award travel united cancellation

How To Avoid United’s $125 Fee For Cancelling An Award, Redepositing Miles

by Gary Leff on June 21, 2022

However I was asked, “Isn’t United charging for redeposit?” American AAdvantage doesn’t charge a fee for any member to cancel and redeposit miles, but officially United Airlines does unless you are a 1K or Global Services member.

United’s “fee for canceling a ticket for travel originating in the U.S. with miles redeposit 30 or fewer days before departure” is $125 for those without MileagePlus elite status, and it goes down to $50 for Platinum members. However,

United has not actually been collecting this fee! Despite published rules requiring it, in practice cancellation within 30 days (even within 24 hours) has been free.

Making a change to an award ticket originating in the U.S. inside of 30 days is free. So you’d just change your itinerary travel dates to something in the future and it doesn’t need to be the same itinerary or mileage cost to take advantage of this. Then you’d cancel for free, since cancellation would be occurring more than 30 days to departure.

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About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

How to Cancel a United Airlines Flight [Points or Cash Ticket]

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How to Cancel a United Airlines Flight [Points or Cash Ticket]

Basic Economy Ticket

Non-refundable ticket, refundable ticket, award ticket, basic economy, how to cancel a flight on united, how to use a united travel ecredit, final thoughts.

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The process of canceling a flight can be both expensive and complicated, but sometimes it is unavoidable.

If you’ve booked a flight with United Airlines and need to cancel, you’re in the right place! Here’s all the information you need to navigate their cancellation policy and determine what policies apply to your situation.

United’s Cancellation Policy: Flights Paid With Cash or Points

All customers have 24 hours from the time of their original booking to cancel their reservation without being charged a cancellation fee , regardless of the fare selected, as long as the ticket was purchased a week or more before departure.

United Airlines will not allow you to cancel a basic economy ticket unless it is within 24 hours from the time it was purchased, and was purchased a week or more before departure.

If it has been more than 24 hours since you booked your ticket, you can still cancel your ticket and get a full refund, but it will come in the form of a flight credit toward future travel with United

If you’ve purchased a refundable ticket, cancellations can be made anytime before the departure of your flight and the refund will be issued to your original credit card within 7 days (it should appear on your statement in 1-2 billing cycles).

United no longer charges a fee to cancel your award ticket and have your miles redeposited.

However, if you no-show for your flight you will need to pay $125 to have your miles redeposited, regardless of your status level.

Hot Tip: Looking for even more information about canceling award tickets? Explore our guide on canceling award tickets , including information on over 30 carriers, to learn more.

United’s Flight Change Policy: Flights Paid With Cash or Points

As with cancellations, all customers will have 24 hours from the time of their original booking to change their reservation without being charged a fee, as long as the ticket was purchased a week or more before departure. This does not apply to Basic Economy tickets.

International flights that don’t originate in the U.S. can be changed, but change fees will apply.

United Airlines will not allow you to make any changes to a basic economy ticket, even during the initial 24-hour window. If you’re still within the 24-hour window, your best option would be to cancel your ticket and book a new one.

United does not charge any fees for flight changes; you will just be responsible for any difference in fare.

For same-day changes, United charges up to $75, depending on destination and fare class . Premier status members have the fee waived.

United does not charge any fees for flight changes. If you’re changing to a more expensive option, you will need to pay the difference in price. If you’re changing to a cheaper flight, the difference in fare will be refunded to your original method of payment.

United has dropped all change fees on award flights. So customers can now switch to any award flight without needing to pay any extra fees.

Step 1: Log into your account on United’s homepage and select “My Trips.”

Step 2: Once you’ve selected the trip you want to cancel, select “Cancel Booking.”

Step 3: The next screen will ask you to confirm that you want to cancel your booking. After you click “confirm,” your booking will officially be canceled, and you’ll receive an eCredit for any remaining funds after any potential cancellation fees.

If you’re using an eCredit that you received from a flight you changed or canceled, click the drop-down box under “United payment types,” then simply enter the PIN code, your last name, and the year you received the eCredit during checkout.

If you’re worried that you may need to cancel your flight and want to make certain you can get a refund, a refundable ticket will certainly be your best option.

Having to deal with canceling a flight can be difficult enough as it is, so consider adding a rewards card that provides compensation . Be certain to review fare rules closely so that you know what your options are both at the time of booking and if you end up needing to cancel.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if i cancel my united flight.

That depends on what fare type you’ve purchased and whether or not you’ve purchased a refundable ticket.

If you’ve purchased a basic economy ticket, you are not permitted to cancel the ticket for a refund after the 24-hour grace period from when your ticket was purchased.

If you have a non-refundable ticket you can cancel the flight and the amount you paid will be issued to your United account as an e-credit for a future flight.

If you have a refundable ticket you can cancel anytime before the departure of your flight and you will be reimbursed on your original method of payment.

Can I cancel a United flight within 24 hours?

Yes, all customers will have 24 hours from the time of their original booking to cancel their reservation without being charged a cancellation fee, regardless of fare selected, as long as the ticket was purchased a week or more before departure.

What happens if you cancel a non-refundable flight?

If you have a non-refundable ticket you can cancel the flight and the amount you paid will be issued to your United account as an eCredit for a future flight.

When do United eCredits expire?

Your eCredit will expire exactly 1 year after its issue date.

Will United waive my cancellation fees?

United no longer charges cancellation fees.

Does United charge same-day change fees?

United charges up to $75 for same-day changes, depending on destination and fare class . Premier status members have the fee waived.

Is there a fee to cancel an award ticket with United?

No, there is not a fee to cancel your United award flight.

Can you change a Basic Economy ticket within 24 hours of booking?

You cannot change a Basic Economy ticket on United, even within the 24-hour window. Your only option would be to cancel the ticket and rebook. Since this is still within the 24-hour window, you will not be charged a cancellation fee and will receive a full refund for the cancel ticket.

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How to Cancel an Allegiant Airlines Flight [Points or Cash Ticket]

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Cancelling An United Award Ticket At The Last Minute

While travel seems to be getting back to normal, there’s not as much need to book a backup flight . However, I needed to put my knowledge to use when we had plans to be in New York for the weekend and a major hurricane looked like it might hit Florida. The problem with tropical weather systems is they’re unpredictable. You’re not sure about when they’re going to arrive or for how long you’ll be affected. Case in point, our original flight to New York was on the Friday after a hurricane that was scheduled to hit Wednesday and/or Thursday. So we decided if we couldn’t travel that day, we could still try to leave on Saturday and still salvage the trip.

I found a flight on United for early Saturday morning. I did a quick search on United’s award cancellation policy and found they’re one of the airlines that still charge to redeposit miles…unless they don’t. The policy on United’s website says they’ll charge a $125 fee for canceling a ticket for travel originating in the U.S., with miles redeposited 30 or fewer days before departure. The fees vary depending on your United status and all of the variations can be found at this link .

However, there are several websites reporting that United isn’t charging the fee to redeposit miles a this time. Even if they were, there’s an easy way to get around paying the fee . Since there was a high chance I’d be able to get my miles back, I went ahead and booked the Saturday morning tickets.

As it turned out, our Friday flights were canceled on Tuesday and Orlando Airport was closed to commercial flights from Wednesday morning to Friday afternoon. To our surprise, our original flights were changed to Saturday. So as long as things went to plan, we wouldn’t need our United flight after all.

I had concerns there could be delays or cancellations but when our plane arrived the night before, I was feeling better about our early Saturday morning flight. After we got through the TSA checkpoint, I opened the United app to cancel the flight. (And yes, we were at the airport and through security at 5:49 AM. Ugh.)

Notice that I was offered the option to cancel and rebook later with a credit or I could cancel and redeposit the miles. I chose to redeposit the miles. All I had to do was tap the Confirm cancellation button.

I received the 15K miles for each ticket and $39.20, which covered the taxes and amount I had paid for seat assignments. While it says the redeposit fee was waived based on my membership status, I currently have no status with United.

The miles showed up in the account immediately but I’m still waiting to receive a refund for the taxes and fees.

For this example, it was extremely easy to cancel our United flight for a full refund only a few hours before the trip. Since the rules on United’s website still say they can charge $125, it would be nice if they would either change the website or, even better, eliminate the redeposit fee, as most other frequent flyer programs have done.

Whatever the reason, I’m happy we were able to cancel the flight and even happier that we were able to get to New York. I’ll write more about this amazingly chaotic week in an upcoming post.

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Looks like an abuse of the system. No wonder American stopped with the free 24 hour holds, too many people abusing it.

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All About United Airlines Change, Cancellation and Other Fees

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United Airlines baggage fees

United airlines change fees, united airlines cancellation fee, united airlines standby fees, united airlines pet fee, united airlines priority boarding fee, united seat selection fee, fees across u.s. airlines, final thoughts on united airlines fees.

When it comes to change fees, United Airlines has you covered. Aside from its basic economy airfares, United doesn't charge change fees on most domestic flights. The airline also allows passengers hoping to book earlier flights the ability to fly same-day standby for free, among other flexible, fee-free booking options.

However, United still charges fees for checked luggage and other extras, like bringing a pet with you, priority boarding and preferred seating.

Here’s what to know about United Airlines’ fees.

» Learn more: The NerdWallet guide to United MileagePlus

United’s checked baggage fees vary depending on your route, elite status (or lack thereof), what credit card you hold and what type of ticket you’ve purchased. Head over to this page to read everything about United’s checked, carry-on, overweight and oversize baggage fees: United Airlines bag fees: how they work, how to avoid them .

Chase United Airlines Mileage Plus Credit Card

on Chase's website

$0 intro for the first year, then $95 .

$0 intro for the first year, then $99 .

First checked bag free for both the primary cardholder and one companion traveling on the same reservation.

First and second checked bags free for both the primary cardholder and one companion traveling on the same reservation.

United gives you lots of flexibility when it comes to allowing you to change your flight. In August 2020, United removed change fees permanently on paid flights within the U.S., or between the U.S. and Mexico or the Caribbean. However, basic economy fares and all other international flights are excluded.

Although passengers can change their flight at no cost, there's one caveat: You still have to pay for the difference in fares if your new flight is more expensive. And if your new fare is cheaper, you may get a future flight credit for the fare difference.

For award tickets, United also doesn’t charge a change fee as long as your domestic or international flight originates in the U.S. and you’re not flying on a basic economy fare.

United used to charge a $200 cancellation fee, but those fees are gone now too. Here's the current United Airlines cancellation fee policy:

All tickets — even basic economy — can be canceled for a full cash refund if your ticket was purchased within 24 hours and the purchase is at least a week before departure.

After that 24-hour window closes, if you purchase a nonrefundable ticket, you are not eligible for a cash refund and will instead receive a future flight credit. Basic economy fares are not eligible for these credits.

If you cancel a basic economy ticket, you will not receive a refund in any form.

Standby fees are gone now too. The airline used to charge $75 (waived with MileagePlus Gold status or above) to fly standby on the same day. Now, any customer can stand by for an earlier flight for free.

» Learn more: United ditches domestic change fees, adds more flexibility

If you’d like to bring your pet on board with you into the cabin, you will have to pay $125 each way on select flights. If you have a flight with a stopover longer than four hours within the U.S. or more than 24 hours internationally, you’ll need to pay another $125.

There are various requirements that your pet must satisfy, so make sure you’re aware of all the results.

Priority boarding is targeted to those who want to board earlier than their ticket allows. When you pay for priority boarding with United, you will board in Group 2 behind United Airlines elites and premium cabin passengers.

The price starts at $15 per flight segment and is available only on United and United Express flights. You can purchase priority boarding privileges for one segment or all segments of your route.

When you book an economy ticket, you can pay for a preferred seat, which is basically a regular economy seat but is closer to the front of the plane. You’ll be a few rows behind Economy Plus passengers.

Preferred seats start at $14 and vary by route. Basic economy passengers are eligible to purchase preferred seating.

United offers customizable bundle packages during the booking process, which could save you money if you’re paying multiple fees. For example, you can bundle your checked bag fees and priority boarding. Keep in mind, these bundles are typically nonrefundable so be sure your travel plans are firm when booking.

In NerdWallet's most recent analysis of airline fees , we compared seat selection, checked baggage and overhead carry-on baggage fees charged by the major U.S. airlines on typical one-way fares.

Note: This analysis is based on 2023 data and does not take into account recent baggage fee price hikes across multiple airlines. Our next analysis will happen in the fall of 2024.

Here's how they stacked up:

There are many moving parts when booking any airlines reservation and United is no exception. Take the extra time to understand baggage and other fees as you plan out your bookings so you don't get caught by surprise.

How to maximize your rewards

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1x-2x Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays and United® purchases. 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases

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1x-3x Earn 3x miles on United® purchases, 2x miles on dining, select streaming services & all other travel, 1x on all other purchases

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Automatic Refunds and No More Hidden Fees: D.O.T. Sets New Rules for Airlines

The Transportation Department issued new requirements on refunds when flights are canceled or delayed and on revealing “junk” fees before booking. Here’s what passengers can expect.

A blue airport screen showing extensive cancellations and delays is shown in close up with a man standing in front of it.

By Christine Chung

The Transportation Department on Wednesday announced new rules taking aim at two of the most difficult and annoying issues in air travel: obtaining refunds and encountering surprise fees late in the booking process.

“Passengers deserve to know upfront what costs they are facing and should get their money back when an airline owes them — without having to ask,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement, adding that the changes would not only save passengers “time and money,” but also prevent headaches.

The department’s new rules, Mr. Buttigieg said, will hold airlines to clear and consistent standards when they cancel, delay or substantially change flights, and require automatic refunds to be issued within weeks. They will also require them to reveal all fees before a ticket is purchased.

Airlines for America , a trade group representing the country’s largest air carriers, said in a statement that its airlines “abide by and frequently exceed” D.O.T. consumer protection regulations.

Passenger advocates welcomed the new steps.

Tomasz Pawliszyn, the chief executive of AirHelp, a Berlin-based company that assists passengers with airline claims, called it a “massive step forward and huge improvement in consumer rights and protection” that brings the United States closer to global standards in passenger rights.

Here’s what we know about the D.O.T.’s new rules, which will begin to go into effect in October.

There’s now one definition for a “significant” delay.

Until now, airlines have been allowed to set their own definition for a “significant” delay and compensation has varied by carrier . Now, according to the D.O.T., there will be one standard: when departure or arrival is delayed by three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international flights.

Passengers will get prompt refunds for cancellations or significant changes for flights and delayed bags, for any reason.

When things go wrong, getting compensation from an airline has often required establishing a cumbersome paper trail or spending untold hours on the phone. Under the new rules, refunds will be automatic, without passengers having to request them. Refunds will be made in full, excepting the value of any transportation already used. Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in the original form of payment, whether by cash, credit card or airline miles. Refunds are due within seven days for credit card purchases and within 20 days for other payments.

Passengers with other flight disruptions, such as being downgraded to a lower service class, are also entitled to refunds.

The list of significant changes for which passengers can get their money back also includes: departure or arrival from an airport different from the one booked; connections at different airports or flights on planes that are less accessible to a person with a disability; an increase in the number of scheduled connections. Also, passengers who pay for services like Wi-Fi or seat selection that are then unavailable will be refunded any fees.

Airlines must give travel vouchers or credits to ticketed passengers unable to fly because of government restrictions or a doctor’s orders.

The vouchers or credits will be transferable and can be used for at least five years after the date they were issued.

Fees for checked baggage and modifying a reservation must be disclosed upfront.

Airlines and ticket agents are now required to display any extra fees for things like checking bags or seat selection clearly and individually before a ticket purchase. They will also need to outline the airline’s policies on baggage, cancellations and changing flights before a customer purchases a ticket.

The rules, which apply to all flights on domestic airlines and flights to and from the United States operated by foreign airlines, have varying start dates.

For example, automatic refunds must be instituted by the airlines within six months. But carriers have a year before they’re required to issue travel vouchers and credits for passengers advised by a medical professional not to fly.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Christine Chung is a Times reporter covering airlines and consumer travel. More about Christine Chung

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places: Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai: Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto: The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland: The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas: Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Rule Requiring Automatic Refunds of Airline Tickets and Ancillary Service Fees

Rule makes it easy to get money back for cancelled or significantly changed flights, significantly delayed checked bags, and additional services not provided

WASHINGTON – The Biden-Harris Administration today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a final rule that requires airlines to promptly provide passengers with automatic cash refunds when owed. The new rule makes it easy for passengers to obtain refunds when airlines cancel or significantly change their flights, significantly delay their checked bags, or fail to provide the extra services they purchased.

“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them - without headaches or haggling,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg . “Our new rule sets a new standard to require airlines to promptly provide cash refunds to their passengers.”

The final rule creates certainty for consumers by defining the specific circumstances in which airlines must provide refunds. Prior to this rule, airlines were permitted to set their own standards for what kind of flight changes warranted a refund. As a result, refund policies differed from airline to airline, which made it difficult for passengers to know or assert their refund rights. DOT also received complaints of some airlines revising and applying less consumer-friendly refund policies during spikes in flight cancellations and changes.

Under the rule, passengers are entitled to a refund for:

Canceled or significantly changed flights: Passengers will be entitled to a refund if their flight is canceled or significantly changed, and they do not accept alternative transportation or travel credits offered. For the first time, the rule defines “significant change.” Significant changes to a flight include departure or arrival times that are more than 3 hours domestically and 6 hours internationally; departures or arrivals from a different airport; increases in the number of connections; instances where passengers are downgraded to a lower class of service; or connections at different airports or flights on different planes that are less accessible or accommodating to a person with a disability.
Significantly delayed baggage return: Passengers who file a mishandled baggage report will be entitled to a refund of their checked bag fee if it is not delivered within 12 hours of their domestic flight arriving at the gate, or 15-30 hours of their international flight arriving at the gate, depending on the length of the flight.
Extra services not provided: Passengers will be entitled to a refund for the fee they paid for an extra service — such as Wi-Fi, seat selection, or inflight entertainment — if an airline fails to provide this service.

DOT’s final rule also makes it simple and straightforward for passengers to receive the money they are owed. Without this rule, consumers have to navigate a patchwork of cumbersome processes to request and receive a refund — searching through airline websites to figure out how make the request, filling out extra “digital paperwork,” or at times waiting for hours on the phone. In addition, passengers would receive a travel credit or voucher by default from some airlines instead of getting their money back, so they could not use their refund to rebook on another airline when their flight was changed or cancelled without navigating a cumbersome request process.

The final rule improves the passenger experience by requiring refunds to be:

Automatic: Airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops.
Prompt: Airlines and ticket agents must issue refunds within seven business days of refunds becoming due for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods.
Cash or original form of payment: Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in cash or whatever original payment method the individual used to make the purchase, such as credit card or airline miles. Airlines may not substitute vouchers, travel credits, or other forms of compensation unless the passenger affirmatively chooses to accept alternative compensation.
Full amount: Airlines and ticket agents must provide full refunds of the ticket purchase price, minus the value of any portion of transportation already used. The refunds must include all government-imposed taxes and fees and airline-imposed fees, regardless of whether the taxes or fees are refundable to airlines.

The final rule also requires airlines to provide prompt notifications to consumers affected by a cancelled or significantly changed flight of their right to a refund of the ticket and extra service fees, as well as any related policies.

In addition, in instances where consumers are restricted by a government or advised by a medical professional not to travel to, from, or within the United States due to a serious communicable disease, the final rule requires that airlines must provide travel credits or vouchers. Consumers may be required to provide documentary evidence to support their request. Travel vouchers or credits provided by airlines must be transferrable and valid for at least five years from the date of issuance.

The Department received a significant number of complaints against airlines and ticket agents for refusing to provide a refund or for delaying processing of refunds during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, refund complaints peaked at 87 percent of all air travel service complaints received by DOT. Refund problems continue to make up a substantial share of the complaints that DOT receives.

DOT’s Historic Record of Consumer Protection Under the Biden-Harris Administration

Under the Biden-Harris Administration and Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has advanced the largest expansion of airline passenger rights, issued the biggest fines against airlines for failing consumers, and returned more money to passengers in refunds and reimbursements than ever before in the Department’s history.

Thanks to pressure from Secretary Buttigieg and DOT’s flightrights.gov dashboard, all 10 major U.S. airlines guarantee free rebooking and meals, and nine guarantee hotel accommodations when an airline issue causes a significant delay or cancellation. These are new commitments the airlines added to their customer service plans that DOT can legally ensure they adhere to and are displayed on flightrights.gov .
Since President Biden took office, DOT has helped return more than $3 billion in refunds and reimbursements owed to airline passengers – including over $600 million to passengers affected by the Southwest Airlines holiday meltdown in 2022.
Under Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has issued over $164 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations. Between 1996 and 2020, DOT collectively issued less than $71 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations.
DOT recently launched a new partnership with a bipartisan group of state attorneys general to fast-track the review of consumer complaints, hold airlines accountable, and protect the rights of the traveling public.
In 2023, the flight cancellation rate in the U.S. was a record low at under 1.2% — the lowest rate of flight cancellations in over 10 years despite a record amount of air travel.
DOT is undertaking its first ever industry-wide review of airline privacy practices and its first review of airline loyalty programs.

In addition to finalizing the rules to require automatic refunds and protect against surprise fees, DOT is also pursuing rulemakings that would:

Propose to ban family seating junk fees and guarantee that parents can sit with their children for no extra charge when they fly. Before President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg pressed airlines last year, no airline committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating. Now, four airlines guarantee fee-free family seating, and the Department is working on its family seating junk fee ban proposal.
Propose to make passenger compensation and amenities mandatory so that travelers are taken care of when airlines cause flight delays or cancellations.
Expand the rights for passengers who use wheelchairs and ensure that they can travel safely and with dignity . The comment period on this proposed rule closes on May 13, 2024.

The final rule on refunds can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/latest-news and at regulations.gov , docket number DOT-OST-2022-0089. There are different implementation periods in this final rule ranging from six months for airlines to provide automatic refunds when owed to 12 months for airlines to provide transferable travel vouchers or credits when consumers are unable to travel for reasons related to a serious communicable disease.

Information about airline passenger rights, as well as DOT’s rules, guidance and orders, can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer .

Airlines must cough up cancellation cash and can no longer hide fees under new federal rule

A federal rule announced Wednesday will require airlines to quickly give cash refunds — without lengthy arguments — to passengers whose flights have been canceled or seriously delayed, the Biden administration said.

“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them — without headaches or haggling,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.

The rule from the Transportation Department says passengers who decline other reimbursement like travel credits are to get cash refunds.

It applies when a flight is canceled or has a “significant change,” the administration said.A “significant change” includes when departure or arrival times are three or more hours different from the scheduled times for domestic flights or six hours for international flights, and when the airport is changed or connections are added, it said.

Passengers are also to get refunds when their baggage is 12 hours late in delivery for domestic flights.

The new rule comes after promises to hold airlines accountable after major disruptions that made travel hell for passengers, including the 2022 Southwest Airlines meltdown , which resulted in almost 17,000 significantly delayed or canceled flights and a missing baggage nightmare.

The Transportation Department said that the new rule means refunds are automatic and that "airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops."

Also announced Wednesday was a rule requiring airlines to more clearly disclose so-called junk fees upfront, such as surprise baggage or other fees, the department said.

It said that rule is expected to save fliers around $500 million a year.

The surprise fees are used so tickets look cheaper than they really are, and then fliers get the unwelcome surprise of fees on checked bags, carry-on bags or reservation changes — or even discounts that are advertised but apply to only part of the ticket price, officials said.

Airlines will also have to tell fliers clearly that their seats are guaranteed and that they don't have to pay extra to ensure they have seats for flights, according to the Transportation Department.

Airlines for America, an industry trade group, said that its member airlines “offer transparency and vast choice to consumers from first search to touchdown” and that they do offer cash refunds.

The 11 largest U.S. airlines returned $10.9 billion in cash refunds last year, an increase over $7.5 billion in 2019 but slightly down from $11.2 billion in 2022, the group said.

“U.S. airlines are providing more options and better services while ticket prices, including ancillary revenues, are at historic lows,” Airlines for America said.

Left out of the federal changes announced Wednesday are those involving "family seating fees," but the Transportation Department said in a statement that "DOT is planning to propose a separate rule that bans airlines from charging these junk fees."

Travelers have complained to the Transportation Department that children weren’t seated next to accompanying adults, including in some cases young children, department officials said last year.

Fees on bags specifically have made up an increasing amount of airline revenues, the Transportation Department said Wednesday in announcing the new rules.

A Transportation Department analysis found that airline revenue from baggage fees increased 30% from 2018 to 2022, while operating revenue — which is from the flights themselves — increased by only half that amount, the department said.

Jay Blackman is an NBC News producer covering such areas as transportation, space, medical and consumer issues.

Phil Helsel is a reporter for NBC News.

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Credit Cards

United Airlines credit cards have a secret perk that makes it easier to book awards

Jason Steele

Julie Sherrier

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Robin Saks Frankel

Published 5:12 a.m. UTC April 22, 2024

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Sometimes the best reason to have an airline credit card isn’t necessarily for the miles you can earn and redeem, it’s for the perks.

You can earn far more points using Chase credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Freedom Flex℠ * The information for the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. than you will from the cobranded United credit cards issued by Chase. And since you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards® points into United MileagePlus miles, there’s little reason to use a United card just to earn miles.

Instead, you should have a United MileagePlus card for its benefits, including free checked bags and discounts on in-flight purchases.

But there’s one other important benefit that you rarely see mentioned by Chase or United. MileagePlus cardmembers are eligible for “special member pricing” that’s otherwise reserved just for those with elite status. Just by having a United MileagePlus credit card, you’ll get the same, lower pricing that United elite status holders have access to, which can mean significant mileage savings on award flights.

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Blueprint receives compensation from our partners for featured offers, which impacts how and where the placement is displayed.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Welcome bonus.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Editor’s Take

Flexible points that can be transferred to 14 travel partners or redeemed through Chase Travel℠ at 1.25 cents each.
$50 annual statement credit toward Chase Travel hotel bookings.
Valuable travel protections.
$95 annual fee.
Category bonuses are limited and not competitive against other travel cards.
Transfer partner list is limited compared to programs like Amex Membership ® Rewards and Citi ThankYou ® .

Card details

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Enjoy beneﬁts such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
Member FDIC

What is “special member pricing”?

Let’s say you wanted to fly from Denver to Paris this summer. When I searched for flights on July 11, 2024, and filtered out options with more than one stop, I found flights starting at 70,000 miles.

But once I added my card to my MileagePlus account and logged in as a cardholder, the same options were available starting at just 40,000 miles.

You’ll notice that the lower priced options have a small notation indicating that it’s granted “special member pricing.” And true travel nerds might notice that the higher priced option shows a fare code of YN, while the lower priced option shows the code of XN, which is reserved for cardmembers and those with elite status.

Which credit cards offer United’s special member pricing?

All United MileagePlus credit cards issued by Chase include this benefit, which includes:

United Gateway℠ Card * The information for the United Gateway℠ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
United℠ Explorer Card * The information for the United℠ Explorer Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
United Quest℠ Card * The information for the United Quest℠ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
United Club℠ Infinite Card * The information for the United Club℠ Infinite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
United℠ Business Card * The information for the United℠ Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
United Club℠ Business Card * The information for the United Club℠ Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Except for the no-annual-fee Gateway card, all of these cards have an annual fee — starting at a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 for the Explorer card and topping off at $525 for the United Club Infinite card.

If you’re just looking for access to lower-priced flight awards, you might be tempted to get the Gateway card, which comes with a welcome offer of 20,000 miles after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Instead, I’d recommend getting either the Explorer card, which currently has a welcome bonus of 50,000 miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening, the Quest card, which offers 60,000 miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening, or the Club Infinite card, which comes with 80,000 miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

After having the card for a year, you might decide that you want to keep the card for its other perks. But you can always request a downgrade to the no-annual-fee Gateway card. This move allows you to keep your miles and account open, eliminate the annual fee and continue to enjoy lower-priced flight awards.

Looking to get the most out of your United rewards? Read our guide on how to earn and redeem United miles

Final verdict

The hardest part of award travel isn’t always earning the points and miles, it’s finding efficient ways to spend them. United makes this easy for those with elite status and anyone who holds one of their credit cards. By signing up for the best card offer available and longer-term keeping a no-annual-fee United card open at all times, you can be assured of the lowest prices when you book your United award tickets.

*The information for the Chase Freedom Flex℠, United Club℠ Business Card, United Club℠ Infinite Card, United Gateway℠ Card, United Quest℠ Card, United℠ Business Card and United℠ Explorer Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Jason Steele is a freelance writer specializing in credit cards and award travel. Since 2008, Jason's work has appeared in over 100 outlets and he's been widely quoted in the mainstream media. Jason also produces CardCon, which is The Conference for Credit Card Media.

Julie Stephen Sherrier is a personal finance writer and editor based in Austin, TX. She is the former senior managing editor for LendingTree, responsible for all credit card and credit health content. Before joining LendingTree, Julie spent more than a decade as the managing editor and then editorial director at Bankrate and CreditCards.com. She also served as an adjunct journalism instructor at the University of Texas at Austin.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

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Airlines are ordered to give full refunds instead of vouchers and to stop hiding fees

Travelers and their luggage in a terminal at Los Angeles International Airport in August 2023. Mario Tama/Getty Images hide caption

Travelers and their luggage in a terminal at Los Angeles International Airport in August 2023.

WASHINGTON — In an effort to crack down on airlines that charge passengers steep fees to check bags and change flights, the U.S. Department of Transportation has announced new regulations aimed at expanding consumer protections .

One of the final rules announced Wednesday requires airlines to show the full price of travel before passengers pay for their tickets. The other will force airlines to provide prompt cash refunds when flights are canceled or significantly changed.

"Passengers deserve to know upfront what costs they are facing and should get their money back when an airline owes them - without having to ask," said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement announcing the new rules.

Taking on junk fees is popular. But can it win Biden more voters?

Surprise junk fees have become a large and growing source of revenue for airlines in recent years, according to the DOT.

"Today's announcements will require airlines to both provide passengers better information about costs before ticket purchase, and promptly provide cash refunds to passengers when they are owed — not only saving passengers time and money, but also preventing headaches," Buttigieg said.

The airline industry is unlikely to welcome the new rules. At a hearing on the proposed fee rule in March 2023, an industry lobbying group representing American, Delta and United said it would be too difficult for airlines to disclose their charges more clearly.

"The amount of unwanted and unneeded information forced upon passengers" by the new policy would only cause "confusion and frustration," warned Doug Mullen, the deputy general counsel at Airlines for America . "Very few, if any, need or want this information, and especially when they are initially trying to understand schedule and fare options."

But the DOT insists its new rule will give consumers the information they need to better understand the true costs of air travel.

Transportation Department cracks down on airline 'junk fees'

"I believe this is to the benefit of the sector as a whole," Buttigieg said in an interview with NPR's Morning Edition , because passengers will have "more confidence in the aviation sector."

The new rules require airlines to disclose all baggage, change, and cancellation fees, and to share that information with third-party booking sites and travel agents.

The regulation also prohibits bait-and-switch tactics, the DOT says, that disguise the true cost of flights by advertising a low base fare that does not include all mandatory fees.

"This is really about making sure that we create a better experience for passengers, and a stronger aviation sector in the United States," Buttigieg said in the NPR interview.

A Gen Xer who got $250,000 in student loans forgiven said he can now finally start saving for retirement — and consider his dream of studying in India

Joel Lambdin, 49, received $250,000 in student-loan forgiveness in January.
It's a result of the Education Department's one-time account adjustments.
Lambdin said the relief would allow him to save for retirement and consider long-term dreams.

Joel Lambdin finished graduate school in 1998 — but as a professional musician, he was hardly making enough money to pay off his student loans and other bills.

So Lambdin, now 49, said his only option to make ends meet was to put his student loans in forbearance — in which he was not making payments but interest was still accumulating .

"It was just so that I could subsist, so that I could survive," Lambdin told Business Insider. "With the hope that at some point, I would be making enough money that I would be able to take them out of forbearance and start paying them down."

But he grew to realize that the only way he could make a significant dent in his student loans was by switching careers. He didn't want to do that because he loved working in music, so he decided to keep his larger student loan in forbearance and begin paying off his smaller loan with a lower monthly payment.

He continued making those payments until the pandemic pause on student-loan payments , at which point he and his wife started making a plan of action to tackle the larger debt once the pause ended. That led them to discover the Education Department's initiative allowing some borrowers a one-time account adjustment . It lets the department evaluate borrowers' accounts and update payment progress toward forgiveness on income-driven repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness, including any payments made during a forbearance period.

That account adjustment led to a letter Lambdin received on January 31, reviewed by BI, from his student-loan servicer Aidvantage. It said: "Congratulations! The Biden-Harris Administration has forgiven your federal student loan(s) listed below with Aidvantage in full."

For Lambdin, that letter meant his $249,255 outstanding student-loan balance was effectively wiped out.

"It had started to feel like my fate was being decided for me by the cold hand of finance," Lambdin said, "and that was a weight that I didn't realize was there until it wasn't there."

He added: "The feeling was much more like putting down a backpack that was really full of books that you got used to. And then you put it down, and you're like, 'Oh, man, that feels so much better.' It's more like that, rather than sort of a jump-for-joy kind of situation."

While Lambdin is still working to determine what exactly the relief will mean for him and his wife, he said, discussing retirement is "a much more present conversation now" because contributing to savings is viable after the relief. He can also begin to look into buying a home.

'I've been really lucky'

While Lambdin said he felt as though he earned the relief given his decades of payments, he recognized that it's not that easy for many other borrowers.

For example, as BI has previously reported , some borrowers who might qualify for relief through different repayment programs may not have gotten it yet because of paperwork backlogs and administrative errors. On top of that, funding for federal student-loan servicers is strained — meaning many borrowers face hourslong hold times and cannot get clear answers from customer service regarding their payment progress.

"There are some real horror stories out there, and I've been really lucky in that I haven't experienced the kinds of shenanigans that other people have experienced," Lambdin said. "So I actually feel very lucky that things have transpired the way they have."

Some of those horror stories include inaccurate payment projections and delayed billing statements . When it comes to student-loan forgiveness, some borrowers told BI that their servicer made a mistake with the forgiveness , reinstating their payments months later.

The Education Department has said it's aware of the challenges borrowers face and has established an accountability framework to punish servicers when they fail to fulfill their contractual obligations.

The department is also in the process of crafting its new plan for student-loan forgiveness — it recently released the draft text of the rules , which included relief for borrowers with unpaid interest and those who have been in repayment for at least 20 years.

As for Lambdin, he's still figuring out how to approach life without student debt hanging over his head. But now he can consider various options, and he can thank the loan forgiveness for that freedom.

"There's a certain amount of waiting for the other shoe to drop because it's not that I don't trust that it's happening but just that the debt has been with me for so long, and then it's not there," Lambdin said. "And it's something that I think really takes some getting used to."

Watch: Biden announces who can have $10,000 erased in student loans

Main content

Do I Get My Taxes Refunded if I Cancel an Award Ticket?

Reader Questions are answered twice a week by TPG Senior Points & Miles Contributor Ethan Steinberg .

It can come as a bit of a disappointment for new award travelers to learn that these "free" flights we keep talking so much about aren't actually free. Every award ticket you book will come with some amount of taxes, from $5.60 (for most flights originating in the US) on the low end, up to $1,000 or more for some long-haul premium-cabin awards. TPG reader Roberto wants to know if his taxes will be refunded if he has to cancel an award ticket ...

[pullquote source="TPG READER ROBERTO"]I booked an award ticket using AAdvantage miles on British Airways and paid around $600 in taxes. If I cancel the ticket I know I'll have to pay a fee to reinstate my miles, but will the taxes get refunded?[/pullquote]

Great question Roberto, as there are two important monetary considerations to be aware of when cancelling an award ticket. The first is that you'll often need to pay a fee to reinstate your miles, and the second is the question of whether or not your taxes will be refunded. Let's take a look at how each of the major US airlines handles this issue. The good news is that all three — American, United and Delta — have the same consumer-friendly policy here.

American Airlines has generous award-change policies, allowing you to make free changes to your reservation as long as you keep the origin, destination and class of service the same. This means that you can book a first-class award on Cathay Pacific from the US to China, and if Japan Airlines opens up award space at the last minute as it so often does, you can switch for free. I took advantage of this feature when planning my mega-Marriott-Maldives trip last spring, but I ultimately needed to cancel one of the speculative Qsuites reservations I'd made. Sure enough, after paying the $150 cancellation fee, my taxes from the award ticket were refunded to my account.

If you dig into United's contract of carriage, the intense set of terms and conditions that govern your entire interaction with the airline, you'll find that rule 27 section B governs voluntary refunds. While booking service charges are nonrefundable, if you have an unused ticket that you submit a refund request for, you'll be refunded the full cost including all taxes you pay. This means that fuel surcharges and departure taxes will be refunded, but not any change fees or booking fees. Delta has similar language in its SkyMiles terms and conditions, noting that "taxes and fees for unused award tickets are refundable upon request."

Southwest follows a slightly different policy, partly because it doesn't have any international airline partners which are often the ones charging high fuel surcharges. Most Southwest award tickets will have exactly $5.60 in taxes, the standard 9/11 security fee applied to every flight originating in the US. Southwest is incredibly generous with its free award cancellation policy, but note that you won't receive a refund of the $5.60. Instead, it will be held in the form of a travel voucher which can be used towards future Southwest flights.

Alaska Airlines charges a fee to cancel an award ticket after 24 hours, but you'll get your miles and any taxes paid refunded. However, the $25 partner award booking fee and $15 call center booking fee (for awards booked over the phone) are nonrefundable.

Bottom Line

US airlines don't always stick to common sense when it comes to ancillary fee collection, but Roberto can rest assured that if he cancels an award ticket booked through American, United or Delta, he'll be refunded for any taxes or fuel surcharges he paid. The two exceptions to keep in mind are award service fees — like change fees or close-in booking fees, which usually aren't refundable — and Southwest award flights which will refund your $5.60 security fee in the form of a travel credit.

Thanks for the question, Roberto, and if you're a TPG reader who'd like us to answer a question of your own, tweet us at @thepointsguy , message us on Facebook or email us at [email protected] .

Featured photo by Nicky Kelvin/The Points Guy

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The First MICHELIN Key Hotels: All the Keys in the United States

The MICHELIN Guide announces top honors for U.S. hotels in 2024.

Hotels NYC California Washington D.C. MICHELIN Keys

New York City by The MICHELIN Guide

See the New York City guide

On April 24, 2024, the MICHELIN Guide revealed the brand new list of One, Two, and Three Key hotels in the United States. In this first ever announcement of MICHELIN Keys in the United States, hotels in Atlanta, California, Chicago, Colorado, Florida, New York, and Washington DC were eligible for the distinction. This announcement of the most outstanding hotels in the country comes four years into a comprehensive refresh of our hotel selection. The MICHELIN Guide now includes over 5,000 hotels across the world, and not a single one is simply a room for the night. These are places that significantly add to your experience as a traveler, each vetted and judged excellent in five categories: architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, overall personality and character, value for the price, and a significant contribution to the guest experience in a particular setting. Which brings us back to the Keys. The culmination of countless hours of evaluation by our team of experts, the Key hotels below represent the highlights of our broader selection. Like the MICHELIN Stars for restaurants, the MICHELIN Keys are our most outstanding hotels. In total, the 2024 MICHELIN Guide hotel selection in the United States includes 11 Three Key hotels, 33 Two Key hotels, and 80 One Key hotels. Want to know more about the MICHELIN Key? Here’s everything you need to know . Or, head below to look at all the Keys.

How To Look Through the List

Jump straight to the list or take a deeper dive into select key hotels..

Take a peek at SingleThread, the five room inn with Three Keys and Three Stars. Explore the one street in Chicago that leads to seven Key hotels. Or find out more the Cliff House suite at our only Three Key hotel in Big Sur, California. Subscribe to our newsletter for more like this.

Highlights of the United States 2024 Key Hotel List

The Three Key Club in New York City

Expect: The highest luxury and impeccable design in Soho, Midtown, and the Financial District. Within the small club of Three Key hotels in the United States, four make their home in New York City. The Aman New York (Midtown) and Casa Cipriani (the Financial District) both make use of glamorous Beaux Arts buildings, the former a gold-crowned skyscraper in Midtown, the latter a glamorously restored ferry terminal at the very southern tip of Manhattan. Each is a refuge: an elegant, painstakingly designed escape from bustling city life. Meanwhile, two Firmdale hotels round out the list of Three Key hotels in New York City. Each is a quintessential example of the style and execution of the group’s co-owner and interior designer, Kit Kemp. Click the links here to explore the whirl of colors and collage of art that define the Crosby Street (Soho) and the Whitby Hotel (Midtown). Also read: Every Three Key Hotel in Paris

Jewels on the Coast: Up and Down California

Its sheer breadth of size and variety means it’s no surprise to announce California as the state with the most Key hotels in America. Here, we’ll point you towards coastal gems like the sublime architectural achievements in Big Sur ( Post Ranch Inn and Ventana ), beachside luxuries in Santa Monica (in particular: the newly opened Georgian ), and wine country favorites like SingleThread and the Madrona . What we love: how each one of these hotels opens the door to the very best of their locations — and gives us a look at each setting through fresh eyes.

The Chicago Athletic Association — Chicago, Illinois

Across America: The Golden Age of Celebrity

Our French Keys bask in the tradition of ancient vineyards, stone chateaus, and historic palaces. In the United States, we see a different tradition. In Los Angeles, places like Chateau Marmont , the Paramour Estate , Sunset Tower , and the Charlie date back to guests and residents as illustrious as Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe. These are spaces that play ingeniously with their history, even as they forge ahead with cutting-edge amenities and experiences. But it’s not just California. New York’s historic artist hotspot, the Hotel Chelsea , once hosted Bob Dylan and Andy Warhol. Today, it decorates every space with art donated by former residents. Look too to the Chicago Athletic Association , a former member’s club for 20th century business magnates and athletes — now among the city’s most impressive and vibrant hotels. Also read: Hollywood Glamor at the First Key Hotels in Los Angeles

Click below to jump to each distinction:

The three key hotels.

Crosby Street Hotel, Firmdale Hotels — New York

California (Beverly Hills): The Beverly Hills Hotel, Dorchester Collection California (Big Sur): Post Ranch Inn California (Healdsburg): SingleThread Inn California (Los Angeles): Hotel Bel-Air, Dorchester Collection California (Rutherford): Auberge du Soleil, Auberge Resorts Collection California (St. Helena): Meadowood Napa Valley California (Woodside): Canyon Ranch Woodside New York (NYC): Aman New York New York (NYC): Casa Cipriani New York New York (NYC): Crosby Street Hotel, Firmdale Hotels New York (NYC): The Whitby Hotel, Firmdale Hotels

NEW: New York by The MICHELIN Guide – expert insights on where to dine, stay and explore

The two key hotels.

Ventana Big Sur, an Alila Resort — Big Sur, California

California (Beverly Hills): L'Ermitage Beverly Hills California (Beverly Hills): The Maybourne Beverly Hills California (Beverly Hills): The Peninsula Beverly Hills California (Carmel Valley): Bernardus Lodge & Spa California (Big Sur): Ventana Big Sur California (Guerneville): The Stavrand California (Healdsburg): Montage Healdsburg California (Healdsburg): The Madrona California (Laguna Beach): Montage Laguna Beach California (Montecito): Rosewood Miramar Beach California (Napa): Milliken Creek Inn & Spa California (San Francisco): Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero California (San Francisco): The Battery California (Sausalito): Cavallo Point Lodge California (West Hollywood): Chateau Marmont California (West Hollywood): Pendry West Hollywood California (Yountville): Bardessono California (Yountville): North Block Washington D.C.: Rosewood Washington, D.C. Washington D.C.: The Jefferson Florida (Miami): Mayfair House Hotel & Garden Florida (Miami Beach): Faena Hotel Miami Beach Florida (Miami Beach): Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club Florida (Miami Beach): The Setai Miami Beach Illinois (Chicago): Pendry Chicago Illinois (Chicago): The Langham, Chicago Illinois (Chicago): The Peninsula Chicago New York (NYC): Hotel Barrière Fouquet's New York New York (NYC): Nine Orchard New York (NYC): Pendry Manhattan West New York (NYC): The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel New York (NYC): The Fifth Avenue Hotel New York (NYC): The Mark Hotel

The One Key Hotels

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IMAGES

This trick to make United award travel searches easier has RETURNED!
Avoiding Award Travel Change and Cancellation Fees
United Gut Punches Customers Again, Ridiculously Redefines "Cancellation"
Can Award Travel Cancellation Fees Cost You More Than Award Travel?
Schedule Change: Free United Award Cancellation and Redeposit
Award travel (4)

COMMENTS

Award Travel Cancellation, Redeposits and Fees
Booking with award miles. It's free to book a MileagePlus award ticket online or through the United app. Booking by phone has a $25 service fee in the U.S. and Canada. Premier® Platinum and Premier 1K® members do not have to pay this fee. You can call us to book by phone or find the contact information for your country or region.
Award Flights: Airline Cancel, Change Fees [2024]
Changed via offline channels: Mex$640 (~$36) Cancellation: Award flights purchased exclusively in Mexico (domestic and international flights operated by Aeromexico) may be canceled within 24 hours of the booking. For other routes, or after this time has elapsed, cancellation fees are: Domestic: Mex$1,930 ( ~$108)
Best ways to avoid change and cancellation fees on award tickets
Spirit Airlines. Like Frontier, Spirit has a tiered system for flight change and cancellation fees. Modifications are free if you change your flight more than 60 days before departure. Between 59 and 31 days, you'll pay $69; between 30 and 7 days, you'll pay $99; and within 6 days of departure, you'll pay $119.
How To Avoid United's $125 Fee For Cancelling An Award, Redepositing
American AAdvantage doesn't charge a fee for any member to cancel and redeposit miles, but officially United Airlines does unless you are a 1K or Global Services member. United's "fee for canceling a ticket for travel originating in the U.S. with miles redeposit 30 or fewer days before departure" is $125 for those without MileagePlus ...
How to Cancel a United Airlines Flight [Points or Cash]
How To Cancel a Flight on United. Step 1: Log into your account on United's homepage and select "My Trips.". Step 2: Once you've selected the trip you want to cancel, select "Cancel Booking.". Step 3: The next screen will ask you to confirm that you want to cancel your booking.
MileagePlus Air Awards
The Excursionist Perk is a free one-way award within select multi-city itineraries. Members who book an itinerary with three or more one-way awards will be eligible to receive one of those one-way awards for free if it meets all of these conditions: The Excursionist Perk cannot be in the MileagePlus defined region where your travel originates.
Award Travel Updates
Other award prices may be higher than they were previously, especially if you're traveling at a popular time. We've removed close-in fees, so you won't be charged the extra fee of up to $75 for booking last-minute award travel. You'll find the exact amount of miles needed for your trip at booking. If your dates are flexible, an award ...
Airline Award Ticket Change & Cancellation Fees
Making a change to a LifeMiles award ticket will cost you $150, regardless of what the change is. Redepositing your ticket, meanwhile, will cost you $50-200. You can expect to pay around $50 for a short haul economy award ticket, while you can expect to pay $200 for a long haul first or business class ticket.
United Award Travel: What You Need to Know
When you pay for flights using Money + Miles, your United miles are valued at 1 cent per mile — just below our baseline value for United miles at 1.2 cents each (here's how we came to that ...
How to Cancel a United Flight
Call 800-864-8331 to request a cancellation. Log in to your United Airlines account and select "My trips." Verify your trip details, then select "Manage." From there, you'll see "Cancel options ...
Can I cancel or change my award ticket due to coronavirus travel waivers?
Bottom line. The coronavirus outbreak continues to grow, and the major airlines continue to update their travel waivers. If you have an award ticket booked for travel through May 31, you should be eligible to change or cancel it without a fee, though the exact details vary — and could change in a day or even an hour.
Cancelling An United Award Ticket At The Last Minute
I did a quick search on United's award cancellation policy and found they're one of the airlines that still charge to redeposit miles…unless they don't. The policy on United's website says they'll charge a $125 fee for canceling a ticket for travel originating in the U.S., with miles redeposited 30 or fewer days before departure.
United Airlines Fees: Change, Cancellation, More
United Airlines standby fees. Standby fees are gone now too. The airline used to charge $75 (waived with MileagePlus Gold status or above) to fly standby on the same day. Now, any customer can ...
How to book multiple trips for the price of one by maximizing United's
Change and cancellation fees. Due to the pandemic, United eased how it levies change and cancellation fees on award tickets. For tickets changed or canceled 31 days or more in advance of departure, there is no fee, and the same is true of changes to tickets originating in the U.S. within 30 days of travel.
United Raises Status Requirements for 2023, Kills Off Award
Sayonara, Award Cancellation Fees. All the big airlines did away with change fees throughout the pandemic and eventually even nixed award redeposit fees, allowing travelers to cancel award tickets and get their miles back without paying hefty fees … but United had a quirk.. For the last two-ish years, United would only allow free award redeposit if you canceled 30-plus days before departure.
Flexible Booking Options
24-hour booking policy. With our 24-hour booking policy you can make changes to your reservation within 24-hours of buying your ticket without paying a fee. But there are a few rules: You must book your flight at least one week in advance. You must cancel or change your flight within 24 hours of the time you made your reservation.
Cancelling United Reward Options : r/awardtravel
Cancel and rebook later. If you would like to use your award ticket for future travel, you can now cancel your current reservation and rebook your travel at a later date. The mileage value will remain valid for one year after the original ticket date. Cancel trip now and redeposit miles. Deposit your miles back to your MileagePlus account and ...
United MileagePlus Eliminates Award Redeposit Fees
This could be a reason to book through United, even if award fees are higher. This policy change provides great flexibility Bottom line. United MileagePlus has eliminated all award change and redeposit fees. While the airline eliminated award change fees in 2020, redeposits within 30 days of departure have cost up to $125 per passenger.
What to Know About the New Rules on Airline Refunds and 'Junk' Fees
The Transportation Department issued new requirements on refunds when flights are canceled or delayed and on revealing "junk" fees before booking. Here's what passengers can expect. By ...
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Rule Requiring Automatic
Media Contact. Press Office. US Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 20590 United States. Email: [email protected] Phone: 1 (202) 366-4570 If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Airlines must cough up cancellation cash and can no longer hide fees
The 11 largest U.S. airlines returned $10.9 billion in cash refunds last year, an increase over $7.5 billion in 2019 but slightly down from $11.2 billion in 2022, the group said.
How to change or cancel a United Airlines flight
Click the "Manage trip" button to the right of the trip you'd like to change or cancel. Click the "Change flight or Cancel flight" button at the top of the screen. Follow the on-screen prompts. When you cancel a paid ticket, United will send you a voucher to use toward a future United purchase.
United Airlines credit cards have a secret perk that makes it easier to
Unlock secret perks with your United Airlines credit card that help make booking United awards easier. Read more from our team of experts to discover exclusive benefits and awards for your next ...
Book an award flight
Find the latest travel deals on flights, hotels and rental cars. Book airline tickets and MileagePlus award tickets to worldwide destinations.
Airlines ordered to give full refunds instead of vouchers and stop
The new rules require airlines to disclose all baggage, change, and cancellation fees, and to share that information with third-party booking sites and travel agents.
Gen Xer Got $250K in Student Loans Forgiven After Decades of Payments
Joel Lambdin, 49, said his student-loan forgiveness wasn't a "jump for joy" situation but a weight off him he didn't realize was there.
Refund Policy
Go to My Trips to cancel your reservation and start the refund process. If your ticket was purchased in the last 24 hours, it may qualify for our 24-hour booking policy. The refund amount will vary based on the situation. Credit card refunds will be processed within seven business days of the request. All other refunds will be processed within ...
Do I Get My Taxes Refunded if I Cancel an Award Ticket?
Most Southwest award tickets will have exactly $5.60 in taxes, the standard 9/11 security fee applied to every flight originating in the US. Southwest is incredibly generous with its free award cancellation policy, but note that you won't receive a refund of the $5.60. Instead, it will be held in the form of a travel voucher which can be used ...
The First MICHELIN Key Hotels: All the Keys in the United States
Within the small club of Three Key hotels in the United States, four make their home in New York City. The Aman New York (Midtown) and Casa Cipriani (the Financial District) both make use of glamorous Beaux Arts buildings, the former a gold-crowned skyscraper in Midtown, the latter a glamorously restored ferry terminal at the very southern tip ...
United Digital Technology Careers
img1 · Cyber Defense Magazine's Top Global CISO Award 2023 (Deneen DeFiore) · 2023 Sitecore Experience Award for North America - Most Powerful Tech Stack Integration · World's Best Airline Mobile App at 2023 World Aviation Festival (WAF) · Consumer Technology Association CES 2024 Innovation Award Honoree for Live Activities · Optimizely 2023 Customer Award for Best Experimentation ...