Author Topic: United future flight credit vs travel certificate  (Read 4875 times)

Offline diablo

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United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« on: June 20, 2020, 01:53:26 PM »
I have a flight tomorrow night on United that I don't want to fly on, however I am not sure whether I want the ability to use the credit on partner airlines (favoring the future credit), or would prefer the much longer timeline available on the travel certificate. Since flight changes are free could I just keep changing the date of the flight I have scheduled (assuming that I find a similar price ticket) and then have more time to decide?
Also, if I changed the flight to a partner airline like lufthansa (is that allowed?), would that effect my ability to get a travel certificate in the future?
Thanks

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Offline points 99

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #2 on: August 22, 2021, 01:18:36 AM »
We recently needed to cancel the return flight. We called United, and they said we would have a future flight credit.
A couple week later we called to book a flight with the credit. First of all, they said that it need to be priced as the return of a roundtrip, so we couldn't use it for a flight leaving the same city which the original flight departed from. It also took a long time, because they wouldn't tell us a dollar amount how much the FFC is worth. It depended on how the system would price out the original flight that we took and the new flight as a roundtrip, which took very long. (not sure why it was booked as roundtrip, would have been same price to book separate 1 ways and would have save us some headaches)
We were also told that because the ticket was originally booked using an online travel agency, we would need to pay $50 extra on top of the fare difference. Figured that this would be something people might want to know about. Booking through Priceline has the benefit of the easy cancellation during the first 24 hours, but if you will need to cancel the ticket later and get a future flight credit, it would be better if the ticket is booked directly with United. If you will need to cancel and get a FFC, you will lose $50 if you book using trav agency
Also, when we did change the ticket and paid the fare difference for our new flights, we were told that we do not have the option to back out within 24 hours and get a refund for the payment. The 24 hour rule is only for the the original booking...
« Last Edit: August 22, 2021, 01:25:31 AM by points 99 »

Offline lakewood34

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2021, 01:11:53 AM »
We recently needed to cancel the return flight. We called United, and they said we would have a future flight credit.
A couple week later we called to book a flight with the credit. First of all, they said that it need to be priced as the return of a roundtrip, so we couldn't use it for a flight leaving the same city which the original flight departed from. It also took a long time, because they wouldn't tell us a dollar amount how much the FFC is worth. It depended on how the system would price out the original flight that we took and the new flight as a roundtrip, which took very long. (not sure why it was booked as roundtrip, would have been same price to book separate 1 ways and would have save us some headaches)
We were also told that because the ticket was originally booked using an online travel agency, we would need to pay $50 extra on top of the fare difference. Figured that this would be something people might want to know about. Booking through Priceline has the benefit of the easy cancellation during the first 24 hours, but if you will need to cancel the ticket later and get a future flight credit, it would be better if the ticket is booked directly with United. If you will need to cancel and get a FFC, you will lose $50 if you book using trav agency
Also, when we did change the ticket and paid the fare difference for our new flights, we were told that we do not have the option to back out within 24 hours and get a refund for the payment. The 24 hour rule is only for the the original booking...

if you booked through priceline you should have had the ability to get the change done through priceline
I changed a ticket through priceline and they did not charge me anything

Offline points 99

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2021, 04:27:42 PM »
if you booked through priceline you should have had the ability to get the change done through priceline
I changed a ticket through priceline and they did not charge me anything
We needed to cancel our return ticket, without knowing when we will use it, so we got a FFC. would priceline help rebook when we already called United to cancel the ticket and get FFC?

Offline lakewood34

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2021, 09:39:06 PM »
We needed to cancel our return ticket, without knowing when we will use it, so we got a FFC. would priceline help rebook when we already called United to cancel the ticket and get FFC?
in my case i canceled the ticket online through the priceline website and then when i wanted to rebook i called priceline directly

Offline gubevo18

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #6 on: October 06, 2021, 02:44:42 PM »
Is United still giving ETCs if you call? I can cancel online and get FFC but if no one has had any success calling recently, I won't waste my time

TIA

Offline TBD

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #7 on: November 09, 2021, 08:50:16 PM »
Is United still giving ETCs if you call? I can cancel online and get FFC but if no one has had any success calling recently, I won't waste my time

TIA
Anyone?

Offline bmw

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #8 on: November 09, 2021, 09:20:41 PM »
book a refundable fare with ffc and you will have a much easier time getting etc

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #9 on: November 09, 2021, 09:23:11 PM »
Is United still giving ETCs if you call? I can cancel online and get FFC but if no one has had any success calling recently, I won't waste my time

TIA
Twitter is the way to go.
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Offline TBD

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #10 on: November 09, 2021, 11:42:15 PM »
Twitter is the way to go.
Thanks @Dan
Do you cancel it first online for a FFC and than ask them on Twitter to change the FFC to an ETC, or on Twitter can ask them direct to cancel it for a ETC?
Thanks

Offline Dan

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #11 on: November 09, 2021, 11:53:44 PM »
I've done both. Usually the latter.
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Offline Lamppost

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #12 on: November 24, 2021, 03:54:25 PM »
Can i combine my ETC with funds from the Travel Bank to purchase one ticket? Seems like its one or the other at check out but doesnt say in any TC that its not allowed. Do I need to call?

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #13 on: November 24, 2021, 03:57:08 PM »
Can i combine my ETC with funds from the Travel Bank to purchase one ticket? Seems like its one or the other at check out but doesnt say in any TC that its not allowed. Do I need to call?
Book TB and refund to ETC.
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Offline Lamppost

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #14 on: November 24, 2021, 04:02:27 PM »
Book TB and refund to ETC.

So just to make sure I understand. I have $200 Travel bank credit. I should book any random ticket, lets say its $300, use the TB and pay 100 w CC. Then immediately I can cancel and the TB will be converted in a ETC (not redeposited to TB) and that 100 back to the CC? Then combine both ETCs to pay for the ticket I really want?

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #15 on: November 24, 2021, 04:05:58 PM »
So just to make sure I understand. I have $200 Travel bank credit. I should book any random ticket, lets say its $300, use the TB and pay 100 w CC. Then immediately I can cancel and the TB will be converted in a ETC (not redeposited to TB) and that 100 back to the CC? Then combine both ETCs to pay for the ticket I really want?
Let us know how it goes :)
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Offline Euclid

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #16 on: November 24, 2021, 04:05:58 PM »
So just to make sure I understand. I have $200 Travel bank credit. I should book any random ticket, lets say its $300, use the TB and pay 100 w CC. Then immediately I can cancel and the TB will be converted in a ETC (not redeposited to TB) and that 100 back to the CC? Then combine both ETCs to pay for the ticket I really want?
Call to cancel and request an ETC.

You can use multiple ETCs for one ticket.

Offline Lamppost

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #17 on: November 24, 2021, 04:13:42 PM »
Call to cancel and request an ETC.

You can use multiple ETCs for one ticket.

Thanks! If i just cancel online it will automatically be redeposited to TB? Calling to request ETC is required, no option to request online when I cancel?

Offline bp27

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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #18 on: November 29, 2021, 01:39:06 PM »
Looking for advice and clarity from the knowledgeable DDF members.

I have 2 RT Business Class tickets EWR>TLV for next week, that I booked back in May for $2200/each using Amex points (using the 35% points back using Amex Platinum). Was looking forward, and now doors have been closed again. I will wait until last minute to cancel, of course.

Now I am stuck. Business class tickets are $6000 and out of the question. Economy tickets are $800. As I understand, future flight credits will give you credit for the residual, but I was told that it can only be used for that ticket holder. (If I can use the credits for others it gives me more options, as I have a son who lives there.)

What is my best approach? Thanks all.


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Re: United future flight credit vs travel certificate
« Reply #19 on: November 29, 2021, 08:47:20 PM »
ask for etc from united directly which can be used by anyone