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)
#361
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
It was wonderful. Everything about it. Once I had to check my carry on, no worries, and the way back there was plenty of room. No extra charge for that. Too bad AA is charging extra. Not thinking it will be great every time, but great first experience.
I have some AA flights coming up as AA was the same or less than Delta, so no, I don't hate AA. I'm just one of those that decided to choose what works best for schedule and price now. Maybe these will be okay on AA also. Nice that you can still board with your status/card and have the same baggage allowance. That's nice for those of us that have that.
I have some AA flights coming up as AA was the same or less than Delta, so no, I don't hate AA. I'm just one of those that decided to choose what works best for schedule and price now. Maybe these will be okay on AA also. Nice that you can still board with your status/card and have the same baggage allowance. That's nice for those of us that have that.
#362
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Its actually alot worse then no MCE at all. You cant even pick any seat till either check-in or at the airport = with flights full you can count on a middle seat in a non-reclining row.
Just got off with AA again and the csr told me to simply pay up to the reg coach fare. I said if I worked for AA and needed to get a hotel room and I wouldnt earn any credit or pts or get any elite benefits unless I booked a non-standard room for extra $$$, I take it no one would care at AA that Im spending more of AAs money then I had to. She says its different,I said no it aint except you want me to have my company and clients pay more then have to.
She says this is how it will be with all carriers. I said so I will give my $$$ to Jet Blue,Alaska or Delta and end up in a seat of no choice but w/o lifetime status as with AA and UA I dont expect anything more then that. Some nice TY from AA for having been loyal over the past decades
Seems all carriers new motto is we couldnt care 1 bit that you were loyal to us before today, now we simply look at how loyal (by buying more expensive fares) you are each and everyday.
Just got off with AA again and the csr told me to simply pay up to the reg coach fare. I said if I worked for AA and needed to get a hotel room and I wouldnt earn any credit or pts or get any elite benefits unless I booked a non-standard room for extra $$$, I take it no one would care at AA that Im spending more of AAs money then I had to. She says its different,I said no it aint except you want me to have my company and clients pay more then have to.
She says this is how it will be with all carriers. I said so I will give my $$$ to Jet Blue,Alaska or Delta and end up in a seat of no choice but w/o lifetime status as with AA and UA I dont expect anything more then that. Some nice TY from AA for having been loyal over the past decades
Seems all carriers new motto is we couldnt care 1 bit that you were loyal to us before today, now we simply look at how loyal (by buying more expensive fares) you are each and everyday.
You do get some benefit in being LT elite, when buying BE, like you can use the overhead bin and you do earn EQM and EQD
I am unclear on the complaint. The idea of the BE fare is to be competitive with the LCCs. If your company is requiring you to buy BE fares, that's a different story.
#363
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AC SE100K-1MM, NH, DL, AA, BA, Global Entry/Nexus, APEC..
Posts: 18,877
"The 25 Routes Where You Want to Avoid Flying American Airlines"
(I really wanted to start a new thread with the title of Gary's column....but since this thread existed..... )
The 25 Routes Where You Want to Avoid Flying American Airlines
by Gary Leff on May 13, 2017
QUOTES:
"....These fares try to make the travel experience difficult enough that you’ll spend more for less restrictive tickets......
Basic Economy fares are not less expensive fares. They are fares that give you less for what you used to pay.....
...American Airlines is intentionally making the travel experience worse, in hopes you will spend more to avoid the pain points."
So much fun.
http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....ican-airlines/
The 25 Routes Where You Want to Avoid Flying American Airlines
by Gary Leff on May 13, 2017
QUOTES:
"....These fares try to make the travel experience difficult enough that you’ll spend more for less restrictive tickets......
Basic Economy fares are not less expensive fares. They are fares that give you less for what you used to pay.....
...American Airlines is intentionally making the travel experience worse, in hopes you will spend more to avoid the pain points."
So much fun.
http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....ican-airlines/
#364
Join Date: Feb 2007
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 503
Any info on AA Vacations and the new Spirit Lite fares? (Let's make that name stick ^ - better = "Spite" fares ^^[claiming TM here ]*). AA Vacations, while having horrible CS - even by AA standards of late - has had some really good deals to places I want to visit. Losing possible upgrades, 1/2 eqm, etc makes these deals a no go. JonNYC - anything?
Cheers -
* "Spit" fares is also a consideration
Cheers -
* "Spit" fares is also a consideration
"Worst class"
#366
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: AA Executive Platinum; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,662
#368
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Beantown! (BOS)
Programs: AA PtPro (2 MM); Hilton Diamond; Hertz President Cr; DL SkyMiles; UA MileagePlus
Posts: 3,436
Was looking at NYC-DFW trip on Aug. 5. One EWR-DFW flight offers Basic Economy, but Basic Economy is more expensive than Main Cabin. I thought Basic Economy is always lowest fare. Does anybody here have insight to pricing of AA’s Basic Economy?
#369
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
A couple pricing notes on AA's Basic Economy that came out in this morning's quarterly analyst earnings call:
- Starting price is a $20 differential to Main Cabin. For closer in bookings that can increase to $40.
- That's just the starting price; the real numbers are dynamic and can change upwards from there.
- Roughly half the customers given a choice are buying up, at an average price of $23/ticket so far.
- The full rollout of BE will complete by end of September '17.
- AA did see some increased bookings in competitive markets by not having BE fares filed. But the $23/passenger number noted above is worth way more overall to the company..
#370
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Frontier and Spirit are looking mighty nice...
http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....795.1501181042
The race to the bottom between AA and UA is heating up, maybe they both can do everyone a favor and simply go out of biz
I tell them both they arent in the Airline biz any longer but in the fee charging biz and in order to charge fees you transport people, but if they could find a way to charge fees w/o having to transport people theyd love to do so
The race to the bottom between AA and UA is heating up, maybe they both can do everyone a favor and simply go out of biz
I tell them both they arent in the Airline biz any longer but in the fee charging biz and in order to charge fees you transport people, but if they could find a way to charge fees w/o having to transport people theyd love to do so
#372
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Funny thread title.
I also tweeted about this the other day:
https://twitter.com/xJonNYC/status/896201894439395328
I also tweeted about this the other day:
https://twitter.com/xJonNYC/status/896201894439395328
Yes Frontier and Spirit will treat you no differently, the big difference is both of them are HONEST they tell you up front you will be treated like garbage and you are, while AA & UA (to an extent DL as well) tells you you will be treated like a king and in the end they treat you like garbage even to those not on a Basic tkt
Between UA making a ton of its 777s 3-4-3 and the lavs on its 739s good only if you a small child, and AAs Max coming in at 30", not what they wanted it to be. Its gonna be be very hard to tell the Big 3 apart from Frontier or Spirit
#373
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
I wasnt trying to be funny, in a way I meant it.
Yes Frontier and Spirit will treat you no differently, the big difference is both of them are HONEST they tell you up front you will be treated like garbage and you are, while AA & UA (to an extent DL as well) tells you you will be treated like a king and in the end they treat you like garbage even to those not on a Basic tkt
Between UA making a ton of its 777s 3-4-3 and the lavs on its 739s good only if you a small child, and AAs Max coming in at 30", not what they wanted it to be. Its gonna be be very hard to tell the Big 3 apart from Frontier or Spirit
Yes Frontier and Spirit will treat you no differently, the big difference is both of them are HONEST they tell you up front you will be treated like garbage and you are, while AA & UA (to an extent DL as well) tells you you will be treated like a king and in the end they treat you like garbage even to those not on a Basic tkt
Between UA making a ton of its 777s 3-4-3 and the lavs on its 739s good only if you a small child, and AAs Max coming in at 30", not what they wanted it to be. Its gonna be be very hard to tell the Big 3 apart from Frontier or Spirit
#374
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
Yes Frontier and Spirit will treat you no differently, the big difference is both of them are HONEST they tell you up front you will be treated like garbage and you are, while AA & UA (to an extent DL as well) tells you you will be treated like a king and in the end they treat you like garbage even to those not on a Basic tkt
Strikes are force majeur events that allow carriers an out. It is not exclusive to AA's contract of carriage.
You really need to tune up that thread title and quality of argument.
#375
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....795.1501181042
The race to the bottom between AA and UA is heating up, maybe they both can do everyone a favor and simply go out of biz
I tell them both they arent in the Airline biz any longer but in the fee charging biz and in order to charge fees you transport people, but if they could find a way to charge fees w/o having to transport people theyd love to do so
The race to the bottom between AA and UA is heating up, maybe they both can do everyone a favor and simply go out of biz
I tell them both they arent in the Airline biz any longer but in the fee charging biz and in order to charge fees you transport people, but if they could find a way to charge fees w/o having to transport people theyd love to do so