Award price drop - what best way to get new price
Jun 6, 2021, 3:45 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: HH Gold, Marriott Gold, PC Plat, Emirates Silver
Posts: 2,678
Award price drop - what best way to get new price
I have an award for 2 booked in October. I just saw the price per ticket has dropped by 6K. What is the best way t get the 12K refund? I see lot of posts about the cash price decreasing but am confused about award price decrease.
I tried the change flight option online and it won't let me pick the same flight
If I cancel and rebook I am afraid the price will suddenly increase. It has not been this low in a long time
If I call, will I be charged a fee - I have no status
Thanks
I tried the change flight option online and it won't let me pick the same flight
If I cancel and rebook I am afraid the price will suddenly increase. It has not been this low in a long time
If I call, will I be charged a fee - I have no status
Thanks
Jun 6, 2021, 3:56 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: KEWR
Programs: UA 1K, HH Diamond, SPG/Marriott Gold, Hyatt Plat, National Exec, GE/Nexus
Posts: 501
Book the new fare first, have tickets in hand before canceling the old ones. As a 1K I do it all the time. Note depending on your status and # of days before departure, you may need to pay to get the award miles back making it a moot point for you.
Jun 6, 2021, 3:59 pm
#4
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: 66,830
No award change fees anymore for anyone for change >31 days before departure.
If you have the miles this is best, otherwise you will need to call
Jun 6, 2021, 5:44 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: UA 1K, MM
Posts: 389
If the OP books the new one before canceling the old one, how long would he typically have before United sees a duplicate booking and cancels one of them? I recently bought a ticket where I already had an award trip...and two hours (!) later, United canceled the new ticket. By the time I noticed a few days later, the price had gone up. (Not prohibitively).
I subsequently did exactly what the OP wants to do, and I made sure to cancel the old ticket as soon as I was sure the new ticket was ticketed.
I subsequently did exactly what the OP wants to do, and I made sure to cancel the old ticket as soon as I was sure the new ticket was ticketed.
Jun 6, 2021, 5:47 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,017
If the OP books the new one before canceling the old one, how long would he typically have before United sees a duplicate booking and cancels one of them? I recently bought a ticket where I already had an award trip...and two hours (!) later, United canceled the new ticket. By the time I noticed a few days later, the price had gone up. (Not prohibitively).
I subsequently did exactly what the OP wants to do, and I made sure to cancel the old ticket as soon as I was sure the new ticket was ticketed.
I subsequently did exactly what the OP wants to do, and I made sure to cancel the old ticket as soon as I was sure the new ticket was ticketed.
Jun 6, 2021, 6:20 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: HH Gold, Marriott Gold, PC Plat, Emirates Silver
Posts: 2,678
If the OP books the new one before canceling the old one, how long would he typically have before United sees a duplicate booking and cancels one of them? I recently bought a ticket where I already had an award trip...and two hours (!) later, United canceled the new ticket. By the time I noticed a few days later, the price had gone up. (Not prohibitively).
I subsequently did exactly what the OP wants to do, and I made sure to cancel the old ticket as soon as I was sure the new ticket was ticketed.
I subsequently did exactly what the OP wants to do, and I made sure to cancel the old ticket as soon as I was sure the new ticket was ticketed.
Thanks. AA will not even let you book a duplicate. I will book the new one then cancel the old one once booked. Thanks for the heads up as i probably would have booked at night then canceled the old one the next morning. If that adds risk then I'll stay away from that strategy.
Jun 7, 2021, 5:48 am
#8
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,954
Thanks. AA will not even let you book a duplicate. I will book the new one then cancel the old one once booked. Thanks for the heads up as i probably would have booked at night then canceled the old one the next morning. If that adds risk then I'll stay away from that strategy.
