Continental will charge more to redeposit reward miles

Business Continental will charge more to redeposit reward miles By JENALIA MORENO HOUSTON CHRONICLE April 15, 2011, 11:39PM The flight may be free, but canceling can cost you, and it's about to cost you more. Continental Airlines said this week that it's raising fees for redepositing frequent-flier miles passengers use to book trips they then cancel. Beginning June 15, the redeposit fee will be $100 for gold elite members, $125 for silver elite member and $150 for general members. Platinum elite members still won't need to pay for redepositing miles. The current fee to redeposit miles is $25 for gold, $50 for silver and $75 for general members. There is no charge for changing the date or time of a reward ticket as long as the origin and destination cities stay the same and the change is made at least 21 days in advance. United Airlines, which merged with Continental Oct. 1, also announced changes to its frequent-flier program. The two are flying as separate carriers until they obtain a single operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration, probably later this year. They already have begun integrating many of their systems, however, and the moves this week are aimed at aligning their frequent-flier programs, said Rahsaan Johnson, a United spokesman. The changes to United's Mileage Plus program will lower redeposit fees for some passengers. United now charges most of its members $150 to redeposit canceled miles. After June 15, the fees will mirror Continental's, varying from $100 to $150 depending upon membership status. United also will start charging $75 to book awards tickets within 21 days of a flight, as Continental does now. That had been free for United Mileage Plus passengers. United will decrease its fee to change origin, destination or connecting cities to $75 from $150 — again reflecting Continental charges for the same changes. jenalia.moreno@chron.com