Known_Traveler_206

Hey Friends,

This is my first post. So please forgive my ignorance.

I booked flights UA1408 and UA1405 from IAH to BZE a few months ago with a flight voucher UA gave me for giving up my seat. My flight departs in 4 weeks. I'm no longer able to travel next month due to work. Am I able to change a flight booked with a flight voucher? Will it be in United's system as a Rev or Non-Rev flight? Any idea what the approximate change fee would be?

Thanks for your help!

zrs70

WineCountryUA

Welcome to FT!

The flight has the original cash value, However, if an agent notices it was paid via a voucher, the flight change will be limited to UA only flights, as was the restriction on the original purchase. Some have not had the restriction applied on the rebooking.

There will be a change fee (based on your particular original fare rules) and a potential fare change.

emcampbe

Assuming you were given $ value ETCs, these are just a form of payment. So whatever the fare rules are for the underlying fare apply, and it’s no different than if you had paid for everything with a card.

if you purchased a pretty typical, non-refundable discount fare, you can change with a penalty (typically $300 for economy international fares). You can go online to cancel your current flights, or call and have an agent do it The PNR with the funds from your original purchase remains valid for one year from the issue date of the original ticket (I.e. you can complete re-scheduled travel until one year after you purchased he original flights). You can re-book a new itinerary at the same time you cancel the original, or figure that out later. You have to pay the change fee with new money at the time you schedule new flights, and will then have access to the entire value of the old ticket.. If the new fare is higher than the original, you’ll also have to pay the balance. If the new fare is lower, you’ll get a new voucher for the difference, valid for another yeafor another new flight.

WineCountryUA

UA has not done those since years before the merger

Known_Traveler_206

Do you know where I can find the fare rules to determine what my cancellation fee will actually be? I've heard of cancellations being up to $400.

WineCountryUA

Best & easiest to call and ask. Economy likely will be somewhere in the $200's and business higher. North American change fees tend to be similar to domestic.

jsloan

I just checked a sample deep discount economy fare and the change fee was $200. That's likely to be the change fee in this case as well, although I agree that calling is the most accurate approach.

Note that there is no hurry to cancel, as long as you do it before your original outbound flight. If you get lucky, your flight might be significantly delayed, or they may add a travel waiver for IAH or BZE -- perhaps due to bad weather. Either of those situations might allow you make a free change or get a refund. So, if you don't need to use the funds for another trip right away, it may be a good idea to set a reminder for the day of travel and take care of it then.

Known_Traveler_206

Hey everyone, thanks for all your help. I just got off the phone with United customer service. I have the the total cost of the flight refunded in the form of United credit. I only need to pay the $200 change fee when I go to book my next flight. It's a decent bit of cash, but less than half of the cost of the flight. So I'll take it!