Complete Guide For United Airlines Flight Cancellation Policy [2024]
To know about United Airlines Cancellation Policy read the whole article thoroughly. United Airlines is the major travel service provider in America. With its headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, the airline came into action in 1931.
With time, it showed immense development and today you can get a flight booking with United Airlines to almost 350 destinations. In addition to that, the airline also has a huge fleet size, which is 840 and increasing.
Since the airline has spent so many years in the industry, it knows how common it is for people to cancel their reservations. This is why not only does it let the people terminate their bookings, but it also has a United Airlines Cancellation Policy.
This policy includes all the terms and conditions that the airline operations run on.
If you are someone who is about to withdraw this flight ticket, then you must go through this blog thoroughly. Here, we will introduce you to the airline’s cancellation policy and its online process.
What is the Rule of United Airlines Cancellation Policy?
Once you have the United Airlines cancelation policy at the top of your head, here is how you, yourself, can withdraw the flight tickets.
To initiate the termination procedure, you first need to head to www.united.com on your default browser.
Once you land on its homepage, locate the My Trips tab and click on that.
A box with a couple of empty fields will appear before you. Here, you need to put in your last name and the confirmation code of your bookings. You can find it in your emails.
Thereafter, hit the Search button and find your flight ticket in the subsequent window.
Moving ahead, you will see the Cancel button beside your booking details.
Click on that button and then confirm the process on the pop-up window.
To claim a refund, go back to the homepage and scroll to the bottom.
There, choose Search a Topic and type Refund Form in the search bar.
Furthermore, from the list on your screen, move forward with the link with the form.
Eventually, you will have to put in your account credentials and then select Sign In.
You will then have the form before you. Fill in every field with the relevant information.
To finish the process, click on Submit, and you are good to go.
Remember that the airline will send you an email regarding the cancelation as well as the refund request.
Here is the United Airlines Cancellation Policy states:
Free Cancellation
The first and foremost way to get a 100% refund on your booking cancellation is to benefit from the 24-hour risk-free period. According to that, a ticket that has been purchased seven or more days before the departure date can be canceled for free on the date of booking. This is applicable on refundable as well as non-refundable tickets.
Also, if the airline changes the schedule of a flight and it doesn’t suit you, then you can claim your money back.
In addition to that, the airline will also have to credit the refund to your account if it terminates your flight. However, if you need to travel on the same day, you have the option to claim a free seat on the next available flight.
Remember, if you are about to board a flight from Switzerland, Iceland, European Union, or Norway, and the airline delays it, here is what you can do:
Claim a compensation and refund on 5+ hours delay
Claim compensation on 3+ hours delay (if United Airlines could control the cause)
If the passenger, his co-passenger, or close relative dies or gets too sick, you can get your refund. All the airline will ask for are documents relevant to the cause.
Similarly, people terminating a reservation because of jury duties must present the proof and get their money back.
Cancelation Fee and Refund
Holders of non-refundable United Airlines Bookings will have to pay a penalty on cancelation. For domestic flights, the charges are $200, and for international, it is $400.
The cancelation fee may vary depending on your route, flight fare, and other factors.
United Airlines will take 7 business days to send the credit card refunds. However, it can take around 20 working days for others.
For a third-party booking refund, you need to connect with them directly.
How to Cancel a United Airlines Ticket?
If your plans fell through and you have already purchased your tickets, United Airline Cancellation Policy allows you to cancel your booked flight within a few easy steps. Follow the steps given below:
Cancel your Flight Online:
Visit the official web page of United Airlines.
There, you’ll find a ‘My Trips’ option to click on.
Enter your last name and confirmation number to get access to your trip.
You will come across your bookings now.
Select the booking you wish to cancel.
Click on the ‘Cancel Flight’ option.
A pop-up asking you to confirm your cancellation will come on the screen. Click on Confirm, and your booked flight will officially be canceled.
Cancel your Flight Through a Phone Call
Passengers can also opt for the easier option and call the airlines at +1-833-714-2120 and request them to cancel their booked flight. Make sure you keep your flight details handy so that the cancellation process is done smoothly and quickly. On the other hand, if you booked your flight through an agent or an online travel agency, then you must contact them to cancel your ticket.
United Airlines Delayed Flight Compensation
Even though United Airlines is not a European airline, it still protects the rights of its passengers under EU261, which is the most comprehensive and relevant passenger rights law now. The table given below provides details about United Airlines Delayed Flight Compensation:
FLIGHT LENGTH
DELAYED BY
COMPENSATION AMOUNT
1500 Km or less
Two hours or more
$252
Between 1500 and 3500 Km
Three hours or more
$403
Longer than 3500 Km
Four hours or more
$605
United Airlines Cancellation Fee for Award Tickets:
Tickets purchased with airline miles are usually called reward tickets or award tickets. These are special airline tickets as they are heavily discounted, and not everyone has access to them. However, if you want to cancel your Award Ticket, read the cancellation fee as stated in the United flight cancellation policy:-
SERVICE FEE
CHANGES/CANCELLATIONS
AFTER NO SHOW
GENERAL MEMBER
None
$125
PREMIER SILVER
None
$125
PREMIER GOLD
None
$125
PREMIER PLATINUM
None
$125
PREMIER 1K
None
$125
How do I avoid cancellation fees on United Airlines?
If you are looking for a way to avoid the cancellation fee as stated in the United Airlines Cancellation Policy, then keep the following points in mind before you book your ticket.
Whenever possible, buy a fully refundable flight ticket.
Keep the 24 Hour risk window in mind. You are eligible for a full refund if you cancel your booked ticket within 24 hours of purchasing it, provided your flight is still seven days away from the departure date.
Know your passenger rights. If your booked flight has been delayed for more than six hours, then you can claim a full refund from the airline in the form of travel credit. The good news about this credit is that it is valid for one year so that you can plan your next trip accordingly and not lose any money.
If you had already purchased your flight ticket and then the flight gets canceled due to no fault of yours (poor weather conditions, low demand, etc.), then you are eligible to claim a full refund from the airline.
Even after the 24-hour risk window, if you have to cancel your ticket due to emergency circumstances (jury duty, military order, sudden death of a co-passenger), then you may do so by providing evidence for the same and claim a refund from the airlines.
Can I cancel my United Flight without Penalty?
Did an urgent meeting ruin your planned vacation? Did you already purchase a ticket for your trip? No need to worry because United Airline Cancellation Policy has got you covered. The 24 Hour Booking Policy allows the passengers to cancel their booked flight within 24 hours of purchasing it without any penalty. However, the only condition for you to cancel your booked flight in this 24-hour period is that your booked flight must be at least seven days away from the departure date.
If you cancel your booked flight within 24 hours of purchasing it, but your flight is four days away, then you will not be eligible for free cancellation. In such cases, you will be required to pay the cancellation fee as per your fare type, time of cancellation, and other factors that are in play.
NOTE: You can’t change, but you may cancel and request a full refund if you purchased a Basic Economy ticket through Miles + Money.
United Airlines Refund Policy
The United Airlines Refund Policy allows you to cancel your booked flight and apply for a refund if you are eligible for it. The policy states the below-mentioned points:
No cancellation fees need to be paid by the passenger if they cancel their booked flight within 24 hours of purchasing it. However, the condition is that the originally booked flight must be at least seven days away from the scheduled departure date.
If you own a Basic Economy ticket, you can only request a refund within the 24-hour risk window.
Refund requests can be initiated through the United Airlines website or by calling.
The amount of the cancellation fee charged to you is subject to your ticket fare type.
If you purchased a non-refundable ticket and now you want to cancel it, you will be eligible for Future Flight Credit for a fee.
The refund amount is subject to various factors. For example, the fare type, the timing of the cancellation, whether the ticket is partially used or fully unused, and other such factors.
If the ticket was purchased through a credit card, you will receive the refunded amount within seven business days.
In case of any other payment method, please allow the Airline approximately twenty days to refund your account.
You may check your refund status on the official website of United Airlines.
Read the refund policy thoroughly, as the refund rules vary for some international regions, including Argentina, Colombia, France, and Taiwan.
How to Check the Refund Status for United Airlines?
If you cannot go through the trip due to unforeseen circumstances, then you can cancel your booked flight ticket. You can also claim a refund by filling out the refund form that’s available on the United Airlines website. If the flight you booked is refundable under the United Refund Policy, then you will receive a refund tracking number on the email ID that you provided while booking.
With the help of this number, you can easily track your refund status. All you have to do is, visit the United Airlines website and then reach the Refund Status option. Enter the confirmation number provided to you by the Airline. If you are facing trouble checking your refund status online, you can also call +1-833-714-2120. Then ask the customer service executive to help you with your refund request status.
How to Get a Refund from United Airlines?
If you cancel your booked flight and think you are eligible for a refund under United Refund Policy, then you may follow the steps given below. Once you complete this process, the airlines will initiate your refund request.
1. Take your browser to the United Airlines website.
2. Search for ‘Refund Request’ in the search bar.
3. A refund form would pop up. Click on it.
4. Provide all the details asked in the form along with necessary documents if required.
5. Select the ‘Submit’ option, and your refund request will be successfully submitted.
You can also contact United Airlines Customer Executive by calling +1-833-714-2120 and requesting them to initiate your refund. You have to provide details regarding your flight bookings. Along wiht that, some personal information, which includes your email ID, mobile number, and others. Ensure that you keep this information handy so that the process can function smoothly and without any hassle.
Wrapping up
Canceling a pre-booked flight reservation is something everyone does. For you, we have created this blog with United Airlines. This can help you understand if you will have to pay a penalty or if you can claim a refund. For any further assistance, you can connect with our professionals. Flightaura is a team of experts who are working day and night to provide the best assistance to its clients.
The amount of refund and whether you are eligible for a refund or not is based on the United Airlines refund policy. You may be eligible for a refund in case you purchase a fully refundable ticket, in case of an emergency situation due to which you have to cancel your flight, when the flight gets canceled by the Airline, in the 24-hour booking policy, and in other such cases.
United Airlines provides its customers with two types of travel credit, namely future flight credits and travel credits. To use Travel eCredit, follow the steps given below:
1. Sign in on the United Airlines website and view your available credits in your MileagePlus account.
2. Now browse through our website and select the flight of your preference like you normally would.
3. When you have added all the details, head towards payment, and over there, you’ll fund the travel eCredit option as a payment method.
According to the United Airlines Cancellation Policy, your cancellation fee shall be waived if you are canceling your ticket within the 24-hour policy due to some unforeseen circumstances like the death of a co-passenger or if the flight was canceled by the airline due to no fault of yours.
United Flights’ Cancellation Policy does not allow any of the passengers to change their Economy Ticket. These tickets cannot be changed once booked. However, you have the choice to cancel these tickets within 24 hours of purchasing them, provided the departure date is at least seven days away.
The eCredits provided by United Airlines are valid up to 12 months from the date they have been issued. If you do not use those credits within one year, then you will lose your funds completely.
