TechBBBFan

Reason being is that my certificate exceeds the cost of our flights, and I want to be able to put at least $1 on my United credit card to take advantage of the free carry-on (for Basic Economy) and free checked bag. Thanks.

jsloan

An agent should be able to do this if you call. However, you may be charged a phone booking fee. You could try to get the agent to waive the fee because you can't do this online.

mahasamatman

Doubtful. If they did this, they could never charge a phone booking fee - all you would have to do is ask them to split the charge over two cards to avoid the fee.

TechBBBFan

Thanks to both of you. I'll try calling and see what they do.

emcampbe

You can choose the amount you want to use if you use travel bank funds, but as far as I know, can't with an ETC.

the only thing I can think of that might work, though I'm not sure, is to pay for farelock and maybe that is enough to associate the ticket with your card?

seenitall

You might want to check the T&C of the Explorer card. It may say that in order to receive the benefits associated with the card (e.g. an extra bag), you must charge the entire fare to the card. I know that when it comes to the trip interruption insurance or rental car collision insurance, it does state that the entire cost of the rental must be charged.

emcampbe

I'm not sure of the exact terms (since i don't have one), but at least based on reports we've seen in here, and what seems to be in practice, is that as long as the card is 'associated' to the reservation (i.e. there is some sort of transaction), then it will carry the UA benefits/waivers. For example, paying the tax on an award ticket will get someone a free bag, and using another card to buy the ticket, but buying an ancillary after (upfare, upgrade, E+ seat, etc.) will get the fee waivers.

aacharya

Though in this case the OP is buying BE - no upfare/upgrade/E+ possible.

OP - I don't remember how many posts you have, but you could consider a Coupon Connection trade for smaller cert amounts/donation to your registry.

Gig103

That's a pain in the butt. The AAdvantage card is linked to your FF account, and that's how benefits are applied.

mherdeg

One workaround I can think of involves using the somewhat undocumented 24-hr ETC refund policy.

Suppose you have a $200 travel credit expiring July 31.

If you buy a $50 ticket with that cert, the travel cert will now have $50 of value.

You can immediately refund the $50 ticket (within 24 hrs of purchase) and you should be issued a brand new e-cert with $50 in value, still expiring July 31.

You could use the old, now-$150 e-cert to partially buy your ticket and retain the $50 one for later. There are United tickets available at almost any price point so I think you could split the cert like this pretty easily.

(A few months ago I booked 2 reservations paid partially with 2 e-certs. I realized I had messed up the dates and cancelled & refunded them. The two e-certs were automatically reissued shortly after I cancelled and refunded, BUT one of the two was incorrectly marked as 'expired'. It took about a 15 minute phone call for United phone res to call their help desk and get the cert re-re-issued for it to be usable again.)

ermintrude

By how much approx? as it might be easier to purchase tickets with a fare class just greater than the ETC.