United Airlines booked through American Express Travel: how to claim a price drop
3 verified ways to get your money back, through American Express Travel or United Airlines itself.
Plot · now
Your United Airlines fare dropped $57
Claim it through American Express Travel or United Airlines. Here's how.
Start with American Express Travel
Your ticket is held by American Express Travel, so cancellations and refunds go through American Express Travel. United Airlines will also change a ticket a booking site issued; use only the United Airlines method below, as written.
How to claim a price drop through American Express Travel
3 methods ranked by ease and success rate.
- 1
Book the same flight at the lower fare first, so you do not lose it
- 2
Log in to AmexTravel.com, open "Manage My Trips" and find the original booking
- 3
Cancel it. American Express Travel gives a full refund when you cancel within 24 hours of booking
Cancel through American Express Travel, not the airline: Amex issued the ticket. If you paid with points, the refund arrives as a statement credit; call 1-800-AXP-EARN to get the points back instead.
All claim methods
- 1
Book the same flight at the lower fare first, so you do not lose it
- 2
Log in to AmexTravel.com, open "Manage My Trips" and find the original booking
- 3
Cancel it. American Express Travel gives a full refund when you cancel within 24 hours of booking
Cancel through American Express Travel, not the airline: Amex issued the ticket. If you paid with points, the refund arrives as a statement credit; call 1-800-AXP-EARN to get the points back instead.
- 1
Log in to AmexTravel.com, open "Manage My Trips" and choose "Change Reservation"
- 2
Check the price shown for the same flight. The airline's change fee applies (Amex lists 150 USD domestic to 300 USD international) plus any fare difference
- 3
Before you confirm, ask how the leftover value will be kept. Some airlines allow a Miscellaneous Charge Order, which Amex handles by phone; otherwise the remaining balance may be forfeited
Change through American Express Travel, not the airline. Any credit is an American Express Airline Credit for the same traveler and the same airline, set by the airline's rules. For credits and Miscellaneous Charge Orders, call 1-800-297-2977, or the number on the back of your Card.
- 1
Call United at 1-800-864-8331 with your confirmation number
- 2
Ask United to take control of the ticket from the booking site. Travelers report a $50 fee for this
- 3
Once United holds the ticket, change to the same flight at the lower fare. Economy and above have no United change fee
- 4
Before you confirm, ask what United gives back for the difference
United's own pages still tell travel-site customers to contact the booking site, so an agent may not do it. Only worth it when the drop is clearly more than $50.
United Airlines change fees
Even when claiming through American Express Travel, the underlying fare class determines whether rebooking makes financial sense.
United Airlines change fee by fare class
These are United Airlines's fees. American Express Travel may also charge additional service fees. Confirm the total before proceeding.
With Plot
Or let Plot watch it for you
Instead of checking prices and working out whether to call American Express Travel or United Airlines, forward your confirmation once. Plot tells you when the fare drops and exactly who to contact.
- 01
Forward your confirmation
Forward your American Express Travel booking confirmation for your United Airlines flight to plans@plot.travel. That is the only thing you need to do.
- 02
We watch your fare continuously
Plot keeps measuring your exact fare against the market, and knows you booked through American Express Travel. When a price drop is worth acting on, we send instructions for the right channel.
- PlotPrice watch
Your United Airlines price dropped
How to claim your savings
- 1.Book the same flight at the lower fare first, so you do not lose it
- 2.Log in to AmexTravel.com, open "Manage My Trips" and find the original booking
- 3.Cancel it. American Express Travel gives a full refund when you cancel within 24 hours of booking
03Claim through the right channel
When the price drops, we tell you the savings and the American Express Travel steps to claim it, so you never contact United Airlines when you should be contacting American Express Travel.
Price Watch is part of Plot Pro.
Questions
United Airlines via American Express Travel: price drop FAQ
Common questions about claiming a price drop on United Airlines when booked through American Express Travel.
Start with American Express Travel: it holds your ticket and handles refunds. United Airlines is one of the few airlines that will also change a ticket a booking site issued, which can be the cheaper route after the first 24 hours. We have documented 3 verified methods on this page.
Not as a federal right. The US 24-hour rule applies to tickets bought directly from the airline, not through booking sites like American Express Travel. What American Express Travel offers in the first 24 hours is in the first method on this page; on some sites it depends on the airline's fare rules.
American Express Travel for a cancellation or refund, since it issued your ticket. For a change, United Airlines can also do it: see the United Airlines method on this page for how, and what it costs.
Inside American Express Travel's cancellation window, you typically receive a full cash refund to your original payment method. Outside that window, any fare difference is usually issued as a travel credit or American Express Travel rewards (such as OneKeyCash for Expedia), not cash. See the specific methods above for payout details.
Plot watches your United Airlines fare continuously after you forward your confirmation email to plans@plot.travel. When the price drops, we send the exact savings amount and step-by-step instructions specific to American Express Travel's process, including the reminder to contact American Express Travel, not United Airlines. Price Watch is part of Plot Pro.
Still have questions? Email us
More guides
Booked United Airlines through a different site?
Booked directly with United Airlines? See the direct booking guide
Browse all price drop guides · Last verified October 2026