Nov 28, 2016, 8:35 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
UA Gift Certificates Usage
Gift certificates as described here are extremely difficult if not impossible to use on UA.com. UA has discontinued this product and is now routing people to the new UA Travel Registry.
UA states (Nov 2016)
In order to use your existing gift certs, you will need to call in for ticketing.
Credit to 1KChinito
Gift certificates as described here are extremely difficult if not impossible to use on UA.com. UA has discontinued this product and is now routing people to the new UA Travel Registry.
UA states (Nov 2016)
Give loved ones the world
We've decided to discontinue the United gift certificate program, so gift certificates are no longer available for purchase. You can redeem any existing gift certificates and check your balance on the Check Gift Certificate Balance page. You can still help your family and friends get to where they want to go by purchasing gift miles. On the Buy Miles page, simply select “Give Miles” and log in to your MileagePlus account to get started.
We also invite you to check out united.com gift registry to see if your favorite traveler is registered to receive the gift of United flights.
We've decided to discontinue the United gift certificate program, so gift certificates are no longer available for purchase. You can redeem any existing gift certificates and check your balance on the Check Gift Certificate Balance page. You can still help your family and friends get to where they want to go by purchasing gift miles. On the Buy Miles page, simply select “Give Miles” and log in to your MileagePlus account to get started.
We also invite you to check out united.com gift registry to see if your favorite traveler is registered to receive the gift of United flights.
In order to use your existing gift certs, you will need to call in for ticketing.
Credit to 1KChinito
You can make a reservation online and select:
1. Other forms of payment in payment information
2. Cash in drop down menu if available --- "Pay in Person" is the name for the option now
3. Click purchase
A record locator will be created. You can then call UA with your record locator and your gift card information. This way, your airfare is locked and CSR has a much easier time to retrieve your itinerary instead of creating a new one, saving a lot of time and possible fare increase as you have experienced.
An UA CSR taught me this trick because I was in the middle of making a reservation and was unable to use my gift card. She walked me through the above 3 steps. My reservation was complete in a few minutes.
You may have to babysit your reservation until it is ticketed because it may take several weeks for UA to issue your ticket.
1. Other forms of payment in payment information
2. Cash in drop down menu if available --- "Pay in Person" is the name for the option now
3. Click purchase
A record locator will be created. You can then call UA with your record locator and your gift card information. This way, your airfare is locked and CSR has a much easier time to retrieve your itinerary instead of creating a new one, saving a lot of time and possible fare increase as you have experienced.
An UA CSR taught me this trick because I was in the middle of making a reservation and was unable to use my gift card. She walked me through the above 3 steps. My reservation was complete in a few minutes.
You may have to babysit your reservation until it is ticketed because it may take several weeks for UA to issue your ticket.
Issues using UA Gift Certificates - [discontinued]
Mar 13, 2016, 10:01 am
#62
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: DFW
Programs: UA peon (+decades 1K), AA Exec Plt
Posts: 1,117
"Purchases made with a Gift Certificate do not count toward Premier® qualifying dollars for Premier status qualification."
But it doesn't say if the one who purchases the gift certificate receives PQM.
I would imagine no.
But it doesn't say if the one who purchases the gift certificate receives PQM.
I would imagine no.
Mar 13, 2016, 12:29 pm
#63
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
Mar 13, 2016, 7:10 pm
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,891
I thought using a gift certificate was essentially just using an alternate form of payment, similar to a TVC voucher, which does accrue PQD.
Interestingly enough, Marriott used to also say on their gift cards that paying with it didn't allow you to earn Marriott Rewards points on that amount of the transaction. But in my experience, I always got points based on the full cost of the stay, even when I used gift cards to cover most of the stay total.
Mar 15, 2016, 7:40 am
#66
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Platinum, JetBlue Mosaic, Hilton Silver
Posts: 711
Of course they're going to honor existing certificates, that would create a huge problem for them if they didn't.
But not selling future ones? That is definitely suspect. Gift cards/gift certificates have huge breakage and are normally profit centers for merchants. There must be a reason they stopped selling them abruptly, because it is likely costing them some money to do so.
But not selling future ones? That is definitely suspect. Gift cards/gift certificates have huge breakage and are normally profit centers for merchants. There must be a reason they stopped selling them abruptly, because it is likely costing them some money to do so.
By the way, Delta also has a great gift card program. Newer than the others but still out there.
Mar 15, 2016, 9:17 am
#67
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Premier Plat (1.2 MM), Hertz PC, Marriott Gold, HH Gold, GE
Posts: 154
The gift certificate redemption process is very clunky at best.
I spent approximately 25 minutes on the phone with United trying to redeem my gift certificate for a trip next week. The certificate number was not honored on United's website.
It has been three days since I made my reservation and my reservation has still not been ticketed. I was told that reservations involving gift certificates often are not ticketed until 24 hours before departure. Is this true? Any other experiences like this? Thanks
I spent approximately 25 minutes on the phone with United trying to redeem my gift certificate for a trip next week. The certificate number was not honored on United's website.
It has been three days since I made my reservation and my reservation has still not been ticketed. I was told that reservations involving gift certificates often are not ticketed until 24 hours before departure. Is this true? Any other experiences like this? Thanks
Mar 16, 2016, 7:26 am
#68
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 558
Hmmm. Not sure is I should be glad that I haven't used my Amex airline credit yet.
Wouldn't it be great to be able to apply multiple gift certificates to a single reservation (like every other merchant/retailer does)? But likely this will break the other way and it will end up being reinvented to be worse for the customer.
Wouldn't it be great to be able to apply multiple gift certificates to a single reservation (like every other merchant/retailer does)? But likely this will break the other way and it will end up being reinvented to be worse for the customer.
Mar 16, 2016, 11:40 am
#69
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Marin County, California
Programs: Amex Centurion
Posts: 412
The gift certificate redemption process is very clunky at best.
I spent approximately 25 minutes on the phone with United trying to redeem my gift certificate for a trip next week. The certificate number was not honored on United's website.
It has been three days since I made my reservation and my reservation has still not been ticketed. I was told that reservations involving gift certificates often are not ticketed until 24 hours before departure. Is this true? Any other experiences like this? Thanks
I spent approximately 25 minutes on the phone with United trying to redeem my gift certificate for a trip next week. The certificate number was not honored on United's website.
It has been three days since I made my reservation and my reservation has still not been ticketed. I was told that reservations involving gift certificates often are not ticketed until 24 hours before departure. Is this true? Any other experiences like this? Thanks
United should look at Alaska Airlines as a model, IMO. With Alaska, e-giftcertificates can be put in an online wallet and used when needed. Works perfectly. United already has a wallet function on their website with the Gift Registry program. Seems that they could port that over.
Mar 16, 2016, 11:59 am
#70
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond, UA 1K MM, SPG Plat For Life, Marriott Plat, Nexus/GlobalEntry
Posts: 9,198
I remember the first (and last) time I asked for a UA gift certificate for a Xmas gift from my parents...back in the 90s. My dad asked me how you even purchased one and I looked into it and told him he had to call reservations to order it. It came in the mail and it was a manually issued hand written red carbon paper ticket with multiple layers. To use it you had to of course take it in to an airport, ticket office, or use ticket by mail. It was absolutely hideous to look at...quite embarrassing.
Redeeming it was also a hassle because agents weren't generally familiar with it..and didn't even know UA issued gift certificates. I decided that would be the last time I asked for one of those!
Finally..~20 years later they're getting their act together. It's about time.
Redeeming it was also a hassle because agents weren't generally familiar with it..and didn't even know UA issued gift certificates. I decided that would be the last time I asked for one of those!
Finally..~20 years later they're getting their act together. It's about time.
Apr 17, 2016, 10:18 pm
#72
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: DL BA Amex
Posts: 916
Same issue with my UA gift certificate...
I called UA, they checked my gift cert number and said it is valid for the amount I thought... but the agent I spoke with offered no solution as to redeeming online. I was actually calling for a different reason, so I didn't push the issue.
Anyone have any more information on this issue?
I called UA, they checked my gift cert number and said it is valid for the amount I thought... but the agent I spoke with offered no solution as to redeeming online. I was actually calling for a different reason, so I didn't push the issue.
Anyone have any more information on this issue?
Jun 18, 2016, 11:31 am
#75
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,219
I redeemed some MCR points back in Dec 2014 for a UA $25 gift certificate and tried to use it yesterday. Wouldn't work online saying invalid code.
I called UA and they couldn't get it to work. It would have to be manually processed by ticketing and then it should be good to go. I did comment to the UA rep this is the first time I'm using a gift cert, but what a pain. We will see how long it takes to process.
But for a $19 one-way fare SAN to ORD, it was worth the hassle!
I called UA and they couldn't get it to work. It would have to be manually processed by ticketing and then it should be good to go. I did comment to the UA rep this is the first time I'm using a gift cert, but what a pain. We will see how long it takes to process.
But for a $19 one-way fare SAN to ORD, it was worth the hassle!