Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Related thread: Basic Economy Airport and Plane Experiences (First or Second Hand)
If purchased on united.com you will have to accept a warning about choosing Basic Economy and there will be orange "Basic Economy" highlights everywhere during the booking process.
Link to UA's description of how these fares will work: Basic Economy.
Here are the key facts:
To avoid domestic BE fares ITA Matrix ~bc=N . Ignoring them on international flights is much trickier because they do not have a consistent pattern in the fare basis; it appears to change by market / region. (That said, as UA is lifting BE from legacy GDS systems, it may result in them disappearing from ITA Matrix anyway).
Google Flights -- select 1 Carry-on bag
NO UNUSED TICKET MAY BE USED TOWARD THE PURCHASE
OF A BASIC ECONOMY TICKET.
-------
NO RESIDUAL VALUE MAY BE USED TOWARD THE PURCHASE
OF A BASIC ECONOMY TICKET.
How is this different from buying up BE to regular economy?
related threads
New UA/*A TATL -LGT Economy fare - no free first bag, no changes/upgrades allowed
Benefit impact of restricted economy fares on UA Elites (Basic Econ, -LGT, Light Econ
Pre-announcement speculation thread (now closed) New "Budget Economy" fares
United's Basic Economy - Discussion, Q&A, ... {Archive}
If purchased on united.com you will have to accept a warning about choosing Basic Economy and there will be orange "Basic Economy" highlights everywhere during the booking process.
Link to UA's description of how these fares will work: Basic Economy.
Here are the key facts:
- No free seat assignments until check-in. Seats will be assigned by the system. Flyers (including elite) have the option to purchase regular economy and preferred economy (white seats with black triangle on seat map) seats after ticket purchase. E+ seats are not available for purchase until check-in. If you don’t purchase an advance seat assignment, your seat will be automatically assigned to you prior to boarding, and you won't be able to change your seat once it's been assigned.
- No guarantee of adjacent seats with companions
- No voluntary ticket changes after 24 hour purchase period including SDC (occasionally 1K's have successfully used Same Day Standby and received a confirmed seat without penalty)
- Carry on limited to one personal item unless the customer is a MP Premier member, primary cardmember of a qualifying MileagePlus credit card, or Star Alliance *G, or traveling on an international BE product
- Customers ineligible for carry-on who bring one to the gate will be charged a $25 convenience fee to gate-check in addition to standard baggage fees (source: @united twitter)
- Customers are not eligible for premium cabin upgrades either via CPU, mileage upgrade award or PlusPoints
- Customers will board in the last boarding group (currently Group 5) unless the customer is a MP Premier member, primary cardmember of a qualifying MileagePlus credit card, or Star Alliance *G, or traveling on an international BE product
- Companions on same PNR will have same boarding group and carry-on if one on the PNR has a waiver
- No combinability with regular economy fares or partner carriers. Interline travel is not permitted.
- Normal PQPs / RDMs based on fare and elite multipliers
- No PQFs
- Flight(s) do count towards the 4 flight minimum for UA-operated
- Full Lifetime mileage
- Domestic Basic Economy tickets will use booking code 'N'. International BE can be in any class.
- Online check-in only with paid checked bag, otherwise need to see a United representative to verify the onboard bag allowance and receive a boarding pass
- Canceling a basic economy ticket will receive a flight credit for the price of the ticket, minus a fee. For domestic flights, the fee is $49.50 for one-way tickets and $99 for roundtrip tickets. For international flights, the fee is $99.50 for one-way tickets and $199 for roundtrip tickets
To avoid domestic BE fares ITA Matrix ~bc=N . Ignoring them on international flights is much trickier because they do not have a consistent pattern in the fare basis; it appears to change by market / region. (That said, as UA is lifting BE from legacy GDS systems, it may result in them disappearing from ITA Matrix anyway).
Google Flights -- select 1 Carry-on bag
NO UNUSED TICKET MAY BE USED TOWARD THE PURCHASE
OF A BASIC ECONOMY TICKET.
-------
NO RESIDUAL VALUE MAY BE USED TOWARD THE PURCHASE
OF A BASIC ECONOMY TICKET.
How is this different from buying up BE to regular economy?
related threads
New UA/*A TATL -LGT Economy fare - no free first bag, no changes/upgrades allowed
Benefit impact of restricted economy fares on UA Elites (Basic Econ, -LGT, Light Econ
Pre-announcement speculation thread (now closed) New "Budget Economy" fares
United's Basic Economy - Discussion, Q&A, ... {Archive}
United's Basic Economy - Discussion, Q&A, ...Now cancellable for a fee
#211
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: SMF
Posts: 45
Basic economy has more restrictions. Details on Basic economy are here: https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/tra...c-economy.html
Be sure to look through the details, as there are different restrictions for domestic versus TPAC.
Be sure to look through the details, as there are different restrictions for domestic versus TPAC.
#212
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,861
Also the Basic Economy ticket is more restrictive on changes. Those are probably the big three differences.
#213
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Los Angeles, CA; Philadelphia, PA
Programs: OZ Diamond
Posts: 6,140
Haven't flown UA domestically for a while. What are the currently available *G benefits on Basic Economy fare? When I tried to do a dummy booking, it appears that a carry on will incur a charge now. Would that get waived like the first checked bag for *G? Is priority check-in and security still available? Are these benefits available to non-status pax traveling on same PNR? TIA.
LAX
LAX
#214
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DAY
Programs: UA 1K 1MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Amex MR; Chase UR; Hertz PC; Global Entry
Posts: 10,160
Haven't flown UA domestically for a while. What are the currently available *G benefits on Basic Economy fare? When I tried to do a dummy booking, it appears that a carry on will incur a charge now. Would that get waived like the first checked bag for *G? Is priority check-in and security still available? Are these benefits available to non-status pax traveling on same PNR? TIA.
LAX
LAX
For MileagePlus Premier members or cardholders
You get one free carry-on if you’re a MileagePlus member with Premier status, traveling with a Premier member, or are the primary card member of a qualifying MileagePlus credit card or a Star Alliance Gold member.
#215
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Los Angeles, CA; Philadelphia, PA
Programs: OZ Diamond
Posts: 6,140
LAX
#216
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 96
After booking Basic Economy with no seat assigned (3 adults + 2 children), received an email ~15 min after booking saying "Your family has been assigned seats on your flight to XXX". In the email, it says "Seat information - 29E Middle,29D Aisle,29F Window,28F Window,28E Middle".
However, when I log on and "manage trip", it still shows no seat assigned. Any idea why? Will the assigned seats show up later?
* flight is 4.5 months from now *
However, when I log on and "manage trip", it still shows no seat assigned. Any idea why? Will the assigned seats show up later?
* flight is 4.5 months from now *
Last edited by SilverGGA; Mar 15, 2023 at 12:46 pm
#217
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: SPG, AA, United
Posts: 1,816
After booking Basic Economy with no seat assigned (3 adults + 2 children), received an email ~15 min after booking saying "Your family has been assigned seats on your flight to XXX". In the email, it says "Seat information - 29E Middle,29D Aisle,29F Window,28F Window,28E Middle".
However, when I log on and "manage trip", it still shows no seat assigned. Any idea why? Will the assigned seats show up later?
* flight is 4.5 months from now *
However, when I log on and "manage trip", it still shows no seat assigned. Any idea why? Will the assigned seats show up later?
* flight is 4.5 months from now *
#218
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,861
After booking Basic Economy with no seat assigned (3 adults + 2 children), received an email ~15 min after booking saying "Your family has been assigned seats on your flight to XXX". In the email, it says "Seat information - 29E Middle,29D Aisle,29F Window,28F Window,28E Middle".
However, when I log on and "manage trip", it still shows no seat assigned. Any idea why? Will the assigned seats show up later?
* flight is 4.5 months from now *
However, when I log on and "manage trip", it still shows no seat assigned. Any idea why? Will the assigned seats show up later?
* flight is 4.5 months from now *
#219
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 96
with 29DEF and 28EF, 4 months out with BE, looks like an an example of United Makes It Easier for Families to Sit Together in action
Now I am waiting for the seat assignment to actually show up in the trip management tap. Still within 24 hours of my booking, so will just wait a couple of days.
* my flight is to YVR and it allows carry-on as well. I was thinking carry-on not allowed for BE. Don't have any status or special credit card (except Amex Plat)*
Last edited by SilverGGA; Mar 15, 2023 at 4:41 pm
#220
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: SPG, AA, United
Posts: 1,816
#221
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: United 1k aa exec plat
Posts: 1,842
however obviously this doesnt apply to BE/
or am i wrong?
#222
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,905
I thought 1K doesn't get free seat selection on BE fares.
#223
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,422
The question was whether or not non-UA *G benefits still apply to everyone on a common PNR. You’re correct about 1K, but it doesn’t answer the question directly. (And, yes, the seating benefit doesn’t apply to BE, as you state).
#224
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: SPG, AA, United
Posts: 1,816
Nevertheless, there is a bag fee waiver when using premium cards like the amex plat and chase metal one. I know because my wife and I have these and have designated two different airlines so we don't have any bag fees when booking using the respective card. It's an arrangement between the card company and the airline and is common with many cards.
#225
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,425
Nevertheless, there is a bag fee waiver when using premium cards like the amex plat and chase metal one. I know because my wife and I have these and have designated two different airlines so we don't have any bag fees when booking using the respective card. It's an arrangement between the card company and the airline and is common with many cards.
Similarly, the Chase Sapphire Reserve provides a $300 annual statement credit to offset all purchases that categorize as "travel", but again there is no waiver and a charge will appear for checked bags.
Certain co-branded airline cards, such as the Chase United Explorer card, do provide a negotiated waiver but it is specific to the airline that is part of the branding.