Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
FREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
What is the difference between a void and a refund?
Void vs refund is the difference between cancelling a ticket as though it had never been issued and asking for its value back after it was issued. A void reverses the sale and depends on a short window set by whoever issued the ticket, while a refund works on a ticket that already exists, returns value under the fare rule, and therefore treats refundable and non-refundable fares differently. [3]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- American Airlines offers a full refund on a ticket bought at least 7 days before departure if the trip is cancelled within 24 hours of purchase. [3]
- Whether an American refund is paid in cash depends on the fare: a refundable ticket is refunded to the original form of payment, while a cancelled non-refundable ticket becomes a travel credit. [3]
- American uses the word void for a ticket sold at a mistaken fare, which it voids and refunds in full. [3]
- On United Airlines award tickets, a member-requested change or cancellation can carry a service charge, and cancelled awards go back as miles subject to a service charge, with some awards not eligible for redeposit. [6]
How does a void differ from a refund?
A void and a refund both undo a purchase, but they act at different stages. A void reverses the issuance itself: the sale is treated as if it had not happened, so there is no ticket left to price against the fare rule, and the only question is whether the ticket is still inside the issuer's void window. A refund works on a ticket that exists. The ticket stays in the record, the airline works out what it is worth under the fare rule, and that value is returned. That is why a void question is usually about timing and about who sold the ticket, while a refund question is usually about the fare.
American Airlines' conditions of carriage set out the refund side in fare terms. On a refundable ticket where travel has not started, American pays the full amount of the ticket; where the ticket is partly used, it pays the value of the unused travel. [3] The word void appears in a narrower case: a fare sold in error. When American issues a mistaken fare, it says it will void the ticket, give a full refund and notify the customer. [3]
In that fare-error case the void comes with a full refund rather than a partial one, which shows that voiding is about removing the sale rather than about valuing what is left of a ticket. [3]
What deadlines apply to each one?
Void windows are short and are set by the airline or agency that issued the ticket, so the deadline that applies depends on the seller and on when the ticket was created; there is no single void period that covers every ticket. Refund deadlines come from the fare rule and from the conditions of carriage, and they run on a longer clock because the ticket stays valid after issue.
American's conditions state a general refund window of up to 24 hours from the time the ticket is bought, available where the booking was made at least 7 days before departure and the trip is cancelled within 24 hours of purchase. [3] American adds that some countries have different refund rules and that it follows those rules where they apply. [3]
The outer limit is ticket validity. An American ticket is generally valid for one year: if it is unused, travel must begin within a year of the date the ticket was first issued, and if it has been partly flown, travel must be completed within a year of the first completed flight. [3] For a fare-error void, American notifies the customer within 72 hours after it learns of the mistaken fare, or at least 24 hours before departure when the ticket was bought less than 72 hours before departure. [3]
| Situation | What the conditions provide |
|---|---|
| A fare sold in error | American voids the ticket and gives a full refund [3] |
| Ticket bought at least 7 days before departure and cancelled within 24 hours of purchase | Full refund [3] |
| Refundable ticket, travel not started | Full amount of the ticket refunded [3] |
| Refundable ticket, partly used | Value of the unused travel refunded [3] |
| Non-refundable ticket, cancelled before departure | No cash refund; a travel credit is issued [3] |
Who can process a void or a refund?
Because a void reverses the issuance, it has to be handled by the party that created the ticket — the airline or the agency that issued it. Refunds run through the same channel: American tells customers who bought through a travel agency or another booking source to contact that seller for a refund. [3]
American also limits who may receive the money. Refunds are made only to the person who paid, and all refunds go to the original form of payment. [3] A ticket is non-transferable, so it cannot be used by, or refunded to, any other passenger. [3]
What do you actually get back?
On a refundable American ticket, the original credit card is refunded within 7 business days, though one to two billing cycles may pass before the credit appears; other forms of payment are processed within 20 days of receiving all the paperwork. Tickets bought outside the United States in another currency, or tickets that need research or verification, can take longer. [3]
On a non-refundable American ticket there is no cash refund. If the trip is cancelled before departure, American cancels the ticket and issues a travel credit toward future travel. [3] That is the point where a refund becomes a credit; see refund vs travel credit.
Award tickets split the same way between the ticket and the miles behind it. United Airlines says that after an award ticket is issued, a service charge may be imposed for each change or cancellation the member requests, and that miles are redeposited subject to a service charge when an award is cancelled or returned under the applicable rules. [6] Award tickets remain subject to taxes, fees and the ticket terms and re-accommodation policies of the carrier operating the flight. [6]
Exceptions and limits
- Refunds American makes whatever the fare. American refunds a non-refundable ticket, or the unused part of it, to the original form of payment if American cancels the flight, if a schedule change moves departure by more than 4 hours, if a passenger or travel companion dies, or if military orders require the trip to be cancelled; paperwork is required in the last two cases. [3]
- Involuntary cases carry no penalty. Where a passenger is involuntarily denied boarding, American charges no refund fees or penalties. [3]
- Taxes. Destination-specific taxes that American does not impose may be refundable, while taxes American must pay whether or not the customer travels are not. [3]
- Prohibited booking practices. If American finds evidence of practices such as hidden-city or back-to-back ticketing, it may cancel the unused part of the ticket and decline to refund an otherwise refundable ticket. [3]
- Award redeposits. United will not redeposit miles for a redemption made using a member's stolen security credentials or password [6], and it does not award mileage credit or Premier Qualifying Credits for flight cancellations. [6]
Frequently asked questions
What is American Airlines' 24-hour refund rule?
American gives a full refund when a ticket is bought at least 7 days before departure and the trip is cancelled within 24 hours of purchase. The cancellation has to happen inside that window, and some countries apply their own refund rules instead. [3]
Can I get cash back for a non-refundable American ticket?
No. American does not refund cash for a non-refundable ticket; if the trip is cancelled before departure, it cancels the ticket and issues a travel credit, unless it cancels the flight, a schedule change exceeds 4 hours, a passenger or companion dies, or military orders require cancellation. [3]
How long does an American refund take to arrive?
Refunds to the original credit card are made within 7 business days, with one to two billing cycles allowed for the credit to show, and other payment methods are processed within 20 days of receiving the paperwork. Requests for tickets bought outside the United States in another currency, or needing research, may take longer. [3]
What happens to the miles when a United award ticket is cancelled?
The miles go back to the member's account subject to a service charge, although some awards are not eligible for redeposit and say so. A service charge may also apply to each member-requested change or cancellation of an issued award. [6]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. The rules described here belong to American Airlines tickets and United Airlines MileagePlus awards; other carriers, including Delta Air Lines and British Airways, and travel agency booking systems are not covered here.
- American Airlines Conditions of Carriage, checked 18 October 2026
- United Airlines MileagePlus Rules, checked 18 October 2026