Feb 9, 2019, 5:12 pm

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This is an archive thread -- the active thread is United's Basic Economy - Discussion, Q&A, ...

Important Note: these fares became available 21 Feb 2017 for MSP for travel beginning 18 Apr 2017. More markets were added 19 April 2017 for travel starting 9 May 2017.

Related thread: Basic Economy Airport and Plane Experiences (First or Second Hand)

If you booked before the dates above, you did not have a BE fare. If purchased on united.com you will see a warning like:

4. MileagePlus members will earn full Premier qualifying dollars, 50% Premier qualifying miles and 0.5 Premier qualifying segments for each flight, as well as lifetime miles and toward the four-segment minimum.

Link to UA's description of how these fares will work: Basic Economy.

Here are the key facts:

No seat assignments until check-in. Seats will be assigned by the system and cannot be changed.
*NEW* When purchasing a Basic Economy ticket, you will not receive a complimentary seat assignment but may be able to purchase advance seat assignments during booking and up until check-in opens. 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
Carry on limited to 1 personal item unless the customer is a MP Premier member, primary cardmember of a qualifying MileagePlus credit card, or Star Alliance *G
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 will not be eligible for Economy Plus or premium cabin upgrades. This includes all forms of upgrades (CPU,supported or purchased). Likewise for E+ access (elite or purchased).
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
Companions on same PNR will have same boarding group and carryon if one on the PNR has a waiver
No combinability with regular economy fares or partner carriers. Interline travel is not permitted.
Tickets will earn RDMs (based on fare and status), PQMs (50% of distance), PQSs (0.5), PQDs, in addition it will count for minimum 4 segment and lifetime miles (New as of Dec 2018)
Basic Economy tickets will use booking code 'N'
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.

In air, passengers will receive the same standard economy inflight amenities including United Economy dining options, inflight entertainment, United Wi-Fi (availability depending on the flight)

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}

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Jun 9, 2018, 10:58 am

#3256

Kacee

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Apr 2013

Location: PHX

Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)

Posts: 56,453

Quote:

Originally Posted by spin88

This fare has to be the result of incompetence on the part of UA's fare/IT department.

Didn't you hear, UA's RM always knows exactly what it's doing. They're much smarter than we are.

Jun 9, 2018, 11:16 am

#3257

jsloan

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2001

Location: Austin, TX

Posts: 21,402

Quote:

Originally Posted by pushmyredbutton

AA has an identical $61 fare from OAK-DFW, maybe that's what UA was trying to match?

NK has a similar fare on DFW-OAK. F9 has a similar fare on DFW-SFO. Neither of them have an advance purchase requirement. AA has an identical BE fare filed DFW-SFO. AA, AS, and UA all have 21-day advance purchase fares filed for $20 more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spin88

maybe, but that is really, really stupid programing. AA's fare itself is sort of stupid too, but the flight leaves oak at 11:49pm (i.e. its a red-eye), but even then the BE is rather strange at $61, but perhaps that is what you get when you have 29 seats empty the morning before a late evening red-eye.

OK, so as nearly as I can tell: If a fare is low, UA is stupid for selling a low fare. If a fare is high, UA is stupid for trying to overcharge customers. Did I get that right? If this is stupidity, it's a shared stupidity between the major carriers in the market.

The likelihood that they'll sell the fare to anyone today, one hour prior to departure, is quite low. The buckets simply normalized to permit SDC, the way that they were always supposed to but haven't always done. If they do find someone who's within 5 minutes of the airport and thinks, "whee, four hours in a middle seat for $61; Dallas, here I come," then that's $61 they wouldn't otherwise have.

UA opens G inventory when they don't think they can sell the seats at a higher price point; here, they're trying to do so in a way that preserves the business traveler market segmentation.

Jun 9, 2018, 4:57 pm

#3258

helvetic

Join Date: Jan 2011

Location: HKG • Ex SFO, NYC

Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Marriott Amb; Hyatt Globalist; Shangri-la Diamond; IHG SpireAmb; Hilton D; Accor G

Posts: 3,319

Ok, so now we know. Impressive differential, but it's starting to make more sense as a fare with no advance purchase requirement.

This was next-day ORD-SFO, by the way.

Jun 16, 2018, 5:34 pm

#3259

docbert

Join Date: Jul 2007

Location: San Francisco/Sydney

Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC

Posts: 8,156

Quote:

Originally Posted by pushmyredbutton

Likely the case here. As an example, UA294 today SFO-DFW is showing a $61 BE fare with a massive $444 upcharge. They aren't really matching a ULCC, though, but it does make sense to capture the last minute non-biz travelers I suppose.

Just came across the same thing on the same route in reverse. DFW-SFO on either Sunday (tomorrow!) or Monday only.

Only available on the first flight out, despite all flights for the day being N9, so I'm guessing the fare rules are limiting it to just this one flight.

Jun 16, 2018, 6:00 pm

#3260

jsloan

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2001

Location: Austin, TX

Posts: 21,402

Quote:

Originally Posted by docbert

Only available on the first flight out, despite all flights for the day being N9, so I'm guessing the fare rules are limiting it to just this one flight.

Fare rule:

Quote:

FROM DFW - PERMITTED 500AM TO 959AM DAILY. TO DFW - PERMITTED 800AM TO 1159AM DAILY.

In addition to this, it's a G fare, so you need both G and N inventory. N is (almost always) equal to Y, so that's rarely a problem. The fare rules limit the applicability to the first two flights Monday; inventory excludes the second morning flight (which is G0).

Jun 22, 2018, 11:06 pm

#3261

tobiashenry

Join Date: Dec 2015

Location: YVR/YUL/LHR/HKG

Programs: TK Gold

Posts: 576

Quote:

Originally Posted by TWA884

From the email confirmation of my most recent Basic Economy ticket (the flight was less than two weeks ago):

Perhaps you are correct, the one companion limitation appears to apply only to the first checked bag fee waiver.

just to update you guys - all three of us get group 2 and I’m also surprised all are granted with one check bag and I can also have same day change with another flight....

i also wonder to see if I hop on a detour flight whether I get more miles

Jun 23, 2018, 9:00 am

#3262

emcampbe

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2006

Location: SFO/SJC

Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold

Posts: 14,884

Quote:

Originally Posted by tobiashenry

miles are done based on fare paid - I can almost guarantee that there are no additional RDM, and outside of IRROPS where you could theoretically be booked in a higher class, 0 PQMs.

Jun 23, 2018, 9:43 am

#3263

lincolnjkc

Join Date: Feb 2005

Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet

Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC

Posts: 4,162

Quote:

Originally Posted by emcampbe

miles are done based on fare paid - I can almost guarantee that there are no additional RDM, and outside of IRROPS where you could theoretically be booked in a higher class, 0 PQMs.

Also my last couple IROPS events credited PQM has matched booked/paid not rebooked -- e.g. a week ago I had an "E" fare turn into a "Y" rebooking but I only got credit for the E -- and had enough sense not to even bother asking for the Y credit

. If SDC really is an option for BE it seems like the only option that would make sense would be to take a shorter/more direct routing as you aren't getting more RDMs, you aren't getting any PQM/PQS...

Jun 23, 2018, 9:59 am

#3264

tobiashenry

Join Date: Dec 2015

Location: YVR/YUL/LHR/HKG

Programs: TK Gold

Posts: 576

Quote:

Originally Posted by emcampbe

miles are done based on fare paid - I can almost guarantee that there are no additional RDM, and outside of IRROPS where you could theoretically be booked in a higher class, 0 PQMs.

oh what if I am not crediting with United. I'm actually crediting with my TK Gold account instead.

Jun 23, 2018, 12:09 pm

#3265

jsloan

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2001

Location: Austin, TX

Posts: 21,402

Quote:

Originally Posted by tobiashenry

oh what if I am not crediting with United. I'm actually crediting with my TK Gold account instead.

Since TK apparently still gives 50% for N fares, yes, if you SDC to a longer routing, you'd likely get additional miles. Are you sure you have a Basic Economy ticket? This is the first report I've seen of SDC eligibility in the 14 months these fares have existed.

Jun 24, 2018, 4:10 am

#3266

zeer0

Join Date: Jan 2017

Location: SFO/SJC/OAK

Programs: OZ Diamond (*G), KQ Asante Gold (ST+), Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond, Marriott Gold

Posts: 1,511

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsloan

No SDC on BE tickets as non-UA *G in my experience. But a much better chance to get E+ than with non-BE tickets.

Jun 25, 2018, 11:29 am

#3267

Yunnnn

Join Date: Nov 2016

Posts: 121

Did UA just introduce Basic Economy overnight to Mexico?

I was looking at fares from PVD to CUN and was pretty sure it was in the L Bucket last night at $178. Woke up this morning and saw N introduced...at $178. BE costs $25 more.

Jun 25, 2018, 11:48 am

#3268

jsloan

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2001

Location: Austin, TX

Posts: 21,402

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yunnnn

Did UA just introduce Basic Economy overnight to Mexico?

No; the BE fares have been in place for at least a week, but less than a month.

Jun 25, 2018, 12:43 pm

#3269

tobiashenry

Join Date: Dec 2015

Location: YVR/YUL/LHR/HKG

Programs: TK Gold

Posts: 576

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsloan

I definitely purchased a BE fare because there is a little pop up telling me on UA apps that this is a BE fare and you should buy luggage...... and surprisingly that I can change/standby my flight with various options on one day before I check in my flight

Jul 3, 2018, 9:29 am

#3270

IamHungry

Join Date: Oct 2010

Location: Chicago, IL

Posts: 488

I bought a BE ticket and have not yet checked in (My flight is leaving less than 24 hours). I looked at the seat map and all economy seats were all greyed out. Does it mean I might get to sit in Economy plus at the time of check in at the airport?