How can I cancel a flight with United Airlines?

Retrieve the itinerary in United My Trips and inspect the actual cancellation result for the purchased fare. If a refund request is needed, submitting United's form only starts an eligibility review; it does not approve the claim. A qualifying result normally returns to the original payment method unless an electronic travel certificate is chosen.

Independent booking assistance

Need help with cancelling a flight?

The phone option appears only when a current offer covers this airline and request.

View United Airlines information and official-channel guidance

What this answer depends on

  • Confirm seller and issuer in the exact booking before submitting.
  • Confirm operating carrier in the exact booking before submitting.
  • Confirm fare product in the exact booking before submitting.
  • Confirm used or reissued segments in the exact booking before submitting.
  • Confirm ticket versus ancillary item in the exact booking before submitting.
  • Confirm request status in the exact booking before submitting.
  • Confirm payment or certificate in the exact booking before submitting.
  • Confirm voluntary or disruption reason in the exact booking before submitting.

Important exceptions

  • The ability to submit United's form is not evidence that a refund has been approved.
  • Basic Economy restrictions, a downgrade, a service failure and an airline disruption are different branches and can produce different outcomes.

Important unknowns

  • Seller or merchant: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Who issued the ticket: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Flight only or package: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Operating carrier: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Fare or award product: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Booking time: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Departure time: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Unused or partly used segments: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Check in or no show state: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Payment method: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Point of sale and jurisdiction: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.
  • Live cancellation result: check the live booking or cancellation result before confirming.

What to do next

  1. Step 1

    Confirm the seller, ticket issuer and operating carrier, then retrieve the itinerary in My Trips.

  2. Step 2

    Read the exact fare product, including whether any segment is Basic Economy, used or reissued.

  3. Step 3

    Preview the available cancellation value and keep ticket value separate from paid seats, Wi-Fi or other services.

  4. Step 4

    If the system directs you to a refund request, select only the relevant ticket or service items and retain the case details.

  5. Step 5

    Confirm the value form—original payment or electronic travel certificate—only after the live result matches your intent.

Sources and last checked