After planning a trip, there are times when you have to cancel your booking due to certain reasons. However, everyone is scared of losing money. Not anymore! With the United Airlines Flight Cancellation policy, you can cancel your booking and retrieve your money back. Moreover, before flight canceling a United flight, first of all, you have to know all the United Airlines Cancellation Policy.
United Airlines Flight Cancellation Policy
United Airlines Cancelation policy can be divided into the following parts to reduce the complexity.
- Flight Cancelation within 24 Hours of Making Reservations
- Flight Cancelation within 24 Hours of Making Reservations
This classification of the cancelation policy is based on the 24-hour time frame. The cancelation policy can also be classified based on travel classes. However, here that part is included under the second category, that is, Flight cancelation after 24 hours of booking.
Flight Cancelation Within 24 Hours of Making Reservations
Moreover, if you cancel your United Flight within 24 hours of booking, the 24-hour cancelation policy of United Airlines applies to you.
United Airlines 24 Hours Cancelation Policy — Conditions to Be Satisfied
The time conditions are as follows; they are a total of two conditions:
- You cancel your United flight within 24 hours of booking; and,
- You have booked the flight at least 7 days — if not more — before the scheduled departure.
- You have booked directly through United — without the help of any third party or travel agency.
United Airlines 24 Hours Cancelation Policy — Benefits
If you are eligible for the application of United Airlines ‘ 24-hour Cancelation Policy, you are entitled to the following benefits:
- You don’t need to pay a cancelation fee for canceling your flight; and,
- You become eligible for a full refund.
These are two benefits that emerge out of the application of the 24-hour policy of United.
Flight Cancelation after 24 Hours of Booking
Different cancelation policies apply to you if you cancel a United Airlines flight after 24 hours of making the reservation. For example, if you book your flight right now, and after a few hours, you decide to cancel it, the 24-hour cancelation policy applies to you. And, if you cancel your flight after 24 hours, cancelation policies vary as per your travel class.
Therefore now let’s discuss such cancelation policies too. United, in general, offers the following types of tickets:
- Basic Economy Ticket
- Non-Refundable Tickets
- Refundable Tickets
- Award Tickets.
Basic Economy Ticket — Cancelation Policy
However, you can cancel your basic economy ticket even after 24 hours of booking. The recent basic economy cancelation policy states that you can cancel your basic economy ticket after 24 hours of booking.
You can cancel a basic economy United flight ticket for a cancelation fee when not canceled within 24 hours of booking.
Now, after the cancelation, you will become entitled to receive Credit of the same value as the ticket. And, this credit you can use for the purchase of a new United flight, with limited validity of one year from the date of issue.
Basic Economy Cancelation Fees
After the recent changes to United Airlines Basic Economy cancelation policy, you can cancel a Basic Economy flight even after 24 hours of booking.
Domestic Flights:
| One-Way | $50 |
| Round-Trip | $100 |
International Flights:
| One-Way | $100 |
| Round-Trip | $200 |
Non-Refundable Tickets – Cancelation Policy
For the cancelation of non-refundable tickets after 24 hours of booking, you have to pay a cancelation fee.
The cancelation fees for the cancelation of domestic and international flights are given below:
| For a domestic flight: | $200 |
| For an international flight: | $400 |
After the cancelation, you become eligible to get an eCredit of the same value as the canceled ticket. You can use the credit towards the purchase of a new United flight. However, if you cancel after the departure, you receive nothing — no credit at all.
Credits so received remain valid for a year; the year is counted from the day of the original booking.
Non-Refundable Tickets — Cancelation Flexibility
Apart from any reasons, if you have to cancel a United non-refundable ticket because of the following reasons, you are eligible for a full refund after the cancelation:
- Death of the passenger; or
- Death of the traveling companion of the passenger; or
- You have to cancel your ticket because of orders from the military.
Under the cases mentioned above, if you have to cancel your non-refundable ticket, you will get a full refund in the same manner as you used for the booking.
Note: You still need to pay a cancelation fee for canceling your non-refundable flight ticket.
Refundable Tickets — Cancelation Policy
After 24 hours of booking, you can cancel a refundable ticket with perhaps a cancelation fee for a full refund. The magnitude of the cancelation fees depends on fare types along with other things.
Award Tickets — Cancelation Policy
If you booked an award flight and now, after 24 hours of booking, you need to cancel it, the cancelation policy for such flight tickets follows.
You can cancel your award flight without a cancelation fee and even get your miles redeposited into your account only if you follow the time limit of cancelation at least 30 days before the departure.
Further, if you cancel your award flight less than 30 days before the departure, you are required to pay a fee for the re-deposition of the miles into your MileagePlus account.
In addition to that, if you wish to get the credited miles back into your MileagePlus account after the departure, you have to pay a deposit fee of 125 dollars for the same.
How to Cancel a United Airlines Flight?
United Airlines allows passengers to cancel their booking through online and offline modes. If passengers have booked their tickets with a third party, they cannot cancel the tickets through the official support of the airline. Passengers must contact the travel agency.
Online Process to Cancel the Booking
- Visit the official website of United Airlines.
- Continue with the manage my booking option.
- Mention the booking number and passenger details.
- Choose the flight cancellation option.
- Choose the continue key to cancel the booking.
- Pay for the cancellation fee if required.
- Fill out the refund form to process the refund, if a passenger is eligible.
- Later, a confirmation mail will be sent to the mail address.
Cancellation over a Phone Call
- Call the official helpline number of the airline.
- Follow the IVR instructions and press the desired key.
- After connecting with an executive, request them to cancel the booking.
- The executive will ask about the passenger’s details and booking number.
- Now, the agent will cancel the booking, which the passenger has requested.
- The passenger has to pay the cancellation fee if liable.
- Passengers can also ask the executive for a refund if they are eligible.
- Hence, passengers will receive the mail about cancelation at the mail address.
Cancellation at the Airport Counter
Passengers can make plan changes at the last moment even after reaching the airport. However, passengers can visit the airline counter to raise a request for cancellation of the booking. The executive will guide passengers through the process. After canceling the ticket, passengers can fill out the refund form, if they are eligible for a refund. Therefore, passengers also have to pay a cancellation fee if required.
What if United Airlines Cancels the Flight?
Due to any unavoidable conditions, if the airline cancels the flight, United will provide an alternative flight to you. However, if you do not agree to board the flight you can request compensation. The airline will compensate you with a complete refund. The refund will be credited to the original mode of payment or as a travel credit for future bookings.
United Airlines Refund Policy
The airline provides a refund to all its passengers who cancel their flights. If you cancel your tickets within 24 hours of booking, the airline gives a complete refund without charging any fee. However, if cancellation is after 24 hours of booking, the airline deducts a fee and provides the refund in the form of travel credits. The refunded travel credits will be equivalent to the value of the ticket.
How to Raise a Request for a Refund?
However, you can request a refund on United by various modes, like call, online, or by email support. The airline support team will approve after checking the details and will process the refund accordingly. Hence, you might receive the refund within 5 to 10 working days.
Through a Phone Call
You can call the airline helpline number and request the executive to process the refund by mentioning all the details related to the booking. Once, the executive approves and starts the procedure for a refund, you can receive the refund in a maximum of 10 working days.
Via Online Process
- Visit the official website.
- Go to the manage my booking option.
- From the section fill out the refund form.
- Check if passengers are eligible to receive the refund.
- Submit the request for a refund.
Get a Help by Email Support
- Go to the customer request page on the official website.
- Enter your details, like name, phone number, and registered mail address.
- In the drop-down box, choose yes, as it refers to your wanting to claim a refund.
- Mention the booking number.
- An executive will revert you in two or three working days.
- After approving the details, the executive will process the refund.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is United Airlines’ cancellation policy?
Passengers can cancel their booking up to two hours before departure by paying an additional fee to the airline. The fee depends upon the time of cancellation and route.
What is the 24-hour cancellation policy?
The airline allows passengers to cancel their tickets within 24 hours of booking free of charge. Therefore, it consists of all ticket fares, including refundable, non-refundable, and award tickets. You must have a booking seven days before departure.
Can I cancel award tickets for free?
You can cancel your award flight without a cancelation fee and even get your miles redeposited into your account only if you follow the time limit of cancelation at least 30 days before the departure.
What is the cancellation fee on United Airlines?
The airline does not charge an additional fee for tickets canceled within 24 hours of booking, for each fare type. However, after 24 hours a fee is applicable, depending on the fare type of ticket or route.
How to cancel the booking on United Airlines?
Moreover, you can cancel the bookings by visiting the official website and following the online process. You can call the support team of the airline to raise a request to cancel their booking. For both ways, the airline asks for an additional fee if cancellation is done after 24 hours of booking.
Can the airline cancel my flight?
Because of any critical condition, if the airline cancels the flight, they will provide an alternative flight to passengers. If passengers are not comfortable traveling on that flight they can request compensation. The airline will compensate you with a complete refund.
What is the refund policy on United Airlines?
United Airlines provides a refund to passengers who cancel their flights. when a passenger cancels their tickets within 24 hours of booking, the airline gives a complete refund without any fee. However, if cancellation is after 24 hours of booking, the airline charges a fee.
How can I get my refund on United Airlines?
You can receive a refund by requesting the airline by email support, calling the airline, visiting the official website, and filling out the refund form. When the airline approves the refund, it will be reflected in your account within 5 to 10 days.
Can we cancel group bookings on United?
No, United Airlines does not approve the canceling of group bookings. In this case, you must contact the support team of the airline and check the details for group cancellation.
How much is the fee for basic economy class cancellation fee on United Airlines?
United Airlines charges a specific fee for canceling a basic economy fee. While traveling to domestic routes, you will be charged $50 for one-way, and $100 for a round-trip. Moreover, for international routes, the fee will be $100 for one-way and $200 for round-trip.