physioprof

Does UA have any non-refundable fares that limit flight changes to new flights with greater than or equal price to the original price paid? I just cancelled a non-refundable DL ticket that was $6000, and I have been informed by TAs and even a supervisor that my fare only allows use of the ticket value to purchase a new itinerary with greater than or equal fare to the original one. I have cancelled dozens of CO and then UA non-refundable fares over decades of flying, and have never encountered this restriction.

channa

That doesn't sound right. I would call DL and ask them directly. They typically give a credit voucher for fare differences (much like UA and CO).

DL will take over an agency ticket for a fee (I believe it's $50). Might be worth it if the agency is getting in the way of what you need to do. Pulling up the agency record at delta.com and making the change there will avoid the fee.

physioprof

This was a ticket directly purchased on DL.com, and it was DL TAs and a supervisor that I spoke to. I agree that it sounds outlandish, but apparently this is a real DL fare rule.

Boo_Radley

Do you have the fare basis? Someone can look it up on EF, assuming it's still a published fare.

Also, why is this in the UA forum?

physioprof

I was asking whether UA has any non-refundable fares with that kind of restriction. That was the original question I asked in starting this thread. The commentary about whether this really exists on DL is off-topic, but that wasn't my intention in initiating this thread.

SAN 1K

I can't comment on Delta. But I can say that I bought a U.S. Air ticket early this year and had to "bank" the funds due to a snow-related weather waiver that made my travel impossible - but the waiver didn't allow for refunds - only re-use of the funds. Anyway the U.S. Air policy apparently mirrors that which you describe for Delta. You have to use all the funds to buy a new ticket. Any residual they "keep". I haven't been able to use the funds yet as I need to find a $1000+ ticket that will work well on US Air.
So perhaps UAL has one of the better policies in this regard insofar as it provides vouchers for the residuals.

3Cforme

That's not a general rule with DL vouchers.

OP hasn't identified country of flight origin, country of ticket issue, or carriers on the DL ticket that vexes him. As a $6,000 non-ref ticket it's not a simple ATL-LAX r/t.

emcampbe

I believe this is the same for AC, or at least, it used to be.

physioprof

This is all off-topic, and has nothing to go with the topic of this thread. My only question was whether UA has any non-refundable fares with a restriction that the fare value can only be used to purchase a new ticket with a price greater than or equal to the original fare price.

exerda

I have never seen a UA fare with restrictions that its value can only be used toward greater or equal-valued tickets. UA charges you the change fee (exorbitant in some cases), and you then apply the value to your new ticket. You pay more if there's more fare due, but you get a voucher back if the new one is less.

I'm surprised to hear the current US policy on similar situations, as I've been in that boat (as recently as late last year), and have always gotten the full value back, with a voucher issued for any residual amount after rebooking.

I think the DL supe was wrong, FWIW, but when booking a $6k ticket, you should always read the fare rules carefully...

goalie

MODERATOR NOTE

Bolding mine:. The OP has asked and asked again for an answer to a question. If you can help the OP, thank you ^ but if you cannot help the OP, please do not post off topic comments

goalie
UA Forum Co-Moderator

exwannabe

UA fare rule example:

--
B. EXCHANGE - WHOLLY UNUSED TICKET / CHANGE TO
1ST TICKETED FLIGHT COUPON
--
FULL VALUE OF A WHOLLY UNUSED TICKET MAY BE
APPLIED TOWARDS PURCHASE OF A NEW TICKET PRICED
AT -CURRENT- EQUAL OR HIGHER FARE LEVELS UPON
PAYMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE FEE EQUAL TO CHANGE
FEE CONTAINED WITHIN THIS RULE AND ANY
DIFFERENCE IN FARE / TAXES / FEES /
SURCHARGES WILL BE APPLICABLE AT TIME
OF EXCHANGE.
--PROVIDED--
--ORIGINAL RESERVATIONS ARE CANCELLED PRIOR TO
ORIGINALLY SCHEDULE FLIGHT OR TICKET HAS
NO VALUE IF NO-SHOW.
--
WHEN THE PASSENGER CANCELS THE TICKETED
FLIGHT RESERVATION PRIOR TO THE TICKETED
DEPARTURE TIME THE TICKET WILL BE VALID
FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR ONE YEAR FROM THE
DATE OF ISSUANCE OF THE ORIGINAL TICKET
AND WILL BE SUBJECT TO ANY AND ALL APPLICABLE
CHANGE FEES. OTHERWISE THE TICKET HAS NO
VALUE AFTER TICKETED DEPARTURE TIME.
--
THE NON-REFUNDABLE CANCELLATION AMOUNT OF THE
TICKET BEING EXCHANGED REMAINS NON-REFUNDABLE
AND CARRIED FORWARD IN THE ENDORSEMENT BOX OF
THE NEW TICKET.
--
RESERVATIONS MUST BE CANCELLED BEFORE ORIGINAL
SCHEDULE FLIGHT OR TICKET HAS NO VALUE IF
NO-SHOW.
--
--
TAG-5 - WHOLLY UNUSED TICKET / CHANGE TO 1ST
TICKETED FLIGHT COUPON
--
BEFORE DEPARATURE OF JOURNEY - APPLIES WITHIN
TICKET VALIDITY
CERTAIN DOMESTIC REISSUE PROVISIONS MAY BE
OVERRIDDEN BY THOSE OF UA INTERNATIONAL FARES.
--
CHARGE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE EQUAL TO CHANGE FEE.
--
APPLY CAT 19 PROVISIONS FOR INFANT WITHOUT SEAT /
INFANT WITH A SEAT / CHILD.
REPRICE USING CURRENT QUALIFYING FARES
--
1. UA FARES ARE USED
2. NEW TKT HAS EQUAL OR HIGHER VALUE THAN
PREVIOUS TKT
3. ADV RES IS MEASURED FROM REISSUE DATE TO
DEPARTURE OF PRICING UNIT
--
EQUAL OR HIGHER FARE - REFUND NOT APPLICABLE //
CHARGE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE EQUAL TO CHANGE FEE //
ADD COLLECT FARE DIFFERENCE - IF APPLICABLE
--
ENDORSEMENT BOX - HIGHER NON-REF AMT AND
NEW ENDORSEMENTS

physioprof

That's interesting. What particular UA fare class did that apply to?

WineCountryUA

That is fairly standard boilerplate (I see it in all the non-refundable fare rules I checked) and IME does not mean you can not apply to a lower cost ticket and get a voucher for the difference -- (after paying the change fee).

exwannabe

The first try looking at a semi random MIA-MEX econ fare.

But many other fares state that the residue value is refunded in the form of a credit.

For example (on a random C class NYC-TPE)

RESIDUAL VALUE // IF ANY // WILL BE RETURNED
IN THE FORM OF A NON-REFUNDABLE VOUCHER VALID
ON UNITED AIRLINES//AGENCY TO RETURN RESIDUAL
VALUE VIA A NON-REFUNDABLE MCO/EMD VALID ON
UNITED AIRLINES ONLY.
IF APPLICABLE ANY DIFFERENCE IN
FARE/CARRIER FEE AND ANY APPLICABLE
TAX/FEE/CHARGE IS COLLECTABLE AT TIME OF
EXCHANGE.

This rule I posted had no such clause.