When to cancel flight?
Oct 28, 2012 | 4:46 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 8
When to cancel reservation for refund in Sandy?
Hi,
I'm a Premier Gold trying to get out of Philadelphia (to SFO). As of this moment, I have a reservation booked with award miles scheduled to depart at 4pm Monday (yeah right, I know), and another completely independent reservation (also booked with miles) out of Cleveland, Ohio at 5pm Monday. The plan is to drive to Cleveland tomorrow early morning (~8 hours), and fly out on the second one.
I have a few logistical questions though that I don't wanna wait 3 hours on hold with United to get an answer for:
1) When is the appropriate time to cancel the first reservation? From what I understand, United is giving full refunds (miles + small fees) for flights out of affected airports, right? Do I need to wait for the flight to be officially cancelled before asking for a refund, or is now the best time? (If I try to cancel now, it says I could be charged $100).
2) If I get a refund for the miles of the first reservation, I'm assuming I'm only gonna get the chunk for this return segment of the itenerary back?
3) I changed the first reservation a 2 or 3 times yesterday before settling on the current plan, paying $25 each time (Premier Gold). I'm assuming there's no chance of getting those fees back?
Thanks,
-numegil
I'm a Premier Gold trying to get out of Philadelphia (to SFO). As of this moment, I have a reservation booked with award miles scheduled to depart at 4pm Monday (yeah right, I know), and another completely independent reservation (also booked with miles) out of Cleveland, Ohio at 5pm Monday. The plan is to drive to Cleveland tomorrow early morning (~8 hours), and fly out on the second one.
I have a few logistical questions though that I don't wanna wait 3 hours on hold with United to get an answer for:
1) When is the appropriate time to cancel the first reservation? From what I understand, United is giving full refunds (miles + small fees) for flights out of affected airports, right? Do I need to wait for the flight to be officially cancelled before asking for a refund, or is now the best time? (If I try to cancel now, it says I could be charged $100).
2) If I get a refund for the miles of the first reservation, I'm assuming I'm only gonna get the chunk for this return segment of the itenerary back?
3) I changed the first reservation a 2 or 3 times yesterday before settling on the current plan, paying $25 each time (Premier Gold). I'm assuming there's no chance of getting those fees back?
Thanks,
-numegil
Last edited by numegil; Oct 28, 2012 at 4:53 pm
Oct 28, 2012 | 5:13 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: ABE
Programs: DL DM, IHG Spire, Mariott Platinum (UA SI) Avis First, National Executive
Posts: 764
No idea about what is happening with award reservations... But as of yesterday morning you could reschedule or cancel a paid reservation with no cost. If I were you, I would try to be on the phone to talk to a person. And hopefully from the road going east to CLE 
Last edited by IflyfromABE; Oct 28, 2012 at 5:39 pm
Oct 28, 2012 | 5:14 pm
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,253
A better option here might be to simply ask UA to book you onto the CLE-SFO and cancel the existing OW you're holding. In IRROPS they will do almost anything reasonable.
You won't get the prior change fees back.
You won't get the prior change fees back.
Oct 28, 2012 | 5:51 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BOS, BWI, DCA, IAD
Programs: American, Delta, JetBlue, United
Posts: 2,402
Can't be correct. You'd be leaving Cleveland before you arrive.
Oct 28, 2012 | 6:45 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 8
Sorry, I wasn't clear. Both itineraries are direct to SFO. I booked the one from CLE earlier today when it became clear that PHL was a lost cause and United's site wasn't working for changing reservations.
Ok, I'll bug them when I get to CLE tomorrow, and see what happens then.
-numegil
Ok, I'll bug them when I get to CLE tomorrow, and see what happens then.
-numegil