Originally Posted by
itsme
I have flown Basic Economy, checked bags without charge, and been assign Economy Plus seats, all automatically, after paying less for my ticket than for the quoted "Economy" ticket price. ...
The E+ seat can happen, but don't count on it. With Gold elite status you will get free checked bags
...."The Economy sections is split into 3 subsections. All three use the same non-BE ticket type / fare basis." If that is the case, how do you know what type of seats you will wind up with in what part of the plane and with what privileges/services?
If not BE ticket, and as UA Gold, you have access to any open seat in economy. If you were not Gold, you have access to any seat but perhaps for a fee, UA will quote that fee at seat selection.
....What, if any, lounge services do I get while flying international? ....
With *G, you have lounge access on any economy ticket.
....And then with some "Economy" quotes they note "refundable"?! ...
Any non-BE economy ticket can be purchased as refundable or as non-refundable. All things equal, the refundable fare will be more expensive/
....Is it really possible that "Economy" is divided up in so many ways? ...
There is only one economy section but yes seat selection acess is divided into three subsections
....Can we pay for less than Business and still be reasonable comfortable, or is anything less than Business a miserable experience?
For most longer international routes (and premium transcon and some Hawaii) UA offers PremuimPlus (what others call PremiumEcomony). This is a separate cabin and has seats similar to domestic first class. It does cost more but significant less than Polaris.
Premium Plus (Premium Economy) seats and Experience
In a very rough sense PremiumPlus is 50-100% more than economy and 50% or less of Polaris.
Originally Posted by
itsme
.... THIS IS CRAZY! I see Economy fares ranging from $1309 up to $4494 departing from the same airport (IAD) at different times during the same day, all arriving at the same ultimate time (different flights from IAD to different intermediate cities before continuing onward though EWR). What kind of craziness is this? After all these years united.com is still "problematic"? ...
Standard airline pricing. Has always been true for all airlines. Depends multiple factors but supply and demand has a strong infuience on each flight segment.
Originally Posted by
itsme
.... but what about the "kind of Economy" and what I will actually get for my money?
That has been explained