View Poll Results: What do you think of the recent UA changes in Changes fees?
Good idea: No Domestic Change fee w/ no rebooking residual AND No Standby fee/Free SDC all elites




148
64.35%
Good idea: No Domestic Change fee w/ no rebooking residual but NOT No Standby fee/Free SDC all elite




25
10.87%
Good idea: No Standby fee/Free SDC all elite but NOT No Domestic Change fee w/ no rebooking residual




18
7.83%
Neutral /don’t care about either




30
13.04%
Don’t like / think either is a good idea




9
3.91%
Voters: 230. You may not vote on this poll
Change Fees "Gone For Good"(WW ex-USA,non-BE), credit for lower fare!, Intl&BE waiver
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#901
Moderator: United Airlines; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.85MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 60,007
#902
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA, UA, DL, Marriott Gold, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hilton, National, Hertz
Posts: 1,353
Changing an award ticket when miles requirement drops?
Thanks to this thread, I've learned about, and successfully did change a ticket and then back again to take advantage of a lower fare on the original existing ticket. Worked like a charm several times, saved me hundreds of dollars, and the information has been greatly appreciated.
So here's a related follow-up question: What about award fares? Suppose I'm on an award ticket, and by some miracle United suddenly offers a saver award that is priced significantly lower than my original booking for the same flight and class of service. What's the best way to take advantage of the award fare drop?
So here's a related follow-up question: What about award fares? Suppose I'm on an award ticket, and by some miracle United suddenly offers a saver award that is priced significantly lower than my original booking for the same flight and class of service. What's the best way to take advantage of the award fare drop?
#903
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 16,314
So here's a related follow-up question: What about award fares? Suppose I'm on an award ticket, and by some miracle United suddenly offers a saver award that is priced significantly lower than my original booking for the same flight and class of service. What's the best way to take advantage of the award fare drop?
If you don't have the miles to float both tickets, you can change to another flight and then change back; that will reset the pricing. Or, you can change cabins and then change back.
#904
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: SNA
Posts: 87
The absolute best way. if you have the miles, is to book the new ticket, then cancel and refund the old ticket. If it's within 30 days of departure, a fee may apply; if the itinerary originates in the US, you can avoid the fee by first changing to a flight more than 30 days in advance and then cancelling.
If you don't have the miles to float both tickets, you can change to another flight and then change back; that will reset the pricing. Or, you can change cabins and then change back.
If you don't have the miles to float both tickets, you can change to another flight and then change back; that will reset the pricing. Or, you can change cabins and then change back.
(I just did this for a domestic award: miles on May 31 were 32,500 and now 25,900 -- for a flight leaving next week!)
not weird at all if you paid attention to how this works.
if you buy an E+ seat, and then change flights, the fee gets refunded after that [orginal] flight takes off. So it would have done it automatically at that time. Would have happened the same way if you switched E+ seats on the same flight - they charge the extra, then auto-refund the existing purchase after the flight departs.
Plenty of reports of folks calling and getting it done earlier successfully, but that is not the normal process.
if you buy an E+ seat, and then change flights, the fee gets refunded after that [orginal] flight takes off. So it would have done it automatically at that time. Would have happened the same way if you switched E+ seats on the same flight - they charge the extra, then auto-refund the existing purchase after the flight departs.
Plenty of reports of folks calling and getting it done earlier successfully, but that is not the normal process.
What would you expect in this situation: I'm *G and purchased a two domestic one-way award tickets (for immediate family) at 32.5k and then a few weeks later bought E+ seats ($22 each). Now the miles have decreased form 32.5k to 25.9k.
I switched the tickets to another flight at the lower miles. (refunded mile difference shows in my account) Then, I switched back to my original flight and in the change process, I bought back the two E+ seats (now $23 each).
When should the original $44 be refunded? Should I call to get it straightened out?
(side note; my credit card shows 3 charges pending; a $23, $23, and a $46 charge. It's only been 2 days, so I'll have to see what happens and maybe deal with that with a call anyway)
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jul 30, 22 at 11:12 am Reason: merged consecutive posts by same member
#905
Moderator: United Airlines; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.85MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 60,007
... I switched the tickets to another flight at the lower miles. (refunded mile difference shows in my account) Then, I switched back to my original flight and in the change process, I bought back the two E+ seats (now $23 each).
When should the original $44 be refunded? Should I call to get it straightened out?
(side note; my credit card shows 3 charges pending; a $23, $23, and a $46 charge. It's only been 2 days, so I'll have to see what happens and maybe deal with that with a call anyway)
When should the original $44 be refunded? Should I call to get it straightened out?
(side note; my credit card shows 3 charges pending; a $23, $23, and a $46 charge. It's only been 2 days, so I'll have to see what happens and maybe deal with that with a call anyway)
You can called for sooner refund or ask to be applied to a new trip (back on the original flight). The access / fee is not carried over on a change.
More in Refunds for Economy Plus fees (upgrades, seat changes, cancellations, ....) [Merged]
#906
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 16,314
It eliminates any possibility of a failure during the change process. Admittedly, this is less of an issue with purely-UA itineraries than with partner itineraries. It also locks in the price and makes certain that you don't have to worry that the computer closed off the discount award bucket while you were in the middle of changing of off your desired flight and changing back.
#907
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Gold, Marriott Titanium. Life: UA 540K mi., United & Admirals Clubs, Marr. Gold
Posts: 12,309
For a very brief time you would have an "impossible" (duplicate) booking, until you cancel the old reservation immediately thereafter. But if done right away, this should not trigger the computer auto-cancel algorithms.
#908
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: United 1k
Posts: 1,617
Hi All,
Trying to understand the no change fee rules.. as i understand it ,if I cancel a us domestic tkt then I get the value back as a travel credit...
Can this travel credit be used for international flights?Can it be used for other flyers if I book it?Are the PQP added when the flight is actually flown(after rescheduling the credit)?
also , for an international flight from usa to london-I presume change and cancellation fees still apply..?
thanks
Trying to understand the no change fee rules.. as i understand it ,if I cancel a us domestic tkt then I get the value back as a travel credit...
Can this travel credit be used for international flights?Can it be used for other flyers if I book it?Are the PQP added when the flight is actually flown(after rescheduling the credit)?
also , for an international flight from usa to london-I presume change and cancellation fees still apply..?
thanks
#909
Moderator: United Airlines; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.85MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 60,007
Yes, if the credit is from a fully unflown reservation
No
Perhaps if the trip originated in Europe but most are reporting no fee.
#910
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 13,705
I’ve looked at a few ex-Canada fares - and always see the ‘no charge for changes’ in the rules, but I would never assume it’s blanket (thought maybe it essentially is). Have not personally looked at many fares from other markets, which may or may not have the no charge for changes.
It’s kind of interesting to see the ‘no charge for changes’ from markets where the blanket ‘no change fees’ doesnt apply, then also see they didn’t bother removing the ‘no residual value’ if changing to a flight with a lower fare despite the real-world policy that returns the residual amount in those situations.
#912
Moderator: United Airlines; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.85MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 60,007
Purchase but any FFC created before 31 Dec 2022 is good for travel commencing by 31 Dec 2023
#913
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,883
Indeed, the restrictions of OTA is why I hesitate to use them. This is a speculative trip and I'm not too keen on going thru OTA to get the credit should I need to cancel. Although, I'm not sure how painful that is nowadays, anyone have recent DP?
#914
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX/SFO
Programs: AA EXP; AS 75K; WN A List; UA 1K 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott AMB; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 50,418
It's generally pretty bad, as you have to rebook through the OTA. With Amex (Expedia) this is typically a nightmare.
#915
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,883
If I do succeed with the foreign country / lower price on UA.com, would it affect the 24 hour cancellation and later cancellation policy in any way? To my knowledge, the 24hr cancellation is available in all cases, including departing from another country. For later cancellation, will I still be issued a FFC with 1 year to use it AND no cancellation fee? And is the 1 year from the purchase date or cancellation date?
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Aug 8, 22 at 10:42 am Reason: split post