Feb 9, 2019, 5:12 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
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:
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
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.
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}
Dec 11, 2018, 7:42 am
#3451
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,361
Note: As of today, it appears that BE purchases will earn 100% PQD and 50% PQM. This is in conjunction with the re-branding of TATL "Light" fares as "Basic Economy," but it seems to apply to domestic BE also. "Basic Economy" now appears as a category in the PQM earnings table, and if you look at search results for a BE fare, you'll now see non-zero values for PQM and PQD.
TATL Basic Economy does not have an impact on boarding group and does not come with a carry-on restriction. Domestic Basic Economy still has both.
TATL Basic Economy does not have an impact on boarding group and does not come with a carry-on restriction. Domestic Basic Economy still has both.
Dec 11, 2018, 7:54 am
#3452
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Clinging to the edifices of a decadent past from the biggest city in America nobody really cares about.
Programs: (ಠ_ಠ)
Posts: 9,077
Moderator Edit - please use this thread to discuss issues pertaining to general UA Basic Economy issue / questions.
For specific issues / questions related to the TATL market (transatlantic), please see: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...-100-pqds.html
For specific issues / questions related to the TATL market (transatlantic), please see: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...-100-pqds.html
Dec 11, 2018, 8:33 am
#3453
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: EWR
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Gold (Current Platinum), United Mileage Plus, Avis Preferred
Posts: 850
Note: As of today, it appears that BE purchases will earn 100% PQD and 50% PQM. This is in conjunction with the re-branding of TATL "Light" fares as "Basic Economy," but it seems to apply to domestic BE also. "Basic Economy" now appears as a category in the PQM earnings table, and if you look at search results for a BE fare, you'll now see non-zero values for PQM and PQD.
TATL Basic Economy does not have an impact on boarding group and does not come with a carry-on restriction. Domestic Basic Economy still has both.
TATL Basic Economy does not have an impact on boarding group and does not come with a carry-on restriction. Domestic Basic Economy still has both.
Dec 12, 2018, 9:19 am
#3454
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Denver CO
Programs: *A Gold, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 14
Clarification on PQS & Basic Economy
Apologies if this has been discussed elsewhere. Search revealed nothing I could use to answer this question definitively.
I’m 56 segments into my year with UA and currently Premier Gold. By way of some mistakes from admin assistance, I have 6 segments between now and the end of the year that were booked as Basic Economy.
It is my understanding from a lot of information posted that tickets booked as Basic Economy do not earn PQS. However, when I look at the reservation and accrual information for the flights on the UA app, I see an accrual of 2.5 PQS.
Is this an accurate forecast of the PQS value as it applies to re-qualifying for Premier Gold, or is this an error?
I’m trying to sort this out with certainty so I can plan a final flight or, if necessary, a segment run.
If it matters, I also am a UA MP credit card customer.
I’m 56 segments into my year with UA and currently Premier Gold. By way of some mistakes from admin assistance, I have 6 segments between now and the end of the year that were booked as Basic Economy.
It is my understanding from a lot of information posted that tickets booked as Basic Economy do not earn PQS. However, when I look at the reservation and accrual information for the flights on the UA app, I see an accrual of 2.5 PQS.
Is this an accurate forecast of the PQS value as it applies to re-qualifying for Premier Gold, or is this an error?
I’m trying to sort this out with certainty so I can plan a final flight or, if necessary, a segment run.
If it matters, I also am a UA MP credit card customer.
Last edited by bdegroodt; Dec 12, 2018 at 9:22 am Reason: Error on ticket type
Dec 12, 2018, 9:26 am
#3455
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,000
Footnote in Premier Qualifications page: "Effective for travel on or after December 11, 2018: All Basic Economy tickets will earn 50% Premier qualifying miles and 0.5 Premier qualifying segments. Basic Economy tickets may be booked in various fare classes."
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...r/qualify.html
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...r/qualify.html
Dec 12, 2018, 9:45 am
#3456
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Denver CO
Programs: *A Gold, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 14
Footnote in Premier Qualifications page: "Effective for travel on or after December 11, 2018: All Basic Economy tickets will earn 50% Premier qualifying miles and 0.5 Premier qualifying segments. Basic Economy tickets may be booked in various fare classes."
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...r/qualify.html
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...r/qualify.html
Dec 13, 2018, 11:23 am
#3457
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 6
United Basic Economy Bag & CC
I recently purchased a BE ticket with my Mileage Plus Explorer CC. It is my understanding that carry on bags are free and a checked bag is free when purchased with a CC.
On the United website it states that when checking in with a BE ticket that if you are not checking a bag you have to check in with an agent and not online.
Is that correct even if the ticket was purchased with the MileagePlus CC?
I can gladly say I am checking a bag and then not check one to get a boarding pass, but that doesnt make all that much sense.
On the United website it states that when checking in with a BE ticket that if you are not checking a bag you have to check in with an agent and not online.
Is that correct even if the ticket was purchased with the MileagePlus CC?
I can gladly say I am checking a bag and then not check one to get a boarding pass, but that doesnt make all that much sense.
Dec 13, 2018, 11:54 am
#3458
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,361
Dec 15, 2018, 8:59 am
#3459
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Southern Europe/USA
Posts: 661
United Explorer Card benefit after previous BE purchase?
Bought a BE domestic ticket a couple of months ago but only now have a United Explorer card. Might I be able to obtain any benefits of the card when I check in from home or via the kiosk?
Dec 15, 2018, 1:54 pm
#3460
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,392
Yes, you'll get Group 2 boarding and a carry-on, plus a checked bag if you paid with the card.
Dec 15, 2018, 4:52 pm
#3462
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,361
You shouldn't need to present it on check in. You should get those benefits automatically once the Explorer Card is registered on your account. You'll see a note on your MileagePlus account page that says "Expiration waived" along with a question mark; if you click on the question mark, it'll tell you that your miles won't expire as long as you're a cardmember. That's the signal that UA has made the connection between your card and your account, and the benefits will kick in automatically. (Everything except the free first checked bag, which does require using the card to buy the ticket).
Dec 15, 2018, 7:16 pm
#3463
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,881
While I haven’t seen any reports specific to BE, And you can’t buy E+ with a BE fare, I’d be surprised if purchasing a seat assignment with the card didn’t flag the reservation for a free checked bag. YMMV, of course.
Dec 18, 2018, 7:42 am
#3464
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: MRY
Programs: UA 1K, HH Diamond, National EE
Posts: 19
GG code for full size carry-on exception
Is there a GG code one can reference for the exceptions to full-size carry-on restrictions for Premiers and CC holders?
Upon check-in at CAE this morning (contractor station, UX only), the agent charged a coworker (primary Explorer cardholder) for a carry-on fitting the 22x14x10 sizer, despite showing the agent the BE T&C on the website and the baggage info of the reservation on the App. Agent called UA and then stated "even for 1Ks and elites we'd have to charge if it doesn't fit under the seat as a personal item".
Would be nice to have a GG that an agent could reference to clear up any confusion.
Upon check-in at CAE this morning (contractor station, UX only), the agent charged a coworker (primary Explorer cardholder) for a carry-on fitting the 22x14x10 sizer, despite showing the agent the BE T&C on the website and the baggage info of the reservation on the App. Agent called UA and then stated "even for 1Ks and elites we'd have to charge if it doesn't fit under the seat as a personal item".
Would be nice to have a GG that an agent could reference to clear up any confusion.
Last edited by Scuba2P; Dec 18, 2018 at 7:58 am
Dec 18, 2018, 9:03 am
#3465
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,361
Is there a GG code one can reference for the exceptions to full-size carry-on restrictions for Premiers and CC holders?
Upon check-in at CAE this morning (contractor station, UX only), the agent charged a coworker (primary Explorer cardholder) for a carry-on fitting the 22x14x10 sizer, despite showing the agent the BE T&C on the website and the baggage info of the reservation on the App. Agent called UA and then stated "even for 1Ks and elites we'd have to charge if it doesn't fit under the seat as a personal item".
Would be nice to have a GG that an agent could reference to clear up any confusion.
Upon check-in at CAE this morning (contractor station, UX only), the agent charged a coworker (primary Explorer cardholder) for a carry-on fitting the 22x14x10 sizer, despite showing the agent the BE T&C on the website and the baggage info of the reservation on the App. Agent called UA and then stated "even for 1Ks and elites we'd have to charge if it doesn't fit under the seat as a personal item".
Would be nice to have a GG that an agent could reference to clear up any confusion.
Was your coworker in boarding group 5?