Jan 27, 2022, 10:40 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Related thread
New Corporate Preferred (upgrade tiebreaker) / new 'preferred' seating section
Refunds for Economy Plus fees (upgrades, seat changes, cancellations, ....) [Merged]
Preferred Seat Refunds
New Corporate Preferred (upgrade tiebreaker) / new 'preferred' seating section
Refunds for Economy Plus fees (upgrades, seat changes, cancellations, ....) [Merged]
Preferred Seat Refunds
- Preferred seating purchases are nonrefundable unless the ticket is refunded or canceled prior to travel.
- In the event of a ticket refund or cancellation, preferred seating purchases will be automatically refunded.
- If you decide to change your flight, your preferred seating purchase will be automatically refunded. If the ticket is partially used at the time of the change, only the value of unused preferred seating will be refunded.
- In the event of any involuntary changes, such as rebooking due to a cancellation or schedule change, we’ll transfer your preferred seating purchase to your new flight(s), if available, for no additional charge. If we’re unable to accommodate you in preferred seating, your preferred seating purchase will be automatically refunded after flight departure. If you are reaccommodated on another airline per United’s policies, your preferred seating purchase for that portion of your itinerary will be automatically refunded.
- For preferred seating refunds that aren’t issued automatically, you must submit your request within 90 days from whichever of the following dates occurred last: the date when the fee was originally paid or the flight date. If we were unable to accommodate you in a preferred seat or a seat of similar or greater value, and you received a new boarding pass, then the refund for the preferred seating purchase will be issued automatically. If you were not issued a new boarding pass, please submit a request through our Refunds page by the deadline specified above.
- Please allow up to seven business days from the date when the refund is issued for the activity to post to your credit card. If the refund does not post within one billing cycle, please contact your credit card company for information. For all other forms of payment, please allow up to 20 days for a refund to be processed. If you do not see a credit post within these time frames, please submit a refund request through our Refunds page. All refunds are credited to the original form of payment used.
Preferred seat refunds (changed flights, upgraded, purchased E+, ...)
Feb 11, 2020, 10:54 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: EWR
Programs: UA MM GS, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 519
Preferred seat refunds (changed flights, upgraded, purchased E+, ...)
Hi
my parents (seniors) accidentally bought preferred seats thinking it would be extra legroom
is there a good way to get a refund? I understand they'd get a credit if they bought Economy plus but they don’t want to do that.
my parents (seniors) accidentally bought preferred seats thinking it would be extra legroom
is there a good way to get a refund? I understand they'd get a credit if they bought Economy plus but they don’t want to do that.
Feb 11, 2020, 12:11 pm
#2
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
Once purchased it is non-refundable unless UA fails to provide or you cancel the flight or you purchase a "better" seat -- otherwise, changing your mind is not a refundable reason.
Feb 11, 2020, 12:12 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: WAS/ BOM
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,567
Unfortunately no. They can try submitting the refund form (after they move themselves to a "non-preferred" seat and see if UA accepts their request. Alternatively, you can call the GS line and see if they would be willing to move them into E+ seats at the price they paid.
Oct 20, 2020, 10:39 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Southern CA
Posts: 42
Are costs for preferred seats refunded if I later change to and pay for E+ seats?
Saw this in the T&C, but not sure if E+ is considered a "premium cabin seating offer": Refunds for preferred seating purchases are processed automatically after scheduled departure in the event of flight cancellation change, when travel is completed in a standard United Economy seat, or when travel is completed in a seat of equal or greater value through the purchase of a premium cabin seating offer.
Saw this in the T&C, but not sure if E+ is considered a "premium cabin seating offer": Refunds for preferred seating purchases are processed automatically after scheduled departure in the event of flight cancellation change, when travel is completed in a standard United Economy seat, or when travel is completed in a seat of equal or greater value through the purchase of a premium cabin seating offer.
Oct 21, 2020, 2:08 am
#6
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: DCA
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, United Silver
Posts: 575
Are costs for preferred seats refunded if I later change to and pay for E+ seats?
Saw this in the T&C, but not sure if E+ is considered a "premium cabin seating offer": Refunds for preferred seating purchases are processed automatically after scheduled departure in the event of flight cancellation change, when travel is completed in a standard United Economy seat, or when travel is completed in a seat of equal or greater value through the purchase of a premium cabin seating offer.
Saw this in the T&C, but not sure if E+ is considered a "premium cabin seating offer": Refunds for preferred seating purchases are processed automatically after scheduled departure in the event of flight cancellation change, when travel is completed in a standard United Economy seat, or when travel is completed in a seat of equal or greater value through the purchase of a premium cabin seating offer.
2) I do not believe E+ is considered premium cabin. The T&C of this 'Premium Cabin' page says "An upgrade purchase reserves a seat in United Polaris® business class, United First®, United Business® or United Premium Plus℠ seat." (bolding mine).
Oct 21, 2020, 9:31 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Southern CA
Posts: 42
1) Worth a shot, seems like a fair ask and a 'common sense' agent may very well be willing to do this. However I am not aware of an official policy.
2) I do not believe E+ is considered premium cabin. The T&C of this 'Premium Cabin' page says "An upgrade purchase reserves a seat in United Polaris® business class, United First®, United Business® or United Premium Plus℠ seat." (bolding mine).
2) I do not believe E+ is considered premium cabin. The T&C of this 'Premium Cabin' page says "An upgrade purchase reserves a seat in United Polaris® business class, United First®, United Business® or United Premium Plus℠ seat." (bolding mine).
Oct 22, 2020, 1:24 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,400
Thanks! FYI, I DMed them on Twitter and received this response: "Preferred seats should be refunded within 7-10 business days after an Economy Plus seat is purchased. If the amount is not credited back to the original form of payment within this time frame, please feel free to reach out to us here directly."
I can't speak for paid preferred seating, but UA has been consistent with refunds for Economy Plus: if you purchase E+, and then move to another E+ seat, or purchase E+ and then purchase an upgrade to F, or whatever -- the refund will come a few days after the flight, not a few days after the transaction. There have been reports of people being able to get refunds pushed through earlier, so that might be an option, but if you do nothing, I suspect your refund would come after the scheduled date of travel for the flight.
Oct 22, 2020, 12:39 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HSV
Programs: Silver MileagePlus, Diamond Hilton
Posts: 672
I would take the timeframe with a giant boulder of salt.
I can't speak for paid preferred seating, but UA has been consistent with refunds for Economy Plus: if you purchase E+, and then move to another E+ seat, or purchase E+ and then purchase an upgrade to F, or whatever -- the refund will come a few days after the flight, not a few days after the transaction. There have been reports of people being able to get refunds pushed through earlier, so that might be an option, but if you do nothing, I suspect your refund would come after the scheduled date of travel for the flight.
I can't speak for paid preferred seating, but UA has been consistent with refunds for Economy Plus: if you purchase E+, and then move to another E+ seat, or purchase E+ and then purchase an upgrade to F, or whatever -- the refund will come a few days after the flight, not a few days after the transaction. There have been reports of people being able to get refunds pushed through earlier, so that might be an option, but if you do nothing, I suspect your refund would come after the scheduled date of travel for the flight.
Nov 1, 2020, 2:22 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Southern CA
Posts: 42
I did end up changing from preferred to E+ seats and received the refund right away. Both were booked using travel certs. Got the confirmation email for the E+ purchase and the travel cert emails for the refund right after.
Jun 4, 2021, 3:50 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,746
Can a Preferred Seating Purchase be Cancelled for a Credit?
A family member is booked on a flight in September - and the only seats available for selection for free are middle seats (the middle seats are free, the surrounding aisle and window seats cost extra.) [insert rant about the absurdity of free non-middle seats being unavailable three months before departure.]
I looked at the United website - and it says that the "preferred seating" charges are not refundable. However, it says nothing about cancelling the transaction and receiving a credit rather than a refund - and the airlines are generally pretty clear these days in distinguishing between credits and refunds.
So, the questions:
I looked at the United website - and it says that the "preferred seating" charges are not refundable. However, it says nothing about cancelling the transaction and receiving a credit rather than a refund - and the airlines are generally pretty clear these days in distinguishing between credits and refunds.
So, the questions:
- Can purchased preferred seats be cancelled and receive a credit?
- If not, is the inability to receive a credit (as opposed to a refund) documented on united.com?
Jun 4, 2021, 3:58 pm
#13
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
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To receive a refund, the traveller will need to cancel / change the flight. If they stay on the same flight (just changed their mind) there is no refund. This is the same for E+ access fees and upgrades to a premium cabin. Refunded only if the particular flight is cancelled (or you change to a different flight).
Generally speaking front 1/3 is E+, the middle 1/3 is preferred (and free at check in) and the back 1/3 has no fee. Many flights are filling up. Note Basic Economy flyers don't get early seat assignments.
Generally speaking front 1/3 is E+, the middle 1/3 is preferred (and free at check in) and the back 1/3 has no fee. Many flights are filling up. Note Basic Economy flyers don't get early seat assignments.
Jun 4, 2021, 4:10 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,400
I can't point to any specific bit of documentation on this, but preferred seating charges fall under a completely different payment scheme than tickets, where OP points out that airlines are often letting people have credit for things that aren't refundable.
This is intentional, BTW, not an oversight by the airline -- they know that if they allow people to request credit for a preferred seating fee, people will pay the fee to reserve the seat and then cancel just prior to check-in.
Jun 4, 2021, 4:44 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: SNA/LAX
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