I just learned e-certs are not able to be combined, and did some keyword searching of the UA board here on FT to see if this angle has come up and could not find--or threads are very old and I fear not relevant...so I think it deserves its own thread:

When given the option for compensation (for whatever reason), what form of comp do you choose in order of preference and why? Based on what I have learned so far, it seems to me the most-to- least advantageous prioritization would be

1. Cash
2. Points (so that you can use however you want, in the amount you want)
3. E-cert / voucher (restricted by quantity/pax - never been issued one so dunno if they expire?)
4. Credits (any credits I've ever been issued I have never used, would have had to pay $150 to use--not so relevant if the fare in question is <$150), and they expire in a year.

Have I missed any comp type?
What are your thoughts on the order of preference?

And lastly, is there a technical difference between an 'e-cert' and a 'voucher', or are those just terms being used interchangeably here on FT? I searched UA.com and could not find but it seems there might be a difference from some of the headers/threads I reviewed.

TIA!

I'm not 100% sure, but i think e-cert's are really the older, PMUA style ones that started with an 016 number. For those, you are correct, you could only use one/ticket, though some reported success in using more than that when calling web support. Don't think these are issued anymore.

I think there are different kind of vouchers, but the TCV vouchers (which I think were PMCO, but I'm not sure) that come with a PIN code, you should be able to use as many as 1 per pax. So if there is only 1 on the itin, yes, you can only use one at a time, but if there are more, you could use more. Now that i look back at an email I got, one of my TCV vouchers came in attachment that said "ecertificate" on the top of the page, so maybe I am mistaken on the terminology.

The TCV are also superior to the old ecerts as any residual value can be used for a second itinerary - the old ecerts had to be used at once - so if you used a $200 cert on a $150 ticket, you'd lose the remaining value. You can re-use the PIN on a TCV for the $50 left over.

As for comp choices, you may be confusing some things. Credits are going to be residual value for unused tickets - so you'll only get these once you cancel a ticket - and yes, you'll need to pay a change fee for using these. As for a cash option, rarely ever given for any kind of comp, except for an IDB, where it is mandated by law (and even then, you may have to argue for it). For a VDB, you could try negotiating for cash I suppose, but you'd likely be offered a much lower amount then you'd get in a voucher.

not only that, the TCVA certs are considered a form of payment. So if you refund the ticket, the residual value get refunded to a new cert. Where the PMUA cert is is a one time use and will not be refunded.