Originally Posted by
WineCountryUA
UA has two kinds of Basic Economy
-- Domestic
-- Trans Atlantic (TATL) -- flights between USA and Europe on UA, AC and LH group.
The rules are slightly different.
In your case for a Domestic flight, if your companions also get BG1 (Boarding Group 1) they should be OK, if they get BG5, then they may have a problem
It's actually a bit more complicated than that. Flights on UA metal between Canada and anywhere don't have Basic Economy offered. It's just like the good ol' days with K(ettle) fares. Unsure if OP minds driving to YYZ to catch said flight but that's one way to evade the horrors of Basic Economy.
That being said, aside from the lower PQM earning rate, as a UA elite it can often be a good approach to travel - you get the same baggage allowance (at least on TATL), access to E+ seats (if you ticket it correctly), lounge access and the like. Sure you can't upgrade, you can't do same day changes for free but if your travel needs are basic, then basic is probably right for you!
-James