Using cancelled flight credits on United

Call United directly.. I doubt that you can successfully do this.

Call an agent, and if you feel like it, ask for supervisor. You won’t know unless you ask. Give them a good reason you can’t use it by April. See what happens.

I think it might work, but I'd poke around the Flyer Talk forums a bit. That group is
much more knowledgeable about this kind of stuff.

I agree - go to the authoritative source: Flyertalk, not one of the airline's customer service agents.

IIRC, there used to be a trick one could use to extend expiring credits on United, something like: find some refundable flight ticket, use your about-to-expire credit to pay for that flight, then (after waiting some specific amount of time, probably 24 hours), then cancel that flight and get a refund, you should get a new flight credit with a new expiration date. I don't know if that still works or if they closed that loophole (so don't try it based on my all-too-imperfect memory). I do know that the obsessed lunatics on Flyertalk in the United forum will know if that (or anything else) works nowadays. You will just need to drill down and find the right place, or post your question, and sift through the resulting jargon and attitudes on display for an answer (people are helpful there, it's just not as gentle as things are here). If there's a way to pull it off, someone there will know it and (probably) share it.

I know that similar loopholes have existed in the past (and in some cases still work) for extending expiration dates other forms of refunds/credits, on (I think) Alaska and/or American Airlines - so don't give up on it (at least not yet). I've lost track of which ones still work (since I know I can get the current info on FT).

If you call United and ask them, most likely the person you get will just read the official script and quote policy, telling you that you're out of luck. Try them if you want, but if you get a "no", then go ask the people who actually know the answer, over on FlyerTalk. Good luck.

If you call United and ask them, most likely the person you get will just read the official script and quote policy, telling you that you're out of luck. Try them if you want, but if you get a "no", then go ask the people who actually know the answer, over on FlyerTalk. Good luck.

I like that attitude! I don't want to say "never take no for an answer", but it is close. Be persistent and diligent. I don't mean be persistent and become a nuisance, but rather, as the post above said, agents are likely going to just give you the official script and may not be willing/able to bend unless they're higher up the chain. What I have found in other scenarios is that I don't always trust the first answer I get and I need to do more research, find answers from other sources, and consider.

Another tactic when dealing with folks in call centers, if you don't like the answers you're getting you could disconnect the call while you're saying something and then call back and say you were disconnected. You might just get a different set of answers.

Also experiment with time of day, sometimes the calls go overseas and it's likely sometimes they are answered here in US of A.

This is also why you should hold out for cash unless they are offering a life-changing amount of miles (which are becoming more and more worthless every day). There's an expression for Delta Skymiles in the forums I won't repeat but it's not complimentary.

Does anyone know if my credits would be extended for a second time if I booked a flight in March or April, then cancelled that one.

I know it's not their policy, otherwise everyone would do it and travel credits would essentially have an infinite lifetime - which is not the intent of the policy. But perhaps you would find a willing agent, as others have suggested.

Call and try. I hope it works for you. Next time decline the credits and take the money.

If you have the proper level of Amex card you could try working with their travel service. Or perhaps Expedia could help?

I just did this for a $140 credit I had on American Airlines but it was purley by chance. I booked a flight, changed my mind within 24 hours, and the credit moved to a new expiration date. It took about a week for the credit to show up again in my travel credit wallet on AA but the expiration date had moved by about 6 months! I was totally surprised. I have since rebooked and used my credit without issue. I don't know if this would work for United, but you could try it as doing nothing, you will lose the credit anyway. I am just wondering if you try to book by the expiration date and fly at a later date (June) it would actually work still as a credit.

for extending expiration dates other forms of refunds/credits, on (I think) Alaska and/or American Airlines

I can confirm that on American (the only one of the big 4 US airlines with expiring miles) that if you make then cancel a flight booked with points, all of your account points will have a new expiration date 24 months from the date of the cancellation. Actually I think Marriott points work the same way.

I have also brought $2000 points to keep my daughter's account from not expiring on AA (she does not accumulate points on a credit card and with no flight activity it can easily expire).

Tom - that is good to know it will work on AA with booking and canceling a flight.

Next time decline the credits and take the money

It depends. If the airline cancels the flight then definitely take the refund. If the passenger cancels the flight then it depends on the airline’s policy. Likely to be in the form of a credit.

Renee. Good luck I hope you are able to work out some way to use your credit.

Upon further review, it's ambiguous to me whether the credit is the result of United cancelling the flight
or the OP cancelling a reservation they made.

The distinction is potentially important, as the policies for a "future flight credit" (you cancelled)
may be different than a travel certificate (which United issues for various reasons when they
did something or you volunteer).

United Flight Credits

If the credit is due to UA cancelling you may, for instance, be able to book a trip for someone else
using the credit, or, sell it legally on Ebay or some other place.

In this situation, it would be fine to call United and ask them if the credit can be transferred (don't
say sold) to another person, or if you can use it to book a trip for someone else.

While not extending the validity of the credit, it may provide a kosher way to derive value from it
under your constraints.