RyanG

I booked a one way ticket from MCO to IAD on the 16th of September yesterday as i made a change from my previous arrangements to leave on the 17th from IAD to JNB. So i didn't want to pay the $150 change fee, so just booked a new ticket for $109. Today when i look, the exact same flight (UA 219) is $64. Do i have any recourse on claiming back the difference in fare???

Thanks

Ryan

aauaflier

if you bought the ticket yesterday, you should be able to cancel within 24 hours of the time you purchased. then you can buy at the lower price.

marissav

Has it been more than 24 hours since you booked the $109 ticket? You can cancel an itinerary within 24 hours for a full refund:

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,52184,00.html

If you're within the 24 hour window, I would recommend canceling the $109 ticket, then buying the $64 fare (or vice-versa, buying the $64 fare then canceling the more expensive one).

One thing to consider is that it can be difficult to get a refund, even if you're within the 24 hour window, if you used travel credits or vouchers to buy your ticket.

RyanG

I bought the ticket at 11:38 am yesterday, so i missed the 24 hour window. So i guess thats it then?

TA

ouch, sorry to hear that. If only you'd posted sooner.

But take consolation in knowing this information for the future, when it will undoubtedly save you more than $45 next time.

And UA is generous in this regard -- most other airlines don't have any cancellation window.

WineCountryUA

the 24 hour window is the only real protection, but call and see what happens. The longer you wait, the lower the chances

marissav

I agree with the suggestion that you try calling anyways. I've been told before that I have until midnight central time the next day to cancel (usually more than 24 hours) so they may be lenient. Good luck!

channa

In the U.S. most every airline has a 24-hour hold or cancellation policy.

They were threatened with regulation if they didn't have some such policy, so they came up with these policies "on their own."

geckoflyer

I thought it was until midnight the day after the ticket was purchased? If not I need to be more careful!

Jaimito Cartero

I don't think I'd complain for one second, after getting such a good price, IAD-JNB. South Africa is usually in the $1000 range, RT.

dhammer53

Ryan,

Something like this happened to me last year. Call UA and ask for some consideration ie: a CR1 or some e-500's or a voucher to cover the cost.

MatthewLAX

Definitely not. When you book a ticket a "zulu" clock starts on the reservation and at 24:00:01 after booking, you can no longer get a courtesy refund on a non-refundable ticket.

RichardInSF

OK, what's a zulu clock in this context? I googled it and it said it was a name for GMT, that doesn't make sense for this situation.

RyanG

This ticket is just for the MCO-IAD Leg. I am connecting to a South African Airways Flight to Johannesburg, and then on to Durban.

I have bought 3 tickets this year from United which i haven't been able to cancel as I don't feel like wasting $150 each time. So my original fare on the 17th of september which i booked 2 months ago for the same flight was $89. So then i looked for the 16th yesterday it came up as $109. Today when i look it was $64. So United obviously likes to 'play' with the prices of this route.

I am fortunate to have enough miles to upgrade on my SAA Voyager miles for the IAD-JNB-DUR leg and have Star Alliance Silver, So i fly United and SAA all the time, but this just makes me a little upset that the prices can vary so much! For a college kid, it makes a huge difference! I'm not going to say ' well i will never fly with them again' because i would be lying. I like United and SAA, but just wish that they could be a little more proactive about this type of thing like Orbitz with the money 'back if there is a fare difference' type of thing.

MatthewLAX

That's why I put it in quotes. Although zulu means GMT, that is what I have heard more than one agent refer to it as when checking to see if I am canceling a reservation in time.

It is my understanding that a 24-hour timer starts when you book the reservation. But whether it is an actual zulu time stamp that is compared to current zulu time or a timer, the important point is that you only have exactly 24-hours to cancel, not till midnight the next day.