United Airlines Hold, Change & Cancel Policies

July 2015

It’s stressful to push the buy button when purchasing an airline ticket with cash or reward miles. The fees to change or cancel can easily run into the hundreds for most types of tickets! Let’s check out the United Airlines fees and policies related to ticket holds, changes and cancellations so the next time you go to purchase a cash or reward ticket you have all of the information you need to make an informed decision!

Let’s start out with four very important Tips:

1. Hold off as long as you can before cancelling or changing a flight. If United changes or delays the schedule or cancels the flight you may be entitled to a refund or change with no fees. The policy is especially helpful if you book far in advance. And consider a same-day flight change, which at most will cost $75. If you are a MileagePlus elite member, change and cancel fees are not waived for paid tickets but many of the award ticket fees are waived, which we outline below.

2. Know the fees before you book two one-way flights instead of a round-trip. United charges a $200 change or cancel fee for paid domestic flights (it’s as high as $400 for international travel) and up to $100 for award flights. That fee is charged per flight! If you change or cancel a paid domestic round-trip flight, you will pay $200. If you change or cancel two one-way domestic paid flights you will pay $200 for each - or $400!

3. Call United if you have an extraordinary circumstance like illness, a death in the family or a natural disaster. United may be willing to waive fees and adjust your itinerary if you do not have trip cancellation or interruption coverage through your credit card or a policy.

4. Consider trip cancellation or interruption coverage - see our great travel insurance Tip!

Now let’s dig into the United Airlines policies and fees.

Holds, Changes and Cancellations for Paid Tickets:

• United’s 24-hour Complimentary Flexible Booking policy for all paid tickets booked on united.com or with the United Customer Contact Center allows changes and cancellations within 24 hours of ticket purchase without incurring a fee; Special Note: group tickets and tickets purchased using Western Union, cash or e-certificates are excluded

• United eliminated their complimentary ticket hold policy in 2013 and introduced FareLock:

• The cost to lock and hold your fare is typically $9.99 for a 72-hour hold and $14.99 for a 7-day hold per reservation for most flights booked directly with United online or by phone

• FareLock fees will not be refunded if you exercise United’s 24-hour Complimentary Flexible Booking option

• FareLock is only offered on flights operated solely by United and United Express with no partner segments

• The FareLock logo will appear next to eligible fares when you choose flights on united.com; after selecting flights, you can buy FareLock, if available, in the Purchase Options section on the Review Trip Itinerary page

• An email reminder will be sent 24 hours before the FareLock hold ends; if you do not purchase before expiration, your flight will be cancelled and the ticket refunded to the original form of payment

• A change or a cancellation of a paid ticket will incur up to a $400 fee ($200 for domestic and up to $400 for international travel) per ticket plus any fare difference - change fees on paid tickets are not waived for elite members

• When non-refundable tickets are changed or cancelled, any excess value will be issued as a credit to be used by the same person within 12 months; a refundable ticket allows a refund to the original form of payment

Hold, Booking, Change and Cancellation Fees for Award Tickets (including upgrades) on United and Partner Airlines:

• A 72-hour or 7-day FareLock hold is available for Saver and Standard Award tickets with the same terms outlined above for paid tickets

• Booking an award ticket online incurs no booking fee but if booked through the United Customer Contact Center a $25 fee will be charged (the fee is waived for Global Services, Premier 1K and Premier Platinum members)

• Booking an award ticket through any channel within 21 days of travel will result in these fees:

• $75 for General and non-MileagePlus members

• $50 for Premier Silver members

• $25 for Premier Gold members

• The fee is waived for Global Services, Premier 1K and Premier Platinum members

• For award ticket changes more than 21 days before departure (with the same origin and destination), general and non-MileagePlus members will incur a fee of $75 (the fee is waived for all MileagePlus members with Silver status and above)

• For award ticket changes with a departure within 21 days, or if making an origin, destination, cabin, award type, carrier, date or time change any time:

• General and non-MileagePlus members will incur a fee of $100

• Premier Silver members will incur a fee of $50

• Premier Gold members will incur a fee of $25

• The fee is waived for Global Services, Premier 1K and Premier Platinum members

• To cancel an award ticket or upgrade and have the miles reinstated to your account within one year:

• General and non-MileagePlus members will incur a fee of $200

• Premier Silver members will incur a fee of $125

• Premier Gold members will incur a fee of $100

• The fee is waived for Global Services, Premier 1K and Premier Platinum members

Same-Day Changes to Paid and Award Flights:

• Same-day changes to routing and departure times with the same origin and destination can be made for $75, and that fee is waived for MileagePlus Premier Gold, Premier Platinum and Premier 1K members

• The itinerary must be operated by United or United Express, and the ticket number must begin with 016

• Changes may be made within 24 hours of your scheduled flight, which may provide the opportunity to travel the day before or after if within 24 hours of your departure time

• If the original ticketed fare class is not available, you can change to an available class by paying the same-day change fee and either a pay a fare difference or receive a refund for the difference in price

The Wrap-Up:

It’s easier to push the buy button when you are fully informed. Consider round-trip purchases to avoid the risk of two change fees and the same-day change option is an economical option for those who need last minute changes. Of course, loyalty pays with many of the fees waived on award tickets and on same-day changes for United’s MileagePlus elite flyers!

We encourage you to sign-up for complimentary email alerts so you never again miss important Perks and Tips on United Airlines!

And if this Tip gave you a better understanding of the United Airlines hold, change and cancel policies and associated fees, we’d enjoy a nice note on Facebook and Twitter!