Can You Get a Refund from United Airlines? A Quick Guide

 Travelling brings excitement, but sometimes an issue comes up that causes a plan cancellation, which makes you irritated. Not knowing the refund rules makes you feel stuck. But worry not—for situations like this, United Airlines has created a customer-friendly refund policy. 

In this blog, we will discuss the United Airlines refund policy, in which we are going to discuss eligibility, cancellation fees, process, and much more. 

United Airlines refund policy: 

The United Airlines refund policy mainly depends on two factors: the type of ticket passengers are traveling in and the time of making the cancellation. Here we will discuss the type of tickets and their refund conditions:  

• Refundable tickets: These types of tickets allow passengers to receive a full refund if they choose to cancel their flight before departure. 

• Non-refundable tickets: These tickets are generally not entitled to get refund, unless the airline cancels the flight or significantly alters the schedule. 

• Basic Economy: This ticket type is non-refundable most of the time, except in cases where the flight is rescheduled by the airline or you cancelled within 24 hours of booking, only if the ticket was bought at least 7 days in advance.

24-Hour Refund Policy: 

United's refund 24-hour rules allow passengers to cancel their bookings within 24 hours and get a full refund in the original mode of payment. One condition is that the passengers must have made the reservation 7 days prior to departure. This rule is available for every type of ticket. 

United Airlines Cancellation and Refund Request Process

Cancellation: 

Before going through the process of filing the refund request, it is important to know the cancellation process: 

1. Head straight to the United Airlines site.

2. Find the "My Trips" option available on the website.  

3. Input the confirmation number and surname. 

4. Choose the flight for which you wish to have a cancellation. 

5. Then, follow the procedure for cancellation verification. 

6. Passengers can also approach United Airlines customer support concerning cancellations.

Refund request: 

Passengers have to follow these steps to file a refund request with United Airlines:

1. Please visit the official United Airlines Refunds web page.

2. Enter the ticket number and the last name from the booking.

3. Fill out the required details on the refund request form.

4. Submit the form to commence the refund request process.

5. Refunds are generally completed within 7 to 20 business days.

6. Refunds for payments made by credit card take seven days; other payment methods take almost 20 days. 

7. Upon submission of your refund request, you will receive a confirmation email.

8. You can check the refund status on the United Airlines site and mobile app.

9. In case of any issues or for further assistance, please call the United Airlines customer service.

Cases where the traveller is entitled to a refund: 

Refunds are usually provided in cases as follows:

• The airline cancels your flight.

• An alternative significant change to the flight schedule.

• You are denied boarding against your will.

• You hold a refundable ticket and cancel before departure.

Options if the airline changes my flight: 

The airlines must rebook you on any other flight if the flight you were flying is canceled. If the flight is facing a significant delay, you can cancel. In both cases, airlines will provide an option, either to get rebooked to the available flight or any flight matching your schedule. If no flight matches your schedule, then you can cancel your booking. You’ll be entitled to a full refund. You can either opt for a travel credit. 

Cancellation Fees

Airlines usually do not charge cancellation fees, but in some cases, ticket holders have to pay charges for making cancellations. These are the rules: 

• Refundable Ticket: Generally, cancellation fees will not apply.

• Non-Refundable Ticket: Fees may generally be anywhere between $200 for a domestic flight and $400 for an international flight.

• Basic Economy: They're generally non-changeable and non-refundable except if canceled within 24 hours of booking at least a week before the flight.

• Award Tickets: The fees depend on your MileagePlus status. General members may pay up to $125, while Premier 1K members may get a fee waiver.

Economy fully refundable: 

United airlines mainly offers two ticket types: Economy and Economy Fully Refundable. Here we will compare United economy vs economy fully refundable. Here is what we will get: 

United Economy: 

• Generally, Economy fares are non-refundable, but depending on United's policies, if you cancel the trip after the purchase, you may be eligible to receive a credit for use on future travel. 

• Economy fares can typically not be changed after booking, except within 24 hours after booking, in exchange for a full refund, as long as the purchase was made at least one week before the original scheduled departure. 

Economy Fully Refundable: 

• Instead, Economy Fully Refundable fares allow passengers to cancel their flights and get their money back; they can cancel before departure without cancellation fees.

• Economy Fully Refundable fares are more flexible because a traveler can change or cancel a flight without incurring change fees. However, fare differentials apply if the new flight is more expensive.

Conclusion

United Airlines' refund policy is built to provide travelers with flexibility and clarity. Knowing your ticket type and the rules around cancellations helps you confidently manage your travel plans. Understanding the details of this policy can help travelers handle cancellations and refund requests more efficiently.