yst33

I have a couple questions here...
First, I have a couple round trip TATL United-redeemed award bookings already purchased and waiting, but it appears I'll have to cancel the first one that's coming up next week. Also a little while back its route timing changed by 30 minutes on the 2nd leg (of 3) on the return, which makes connecting a little tight. I know typically I should see a $125 charge to cancel < 30 days out (unless I change it first to a date >30days, then cancel). Well, United won't let me change the ticket online (says "call a representative"), but if I hit "cancel options", to my surprise it seems to suggest a full fee refund + mileage redeposit, without mentioning any fee - is this no-fee due to the flight time change, that it automatically waives the cancellation charge? Or does the $125 fee come out of my trip refund only after I would actually cancel?

Second question, my first rt booking to be cancelled had a business saver award on the return (partner leg first, to a united operated route in polaris), while my 2nd rt booking is all economy award (only partner operated) and never yet showed J award availability for its dates, which I would have preferred. Both award bookings are the same end cities, but different routings/carriers. Due to the schedule change on the first booking that I can't utilize, rather than cancelling, does that permit a united rep to change it instead, to put me on some equivalent business award on UA-operated flights on/near the dates of my 2nd booking, even if it shows no official award availability, and then I cancel the 2nd booking instead? Dates are semi-flexible. (to complicate matters, I would much prefer keeping my original more direct outbound route on the 2nd booking, which no longer even appears on the united award search in any class - I wonder if they can then merge the outbound of one rt with the return of the other rt, into one award ticket?).

jsloan

Probably. As long as it doesn't mention a fee before you complete the process, I'd assume there is none. I'd take screenshots, though, because I'm a trust-but-verify kind of guy.

I wouldn't expect a 1K member to be able to do this. For a general member -- meaning that you'll be talking to the standard, outsourced phone reps -- there's basically no chance. Based on reports, it's been hard enough to get them to open space on UA routings in places where it's obviously SOP. Trying to get them to do this kind of make-good seems like an extreme long shot.