Feb 9, 2019, 5:12 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

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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Oct 17, 2018, 1:20 pm

#3421

BobOscar

Join Date: Nov 2017

Posts: 204

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3Cforme

Spokespeople get paid to pay stupid things to support the company line, but I don't believe that UA execs or equity analysts are really dumb enough to believe this.

A stated goal of Basic Economy fares is to compete with ULCCs. Will an inferior product - no seat assignments, no redeemable miles, no elite miles, no carry-on - at the same price as 'normal UA' today help UA better compete with Frontier (or Allegiant, or Spirit, or Delta's Basic Economy)?

UA may think it will force some people into higher fare buckets to maintain service attributes deleted from Basic economy. If they could get away with a $30 price increase on a large fraction of coach fares don't you think they'd do it today? Do you think the same 'normal' product at a higher price will help UA compete with Delta, AA, Alaska, Virgin American et al?

There are lots of factors that go into pricing across city pairs and over time, but no, UA is not going to get the same average discount coach fare systemwide it gets today for the upcoming Basic Economy.

Wasn't TED UA's earlier attempt to compete with ULCCs? And it failed fairly quickly.

Oct 17, 2018, 1:45 pm

#3422

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 LAX

Do *Gs get free baggage on BE fares? What about other no status companions on same PNR? TIA.

LAX

Yes. If non UA *G, you +1 non status companion both get free baggage.

Oct 17, 2018, 2:07 pm

#3423

Salem

Join Date: Oct 2018

Posts: 2

Purchase Economy Plus on United

I've purchased a Basic Economy seat on connecting flights already. Can I still upgrade to Economy Plus? The flight I'd like to upgrade is the 5+ hour flight from IAD to PDX. How much does it cost? is the cost added on to what I've already paid and confirmed, or would I have to cancel the original and buy a new flight plan?

Oct 17, 2018, 2:11 pm

#3424

brp1264

Join Date: Nov 2011

Location: YUL

Programs: UA 1K, MR Bonvoy Bonzaiiiii, National EE

Posts: 622

No, you cannot.

You can give United a call and see what your options are, but I suspect you'll have to pay at a minimum the fare difference to regular economy and then the cost of economy plus. You may also be charged a flight change fee as well.

Oct 17, 2018, 2:27 pm

#3425

jsloan

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2001

Location: Austin, TX

Posts: 21,395

Quote:

Originally Posted by brp1264

You can give United a call and see what your options are, but I suspect you'll have to pay at a minimum the fare difference to regular economy and then the cost of economy plus. You may also be charged a flight change fee as well.

If OP actually purchased BE, UA will not allow it to be changed to a regular economy ticket.

OP: if it is less than 24 hours since your purchase, you can call UA and cancel if this is important to you. Otherwise, you're basically stuck unless there's a flight schedule change, which might allow you a refund.

Oct 17, 2018, 3:00 pm

#3426

Salem

Join Date: Oct 2018

Posts: 2

Upgrade at the airport?

Thank you both for replying. I've heard that I may be able to get an upgrade to Economy Plus at the last minute. When and where would I request this?

Oct 17, 2018, 3:02 pm

#3427

IAH-OIL-TRASH

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Sep 2003

Location: Honolulu Harbor

Programs: UA 1K

Posts: 15,018

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salem

Thank you both for replying. I've heard that I may be able to get an upgrade to Economy Plus at the last minute. When and where would I request this?

You can't request it. You may be assigned one if regular economy seats run out. When you bought your ticket, this screen pops up and to go any farther, you had to agree to the terms and conditions by clicking in the box. It says pretty explicitly that you will not be able to buy up your seat. Again - you may be assigned one free if regular economy seats are full but UA will assign it and you have no selection ability. There's actually useful information here that one should know before buying a BE ticket.

Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Oct 17, 2018 at 3:14 pm

Oct 17, 2018, 6:08 pm

#3428

Kacee

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Apr 2013

Location: PHX

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

Posts: 56,450

You can cancel your BE purchase for a refund within 24 hours of purchase, and then purchase instead a fare which allows you to purchase E+.

Oct 17, 2018, 7:54 pm

#3429

LAX

Join Date: Nov 2004

Location: Los Angeles, CA; Philadelphia, PA

Programs: OZ Diamond

Posts: 6,134

Thanks. I did mean non-UA *G. I am glad to hear that *G still has some values on UA.

LAX

Oct 28, 2018, 11:33 am

#3430

beerstine1

Join Date: Oct 2018

Programs: united

Posts: 2

United Explorer Carry on bag for my wife

I have the United explorer CC and am looking to book a flight. I understand I can get a free checked bag for me and my spouse by using the card to purchase the tickets, I was wondering if we can both have a carry on as well if I book a basic economy ticket or would I be the only one entitled to a free carry on bag?

Oct 28, 2018, 1:08 pm

#3431

threeoh

Join Date: Sep 2014

Posts: 2,531

Quote:

Originally Posted by beerstine1

Yes, if you are on the same reservation you will both be Boarding Group 2 and can both bring a carry-on. I have done this many times.

If you're nervous, jut make sure both of your boarding passes say BG2 after you check in. If they say BG5, then you have a problem. It's the boarding group that determines whether you can bring a carry-on or not. BG5 = no bag.

Oct 28, 2018, 1:16 pm

#3432

beerstine1

Join Date: Oct 2018

Programs: united

Posts: 2

Thanks so much for the reply! Happy travels

Nov 8, 2018, 10:53 am

#3433

RobOnLI

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2003

Location: Floating around

Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT

Posts: 10,343

Another crazy price differential. Less than a week out from a LGA-ORD flight and BE is pricing at $53. Lowest economy one-way is $283. That's a $230 differential.

-RM

Nov 8, 2018, 1:24 pm

#3434

threeoh

Join Date: Sep 2014

Posts: 2,531

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobOnLI

Another crazy price differential. Less than a week out from a LGA-ORD flight and BE is pricing at $53. Lowest economy one-way is $283. That's a $230 differential.

-RM

What is NK at?

Nov 8, 2018, 1:48 pm

#3435

xliioper

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jul 2003

Posts: 23,050

Quote:

Originally Posted by threeoh

What is NK at?

AA, DL, UA are all matching the NK fare with BE. DL has a highly restricted main cabin V fare for $30 more with no advance purchase requirement, while UA/AA do not and hence the big price jump on them. Here's the DL day/time restrictions which align with the NK flight times --DAY/TIME APPLICATION

FROM CHI - PERMITTED 1201AM TO 615AM TUE/WED OR 900AM TO 1000AM TUE/WED OR 100PM TO 200PM TUE/WED.
TO CHI - PERMITTED 900AM TO 100PM TUE/WED OR 900PM TO MIDNIGHT TUE/WED.