United refund stuck with a travel agency?
Sources checked Oct 17, 2026
Not legal advice. RefundChaser is not a law firm.
First: does this page apply to you?
If you cancelled the trip yourself, or accepted a new flight, a credit or a voucher, see United flight disrupted: credit or refund? instead.
DOT's refund rules (14 CFR 260.6 for airlines, 14 CFR 399.80(l) for ticket agents) cover cancelled flights, or flights significantly delayed or changed, where you turn down the alternatives.
Quick answer
DOT's compliance guide (Q12) says: "The entity that is the “merchant of record” for the ticket sale is responsible for issuing a refund of an airline ticket when due. A “merchant of record” is the entity responsible for processing payments by consumers as shown in the consumer’s financial charge statements such as debit or credit card charge statements."
United's refund page says: "You will receive your refund directly from the travel agency."
Our suggestion: look at your card statement. If the travel agency's name is on the charge, ask the agency, in writing, for the refund.
Steps
- Check your flight qualifies. Our suggestion: confirm the flight was cancelled or significantly changed or delayed, and that you didn't accept the alternatives. United's own list is in our credit or refund guide.
- Find the merchant of record. DOT's compliance guide says a merchant of record's "name appears on, e.g., consumer’s credit card statement". Our suggestion: find the ticket charge on your statement and note whose name is on it, the agency's or United's.
- Agency on the statement? Ask the agency. United's refund page says: "Refund requests for tickets issued by a travel agency should be sent to the agency." It also says: "If you purchased your ticket through a travel agency, your refund will be issued to the form of payment the agency used when booking your ticket." Use the message below.
- Agency says it's waiting on United? DOT's compliance guide (Q13) says the airline "must inform the ticket agent without delay whether the consumer is eligible for a refund if contacted by the ticket agent," and that "If the airline is in possession of a consumer’s funds, the airline must promptly transfer to the funds to the ticket agent." The guide adds that the agent must refund "even if the funds are not yet returned to the ticket agent."
- Know the clock. DOT's compliance guide (Q13) says: "A ticket agent must provide refunds within 7 business days or 20 calendar days of receiving a confirmation from the airlines that a refund is due, even if the funds are not yet returned to the ticket agent." DOT's rule for ticket agents (14 CFR 399.80(l)) says 7 business days applies "for credit card purchases" and 20 calendar days "for cash, check, debit card, or other forms of purchases." Our suggestion: DOT's guide counts these days from when the agency hears from the airline that a refund is due, not from your first request. Ask the agency when it heard from United.
- Check the form of refund and any fee. DOT's rule for ticket agents says refunds go to "the original form of payment", "unless the consumer agrees to receive the refund in another form of payment that is cash equivalent." It also says an agent "may retain a service fee charged when issuing the original ticket to the extent that service is for more than processing payment for a flight that the consumer found," and that the fee must be "clearly and prominently disclosed to consumers at the time they purchase the airfare."
- Keep a dated record. Our suggestion: save your booking confirmation, the disruption notice, your card statement, and every message to and from the agency and United.
What to write to the travel agency
Why this wording: it shows the agency is the merchant of record, says you didn't accept the alternatives, and asks for the dates and a reference number in writing. It makes no legal claims and assumes nothing about the result.
Sources
Policies: DOT, "Small Entity Compliance Guide Final Rule on Refunds and Other Consumer Protections" · 14 CFR 260.6 (carriers' refund duties) · 14 CFR 399.80 (ticket agents) · United refund policies
Policy quotes
“12. Which entity is responsible for issuing a refund of an airline ticket if the consumer booked the ticket through a ticket agent? The entity that is the “merchant of record” for the ticket sale is responsible for issuing a refund of an airline ticket when due. A “merchant of record” is the entity responsible for processing payments by consumers as shown in the consumer’s financial charge statements such as debit or credit card charge statements.”
— DOT compliance guide, Q12, verified 2026-10-17“13. What responsibilities, if any, do airlines have when a refund of an airline ticket is due to a consumer by a ticket agent (i.e., ticket agent is the merchant of record)? When a ticket agent is responsible for issuing a refund because the ticket agent (1) is the merchant of record for the ticket sale and (2) received a refund request by a consumer, the airline that canceled or significantly changed the flight must inform the ticket agent without delay whether the consumer is eligible for a refund if contacted by the ticket agent. If the airline is in possession of a consumer’s funds, the airline must promptly transfer to the funds to the ticket agent. A ticket agent must provide refunds within 7 business days or 20 calendar days of receiving a confirmation from the airlines that a refund is due, even if the funds are not yet returned to the ticket agent.”
— DOT compliance guide, Q13 ("transfer to the funds" is DOT's wording), verified 2026-10-17“U.S. airlines, foreign airlines, and ticket agents that sell scheduled “air transportation” directly to consumers as the “merchants of record” are required to issue prompt refunds when airlines cancel or make a significant change to a flight and the consumer does not accept alternative transportation or other compensation offered.”
— DOT compliance guide, Q2, verified 2026-10-17“(1) Requires airlines to provide automatic refunds of airfare and ticket agent to provide, upon request, refunds of airfare when they are the merchant of record (name appears on, e.g., consumer’s credit card statement) if airlines cancel or make a significant change to consumers’ flights and consumers do not accept alternative transportation or travel credits offered.”
— DOT compliance guide, Q1, verified 2026-10-17“The material contained in this document does not constitute a regulation. To the extent this document indicates any differences from the final rule as published in the Federal Register, the final rule prevails.”
— DOT compliance guide, verified 2026-10-17“A prompt refund is one that is made within 7 business days of the ticket agent receiving information from a carrier as specified in 14 CFR 260.6(d), as required by 12 CFR part 1026 for credit card purchases, and within 20 calendar days of refund becoming due for cash, check, debit card, or other forms of purchases.”
— 14 CFR 399.80(l), verified 2026-10-17“Ticket agents must provide the refunds in the original form of payment (i.e., money is returned to individual using whatever payment method the individual used to make the original payment, such as a check, a credit card, a debit card, cash, or airline miles), unless the consumer agrees to receive the refund in another form of payment that is cash equivalent. A ticket agent may retain a service fee charged when issuing the original ticket to the extent that service is for more than processing payment for a flight that the consumer found. That fee must be on a per-passenger basis and its existence, amount, and the non-refundable nature if that is the case must be clearly and prominently disclosed to consumers at the time they purchase the airfare.”
— 14 CFR 399.80(l), verified 2026-10-17“Refund requests for tickets issued by a travel agency should be sent to the agency.”
— United refund policies, "Travel agency and cruise line agency tickets", verified 2026-10-17“If you purchased your ticket through a travel agency, your refund will be issued to the form of payment the agency used when booking your ticket. You will receive your refund directly from the travel agency. Please contact them with any questions about your refund.”
— United refund policies, verified 2026-10-17
What RefundChaser can do
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