation in practice is more generous -- no 7 day limitation enforcement as of yet.
UA's 24 hour rule was in place long before the DOT requirement .
Note -- a changed ticket does not get a new 24-hour free cancel period -- that benefit only applies to the original purchase.
Does the 24 hour rule apply to award tickets?
Yes
Does the 24 hour rule apply to close in bookings?
Yes but cancellation must be done before scheduled departure.
While the policy revision in 2018 add the DOT allowed 7-day exemption, UA has generally allowed this and not enforced the 7-day exemption. There has been just one FT reported situation where the 7-day was enforced and it had other factors.
In the case of credit card purchases, on a cancellation, the credit charge may be left pending and never finalized. So in the end it is as if it never happen.
Basic Economy tickets -- are they projected by the 24 hour rule?
Yes, UA is allowing cancellation of BE tickets in the first 24 hour (consistent with DOT requirements. But as UA allows changes also of other fares in the first 24 hours, it will not allow that of BE . The distinction is minor but
Book a reservation with ETC but cancelled with 24 hours, will the ETC be refunded?
Yes it should but UA can be rather slow on this and occasionally will drop the ball. You may need to followup. Note the refunded ETC will have the same expiration as the original ETC. (So, not a way to extend the ETC
) -- Note in late 2020, UA's practice does seem to have changed to issuing NEW ETCs
United;s web page: https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/reservations/refunds/24-hour-booking-policy.html
United’s 24-hour flexible booking policy
and Ticket refund policies - Booking service fees
April 2020
We know that life happens, and you may need to change your travel plans unexpectedly. United's 24-hour flexible booking policy gives you the freedom to make changes to select reservations within 24 hours of booking and ticketing, without being charged change fees if you made your purchase one week or more before the flight was scheduled to depart. This includes canceling your reservation and requesting a full refund of the ticket price. Although Basic Economy reservations aren’t eligible for changes within 24 hours, they’re still eligible for a full refund if you cancel within 24 hours and you made your purchase one week or more before the flight was scheduled to depart. Please view the terms and conditions below for more details.Terms and conditions
- Applies to tickets booked at united.com, United City Ticket Offices, airport ticket counters or with the United Customer Contact Center.
- The 24-hour timeframe begins at the time you book and ticket your reservation.
- Requests for refunds will be credited back in the original form of payment, except for purchases made with a United Gift Certificate, which will be credited back in the form of electronic travel certificates.
- Group tickets are subject to the terms of the group contract.
- Tickets purchased using e-certificates are excluded. (New April 2020)
- Reservations that are being held but have not yet been purchased are excluded.
- Any FareLock® fees paid to hold a reservation will not be refunded.
Spoiler
Note: United refers to this as "United’s 24-hour flexible booking policy", not just cancellations. UA includes routing changes, pricing changes, fare class changes, ..... as well as simple cancellations. But the timeframe is based on the original purchases and not reset by a change. Only a cancellation and then separate rebooking would achieve that.
Reservation booking service fees and close-in booking fees for award tickets are refundable only if you cancel your reservation within 24 hours of purchase. These sometimes may take an extra request.
Starting 2016Q4 ticket receipts state
Refunds Within 24 Hours
When you book and ticket a reservation through united.com, the United mobile app, the United Customer Contact Center, at our ticket counters or city ticket offices, or if you use MileagePlus® miles to book an award ticket, we will allow you to cancel the ticketed reservation without penalty and receive a 100 percent refund of the ticket price to the original form of payment if you cancel the reservation within 24 hours of purchase and if the reservation is made one week or more prior to scheduled flight departure.
When you book and ticket a reservation through united.com, the United mobile app, the United Customer Contact Center, at our ticket counters or city ticket offices, or if you use MileagePlus® miles to book an award ticket, we will allow you to cancel the ticketed reservation without penalty and receive a 100 percent refund of the ticket price to the original form of payment if you cancel the reservation within 24 hours of purchase and if the reservation is made one week or more prior to scheduled flight departure.
DOT 24 refund rule, announcement
DOT requires airlines to either hold a reservation for 24 hours without payment or refund a paid ticket — even a non-refundable one — if you cancel within 24 hours of purchase and you purchased your ticket more than 7 days before your flight.
Airlines are free to choose between holding a reservation without payment in these circumstances or refunding after payment; they don’t have to offer both options. ...
Airlines are free to choose between holding a reservation without payment in these circumstances or refunding after payment; they don’t have to offer both options. ...
Further DOT Guidance on 24 hour rule
Note the present UA implementation in practice is more generous -- no 7 day limitation enforcement as of yet.
UA's 24 hour rule was in place long before the DOT requirement .
Note -- a changed ticket does not get a new 24-hour free cancel period -- that benefit only applies to the original purchase.
Does the 24 hour rule apply to award tickets?
Yes
Does the 24 hour rule apply to close in bookings?
Yes but cancellation must be done before scheduled departure.
While the policy revision in 2018 add the DOT allowed 7-day exemption, UA has generally allowed this and not enforced the 7-day exemption. There has been just one FT reported situation where the 7-day was enforced and it had other factors.
In the case of credit card purchases, on a cancellation, the credit charge may be left pending and never finalized. So in the end it is as if it never happen.
Basic Economy tickets -- are they projected by the 24 hour rule?
Yes, UA is allowing cancellation of BE tickets in the first 24 hour (consistent with DOT requirements. But as UA allows changes also of other fares in the first 24 hours, it will not allow that of BE . The distinction is minor but
Book a reservation with ETC but cancelled with 24 hours, will the ETC be refunded?
Yes it should but UA can be rather slow on this and occasionally will drop the ball. You may need to followup. Note the refunded ETC will have the same expiration as the original ETC. (So, not a way to extend the ETC
) -- Note in late 2020, UA's practice does seem to have changed to issuing NEW ETCs
United’s 24-hour cancellation / flexible booking policy ...
Mar 22, 12, 11:46 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Diego,CA,USA
Programs: Southwest Companion Pass American Admirals Club Lifetime,IHG Rewards Spire,HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,358
United’s 24-hour cancellation / flexible booking policy ...
Can you cancel a booked award ticket within a 24 hour window without penalty and having the Miles credited back without cost?
I know you can do this with a purchased ticket. Thanks
I know you can do this with a purchased ticket. Thanks
Mar 22, 12, 12:27 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Diego,CA,USA
Programs: Southwest Companion Pass American Admirals Club Lifetime,IHG Rewards Spire,HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,358
It was booked on line
So I guess I can go on line and cancel.
How long does it take to have miles available again?
I dare not call to find out
How long does it take to have miles available again?
I dare not call to find out
Mar 22, 12, 12:29 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Providence, RI
Programs: AAEXP, BASlv, UAGold, Hyatt Diam, IHG Plt, SPG Plt, HH Diam, MR Plat, CC Gold, Nat ExecElite
Posts: 440
Be prepared to wait a while. I cancelled an award ticket a week ago and still haven't gotten my miles refunded. Agent I just spoke to said it can take up to two weeks or so "because everything is backed up with the merger".
Last edited by KevinInRI; Mar 22, 12 at 12:36 pm
Aug 29, 12, 11:27 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: LAX
Posts: 1,098
Aug 30, 12, 12:23 am
#9
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.96MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 65,126
Aug 30, 12, 4:02 am
#10
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Sun & beach destinations
Programs: UA-lifetime Platinum (2MM), IHG-Amb, HH-Diamond, Hertz-PC, Marriott-Gold, CX-AM
Posts: 1,427
Does anyone know when exactly UA start charging tax/fee on your credit card after you make the award purchase? If UA do it 24 hours AFTER the purchase, then UA doesn't even need to refund you any tax/fee when you cancel the ticketed award within 24 hours. Is that how it works now?
Aug 30, 12, 5:40 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Illinois (ORD)
Programs: UA 1K MM, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum
Posts: 232
UA will not refund close in booking fee. I booked a ticket for my sister who is a general member using her miles. Since she is a general member and travel was within 7 days, $75 close in booking fee was charged. We subsequently canceled the ticket within 24 hours and got miles and taxes back, but not the the close in booking fee.
Aug 30, 12, 7:43 am
#12
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: SJC/PIT
Programs: AA EXP, AS 75K, TK Elite
Posts: 519
IME, if I click "refund/redeposit" instead of "cancel", I get miles redeposited instantly (fee/tax refund to cc takes a few days). When I clicked "cancel" by mistake and then requested a refund, redeposit took longer (about a week?).
Aug 30, 12, 8:06 am
#13
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BOS, BWI, DCA, IAD
Programs: American, Delta, JetBlue, United
Posts: 2,030
Last spring I cancelled an UA award ticket (flights on LH) because of a significant schedule change (about 4 hours). My miles (60k) were redeposited within a couple of days, and I have since rebooked my travel on LX.
Aug 31, 12, 12:44 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: LAX
Posts: 1,098
Thanks, I was able to do it within the window. I had to go thru the call center to make the reso, so I'll see if get that $25 back too (unlikely!)
On a related matter, the award rules are a bit contradictory for changes.
I have booked Italy - LAX and I will want to add LAX-SFO once the savers are released for that leg.
The rules say:
- there is no charge to add,change or remove a segment more than 21 days prior to travel,
- but they also quote a $75 fee to change the origin or destination.
I guess we'll find out - $75 not such a big deal!
On a related matter, the award rules are a bit contradictory for changes.
I have booked Italy - LAX and I will want to add LAX-SFO once the savers are released for that leg.
The rules say:
- there is no charge to add,change or remove a segment more than 21 days prior to travel,
- but they also quote a $75 fee to change the origin or destination.
I guess we'll find out - $75 not such a big deal!
