Last edit by: IADCAflyer
What is Basic Economy?
Basic Economy is (generally) the lowest, "no-frills" Main Cabin (Economy) fare on American Airlines and their Atlantic Joint Business partners (British Airways, Iberia, and Finnair). Basic Economy fares on American Airlines book into the As the lowest fare, it has some special restrictions that other Main Cabin fares do not.
What are the Restrictions?
You can read American Airlines' web page summarizing Basic Economy for the exact details, but there are a few points that likely matter most to FlyerTalkers:
* exceptions apply for American Airlines elite-level frequent flyers as noted below.
Despite these restrictions, Basic Economy can be a good value in certain circumstances.
Are the seats or service any different?
Once you are on the airplane, the experience (seats / drinks / snacks) will be identical to regular Main Cabin.
How can I tell if I have a Basic Economy fare?
Your reservation on aa.com may say it. Basic Economy fares on American Airlines flights book into the B booking class, though Basic Economy fares on BA/IB/AY and their AA* codeshares can book into almost any revenue booking class.
I have an AA credit card, what does that get me?
Yes, if you have an American Airlines credit card that comes with preferred boarding or a free checked bag on domestic itineraries, you will receive those benefits. Additionally, if you have a Citi Executive card, you may use the Admirals Club as normal.
I have AA elite status, what does that get me?
You WILL get the following elite benefits when you buy a Basic Economy fare (note this is not an exhaustive list, basically everything not expressly forbidden is allowed):
Families with children over 13 will have to pay for seat assignments to be seated with their children.
I am flying on a British Airways, Iberia, or Finnair airplane, is anything different?
If you do not have AA or oneworld elite status, the restrictions are quite similar and you should expect to pay for everything: paid checked bags, paid seat selection, and no changes / cancellations. Depending on available fare classes, you may have an opportunity to earn additional redeemable miles or elite qualifying dollars by booking a BA / IB / AY flight number instead of an AA flight number; check your options and the partner earning charts on AA for each respective airline (British Airways, Iberia, Finnair).
If you have status, buckle up, because it gets technical, though there are some opportunities to cherry pick benefits and save money. This has been already summarized in the counterpart to this thread on the British Airways forum., so we will not reproduce it here. Note the following correspondences between status levels:
Basic Economy is (generally) the lowest, "no-frills" Main Cabin (Economy) fare on American Airlines and their Atlantic Joint Business partners (British Airways, Iberia, and Finnair). Basic Economy fares on American Airlines book into the As the lowest fare, it has some special restrictions that other Main Cabin fares do not.
What are the Restrictions?
You can read American Airlines' web page summarizing Basic Economy for the exact details, but there are a few points that likely matter most to FlyerTalkers:
- Your first checked bag will cost money on a Basic Economy fare*.
- Your seat will be automatically assigned when you check in and unchangeable, unless you pay to change your seat. You may pay to reserve a seat any time after booking*.
- No elite upgrades to first class, or complimentary access to preferred seats (green on the seat map) or Main Cabin Extra (orange on the seat map)*.
- You will board last, in Group 9 for domestic flights or Group 8 for international flights*. On a full flight, this likely means you will have to gate check your carry-on bag (which is free)*.
- You will earn 50% EQMs per mile flown and 0.5 EQS per segment. You will earn full RDMs (based on fare flown) and EQDs.
- Changes are not permitted (worldwide from 01APR21).
- In IRROPS, Basic Economy customers will not be re-accommodated on other airlines, and will have to wait for the next American Airlines flight (or BA/IB/AY for INTL).
* exceptions apply for American Airlines elite-level frequent flyers as noted below.
Despite these restrictions, Basic Economy can be a good value in certain circumstances.
Are the seats or service any different?
Once you are on the airplane, the experience (seats / drinks / snacks) will be identical to regular Main Cabin.
How can I tell if I have a Basic Economy fare?
Your reservation on aa.com may say it. Basic Economy fares on American Airlines flights book into the B booking class, though Basic Economy fares on BA/IB/AY and their AA* codeshares can book into almost any revenue booking class.
I have an AA credit card, what does that get me?
Yes, if you have an American Airlines credit card that comes with preferred boarding or a free checked bag on domestic itineraries, you will receive those benefits. Additionally, if you have a Citi Executive card, you may use the Admirals Club as normal.
I have AA elite status, what does that get me?
You WILL get the following elite benefits when you buy a Basic Economy fare (note this is not an exhaustive list, basically everything not expressly forbidden is allowed):
- 1/2/3 checked bag fees waives, depending on status.
- Priority check-in / security / boarding.
- Lounge access, if applicable.
- No same-day standby or same-day confirmed flight changes, paid or otherwise.
As it does today, American’s reservations system will check for families traveling with children 13 and under a few days before the flight, and attempt to seat each child with an adult. This is the same process we follow for Main Cabin customers.
I am flying on a British Airways, Iberia, or Finnair airplane, is anything different?
If you do not have AA or oneworld elite status, the restrictions are quite similar and you should expect to pay for everything: paid checked bags, paid seat selection, and no changes / cancellations. Depending on available fare classes, you may have an opportunity to earn additional redeemable miles or elite qualifying dollars by booking a BA / IB / AY flight number instead of an AA flight number; check your options and the partner earning charts on AA for each respective airline (British Airways, Iberia, Finnair).
If you have status, buckle up, because it gets technical, though there are some opportunities to cherry pick benefits and save money. This has been already summarized in the counterpart to this thread on the British Airways forum., so we will not reproduce it here. Note the following correspondences between status levels:
- AA Gold - BA Bronze - oneworld Ruby
- AA Platinum or Platinum Pro - BA Silver - oneworld Sapphire
- AA Executive Platinum or Concierge Key - BA Gold - oneworld Emerald
- If you are a Platinum, Platinum Pro, or Executive Platinum elite, you can generally book Iberia or Finnair-operated Basic Economy flights and not notice any baggage or seating restrictions, as long as they were not marketed by BA.
- If you do not care about your seat assignment, you can book AA-operated flights with an IB or AY flight number and still receive a checked bag if you are Platinum or higher. You may earn more or fewer RDMs, EQMs, and EQDs.
- If you do not need to check a bag, you can book BA-operated flights with any flight number, and can choose your seat (7 days in advance for Gold, at booking for Platinum and higher, Exit Rows for EXP).
Basic Economy Fare as of 2017 (also AY, BA, IB), incl. elite benefits (Master thread)
#1036
Join Date: Dec 2018
Programs: $9 Fare Club
Posts: 1,485
BA are the only OW carrier to nerf elite baggage benefits on a Basic Economy fare. They do however allow you to choose a seat in advance on a Basic Economy fare so long as you're OWS/OWE. AA you get all your respective OW elite perks save for seat selection.
#1037
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
Why? Just to punish people who buy BE? You are not going to move enough seats to be able to fit another row. I highly doubt AA would reconfigure the whole plane to give each economy seat another 1/2" of legroom. I guess they could make an additional row toward the back MCE without re configuring the whole plane, but I am not sure it would be very popular.
#1038
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: DCA
Programs: UA LT 1K, AA EXP, Bonvoy LT Titan, Avis PC, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,658
that’s exactly what makes AA more customer friendly compared to UA. MCE is not a separate class of service. No reason to deny seat MCE seat to someone after door is closed. Maybe that person will purchase it next time. Maybe not. But it’s not like they let anyone to sit in FC for free.
I really have no problem if someone moves next to me, even tho I’d rather have middle seat open.
I had a choice long time ago to either fly aa or ua. And this is one of the things that made me
loyal.
MCE - is Elite or Upcharge, reserved overhead bin space, free drink, etc. To some extent this is a different class of service - not Premium Economy, but enough that they separate out the seats.
AA should enforce it just like UA - or just forget it and make it a free for all.
#1039
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: AA EP; WN CP;UA SILVER; MARRIOTT TITANIUM; HH DIAMOND; IHG PLAT; RADISSON PLAT; HYATT GLOBAL
Posts: 1,938
Another DP, I was able to move to MCE by kindly asking the gate agent for a seat change a couple minutes before boarding.
#1040
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DAY
Programs: Rapid Rewards, Skymiles, Hilton HHonors, SPG/Marriott Rewards
Posts: 4,955
AA might see it as a way to encourage more people to buy MC when they see the seat pitch. It would also means customers get what they pay for. Why should the person that ended up in MCE on a BE fare get the same benefits as the pax that shelled out extra $$ for BE?
#1041
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
If people buying BE are routinely getting MCE, than AA is doing something wrong. Of course, the person who bought BE didn’t get the same benefits as the one who bought MCE. They couldn’t make any changes to their ticket for any price and they never got to select a seat, they just got lucky a better one was assigned. I don’t think AA will ever have a separate BE cabin because they want to be able to vary the amount of BE seats they can sell by flight.
Imagine if you have to buy a last minute ticket or being rebooked due to misconnect and you end up in the BE cabin all the way in the back because all main cabin seats are sold out ?
#1042
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Rowland heights, CA USA
Programs: PAL million miler (1.6 M ), AA Platinum ( almost 1 M)
Posts: 434
i purchased a basic economy ticket in iberia website with Iberia flight number but BA plane. I called Iberia and informed them that I purchased a basic economy, she said eventhough I purchased BE, since I am an emerald I can check in 1 luggage for free. Any experiences here?
#1043
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: SPG, AA, United
Posts: 1,816
i purchased a basic economy ticket in iberia website with Iberia flight number but BA plane. I called Iberia and informed them that I purchased a basic economy, she said eventhough I purchased BE, since I am an emerald I can check in 1 luggage for free. Any experiences here?
#1044
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Syracuse, Boston, Athens
Posts: 995
Alis grave nil!
BA does not check any luggage for free with basic economy tickets (not even its own emerald members), despite what the Iberia agent told you.
The relevant table with all the permutations has been posted before:
www.flyertalk.com/forum/30655587-post495.html
The relevant table with all the permutations has been posted before:
www.flyertalk.com/forum/30655587-post495.html
i purchased a basic economy ticket in iberia website with Iberia flight number but BA plane. I called Iberia and informed them that I purchased a basic economy, she said eventhough I purchased BE, since I am an emerald I can check in 1 luggage for free. Any experiences here?
#1045
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
It would be handled in the same manner as someone that bought a ticket in F/J/PE and had a misconnect. If only Y-/BE was available on the next flight they'd either have to accept the downgrade (and any refund in fare difference) or look for alternatives to keep their same class of travel.
#1047
Join Date: May 2017
Location: ORD
Posts: 369
I think of BE seats more like the rental car companies that offer a price for a car that will be X class or higher (assigned at pickup), or cruise lines offering a stateroom of a guaranteed class or higher, but assigned at sailing. I can either (a) pay for an assigned seat at T-48, or (b) gamble on an aisle MCE seat or a middle seat in the last row of the plane. Obviously, if the airline is giving away MCE seats for free to flyers on B tickets, then they've abandoned all hope of selling them.
#1048
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,819
BE must be a big deal in some markets. I had a MIA-IAH hop last week as part of a multi city business trip and was on the last MIA-IAH flight of the day (which had been cancelled every single day the prior week owing to MAX issues). My concern grew over this flight as it seemed that based on seat assignments, the flight might be 30% full. However, as soon as the 24 hour checkin marker hit and proceeded towards about T-12 hours, every single non-preferred and non MCE seat was gobbled up. Then as the hours clicked down, every single remaining seat disappeared until the only ones were left were the exits, row 7/8 and a couple stray MCE seats.
#1049
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Rowland heights, CA USA
Programs: PAL million miler (1.6 M ), AA Platinum ( almost 1 M)
Posts: 434
Hi
Hi,
i called IB and asked them about it , another agent George told me that, i will get one free baggage based on my emerald status because , it is a BA plane , but it is am IB ticket... so it will follow the IB rule not BA. IB RULE if you purchased an ib flight number with BA plane , your ticket will be under IB not BA... i hope 2 ib agents are right..
john
i called IB and asked them about it , another agent George told me that, i will get one free baggage based on my emerald status because , it is a BA plane , but it is am IB ticket... so it will follow the IB rule not BA. IB RULE if you purchased an ib flight number with BA plane , your ticket will be under IB not BA... i hope 2 ib agents are right..
john
BA does not check any luggage for free with basic economy tickets (not even its own emerald members), despite what the Iberia agent told you.
The relevant table with all the permutations has been posted before:
www.flyertalk.com/forum/30655587-post495.html
The relevant table with all the permutations has been posted before:
www.flyertalk.com/forum/30655587-post495.html