Everything said is correct so far.

Also suggest that your friend asks for the TCV info. when rebooking the ticket on the phone (or call right after, if its changed online). I've always been told they snail mail them (though that was a while ago, rumor is they email them now, though haven't canceled in a year or so), but in three attempts since the merger, I've never received it. The PIN should be tied to the PNR - once the rebooked trip is complete, I think it could be very difficult to get the TCV PIN if not received properly.

Help too! My friend cancelled an international trip( non refundable, worth 2k, it's a round trip flight, but he only flew one way, cancelled another part ) what can He do? Redeem the cheapest ticket, pay the change fee, and get the TvC? Does the new trip need be international?

No, it does not need to be international.

What's a TCV? I had to go through this process earlier this year and was issued an ETC (electronic travel certificate). I'm assuming they're synonymous.

I believe TCV stands for travel credit voucher - the ones that start out with TCVAYY (with YY being the last two years of the year they are issued) and a PIN. They're applied as a form of payment when you pay for a reservation. I believe ETC is generally considered to be the same thing.

As opposed to the more generic "e-cert" which is what the pre-merger UA ones were called, and seem to still exist now. These generally start with 1016, and need to be added as a promotion code before you search. These discount the fare instead of acting as a payment toward the full fare. Disadvantageous in some ways (don't count toward PQD, if changes need to be made, etc.).

Sometimes on this board all of these terms are used interchangeably, so clarification is needed as to exactly which type one is asking about.

Does anyone have the old Apollo code or instructions for the rules for reusing the residual value in an old PM UA paper ticket?

I was told they come by snail mail as well, but both times this year I've cancelled a flight and rebooked, I've received the TCV info via email.

I recently received neither (after waiting several weeks). Called and after a long hold was given the PIN verbally. No option for even an e-mail to be generated manually was available.

I do this often so I have the TCV....right now, LAS-LAX is $62 one way...think that is about the lowest out there.

it cant do online, always shows errors. call united!

but my question is I flew part of my flight, do I still get all the credits back?

No, a partially flown ticket is a different animal than a wholly unused ticket.

You are governed by the fare rules of your ticket on a partially flown, so you will not simply get half back. After all, a RT may have been less than a OW when you bought. You may get nothing or be able to adjust the return for a fee.

Canceling L fare ticket - do I lose the $?
 

I bought three tickets to Hawaii for tomorrow and I tried to cancel them. It's an L fare, so the message says "This reservation has no refundable value if cancelled. A refund will not be credited."

Is that really so? Is canceling really the same as a a no-show? Do I not get any credit for future flights? I'm UA Gold in case that means anything. Thanks!

Canceling L fare ticket - do I lose the $?
 

If you cancel them, you will be able to apply the value of the ticket towards a new ticket by paying the $200 change fee. The value will not be refunded, but can be credited towards a new ticket.

If you don't cancel you'll lose everything. So, go ahead an cancel if you're sure that you won't fly.

Your status gives you nothing in this case.

You need to read the fare rules to be sure, but in general:

(*) Most cheap United tickets are not REFUNDABLE (you do not get money back to your form of payment if you cancel the trip).

(*) Most cheap United tickets are CHANGEABLE and do carry RESIDUAL VALUE (it is usually possible to cancel an itinerary then pay a change fee and book a new flight, with payment for the new flight coming with credit from the originally booked flight, subject to certain time limits that have the effect that you can't use the credit very far in the future).

The UA message here is completely true (your L fare is probably not refundable) but maybe confusing (you can probably pay a change fee and use the value of your ticket to book a new one). In the UA structure you don't have to pay the fee until you book the new trip (but you do have to pay the fee with new money). You gotta get the new ticket issued before the value of the old ticket expires.

United has, occasionally but very rarely, issued some super cheap fares with terms that make them, not only nonrefundable but also nonchangeable and with no residual value ("use it or lose it"). These kinds of fares are very rare; it's difficult to find a "use it or lose it" fare.

Refund = money back to original form of payment.

Credit = dollar amount useable for future travel on United

While I agree using the term "credited" in the last sentence can seem confusing (clear wording has never been new UAs strong suit), in this case, it means you will not get a refund (back to your card, for example). You will get a credit.

After confirming the cancelation, your PNR will go into an "inactive" tab in your account online (for some, supposedly its a canceled tab, but that's not my experience), without any flights listed. You'll be able to make change the itinerary to add new flights, and will have full use of the value - your change fee will be charged when you book the new flights.

For very cheap tickets, the credit can be worthless if the cost of the ticket was less than the change fee, usually $200 for domestic.