Check-in time and tips to get best seats if ticketed in Basic Economy?
#46
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 399
How do you know the majority of passengers are BE?
That said, if not traveling for business and for only a 632 mile flight (according to gcmap.com), I would consider saving the money and going BE, and I have never flown BE.
(I think most corporate travelers are forced into Basic Economy fares by their employers)
That said, if not traveling for business and for only a 632 mile flight (according to gcmap.com), I would consider saving the money and going BE, and I have never flown BE.
(I think most corporate travelers are forced into Basic Economy fares by their employers)
I don't know for sure. However when the flight is $200 RT in BE and $500+ in Main, I am speculating most are booking BE
#48
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: USA
Programs: AA Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 310
You'll definitely get those if you check in now. I heard AA basically gives you the cheapest seat first so you can use that to tell middle seat vs back row.
#49
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: USA
Programs: AA Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 310
For BE international, is it normal to have to wait for T-24 of the second leg to be assigned the seats for that flight? Wondering if it's just weird codeshare shenanigans or if it's always that way.
#50
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 399
Does it fill cheapest or from the back first? IE would 20c (aisle $27) go before 11b (middle $19)
Last edited by jmsnyc; Oct 3, 2019 at 8:55 pm
#52
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
In just a few hours most of the middles in the back went (beyond row went 24). Also curious why 19 and 20 are both almost all open. This screenshot was T-16. Are all the seats available usually shown on map or are some hidden? I wish I could wait until after security to check in but unfortunately you need boarding pass for that, lol.
Does it fill cheapest or from the back first? IE would 20c (aisle $27) go before 11b (middle $19)
Does it fill cheapest or from the back first? IE would 20c (aisle $27) go before 11b (middle $19)
#53
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
AA also deliberately mixes up the algorithm (or introduces some randomness into it). All designed to make it hard to game the BE seat assignment lottery.
The goal is to get you to shell out for a seat, not to make you happy for free.
The goal is to get you to shell out for a seat, not to make you happy for free.
#55
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
#56
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 399
I booked regular economy for about two weeks out - 2.5 hr flight - no aisle seats to choose for free, only middle and window - traveling solo. Annoyed no aisle seats from to chose and I didnt even book BE
Its funny exit row aisle towards row 23 is $33 colored green (not MCE) and $52 for the row 22 right in front colored red/orange (MCE). I realize MCE includes some small freebies but the exit row in front is also the one that doesnt recline
Its funny exit row aisle towards row 23 is $33 colored green (not MCE) and $52 for the row 22 right in front colored red/orange (MCE). I realize MCE includes some small freebies but the exit row in front is also the one that doesnt recline
#57
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: san antonio, texas
Programs: 3.2MM AA, 1.4MM UA,StwdLftPlt
Posts: 1,586
My experience with the 3 BE fares is that the seating algorithm fills the worst seats first...from back of the aircraft middle seat first
There is no evaluation of elite status with the airline to adjust seating-which seems to me to support the idea the airline is conveying its displeasure at a frequent flyer purchasing a cheap seat.
Must admit all 6 flights had from 15-20 seats available behind the exit row so no real insight into how it behave with a full plane
Check in times ranged from moment window opened to perhaps 4 hrs before departure.
There is no evaluation of elite status with the airline to adjust seating-which seems to me to support the idea the airline is conveying its displeasure at a frequent flyer purchasing a cheap seat.
Must admit all 6 flights had from 15-20 seats available behind the exit row so no real insight into how it behave with a full plane
Check in times ranged from moment window opened to perhaps 4 hrs before departure.
#58
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: USA
Programs: Chase Sapphire Reserve, WFBF
Posts: 1,573
The only way to avoid this would be to treat MCE as a separate cabin the way Delta does. They process "upgrades" to comfort+ at the gate, prior to assigning seats to BE passengers.
#59
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: Choice Hotels
Posts: 762
Unless someone has status, there is very little reason to book main cabin and pay the 70 + extra dollars. If someone doesn't have status, all it does is give them the chance to pick a seat in the back of the plane. Basically to avoid a middle seat and get a window or aisle in the back of the plane, and the ability to purchase better seats ahead of time. Of course, basic economy passengers can spend the same amount to book those better seats within 24 hours of departure. Other than that there is no benefit. There's not a huge difference between group 8 in group nine, although it's more likely that a bag will make it on the plane in group 8. Also, in my experience, if a flight is full, there's a good chance that I will end up in main cabin extra on a basic economy ticket if I wait until 45 minutes before departure to check in. And, for obvious reasons, there is zero benefit of booking main cabin over basic economy on American Eagle. The only reason why I would ever book main cabin is if I had status. I would much rather save my 70 plus dollars and have a chance of getting free main cabin extra.
#60
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
I was on a recent connection and over half the plane was BE (group 9). I knew this because I was #1 on the standby list and the flight was full so I had to wait until T-15 for them to kick off the no-shows. It was definitely the case that most of the people who boarded in group 9 were in MCE.
The only way to avoid this would be to treat MCE as a separate cabin the way Delta does. They process "upgrades" to comfort+ at the gate, prior to assigning seats to BE passengers.
The only way to avoid this would be to treat MCE as a separate cabin the way Delta does. They process "upgrades" to comfort+ at the gate, prior to assigning seats to BE passengers.