United's cancellation window and what it costs
You can cancel a United flight up to 24 hours before departure and receive a refund to your original payment method, as long as you booked at least seven days in advance. This 24-hour window is a federal rule that applies to all U.S. airlines, not a United policy alone. If you booked fewer than seven days before departure, United does not have to offer a refund—they can issue a credit instead.
After that 24-hour window closes, cancellation rules depend on the ticket type you purchased. Basic Economy tickets (United's lowest fare) cannot be cancelled for a refund at all; you lose the money or can convert it to a credit. Standard tickets can be cancelled, but you pay a cancellation fee—currently $75 domestic, $100 international—and receive the remainder as a credit. First Class and Business Class tickets have no cancellation fee. Refundable tickets (marked as such at purchase) can be cancelled anytime for a full refund, with no fee.
Key Takeaways
- You have 24 hours from booking to cancel any United flight and get your money back, as long as you booked at least seven days before departure.
- After 24 hours, Basic Economy tickets cannot be refunded—you get a credit only, which you can use for another flight.
- Standard tickets can be cancelled after 24 hours, but United charges $75 domestic or $100 international, and the rest becomes a credit.
- Refundable tickets (a paid upgrade) have no cancellation fee and can be cancelled anytime for a full refund.
- If United cancels the flight or makes a significant schedule change, you are may have access to to a refund regardless of ticket type.
How to cancel your ticket online or by phone
Log into your United account on united.com, find your reservation under "Manage My Booking," and select "Cancel Flight." The system will show you the cancellation fee (if any) and the credit amount you will receive. You can complete the cancellation right there, and United will email you a confirmation. The credit will be issued to your original payment method within 7 to 10 business days if you are owed a refund, or applied to your account when ready if it is a credit.
If you prefer to cancel by phone, call United at 1-800-864-8331. Have your confirmation number and ticket number ready. A representative will walk you through the cancellation, confirm the fee and credit amount, and process it on the spot. Phone cancellations take the same time to process as online ones.
When United must refund you instead of issuing a credit
If United cancels your flight, you have three options: rebook on another United flight at no charge, receive a refund to your original payment method, or take a travel credit. You choose which one. The same applies if United makes a significant schedule change—typically defined as more than one hour earlier or three hours later than your original departure time. In both cases, you get a refund regardless of ticket type, even for Basic Economy.
If you are denied boarding because the flight is overbooked, United must offer you compensation (currently $775 domestic, $1,550 international for delays over four hours) plus rebooking or a refund. If you miss your flight because of a delay on a connecting flight that United operated, contact United customer service; they may rebook you at no charge or issue a refund depending on the circumstances.
What happens to your credit if you do not use it
A travel credit from United is valid for one year from the original booking date, not from the cancellation date. If you cancel a flight booked on January 15, 2024, your credit expires on January 15, 2025, even if you cancel in December 2024. After expiration, the credit is gone—United does not extend it or convert it to a refund.
You can use a credit toward any United flight, including Basic Economy, and you can book it online or by phone. The credit covers the full ticket price, and if the new flight costs less, you cannot get the difference back; if it costs more, you pay the difference out of pocket. You can also transfer a credit to another person, though United requires you to contact them by phone to do so.
Cancellations due to illness, death, or military deployment
United does not automatically waive cancellation fees for medical or personal emergencies, but you can request a fee waiver by contacting customer service with documentation. For a death in the family, have a copy of the death certificate or funeral notice ready. For a medical emergency, a doctor's note or hospital discharge papers help. For military deployment orders, bring the official orders. United reviews these requests case by case and often grants waivers, but there is no may provide.
Call 1-800-864-8331 and ask to speak with a supervisor or the customer relations team. Explain the situation and provide your documentation. If the representative denies the waiver, ask if you can appeal to a higher level. Some customers have success by following up in writing through United's website contact form, though this takes longer.
Cancelling a round-trip or multi-city ticket
If you cancel one leg of a round-trip ticket, United cancels the entire ticket—both the outbound and return flights. You cannot keep the return flight and cancel the outbound. The same rule applies to multi-city itineraries: cancelling any segment cancels the whole booking. If you only need to change one leg, you must rebook that segment instead of cancelling it, which may cost a change fee depending on your ticket type.
If you have a round-trip and only want to use the return flight, contact United customer service and ask if they can separate the tickets. They sometimes can, though it depends on the fare rules and whether the flights were booked together. This is not may provide, so confirm before you cancel the outbound.
Cancellations for Basic Economy and other restricted fares
Basic Economy tickets cannot be cancelled for a refund under any circumstance except if United cancels the flight or makes a significant schedule change. If you cancel for any other reason, you receive a travel credit only. The credit is valid for one year and can be used on any United flight, but you cannot get cash back.
Other restricted fares (sometimes called "non-refundable" or "basic" fares) follow the same rule: cancellation fee applies, and the remainder is a credit. If you think you might need to cancel, purchasing a refundable ticket at booking costs more upfront but gives you full flexibility. Refundable tickets typically cost 20 to 50 percent more than Basic Economy, depending on the route and how far in advance you book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cancel a United flight 12 hours before departure and get a refund?
No, the 24-hour refund window closes 24 hours before your flight departs. If you cancel within 24 hours of departure, you receive a credit (or nothing, if you have Basic Economy), not a refund. The only exception is if United cancels the flight or makes a significant schedule change.
What if I cancel and then rebook on a cheaper flight—do I get the difference back?
No. If your credit is larger than the new flight's cost, the difference stays in your account as a credit and does not convert to cash. You can use it toward another flight, but United will not refund the unused portion.
Can I cancel my flight if I am sick but do not have a doctor's note?
You can cancel anytime, but without documentation, United will charge the standard cancellation fee and issue a credit instead of a refund. If you can obtain a doctor's note later, you can request a fee waiver by contacting customer service, though approval is not may provide.
Do I lose my credit if I do not use it within a year?
Yes. United credits expire one year from the original booking date. After that date, the credit is forfeited and cannot be recovered or extended. Mark your calendar or set a phone reminder so you do not lose it.
If I cancel a round-trip ticket, can I keep the return flight?
No, cancelling any part of a round-trip ticket cancels the entire booking. If you only want to change one leg, you must rebook that segment instead. Contact United to ask if they can separate the tickets, but this is not always possible.