Award travel cancellation, redeposits and fees
Get the latest info on our cancellation policies and service fees.
Service fees and redeposits
Important things to know about award travel fees:
Fees apply to United®, United Express®, Star AllianceTM airline partners and other airline partners.
Fees vary outside of the U.S. and Canada and based on your MileagePlus® status level.
If multiple people are traveling together, fees apply to each ticket individually.
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.
Service fees are $10 at a City Ticket Office and $50 at the airport.
Requesting a redeposit
If you cancel your flight, you can ask to have your award miles put back into your account with no fee. Depending on the situation, you have options for how to redeposit your miles:
For a reservation, use the My Trips section on united.com or the United app. You can also call us to speak to a representative.
To get back award miles for a previously canceled trip, contact the MileagePlus Service Center.
Award miles taken from your account can only be put back into your own account.
“No show” redeposits
If you do not show up for your flight, there is a $125 service fee for redepositing your award miles.
Service fees are nonrefundable.
Refunds for a canceled or delayed flight
If you did not use award miles and want a refund, you can follow the steps outlined on our Refund policies page.
Using award miles
Once they are redeposited into your account, your award miles are ready to use. Use them to book your next getaway, upgrade your flight, and more.
Award tickets FAQ
5 to 7 business days.
Electronic and paper tickets can both be bought on united.com and the United app. Paper tickets are only for international travel if an electronic ticket is unavailable. They are delivered by mail, usually within 10 days of purchase. If your mailing address is outside the U.S., it may take longer than 10 days.