Sep 14, 2016, 10:42 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
During the COVID period, change fees are waived for many tickets
Sept 2020 - Change Fees Are Gone For Good
UA's definitions -- in red added editorial comments
*Most change fees have been eliminated
Refundability
o Some tickets are refundable but with a change / cancellation fee
o In the fare rules, words like "CHANGES PERMITTED" or "CANCELLATIONS PERMITTED" indicate refundability
Note: For a ticket with multiple segments and different fares classes / fare rules, the most restrictive applies to the entire ticket. So a single non-refundable segment makes the entire ticket non-refundable.
related thread -- How to book a refundable ticket on UA
Sept 2020 - Change Fees Are Gone For Good
There won’t be any change fees if:
You’re traveling:
You’re traveling:
- Within the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
- Between the U.S. and Mexico or the Caribbean
- To other international destinations from the U.S.
- Economy
- Economy Plus®
- United First®
- United Business®*
- United Premium PlusSM*
Basic Economy (most restricted) ---- Our most restricted fare:Seat assigned prior to boarding
No group or family seating
No carry-on bag, just a personal item
Earn award miles only, no Premier® qualifying credit
Upgrades and Economy Plus® are not available
No refunds or changes
Economy ---- Our standard Economy fare:Seat selection at booking, if seats are available
Enjoy other options for customizing your travel
Non-refundable -- fee to change*, credit toward future flight
Economy (flexible) ---- Our flexible Economy fare:Refundable fare; cancellation and change* fees may apply
Seat selection at booking, if seats are available
Enjoy other options for customizing your travel
Economy (unrestricted) ---- Our unrestricted Economy fare:Fully refundable fare; no cancellation or change fees
Seat selection at booking, if seats are available
Enjoy other options for customizing your travel
First (lowest) ---- Our lowest fare in First:Personalized inflight service
More spacious seating and extra legroom
Expanded dining experience
Non-refundable -- a fee to change*, credit toward a future flight
First (unrestricted) ---- Our unrestricted First fare:Fully refundable fare; no cancellation or change fees.
Personalized inflight service
More spacious seating and extra legroom
Expanded dining experience
No group or family seating
No carry-on bag, just a personal item
Earn award miles only, no Premier® qualifying credit
Upgrades and Economy Plus® are not available
No refunds or changes
Economy ---- Our standard Economy fare:Seat selection at booking, if seats are available
Enjoy other options for customizing your travel
Non-refundable -- fee to change*, credit toward future flight
Economy (flexible) ---- Our flexible Economy fare:Refundable fare; cancellation and change* fees may apply
Seat selection at booking, if seats are available
Enjoy other options for customizing your travel
Economy (unrestricted) ---- Our unrestricted Economy fare:Fully refundable fare; no cancellation or change fees
Seat selection at booking, if seats are available
Enjoy other options for customizing your travel
First (lowest) ---- Our lowest fare in First:Personalized inflight service
More spacious seating and extra legroom
Expanded dining experience
Non-refundable -- a fee to change*, credit toward a future flight
First (unrestricted) ---- Our unrestricted First fare:Fully refundable fare; no cancellation or change fees.
Personalized inflight service
More spacious seating and extra legroom
Expanded dining experience
Refundability
o Some tickets are refundable but with a change / cancellation fee
o In the fare rules, words like "CHANGES PERMITTED" or "CANCELLATIONS PERMITTED" indicate refundability
Note: For a ticket with multiple segments and different fares classes / fare rules, the most restrictive applies to the entire ticket. So a single non-refundable segment makes the entire ticket non-refundable.
related thread -- How to book a refundable ticket on UA
Flex vs Unrestricted / Fully Refundable fare. What is/is not refundable, translation?
Mar 29, 2017, 12:48 pm
#106
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
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Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 12,521
You could call it in.
In theory, I have heard fully refundable means even after departure- but I'd never risk that kind of $$ on that theory.
To me, the limit is one minute before they pull you off the itinerary as a "no-show" -.
In theory, I have heard fully refundable means even after departure- but I'd never risk that kind of $$ on that theory.
To me, the limit is one minute before they pull you off the itinerary as a "no-show" -.
Mar 29, 2017, 12:55 pm
#107
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Gold
Posts: 282
But can you do it via the app w/out calling? Curious what the latest someone has done that is.
Mar 29, 2017, 1:00 pm
#108
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,895
Depends on the fare rules. For the most unrestricted fares there are probably 2 key dates:
(1) Time of departure -- assuming you weren't checked in to the flight, cancel before time of departure to avoid an auto cancel due to no-show.
(2) 1 year after purchase -- some fares do not have a no-show penalty. (Check the fare rules closely). In those cases an auto-cancel is OK and you can still change (use ticket value for something else) or refund. BUT the ticket stops being valid and all value is left 12 months after purchase according to most fare rules and/or the CoC.
(1) Time of departure -- assuming you weren't checked in to the flight, cancel before time of departure to avoid an auto cancel due to no-show.
(2) 1 year after purchase -- some fares do not have a no-show penalty. (Check the fare rules closely). In those cases an auto-cancel is OK and you can still change (use ticket value for something else) or refund. BUT the ticket stops being valid and all value is left 12 months after purchase according to most fare rules and/or the CoC.
Mar 29, 2017, 1:02 pm
#109
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,450
If your receipt says "0VALUAFTDPT", then you need to get the ticket cancelled before the flight departs -- and, yes, I'd do it no later than T-15 (domestic) or T-30 (international), which is the point when you've no-showed.
If your receipt does not say that, you should be able to get a refund anytime during the ticket validity -- one year from the date of issue. In that case, you should not need to cancel it before the flight departs. (I suppose you should read the voluntary changes and penalties sections of the fare rules to be certain).
However, if you were actually in this situation -- trying to get through security and unable to make the flight -- UA is likely to put you onto the next available flight whether you have a refundable ticket or not -- it's the "flat tire rule," which is less of a published rule than it is an allowance for "stuff happens."
Mar 29, 2017, 1:43 pm
#110
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,521
You have to call.
Mar 29, 2017, 3:03 pm
#111
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The question here is what the passenger wants. a fully refundable F/J/Y ticket without and cancellation restriction will be refunded at any time, even after the flight has departed.
But, that does not speak to the reservation and reservations for a return or onward segments). Those are cancelled if the passenger does not check in or board by the required times. At that point, the passenger holds a ticket which represents value which may be refunded or applied to a new ticket. There is no need to worry about the "flat tire policy" or anything else because the value is not lost and there are no no show penalties.
But, if you hold return or onward segments, note that the reservations have been cancelled. There is no assurance that there is availability on those and that you will be able to get those back even though you have ticket value to apply.
So, all refundable means is refundable, not rebookable.
But, that does not speak to the reservation and reservations for a return or onward segments). Those are cancelled if the passenger does not check in or board by the required times. At that point, the passenger holds a ticket which represents value which may be refunded or applied to a new ticket. There is no need to worry about the "flat tire policy" or anything else because the value is not lost and there are no no show penalties.
But, if you hold return or onward segments, note that the reservations have been cancelled. There is no assurance that there is availability on those and that you will be able to get those back even though you have ticket value to apply.
So, all refundable means is refundable, not rebookable.
Apr 6, 2017, 5:36 pm
#113
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: LHR, HKG
Programs: gate lice
Posts: 315
UA Polaris fare rules
Can I ask what the difference is in refunds, cancellations, and rebooking policy between these fare classes? I couldn't find them anywhere else on the internet.
P class (lowest); Z class (flex); D class (unrestricted).
I'm flying CLE-HKG, leaving May 30 and returning Aug 16.
However, I might be accepted into a certain program which would require me to fly into EWR on Jun 15 and spend eight weeks there. Unfortunately, I won't get notice on whether I will be accepted until May 27. So I'd be interested in a flexible ticket, but I have no idea where to start.
P class (lowest); Z class (flex); D class (unrestricted).
I'm flying CLE-HKG, leaving May 30 and returning Aug 16.
However, I might be accepted into a certain program which would require me to fly into EWR on Jun 15 and spend eight weeks there. Unfortunately, I won't get notice on whether I will be accepted until May 27. So I'd be interested in a flexible ticket, but I have no idea where to start.
Apr 6, 2017, 5:49 pm
#114
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,887
Without the full fare rules its difficult to answer, but generally
Non-refundable with change fee to rebook. Must be used within a year of purchasing or all value will be lost
Refundable fare but cancellation and change fees
Completely refundable / changeable -- no fees BUT may be fare changes.
Note these unrestricted D fares will be very expensive.
Non-refundable with change fee to rebook. Must be used within a year of purchasing or all value will be lost
Refundable fare but cancellation and change fees
Completely refundable / changeable -- no fees BUT may be fare changes.
Note these unrestricted D fares will be very expensive.
Apr 6, 2017, 6:03 pm
#115
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: LHR, HKG
Programs: gate lice
Posts: 315
Typically how much is that change fee?
Apr 6, 2017, 6:05 pm
#116
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Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,446
Note that the fare difference may include re-faring the outbound, depending on the circumstances when you make the change. It may be beneficial to fly the outbound first before changing the return.
Apr 6, 2017, 6:10 pm
#117
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Posts: 56,521
Apr 6, 2017, 6:18 pm
#118
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: LHR, HKG
Programs: gate lice
Posts: 315
Apr 6, 2017, 6:19 pm
#119
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
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Posts: 56,521
Agreed, if your choice is buying the P now and possibly having to change to a D, vs. buying a D later, the first option at least provides the possibility of significant savings.
Apr 6, 2017, 7:20 pm
#120
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: LHR, HKG
Programs: gate lice
Posts: 315