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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Apr 17, 2019, 9:35 am

#3571

FlyerTalker70

Join Date: Nov 2017

Posts: 3,359

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsloan

BE fares can be neither upgraded nor changed, and I can't get an E+ seat at booking even if I don't care about an upgrade and know that I won't change the flight.

Agreed that BE fares can't be changed although the only free changes you'll get with a normal economy ticket are same-day which in my experience doesn't make much of a difference. Otherwise, you'll easily spend hundreds in change fees and fare difference which often negate any cost savings versus buying a new ticket. Having swung the bat countless times with milage upgrades, GPUs sponsored by a GS member or praying for a ToD leads me to believe that these upgrades are mythical (either that or I am extremely unlucky and/or cheap). While UA doesn't publicize it, it is possible to get a free E+ seat with your Basic Economy ticket depending on how you ticket the flight and I'll leave it at that

. Otherwise, travelling Basic Economy I'll still get my meal, 3 checked bags on TATL flights (or 2 on domestic) and most importantly lounge access. While the reduction in PQM does sting a little, I travel enough on TPAC k fares to ensure my continued renewal of Gold status.

-James

Apr 17, 2019, 9:44 am

#3572

jsloan

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2001

Location: Austin, TX

Posts: 21,406

Quote:

Originally Posted by j2simpso

I use SDC regularly (although it's gotten somewhat more difficult recently). And I will happily pay a $300 change fee to rescue a $1000 ticket if I can no longer use it as scheduled.

Quote:

Originally Posted by j2simpso

Having swung the bat countless times with milage upgrades, GPUs sponsored by a GS member or praying for a ToD leads me to believe that these upgrades are mythical (either that or I am extremely unlucky and/or cheap).

I was able to use all of my GPUs each of the past two years. I'm 1/1 so far this year, although I did end up making some alternative travel plans for this summer due to a lack of PZ space. I've only ever waitlisted one (P->O on LH during the window that was possible).

Quote:

Originally Posted by j2simpso

While UA doesn't publicize it, it is possible to get a free E+ seat with your Basic Economy ticket depending on how you ticket the flight and I'll leave it at that

Yes, I saw that, and if I were flying a route with no hope to upgrade and a tiny likelihood of needing to make a change, I might take advantage of it. So far, it hasn't come up.

Apr 17, 2019, 9:49 am

#3573

dmurphynj

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: Morris County, NJ

Programs: UA 1K/*G, Avis Pres, Marriott Plat

Posts: 2,305

Quote:

Originally Posted by j2simpso

Agreed that BE fares can't be changed although the only free changes you'll get with a normal economy ticket are same-day which in my experience doesn't make much of a difference.

Another great example of how different everyone’s travel styles are. Same day flight changes are absolutely crucial to what I do for a living. That’s — by far — the best 1K benefit I get. Bar none.

But again, I’m a domestic road warrior. BE is a nonstarter for me.

Apr 17, 2019, 1:04 pm

#3574

FlyerTalker70

Join Date: Nov 2017

Posts: 3,359

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsloan

I use SDC regularly (although it's gotten somewhat more difficult recently). And I will happily pay a $300 change fee to rescue a $1000 ticket if I can no longer use it as scheduled.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmurphynj

Agreed on the travel patterns bit. If I'm confirmed for a major conference or are planning travel related to the degree I'm pursuing internationally, then I have great certainty of when I need to be at a certain place. Same day changes and flexibility don't mean much for me in that circumstance. And in any event, when you're paying around $320 roundtrip from LHR to SFO in Basic Economy it wouldn't make sense to make a change, even if UA allowed it given the change fees alone would surpass the value of the ticket! On the other hand, I've also seen the other side, where I'm vacationing in HNL and want to spend a couple extra hours on the beech. Being able to pick up my phone and select a late departure out of HNL for nothing extra is real value.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsloan

Out of curiosity, what was your upgrade strategy once you ran out of certificates? ToDs? MUAs?

-James

Apr 18, 2019, 8:10 am

#3575

dmurphynj

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: Morris County, NJ

Programs: UA 1K/*G, Avis Pres, Marriott Plat

Posts: 2,305

Quote:

Originally Posted by j2simpso

That's exactly what I mean... my travel patterns are the total polar opposite. The vast majority of my travel is work related, and constantly changing. Customers cancel meetings, change times, change locations, all kinds of crazy things. Sometimes meetings wrap up early, sometimes they go long. Being able to adjust my schedule on the fly with SDC's means I get to come home to my family in situations where I couldn't otherwise. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten to sleep in my own bed, or get to my son's little league game, or just have a dinner with the family because of SDC's.

On the other hand - my vacation schedules are usually fixed in stone. Those are the least likely times I am to make any kind of change.

Not sure I understand your point about LHR-SFO. SDC's carry no fee for Platinums and up. That's why they're so valuable, and why I'd never consider BE in any form. That's the main, primary driver for me to reach at least Platinum annually. 1K is even nicer of course, but I can still be effective with Platinum.

Apr 18, 2019, 8:53 am

#3576

jsloan

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2001

Location: Austin, TX

Posts: 21,406

Quote:

Originally Posted by j2simpso

Out of curiosity, what was your upgrade strategy once you ran out of certificates? ToDs? MUAs?

Mostly CPUs, because most of my travel is domestic. However, when I had additional long-haul trips beyond those covered by my certificates, I used awards.

Apr 18, 2019, 7:07 pm

#3577

Repooc17

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2017

Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold

Posts: 10,502

Quote:

Originally Posted by j2simpso

Basic Economy is often the way to go these ways with UA. I challenge anyone on the forum to provide a compelling reason to fork over the often $100+ roundtrip to go from Basic Economy to Economy.

50% PQM/0.5 PQS? Middle seat?

I pay the cost to get out of N fares (E fares on DL, X fares on AS, B fares on AA) - usually $30 each way for flights across the country. PP alone is worth the price of admission, but even with no potential for upgrades, being near the front of the plane (e.g. E+) would allow me to get to my destination or back home faster.

Apr 18, 2019, 7:41 pm

#3578

emcampbe

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2006

Location: SFO/SJC

Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold

Posts: 14,889

Quote:

Originally Posted by j2simpso

Basic Economy is often the way to go these ways with UA. I challenge anyone on the forum to provide a compelling reason to fork over the often $100+ roundtrip to go from Basic Economy to Economy.

I’ve mostly seen $60 round trip recently (used to be $30-50, but more recently, at least on my routes, $60 is the norm now, and distance seems not to be a factor any longer).

Changes are the big thing for me. I’ve got young kids, and even though our travel is mostly leisure, and I haven't bought a ticket less than $200 (the change fee) probably in 10 years,’maybe longer (based out of a medium aize Midwest city), and you just never know when kids get sick last minute, etc. so even though changes don’t happen super often, they do, and losing the full value is just not something I’m willing to do. Seating the family together is also problematic - I realize you can buy seats now, but then when looking at the all in costs, makes it even less reasonable to buy BE because the delta between BE and regular becomes that much smaller. Add in the extra room in E+ helps, and it’s a no brainer.

And that doesn’t even include anything about mileage/PQM - We are often close to the threshold, so even a trip or two with reduced PQM can mean a lower level (only silver this year, but many years we only were gold by a few hundred miles

Apr 23, 2019, 9:50 pm

#3579

skylane

Join Date: Sep 2001

Location: San Diego, CA

Programs: UA 1K MM, AA Gold, SPG Plat, HH Gold

Posts: 991

$98 BE versus $149 SAN-DEN. As a 1k, I'll take the $50 and sit in back. I'll let you know if I get my free 1k snack.

Southwest wanted $350...

Apr 25, 2019, 11:18 am

#3580

azfanboy

Join Date: Dec 2015

Programs: UA Mileage Plus

Posts: 300

1K Companions on BE Ticket

I am 1K flying on a regular economy ticket. My cousins will be on a BE ticket on the same flight. Can they get pre-assigned E+ seats if I add them on to my reservation now that they already bought the tickets?
Thanks!

Apr 25, 2019, 11:19 am

#3581

FightingIlliniUAL

Join Date: Sep 2003

Location: NTTB

Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Plat

Posts: 4,649

No seat assignments

Apr 25, 2019, 11:37 am

#3582

azfanboy

Join Date: Dec 2015

Programs: UA Mileage Plus

Posts: 300

Thanks.

Apr 25, 2019, 11:42 am

#3583

threeoh

Join Date: Sep 2014

Posts: 2,531

The one thing you might be able to do is get them in preboard / BG1 with you, which would allow them to bring a full-size carry-on. I'd give it a 80% chance.

There is no way to "add them to your reservation" unfortunately.

Apr 25, 2019, 12:15 pm

#3584

azfanboy

Join Date: Dec 2015

Programs: UA Mileage Plus

Posts: 300

Thanks. I guess tough luck for them. Told them not do BE, it was only a $30 difference in fare.

May 2, 2019, 4:27 pm

#3585

thektwins

Join Date: May 2018

Posts: 4

Sorry, similar question. I am GS, and fly BE once a month, and pretty much always get an E+ seat which shows up in my app about 2 days before (and even then I get an occasional "how'd you end up back here?" joke from the FAs.). I am flying BE with my daughter next month, who has no status. Will they courtesy assign us both E+ seats if available, or will they assign her to the back even though she's on the same booking? Also, will she be allowed a full sized carry on?