chrisdeaner

I've found a few threads asking about this but all were pre-COVID rules so wanted to see if anything has changed. Basically, I have a non-refundable itinerary for next week that I want to ideally cancel or change to a flight later this year. Issue with the latter scenario is the new flights are about 60% of the cost of our current flights and it looks like I would not get an ETC for the difference (I'd actually be fine with that but looks like that's part of the COVID change fee waiver). What I'm wondering is if I can change our flight to a refundable flight at or slightly above the cost of our current flight and then cancel that for a refund. In the past it looks like the "non-refundable" portion would always remain non-refundable, even with the change but wondering if anyone has experience doing this lately under the COVID rules? Thanks!

mahasamatman

Once non-refundable, always non-refundable.

WineCountryUA

No change in non-refundable staying non-refundable but you maybe able to convert the cancelled flight to an ETC and retain the residual value. However ETC is only for UA operated flights. Are you flying a partner flight?

Often1

This has not worked ever since non-refundable tickets were first introduced.

If UA (or any carrier) permitted this, there would be no point in offering non-refudnable tickets and, from the consumer perspective, no point in purchasing refundable tickets until the need arose.

chrisdeaner

Figured as much, appreciate the quick reply!

Hollandair

I have a fligth credit of about 70$ which is not refundable. Does anyone know if I can bypass this by buying a fully refundable fare for about 300$ pay the fare difference of about 230$, and cancel the next day and request refund? Or will this not work?

Thanks for your thoughts

SPN Lifer

Upon cancellation, the refund will go back to the original form(s) of payment.

If UA permitted that sort of scheme to work, there would be no such thing as a non-refundable fare.

jsloan

Correct -- and, OP, just to be 100% clear, when SPN Lifer says the original form(s) of payment, that includes the travel credit. (Not, the original form of payment used to buy the ticket that generated the travel credit ) In other words, once it's non-refundable, it's non-refundable forever.

emcampbe

to tag on here, it’s only the non-refundable portion that always remains non-refundable.

in the OPs example, using the $70 credit and purchasing a ‘refundable’ $300 fare, canceling will result in a $230 refund to the payment method used to pay the new portion of the fare, and the original $70 back to the travel credit. So the OP would be back to where they were.

Airlines have seen all the tricks pax try to pull, so yes, they are smart enough to protect their revenue that is non-refundable.

Tomasz Pa

Folks,

Did anyone tried changing non-refundable ticket to refundable using flight change, paying fare difference and than asking for a refund?
​​​​​​Do i understand correctly that I would get back full amount or only fare difference which I paid during flight change?

WineCountryUA

Yes
The non-refundable part stays non-refundable. And the increased fare is difficult to get refunded

So this is not a way to get the original fare refunded.

RobOnLI

As WineCountryUA said, the non-refundable part stays non-refundable. That's what is super confusing about the app because nowhere during the booking process does it say that. However, it is common industry practice and has been this way for many years. I tried this once a few months ago and subsequently got a sympathetic 1K agent to help me with my flights. I "threw away" the extra I paid to get it refundable but I was able to change my flights. Long story short...do not try this as it won't end well simply for a refund.

-RM

IAH-OIL-TRASH

If a workaround existed in changing the value of a non-refundable ticket into a wholly-refundable ticket existed, there would be no point in selling "non-refundable" tickets. In addition, UA would be hit with the time and expense of re-issuing and then refunding tickets for purchasers who have no intent on flying. Also leads to artificial seat inventory reduction, resulting (generally) in higher ticket prices for people who actually want to fly (versus gaming a refund).

vivcal123

I'm fairly sure someone smarter than me has probably already figured this out and there is actually no loophole, but I thought I'd ask here anyway:

Let's say I have an FFC from an itinerary I purchased for $500 on a non-refundable fare class.
Now let's say I use this FFC to book another itinerary - but this time, I pay an extra $1500 to book on a fully refundable fare class.

If I cancel this now fully refundable itinerary, would I actually be able to get all $2000 back in cash?

delpiero223

According to Fare Rules, this isn't possible:

Personally I haven't tried it, though.