I haven't read the entire thread, so pardon me if this is already addressed. I have a flight tomorrow that I need to cancel. I am still watching for some event (weather, delay, etc.) that will give me an opportunity to get cancel and get the full value back. My question is should I check in, or not? Would I lose the ability to change the reservation if I've already checked in?

You must check in or cancel by the check-in deadline (usually 30 minutes for domestic flights).

You also must cancel or board by the boarding deadline (usually 15 minutes for domestic flights).

Give yourself some buffer in case there are technical issues or hold times. I'd cancel or check in by 1 hour and cancel or board by 30-45 minutes (for domestic; double for int'l).

There is no disadvantage to checking in that I am aware of.

Hi,

Recently changed to a company in which I buy my own tickets and expense. At my previous employer travel was booked via Concur and a company credit card so I never had to manage cancelled tickets and residual value.

I have a flight tomorrow BOS to EWR on a non-refundable ticket that I am going to cancel. Domestic, coach, and fare value is about $130.00. I already SDC'd this from today to tomorrow and I doubt weather will get so bad I'll have the option for a cancellation fee waiver.

Questions:
1. If I cancel this will UA bill my credit card an additional $70.00 to reach the $200 change fee?
2. I am still expensing this, so will I be able to get a receipt for the cancellation?

Anticipating a future issue like this, as a hypothetical if the fare was, say, $500:
3. Then UA would keep $200 and I would have $300 remaining for a new ticket, correct?
3a. If there is $300 left over from the hypothetical ticket how do I apply that $300 to a future ticket purchase?

Apologies if this has been answered a dozen times and thank you for the insight.

Mike

No, nothing will happen. The coupon will be voided and no charged will occur. Not sure how easy it is to get a document proving this.

Canceling a ticket is (almost) always free. If you want to use the residual value of the coupon, you have to pay the change fee in new money and then apply the residual, so for your hypothetical you would pay $200 to receive up to $500 in credit to your new ticket. The payment is made at the time of the new booking, and any extra funds are issued as a UA ETC.

The is no fee to cancel. There is a fee to use the $130 credit, and that fee in your case appears to be $200. Probably not a good idea. The $130 becomes a donation to UA.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...hange-fee.html
No because you could potentially use the credit in the future.
You should get an email of the cancellation and you have the original receipt. But the credit isn't lost for a year.
Worst case you could do the change and you will get a receipt for that.

No you get the full credit, change fees must be paid with "new" money, change not use the credit to pay the change fee.
Long version -- see the details in the thread's wiki / top post
Short version -- call and ask to do a change of original PNR.

I have a 2000 ticket I had to cancel, and will seek out the "cheap flight+get ETC" method to expand my options.

My question is, per the instructions in the original post, the ETC "must be used within one year of issuance". Does that mean it makes sense to wait until the last possible moment to book the cheap flight and get the ETC?

Depends on your objective -- if pushing the use of the ETC as far out into the future as possible is the goal, then yes.
If the goal is to free up the funds for more immediate use, then no.

Once reticketed, the 1-year clock starts again based on the new re-ticketing date.
So yes you can extend this multiple times but you will have to pay a change fee each time.
This approach is limited to the original ticketed passenger. is limited to

An alternative solution is to change to an ultra-inexpensive flight and get an ETC which can be used by others.

Cancelled Ticket - eTicket Value?
 

Hey FT!

Had booked SFO - LAX and SFO - SNA RT on the same day for the mrs. and I on accident. Caught it 30 hours after the mistake.

I had a family member who is GS call in to try to help me cancel and get the refund to my card, but they weren't able to.

However, the reservation was cancelled and I can't find it in my United account. Where did my funds for this go? Doesn't it turn into credit for the next flight I book?

Does it appear under Cancellations in Manage Reservations

Do you have the booking confirmation emails? With the PNR?

All you need is the PNR.

As for what to do, does the canceled reservation have a value greater than the change fee?
That determines the alternatives.

Looks like it found itself in there when I checked this AM! Thank you! Checked last night and it wasn't there and then again this morning and it's there.

Appreciate the help!

It's a $537.00 ticket for 2PAX. So with a $400.00 change fee...it's like a $137.00 value from what I see.

Except that you will pay the two change fees in new money. Thus, each of you have a credit in the full amount of your ticket and each of you will pay $200 in new money to use that credit.

Glad you found but the PNR id would have been sufficient for a phone agent.

Sothos steps here. each passenger will have a credit that can only be used by them at this stage. There is a full step by step description of the process and caveats in this thread's wiki so will not repeat those steps here.

While you may be able to rebook online, I tend to use an agent. The online tool sometimes gets odd pricing. You should be able to get the same prices as a new ticket for the new trip.

Change in rebooking/flight utilization of non-refundable ticket
 

Just got off the phone with an excellent agent and learned the rebooking AND the actual flight must occur within 365 days from the time the flight is canceled by the passenger. This went into effect last week and it brings UAL into compliance with ITA rules - This new policy did not originate with United. So the bottom line is credits for canceled flights can not be prolonged by more than a year from the original flight cancellation date.