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Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to questions commonly asked about United Vacations along with links to additional material you might find helpful.
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Booking vacation packages
A: This is the single most asked question and at the same time the most difficult to answer. One way to find the best vacation deal is to check out the Deals section to review the latest vacation deals.
  • You can also use the tips below to search for the best vacation price.
  • Plan your vacation as far in advance as possible.
  • Compare midweek and weekend departure prices.
  • Price morning departures and late departures to get a feel for off-peak pricing.
  • Price a vacation with a weekend stay over.
  • If you are flexible, take your vacation during non-peak times.
A: United Vacations enables you to search for flight and hotel availability, create your travel itinerary, email an itinerary, and confirm a reservation by using unitedvacations.com. Start your search in the Book your vacation today! panel on the home page. You can also use the My Account section to retrieve and review your online reservation.
To cancel a reservation, contact United Vacations? Customer Service (1-888-854-3899), available 24 hours a day.
A: unitedvacations.com enables you to book air travel on United Airlines?flights.
A:United Vacations creates promotion codes to reward you with a specific discount amount, a percent discount, free or discounted items. You receive promotion codes through promotional emails, mailings, faxes, postcards, etc. Type the promotion code in the Promotion Code field in the Book your vacation today! panel.
A:Bulk air is a fare available when United Vacations buys a block of airline seats to sell to customers. United Vacations controls the price as opposed to the airline. In contrast, published air is any fare listed specifically in the airline carrier's schedule of prices. The airline controls the prices.
A:United Vacations asks for the children's ages for two reasons. First, when you complete the Children Ages drop-down menus, unitedvacations.com counts the number of child travelers and adds them to the search criteria. Second, our reservation system uses the child's age to correctly classify the child into the air and hotel components. Each hotel has its own policies regarding children and prices based on age. Using the ages you supply, our system automatically applies the correct policy and prices for each child.

For infants (under age 2), you have two options. If you want the infant to have a seat, you may select "2" in the Children Age drop-down menu. If you plan to have the infant on your lap for the duration of the flight, you do not need to enter an age for the infant. If you choose to have the infant on your lap, please call United Vacations Customer Care at 1-888-854-3899 so we can notify United Airlines that you will be bringing a baby along.

A:Run of House includes the most common or standard type of room category in the hotel, featuring basic amenities. When you select Run of House, you receive a standard hotel room at the time of check-in.

All-Inclusive is a fixed-price package that includes all elements of the vacation. All-Inclusive vacations usually include transportation, accommodations, meals, and sometimes sightseeing.

European Plan is a hotel rate that does not include meals.
A:United Vacations is a wholesale tour operator offering complete vacations to many exciting destinations around the world. We don't sell airfare only, except to the following destinations: Punta Cana, Los Cabos, Montego Bay, Negril, Puerto Vallarta, Ocho Rios, St. Maarten, Ixtapa, and Cancun. If you are looking for an airfare only price to a destination other than those listed, contact United Airlines (1-800-241-6522) or visit www.united.com.
A:United Vacations will notify you of all flight schedule changes through your email account. It is always recommended that you check your reservations and flight times a minimum of 24 hours prior to your scheduled departure.
A: No, at this time, you cannot select your seat online.
A:If you purchase a vacation online, you are subject to the Terms and Conditions. The Terms and Conditions are extremely important. They outline United Vacations' policies and procedures. We encourage you to make a copy of the Terms and Conditions and read through them carefully. By confirming your reservation, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions. For more information, click Terms and Conditions at the bottom of any screen.
A:Your travel plans are too important to be left unprotected against any unplanned occurrences that may arise before or during your trip. To help guard against the cost of these potential problems, United Vacations offers the following options.
  • Trip Cancellation Waiver - The Trip Cancellation Waiver allows you to modify or cancel your entire trip, or part of it, for any reason prior to departure without incurring supplier revision or cancellation penalties. United Vacations issues refunds for canceled vacation elements in the original form of payment, minus the cost of the waiver itself.

    The Trip Cancellation Waiver is available with vacations to destinations in Europe, Canada, and the United States, including Hawaii (excludes winter ski vacations).

  • WorldCareSM Coverage - The WorldCare Coverage plan covers events experienced during-travel, such as medical expenses, baggage protection, and travel accident insurance. This plan also offers a limited pre-travel penalty waiver that protects you from penalties if you must cancel your vacation for specific covered reasons.

    WorldCare Coverage is available with vacations to destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico and with winter ski vacations.

  • WorldCareSM Coverage - The WorldCare Complete Coverage plan is a more extensive plan that includes all of the Trip Cancellation Waiver services, plus additional protection against unexpected events that could occur during your vacation, such as medical expenses due to illness or injury; baggage loss, damage or theft; trip interruption; trip delay; and more.

    WorldCare Complete Coverage is available with vacations to destinations in Europe, Canada, and the United States, including Hawaii (excludes winter ski vacations).

If you choose to remove the travel insurance and then cancel your vacation before traveling, you are subject to the penalties of United Vacations and its suppliers. United Vacations outlines its penalties in the Terms and Conditions. Click Terms and Conditions at the bottom of any screen to read the Terms and Conditions before making this decision. Your vacation is important to you, and United Vacations recommends the travel insurance as a 損eace of mind?to protect your vacation investment.
A:Contact United Vacations' Customer Service (1-888-854-3899) or email United Vacations to make special room requests.
A: To book more than one room, you have several options. Review the list below to see which option best meets your needs.
  • Use unitedvacations.com to make a separate reservation for each room. For the first reservation, indicate the appropriate number of adults and children staying in that room. You can check the hotel information pages for occupancy limits. Complete the entire booking process, including purchase and confirmation. Then, return to the Book your vacation today! panel on the home page to complete the process for each additional room. It is important to start from the beginning of the booking process for each room you book. If all passengers are traveling together, please be sure to choose the same flights and hotel for each reservation.

    If you confirm a reservation for one party and then find the hotel is sold out when booking the next room, email United Vacations or contact United Vacations' Customer Service (1-888-854-3899). You can also contact United Vacations' Customer Service to make special room requests.

  • United Vacations offers group travel arrangements, with a minimum of 20 passengers and 10 hotel rooms. To make arrangements for group travel, contact the United Vacations' Group Department (1-800-835-7253). The Group Department's hours of operation are Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM CST. For Ski Groups, please call 1-800-754-1984.
A:United Vacations offers vacation packages that include more than one destination. For example, in Hawaii, you can visit Lanai, Maui, Kauai, Oahu, and Molokai. In Europe, you can visit London, Paris, and other European cities.

At this time, unitedvacations.com allows you to book a vacation package to only one destination. To schedule a multi-destination vacation package, call United Vacations' Reservation Call Center (1- 888-854-3899). A call center representative can supply details on available rates and vacations.

A:When you confirm an online reservation, the web site automatically sends an email confirmation to the email address you entered on the Checkout screen. In addition, within days of confirming a reservation, United Vacations also sends an e-travel document to the email address you provided. The e-travel document can include confirmation numbers for hotel reservations and car rentals, destination information, dining options, contact information, and United Vacations' policies. If you require another e-travel document due to lost email or email address change, contact United Vacations' Customer Service (1-888-854-3899).
A:When you confirm an online reservation, the web site automatically sends an email confirmation to the email address you entered on the Checkout screen. You can use this email confirmation for last-minute travel.
A:When you travel, you are required to provide identification to verify your identity as well as that of any of your traveling companions. For domestic travel (inside the U.S.), you need to carry a non-expired government-issued photo ID that matches the name on the reservation.

For international travel, for U.S. citizens, acceptable forms of proof of citizenship include:

  • Valid passport (required for Europe, Great Britain, Central America, and Belize)
  • Certified state-issued (not hospital-issued) birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID
  • Certified naturalization certificate and a government-issued photo ID.
Married or divorced women, who travel under any name other than that printed on their documentation, must supply a marriage license and/or divorce decree (a copy is acceptable). In addition, special requirements apply to children traveling with only one parent or without parents.

For some international travel, countries may not permit entry without a valid return ticket and/or visa or other documentation. For example, travel to Central America or Belize may also require a visa. Please contact the local embassy or consulate for travel requirements and more information.

Important! As part of increased security measures, the U.S. government is implementing new passport requirements over the next few years. As of December 31, 2005, a passport or other accepted documentation is required for all air and sea travel to or from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America.

As of December 31, 2006, a passport or other accepted documentation is required for all air and sea travel to or from Mexico and Canada.

As of December 31, 2007, a passport or other accepted documentation is required for all air, sea, and land border crossings.
A:Contact United Vacations?Customer Service (1-888-854-3899) to modify your reservation. A Customer Service representative is available to assist you 24 hours a day.
A:To cancel a reservation, you need your login information and reservation number. Follow the steps below to retrieve your reservation.
  1. Click My Account to open the Login and Register screen.
  2. Type your email address and password in the corresponding fields. unitedvacations.com verifies your login information and refreshes the screen.
  3. Click Retrieve Your Reservations to open the Reservations screen.
  4. Type your reservation number in the Reservation Number field. You can then view and cancel your reservation. If you are eligible to receive a refund, you must also notify United Vacations via email or by phone (1-888-854-3899) to receive the applicable refund amount.
Important! Before you cancel a reservation, click Terms and Conditions at the bottom of any screen to see if any cancellation penalties apply and to find out the procedures for requesting a refund.

A travel insurance option is pre-selected and included in all United Vacations?packages. If you choose to remove the travel insurance and then cancel your vacation before traveling, you are subject to the penalties of United Vacations and its suppliers. United Vacations outlines its penalties in the Terms and Conditions. Your vacation is important to you, and United Vacations recommends the travel insurance as a 損eace of mind to protect your vacation investment.

A:Contact United Vacations' Customer Service (1-888-854-3899) to cancel your reservation. Please then send a refund request in writing to United Vacations within 30 days of your scheduled return. The request may be subject to a $25 administrative fee. If you have received any travel documents, these must accompany your request for refund. No refunds will be made on unused or partially-used vacation components, including hotel stays, rental cars, lift tickets, attraction passes and transportation passes. Refund requests can be sent via fax (414.351.2831) or via mail:
Mailing Address:

Express Delivery Address:

United Vacations United Vacations
P.O. Box 1460
8969 N. Port Washington Rd.
Milwaukee, WI 53201-1460 Milwaukee, WI 53217
Mileage Plus?Program
A:The Mileage Plus Program is United Airlines' award winning frequent flyer program. Once you become a member, you can earn miles by flying on United, United Express, and many other travel suppliers. All United Vacations' packages earn miles for the air portion of the vacation package. Go to www.united.com to become a member.
A:You can accrue mileage for the air portion of your United Vacations' package. These miles are added to your Mileage Plus Account.
A:You cannot redeem Mileage Plus miles toward the purchase of a United Vacations' package. If you have earned enough Mileage Plus miles to cash in for a flight, United Vacations suggests that you use your miles towards your flight by calling United Airlines (1-800-241-6522). You can then purchase a land only vacation through United Vacations. By booking this way, you can take advantage of your earned Mileage Plus miles for your flights and still receive the special rates and value from United Vacations for the land portion of your vacation.
A: If you have an existing reservation with United Vacations, you may be able to use your Mileage Plus miles to upgrade your United Vacations' airline ticket to business or first class. This service is available for all North American destinations including Hawaii, Canada, and the Caribbean. To make the upgrade, contact United Vacations' Customer Service (1-888-854-3899).

For details on Mileage Plus account balances, the number of miles needed to upgrade your air ticket, or other award travel questions, contact Mileage Plus directly (1-800-421-4655).

Pricing, payments, and penalties
A:unitedvacations.com accepts payment by credit card and requires full payment at the time of booking.
A:Taxes and fees can include airport facility charges, federal taxes, state taxes, and government fees. The complete vacation package determines the fees and surcharges. United Vacations includes these fees in all vacation prices that appear on the selection screens. Advertised Deals or email prices do NOT include air and hotel taxes and fees. When you search for a vacation package, click Click here for more information on taxes and fees on the Package Summary screen to review a description of included taxes and fees.

Some examples of applicable taxes, fees, and/or surcharges include:

  • Airport Passenger Facility Charge or PFC - Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs) are a means of providing airports with revenue to finance necessary airport improvements. They are a usage-fee implemented to avoid assessing taxes on local citizens in airport communities. United Vacations is required to collect this charge from our customers with payment.

    There is a maximum of two collectable PFCs per one-way ticket and a maximum of four collectable PFCs per roundtrip ticket. PFC charges can range between $1 and $4.50 per person. This means each passenger may be charged PFCs of up to $9 on a one-way or $18 on a roundtrip ticket.

  • Segment Fee - The segment fee is a federally imposed tax of $3.20 on each flight segment of your itinerary. A flight segment is a takeoff and landing. This tax applies only for domestic travel.
  • September 11th Security Fee - The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has mandated that all U.S. airlines add a security fee for the enhancements to the increased safety and security programs including training, salaries, and benefits for the Federal security screeners and law enforcement personnel, as well as the Federal Air Marshal program. The government-imposed September 11th Security Fee applies to all airline tickets and is calculated at $2.50 per flight number to a maximum charge of $10 per roundtrip, per passenger.
A:Yes, all United Vacations' payments process through a secure server. You know the server is secure by the little closed lock that appears at the bottom right of the Internet Explorer window. You can also see the "secure" url displayed briefly on the bottom left of the screen immediately after you click Book This Vacation.
Issues, errors, and support
A:When you search for or book a vacation package, you may receive an error message. Typically, error messages appear if the system is busy or if there are network communication problems. If you receive an error, attempt the action again in a few minutes or at a time when the system might be less busy.

If you continue to receive an error message after several attempts, email United Vacations. Include as much information as you can, including origin and destination cities, travel dates, number of adult and child (ages 1-17) travelers, hotel preference, the specific error message, and the step in the process where the message appears. You can also call our Internet Help Desk (1-888-854-3899) for assistance.

A: If you forget your password, United Vacations can send you a reminder via email by following the steps below:
  1. Click My Account on the top navigation bar. The Login and Register screen opens.
  2. Click Have it emailed to you on the right side of the page, under the Forgot your password? heading.
  3. Type your email address in the Email Address field, and click Email Password. United Vacations emails your login information to the email address you entered when you created your profile or confirmed your reservation.
A: Cookies are pieces of information that get stored on your computer when you visit or use various web sites. Cookies are not harmful to your computer; they simply "remember" information.

Although cookies do not harm your computer, it helps the efficiency of your computer if you "clean" or remove your computer's cookies periodically.

Follow the steps below to remove all Internet cookies from Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Note: If you do not use Microsoft Internet Explorer, you may need to use different steps to remove cookies from your browser application.

  1. Open Microsoft Internet Explorer.
  2. Click Tools on the top navigation bar to expand the Tools drop-down menu.
  3. Click Internet Options at the bottom of the Tools drop-down menu. Your computer defaults to open the Internet Options dialog box and displays the General tab.
  4. On the General tab, click Delete Cookies in the Temporary Internet files group box. Microsoft Internet Explorer automatically displays a pop-up box to confirm that you want to delete the Internet cookies. Click OK.
  5. Click OK to close the Internet Options dialog box.
A: For assistance, email United Vacations or contact United Vacations' Customer Service (1-888-854-3899).
Contact United Vacations Asia 1-888-288-7170