13 years ago, in late 2010, we wrote about a new service being offered by Continental Airlines called FareLock. At the time, we marvelled that they would choose to launch in the midst of their merger with United Airlines. So we are pretty surprised that United continues to offer this product so many years later.
How Does United FareLock Work?
All airlines must allow you a full refund within 24 hours of purchase or a 24 hour hold on a ticket that originates/terminates/travels within the United States, as long as it is purchased at least a week in advance. United Airlines’s FareLock offering goes much further. Customers can hold their ticket at their price for 3 days, 7 days or even 14 days. They can set things up so the ticket will automatically be purchased at the end of the lock period. Alternatively, they can have the lock expire without purchase if they choose not to enable auto pay. FareLock is not available on all flights.
United FareLock Cost
The cost of United FareLock varies based on the duration of the lock, whether you are using cash or miles and on other factors as well. It appears that the cost ranges from $5-$24.99. Let us know if you see pricing outside of this range.
United FareLock Rules
- FareLock is available only on flights operated by United and United Express®. The charge is per ticket.
- FareLock is nonrefundable.
- FareLock prices are not applied toward the price of the ticket.
- Customers can buy their ticket at any time before the end of the FareLock hold period.
- If the ticket isn’t paid for before the end of the hold period, it will be cancelled.
- If you cancel your itinerary, you will not receive a refund for buying Premier Access
- Any tickets bought after using FareLock can changed or be refunded as per the fare rules. See our 24-hour flexible booking policy for details.