Partially used ticket question
 

Surely this has been asked before, but my searches did not find the right threads.

My question is whether I can use the return portion of a R/T ticket if I did not use the outbound portion? Last minute change in plans caused me to take a one-way flight on different carrier to my destination and now I still have the entire ticket from the original plan and would like to use the return portion only. A one-way return home is far too expensive.

Any help is definitely appreciated. :)

In general if you miss the originating segment on a ticket, the rest of the itinerary is cancelled. Also, for a lot (if not most) non full-fare tickets, if you don't call up and cancel before the departure time of the first flight, the ticket is worthless.

Assuming that you indeed called by midnight of the day of outbound travel to cancel, then you can use the residual value to re-book a new itin, less the change fee of $100 (or whatever UA has bumped it to this week).

I don't think you can simply use the return, because whether you called or didn't call the reservation was canceled afaik.

Not possible and you've probably lost your entire ticket as indicated above.

Many thanks to all who replied and gave their valuable insight.