Last edit by: WineCountryUA
FFC == "Future Flight Credit"
When re-booking 3-March 2020 purchased tickets, if the new ticket is cheaper you will receive an ETC (good for 24 months); starting April 2021, this is now a new form of FFC
However for tickets purchased 3 March or later, the fare rules now state there is no "residual value" meaning no ETC for the fare drop and if you have to rebook again the credit is just the value of the new ticket.
For pre-1 April 2020 purchased, FFCs will be good for 24 months from the original purchase date
And there are no change fees
Change Fees Are Gone For Good
For purchases starting 1-April, the lifetime of FFCs are returning to the traditional 12 months from purchase
In some cases of voluntary cancellations, FFCs may be convertible to ETCs (seems pre 1 August 2020 purchase is a factor) but this can only be requested on the phone and may take days/weeks. This may be a way to avoid the problem of "no residual credit" YMMV
Update 4 April 2020
The below needs to be updated based on the changes above
This wiki discusses the for steps in using the "future flight credit" from a canceled non-refundable ticket. Note this is for the cancellation of an entire ticket -- the process is different for a partial flown ticket
- Note some tickets are non-changeable and have no residual value if not flown:
United's Basic Economy - Discussion, Q&A, ...
New UA/*A TATL -LGT Economy fare - first bag charged, no changes allowed
- Notify UA of the cancellation before the scheduled departure. An absolute must, if not done the entire value will be lost. But see note below about Travel Waivers
- Wait until you are ready to reschedule. When ready you will need to pay a change fee in new money - the fee varies and will depend on the fare rules of the original fare. Note in many cases there is no longer a change fee (BE and flights origining outside the USA may still have a fee)
- If an ETC is issued, all of the funds in it must be used withinone twos year of issuance.
To get maximum ETC (or new type FFC), an option is to pay the change fee (if any) and book the cheapest possible OW fare and throw that ticket away -- how to find that cheap fare, see Cheapest possible flight (How do I redeem this flight credit?)
If the reason for the change / cancellation is due to medical issues or death of a close relative, see Consolidated "Refunds/Cancellations Due to Illness/Death" Thread [Merged] for the process to get a refund of the change / redeposit fee.
Other cases for "free" changes are:
1) if the flight is covered on the day of departure by a waiver (WX related or other reasons). Note there may be a limited time frame for the change fee waiver.
2) or by an airline's change in schedule
What if it is 1 year from the original ticket purchase date and I am not ready to buy another United ticket using my canceled ticket's funds? Buy a throwaway ticket on the cheapest fare you can find. United will issue an Electronic Travel Certificate for any unused funds. That ETC is valid for one year from issuance (see https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-airlines-mileageplus/1369495-ua-electronic-travel-certificates-etc-general-q-new-combinability-policy-34.html). If you do this on the expiry date of your original ticket, you effectively extend the availability of the funds for an additional year at the cost of a throwaway ticket.
What if I purchase a refundable ticket with the credit from the non-refundable ticket, can I then cancel and get a refund? No, the funds from a non-refundable purchase remain non-refundable even if used to purchase a refundable fare.
Cannot find the canceled reservation online?
Go to Manage Reservations and look in both "Current" and "Cancelled" tabs
Find the appropriate reservation and look for "Use Future Flight Credit"
After rebooking a canceled ticket, is there a new 24-hour window for fee changes?
No, the 24-hour flexible change only applies to the original /new booking and does not extend to rebooking of canceled / changed tickets.
United’s 24-hour cancellation / flexible booking policy
What if one leg is a refundable fare and another leg is non-refundable?
For a single ticket, the most restrictive fare rule applies to the entire ticket. So a refundable segment paired with a non-refundable segment makes the entire ticket non-refundable. Same with the change fee, the segment with the highest change fee applies to the entire ticket.
Archive thread: How to get residual/"future flight credit" from non-refundable flight {Archive}
Other related threads
Changing/Canceling/Replacing a ticket costing less than the change fee?
When re-booking 3-March 2020 purchased tickets, if the new ticket is cheaper you will receive an ETC (good for 24 months); starting April 2021, this is now a new form of FFC
If the new flight is priced higher, the customer may change for no change fee but must pay the fare difference. If the new flight is priced lower, the customer may change without paying a change fee but no residual value will be given.
- New tickets must be reissued within 24 months from original ticket date
- Rebooked travel must commence within 24 months from the original ticket issue date
Change Fees Are Gone For Good
For purchases starting 1-April, the lifetime of FFCs are returning to the traditional 12 months from purchase
In some cases of voluntary cancellations, FFCs may be convertible to ETCs (seems pre 1 August 2020 purchase is a factor) but this can only be requested on the phone and may take days/weeks. This may be a way to avoid the problem of "no residual credit" YMMV
Update 4 April 2020
We’re extending electronic certificates
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.
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 wiki discusses the for steps in using the "future flight credit" from a canceled non-refundable ticket. Note this is for the cancellation of an entire ticket -- the process is different for a partial flown ticket
- Note some tickets are non-changeable and have no residual value if not flown:
United's Basic Economy - Discussion, Q&A, ...
New UA/*A TATL -LGT Economy fare - first bag charged, no changes allowed
- Notify UA of the cancellation before the scheduled departure. An absolute must, if not done the entire value will be lost. But see note below about Travel Waivers
- Wait until you are ready to reschedule. When ready you will need to pay a change fee in new money - the fee varies and will depend on the fare rules of the original fare. Note in many cases there is no longer a change fee (BE and flights origining outside the USA may still have a fee)
- The new ticket must be purchased within 1 years of the original ticket's purchase date (pre-April 2020 purchases receive 2 year FFC)
- The new ticket will be good for 1 year from the exchange/re-scheduled date and travel must commence prior to the expiration of the original ticket
(an exception is if the new travel is just a date change, in this case, a new ticket may not be issued and initial purchase date will still prevail) - The new ticket must be for the same named traveler
- The portion of a ticket purchased with nonrefundable ticket credit will be nonrefundable regardless of the new ticket's fare rules
- The change fee requires payments of new funds and cannot be funded from the original ticket's value
- Any fare residual will issued as an ETC valid for
onetwo year.
- If an ETC is issued, all of the funds in it must be used within
- The ETC can be used by anyone.
- The
onetwo-year limitation only limits purchasing, not travel - travel may be outside the12-year limit. - There are no additional fees to use the ETC
- The credit voucher can only be used for UA/UX operated flights (workaround - UA Electronic Travel Certificate & Codeshares/partner flights)
To get maximum ETC (or new type FFC), an option is to pay the change fee (if any) and book the cheapest possible OW fare and throw that ticket away -- how to find that cheap fare, see Cheapest possible flight (How do I redeem this flight credit?)
If the reason for the change / cancellation is due to medical issues or death of a close relative, see Consolidated "Refunds/Cancellations Due to Illness/Death" Thread [Merged] for the process to get a refund of the change / redeposit fee.
Other cases for "free" changes are:
1) if the flight is covered on the day of departure by a waiver (WX related or other reasons). Note there may be a limited time frame for the change fee waiver.
2) or by an airline's change in schedule
What if it is 1 year from the original ticket purchase date and I am not ready to buy another United ticket using my canceled ticket's funds? Buy a throwaway ticket on the cheapest fare you can find. United will issue an Electronic Travel Certificate for any unused funds. That ETC is valid for one year from issuance (see https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-airlines-mileageplus/1369495-ua-electronic-travel-certificates-etc-general-q-new-combinability-policy-34.html). If you do this on the expiry date of your original ticket, you effectively extend the availability of the funds for an additional year at the cost of a throwaway ticket.
What if I purchase a refundable ticket with the credit from the non-refundable ticket, can I then cancel and get a refund? No, the funds from a non-refundable purchase remain non-refundable even if used to purchase a refundable fare.
Cannot find the canceled reservation online?
Go to Manage Reservations and look in both "Current" and "Cancelled" tabs
Find the appropriate reservation and look for "Use Future Flight Credit"
After rebooking a canceled ticket, is there a new 24-hour window for fee changes?
No, the 24-hour flexible change only applies to the original /new booking and does not extend to rebooking of canceled / changed tickets.
United’s 24-hour cancellation / flexible booking policy
What if one leg is a refundable fare and another leg is non-refundable?
For a single ticket, the most restrictive fare rule applies to the entire ticket. So a refundable segment paired with a non-refundable segment makes the entire ticket non-refundable. Same with the change fee, the segment with the highest change fee applies to the entire ticket.
Archive thread: How to get residual/"future flight credit" from non-refundable flight {Archive}
Other related threads
Changing/Canceling/Replacing a ticket costing less than the change fee?
How to get residual/"future flight credit" from non-refundable flight
#211
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 1,231
If I change my flight and can't use the credits within a year, can I transfer them to someone else?
#212
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
First, the name on a ticket can not be changed to a new name.
Second, the credit from a canceled trip can "only" be used by the same person
BUT if that person rebooks a cheaper flight, for tickets original purchased prior to 3 March, the "residual" will be converted an ETC which can be used by another person. And the ETC is good for one year and the ticket purchased can be good for another year. This cheaper flight can be a very inexpensive ticket ($50-ish) and releases the remaining original ticket's value. Note change fees for the purchasing of the cheap ticket are generally being waived, so that expense does not occur.
More in the thread's wiki.
#213
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 7
Fee Waiver Question
I'm a bit confused on the fee waivers offered by United (and other airlines).
I am booked on AA from Philadelphia to Eagle (Colorado) on April 4th, returning on United via Denver on April 14th. This trip was booked on July 11th, 2019. On Wednesday, I spoke to a United representative who said that I did not have to complete travel by July 11th, 2020, just have a new trip booked by then. She confirmed with a supervisor. I'm confused due to the wording on the United site: "Rebooked travel must commence within 12 months from the original ticket issue date" for travel through April 30th. There is similar wording on the AA site.
Does anyone have clarification?
In any case, I am waiting until the last moment to cancel the reservations hoping the flights are cancelled.
I am booked on AA from Philadelphia to Eagle (Colorado) on April 4th, returning on United via Denver on April 14th. This trip was booked on July 11th, 2019. On Wednesday, I spoke to a United representative who said that I did not have to complete travel by July 11th, 2020, just have a new trip booked by then. She confirmed with a supervisor. I'm confused due to the wording on the United site: "Rebooked travel must commence within 12 months from the original ticket issue date" for travel through April 30th. There is similar wording on the AA site.
Does anyone have clarification?
In any case, I am waiting until the last moment to cancel the reservations hoping the flights are cancelled.
#214
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: YQR
Programs: Nexus/GE, UA/MPG, Bonvoy Tit, LTP
Posts: 1,294
I'm a bit confused on the fee waivers offered by United (and other airlines).
I am booked on AA from Philadelphia to Eagle (Colorado) on April 4th, returning on United via Denver on April 14th. This trip was booked on July 11th, 2019. On Wednesday, I spoke to a United representative who said that I did not have to complete travel by July 11th, 2020, just have a new trip booked by then. She confirmed with a supervisor. I'm confused due to the wording on the United site: "Rebooked travel must commence within 12 months from the original ticket issue date" for travel through April 30th. There is similar wording on the AA site.
Does anyone have clarification?
In any case, I am waiting until the last moment to cancel the reservations hoping the flights are cancelled.
I am booked on AA from Philadelphia to Eagle (Colorado) on April 4th, returning on United via Denver on April 14th. This trip was booked on July 11th, 2019. On Wednesday, I spoke to a United representative who said that I did not have to complete travel by July 11th, 2020, just have a new trip booked by then. She confirmed with a supervisor. I'm confused due to the wording on the United site: "Rebooked travel must commence within 12 months from the original ticket issue date" for travel through April 30th. There is similar wording on the AA site.
Does anyone have clarification?
In any case, I am waiting until the last moment to cancel the reservations hoping the flights are cancelled.
#215
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: BWI, PHL, IAD
Programs: Marriott LT Titanium; Mileage Plus 1K, 1 MM; Global Entry
Posts: 1,516
Am definately going to have to cancel two flights, maybe as many as 9. When I go to rebook is it possible to use the residual value from more than one cancelled flight to book a single new flight?
#216
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
This may change if UA follows DL's lead and converts unused tickets to ETCs, but so far they haven't done that.
#217
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 347
FWIW - I have a ticket booked Oct 10th 2019 for April 2020 travel. If I try to do a change online to anytime before Oct 10th flight dates, it quotes me new prices and works.
If I change the departure date past 10/10/2020, it errors saying:
If I change the departure date past 10/10/2020, it errors saying:
We are unable to process your request. Please see the message below for details.
We were not able to find any available seats meeting your requirements. You may modify your search criteria, or call 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331) within the U.S. or Canada; elsewhere contact
So I think the policy enforced online is accurate. I'm hopeful it will just get canceled (international, seems likely in mid-April), but if not, calling in sounds like the way to go.
We were not able to find any available seats meeting your requirements. You may modify your search criteria, or call 1-800-UNITED-1 (1-800-864-8331) within the U.S. or Canada; elsewhere contact
#218
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
The official policy is what you describe: you'd need to complete travel by July 11, 2020.
However, (a) this situation remains very fluid; DL just announced that they'd extend all tickets' validity to Dec. 31; UA and AA may well follow suit. Also, (b) there are a number of reports on this board of UA, in particular, following the approach that the phone representative told you, where you just have to rebook the travel by that date.
So, I'd continue to wait to see what happens.
#219
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
First, you should be dealing with the airline / travel agent you booked the ticket with. Regardless of the carriers you have on the ticket.
Second, the one-year refers to the date you purchased the ticket, not the date you travel
Third, if you cancel, you must do that (for non-refundable tickets) before you travel (at least hours before). This cancels the reservation but not the "ticket".
Fourth, this is where it gets confusing. The ticket then can be re-scheduled or re-booked for future travel and this must be done before the anniversary of purchase. When can that re-booked travel happen? The formal rules state it must be completed prior to the original one-year anniversary BUT in reality, for UA ticketed itins, you just need to be re-ticketed by the one-year anniversary and travel can be afterwards -- this has been true for years. Can not speak to other airlines except DL is converting unused tickets to future travel credits (good until end of 2020?), others have not done that (yet).
Second, the one-year refers to the date you purchased the ticket, not the date you travel
Third, if you cancel, you must do that (for non-refundable tickets) before you travel (at least hours before). This cancels the reservation but not the "ticket".
Fourth, this is where it gets confusing. The ticket then can be re-scheduled or re-booked for future travel and this must be done before the anniversary of purchase. When can that re-booked travel happen? The formal rules state it must be completed prior to the original one-year anniversary BUT in reality, for UA ticketed itins, you just need to be re-ticketed by the one-year anniversary and travel can be afterwards -- this has been true for years. Can not speak to other airlines except DL is converting unused tickets to future travel credits (good until end of 2020?), others have not done that (yet).
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Mar 17, 2020 at 12:12 pm
#220
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: United 1K 3MM
Posts: 387
I have a ticket that was originally purchased in Sept. 2019 but was reissued in November 2019. If I go to "view ticket receipt", only the latter shows up with "Issue Date: Nov...". On the "manage reservations" page, however, it still says "Ticket status: ticketed Sep..." Which is the date relevant to the one-year rule?
#221
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
I have a trip I purchase in Jun 2019 for Sep 2019 and cancelled in august - non refundable
I will not be able to use the residual value as I was supposed to travel to Belguim next week.
What do you think are the odds of them extending the expiration date? I know UA is cash strapped as most companies are, so I wouldn't blame them if they said no, but wondering if anyone else has been in the same boat.
I will not be able to use the residual value as I was supposed to travel to Belguim next week.
What do you think are the odds of them extending the expiration date? I know UA is cash strapped as most companies are, so I wouldn't blame them if they said no, but wondering if anyone else has been in the same boat.
#222
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
For a GS, in the current climate, you might be able to get an ETC by asking nicely. If not, there are plenty of ultra-cheap tickets in the system right now that you can buy, and the residual would be returned in an ETC anyway.
#223
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: United Premier Platinum
Posts: 638
I had a refundable (with change fee) pair of tickets (same itinerary, 2 pax) that fell under a COVID-19 waiver. The tickets were purchased with a combination of credit card and VDB voucher.
I switched the reservation for free to an entirely different itinerary that was much cheaper. The agent said on the phone that the remaining value from the more expensive tickets would be refunded to me in a combination of credit card refund and new e-cert.
My questions:
- Will the value of the new ticket be taken out of the credit card portion of the original purchase, or the voucher?
- I've gotten no e-mails from UA about these refunds being issued. Is that normal?
I switched the reservation for free to an entirely different itinerary that was much cheaper. The agent said on the phone that the remaining value from the more expensive tickets would be refunded to me in a combination of credit card refund and new e-cert.
My questions:
- Will the value of the new ticket be taken out of the credit card portion of the original purchase, or the voucher?
- I've gotten no e-mails from UA about these refunds being issued. Is that normal?
#224
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
Yes. For one thing, it may take them a week to process the the refunds... but even then it wouldn't surprise me if you never got an email.