United air travel award rules

Book a ticket for someone else, even if they’re not traveling with you.

Stand by for an earlier or later domestic flight departing on your original date of travel and flying to and from the same places as on your original ticket. This option is only for flights within the U.S., and there may be a fee. Learn more about same-day travel changes.

Request a same-day change to another United or United Express domestic flight within three hours of the time of your request. There may be a fee. Learn more about confirmed same-day travel changes.

Use the ticket within one year of the date it was issued. You may be charged a fee to change the ticket.

Fly to multiple cities without flying back to where you started (commonly called “open-jaw” travel). Both single- and double–open jaws are allowed.

Include one stopover when traveling round trip between regions on roundtrip or open-jaw itineraries; for example, between the continental U.S. and Hawaii, or between the U.S. and the Caribbean, Asia, Australia, Central America, South America, Middle East or Europe). You can have five stopovers if flying on a Round-The-World Award.

You cannot book a flight that is departing within two hours.

You cannot change the name on the ticket.

You cannot fly an indirect route.

You cannot include a stopover when traveling within an award region (for example, an itinerary wholly within North America).

You cannot include a stopover when traveling one way.

You cannot have a “backhaul” (backtracking routing) unless it is required by routing restrictions.

You cannot travel on codeshare flights operated by other airlines.

You cannot upgrade an award ticket.

You cannot earn award miles, elite status miles or elite status segments when flying on any United award ticket, including Miles & Money Awards.

Discounts for children are not available.

To make changes to your award ticket, call United Reservations at 800-864-8331. There may be a fee. Learn more about award ticket fees.

You can cancel any portion of your award ticket either before or after your original dates of travel. We will recredit your award miles and refund any money paid. However, there may be a fee. Learn more about award ticket fees. If your ticket is partially used, miles will not be credited back to your account.

You can request a refund for any cash and taxes paid up to one year from the date the ticket was originally issued, and your miles can be refunded up to two years from the date the ticket was originally issued. However, there may be a fee. Learn more about award ticket fees.

If you want to cancel your award ticket before your original travel date, just contact United Reservations at 1-800-864-8331. If it is past your original travel date, you may request a refund.