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]
May 7, 2018, 7:40 am
#106
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 558
Vanishing Gift Certificate Balance - CSR Runaround
I have a gift certificate that was purchased in February of 2015. I used part of that certificate in 2015 and promptly forgot about the rest. Finding the certificate, I attempted to use the balance on a new booking last month, only to be told that there was no balance left. I've spent about four hours on the phone with CSRs, and submitted two online requests. The CSR's tell me to submit it online, and the online response is to call customer support. No one is able to tell how/where the balance of the gift certificate went, and I suspect shenanigans on the part of UA.
Do I have any additional options for trying to resolve this with UA prior to contacting the NYS Attorney General or other consumer protection group?
It's not a huge amount of money, but it's not peanuts either. The way that UA handled the discontinuance of gift certificates makes me suspect that some executive decided to sweep the balance of unused certs to a quarterly earnings line.
Do I have any additional options for trying to resolve this with UA prior to contacting the NYS Attorney General or other consumer protection group?
It's not a huge amount of money, but it's not peanuts either. The way that UA handled the discontinuance of gift certificates makes me suspect that some executive decided to sweep the balance of unused certs to a quarterly earnings line.
May 7, 2018, 11:50 am
#107
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: 66,861
Does this link report anything?
May 9, 2018, 8:22 am
#108
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 558
Does this link report anything?
May 9, 2018, 9:42 am
#109
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SFO
Programs: COdbaUA Platinum 2MM
Posts: 5,532
It is best to have them issue your ticket so certificate will be applied properly.
Good luck and please come back and let us know your result.
May 9, 2018, 11:58 am
#110
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Alberta
Programs: Delta Gold Medallion
Posts: 26
Unfortunately you're not entitled to anything for the debacle, but if you raise enough hell with them you could probably get a free drink chit or a small monetary value GC. Had a similar issue with UA in the past, I complained about it and they sent me a $50 gift certificate. Best of luck!
Jul 21, 2018, 5:17 pm
#112
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,471
Jul 24, 2018, 10:47 pm
#116
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: 66,861
Gift Certificate T&Cs
Gift Certificates can be used for air travel purchases, including tickets, taxes and surcharges, made on united.com only. Gift Certificates cannot be used toward checked baggage service charges or non-ticket purchases, including but not limited to Economy Plus®, Premier Access®, Award Accelerator®, Premier AcceleratorSM and Personal Miles®.
Valid for use on flights operated by United and United Express® only.
Valid for use on flights operated by United and United Express® only.
Jul 25, 2018, 6:18 pm
#117
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
-James
Jul 25, 2018, 6:22 pm
#118
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: 66,861
Jul 25, 2018, 6:31 pm
#119
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
Oct 29, 2018, 6:52 pm
#120
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: NY
Programs: AA: ExPlat & 3MM; UA: 1k; KL: Plat 4 Life; Hyatt: Plat; SPG, Marriott, Hilton: Gold
Posts: 2,708
Can’t combine gift certs??
Bought bunch of them for myself when they were still sold for my AmEx Platinum airline benefit.
I am now told I can’t combine them. Seemed to be mass confusion and no one seems to know but I tried 3 different people and all told me same after putting me on hold 10 minutes each. They claim web services handles this and they can’t do it.
Super annoying.
Anyone that has been able to successfully do this?
I am now told I can’t combine them. Seemed to be mass confusion and no one seems to know but I tried 3 different people and all told me same after putting me on hold 10 minutes each. They claim web services handles this and they can’t do it.
Super annoying.
Anyone that has been able to successfully do this?