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United's Basic Economy - Discussion, Q&A, ... {Archive}

Old Feb 9, 2019, 5:12 pm
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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:
  • 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 dont 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
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United's Basic Economy - Discussion, Q&A, ... {Archive}

Old Jun 4, 2018, 5:54 pm
  #3241  
 
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Originally Posted by EmailKid
Sure, N is listed as United Economy, but it has a ton of restrictions.

Guess we'll have to agree to disagree on our guesses.

Hopefully an FA or a 1K with actual experience will chime it.
Yes, I've flown SFO/SEA a few times on an N fare when the difference was +$40 each way for G. In addition to always being assigned an E+ seat at check-in (even though E- was available), I also received my food/drink item. Wasn't treated any differently on board.
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Old Jun 4, 2018, 6:08 pm
  #3242  
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Originally Posted by cagcag
Hello. Are 1K flyers traveling in BE offered the usual economy free snacks/drinks?
Thanks
have no idea for sure, but when BE was rolled out, UA specifically said that the onboard product was the same (includes free entertainment on the planes that have it, free snacks/beverages, etc.). Based on that, Id guess yes.

Originally Posted by EmailKid
Pretty sure the answer is no. For all intents and purposes BE is a Kettle fare to compete with ULCCs who offer NOTHING for free other than personal item.
maybe (or so UA says - its more a revenue grab, IMO). But BE is essentially just the lowest Y fare class that comes with restrictions. As mentioned, was originally soecificallt stated to have same onbord services. What makes you pretty sure (not trying to be combatitive - Im seriously curious).

Originally Posted by physioprof
Once you're on the plane, how would a flight attendant know you're on a BE fare?
Dont know if fare is actually indicated, but Im pretty sure the app on the FA devices could at least theoretically do it. It definitely indicates status, and even name based on the seat they select - I know because last time I did BOB, they selected my seat and name came up with the seat number (they selected this before taking my payment). Couldnt be that difficult to put fare class, or at least an indication for BE, there.

Originally Posted by EmailKid
Bolding mine. BE is not Economy, but again, we'll have to wait for first hand report, and we all know FA can bend the rules or make up their own .....
BE is economy (what do you think the E part stands for) - its just got additional restrictions on these fares.
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Old Jun 4, 2018, 6:22 pm
  #3243  
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Originally Posted by pushmyredbutton
Yes, I've flown SFO/SEA a few times on an N fare when the difference was +$40 each way for G. In addition to always being assigned an E+ seat at check-in (even though E- was available), I also received my food/drink item. Wasn't treated any differently on board.
OK, my guess is WRONG

With first hand information I may consider BE fares in the future - I have ruled them out in the past, but now that I'm done chasing MM .....

Originally Posted by emcampbe

maybe (or so UA says - its more a revenue grab, IMO). But BE is essentially just the lowest Y fare class that comes with restrictions. As mentioned, was originally soecificallt stated to have same onbord services. What makes you pretty sure (not trying to be combatitive - Im seriously curious).

BE is economy (what do you think the E part stands for) - its just got additional restrictions on these fares.
Disagree on money grab, but that's another discussion (yes BE discussion). But UA is very conscious of money, hence my (apparently false) assumption that they would not give away something that a passenger would not receive on ULCC.

Sure it's economy, but it's very restrictive economy - not in advance purchase, but about where you sit, don't earn miles, aren't eligible for upgrades.
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Old Jun 4, 2018, 7:43 pm
  #3244  
 
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Originally Posted by EmailKid
OK, my guess is WRONG

With first hand information I may consider BE fares in the future - I have ruled them out in the past, but now that I'm done chasing MM .....
TBH, if you have some sort of status, BE on short routes such as SFO-LAX/LAS/SEA really isn't all that bad. I'll give up my shot of an upgrade and some measly lifetime miles to save ~$75 roundtrip. I still get the same group 1, carry-on, food/drink, and never failed to get an E+ window or aisle.

Losing the ability to SDC takes some getting used to on the shorter, more frequent routes though.
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Old Jun 6, 2018, 12:21 pm
  #3245  
 
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Yes, BE has gone international (selectively)
The domesticated version indeed has. I'm seeing Caribbean markets with N fares as of yesterday.
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Old Jun 9, 2018, 9:39 am
  #3246  
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Basic Economy Upsell: $116 to $528

I almost never book Basic Economy (and have the app set not to show me Basic Economy results) but today came across this differential, which is a tad more than the usual $25 upsell.



What is going on?
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Old Jun 9, 2018, 10:12 am
  #3247  
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Originally Posted by helvetic
What is going on?
United trying to run a business? Maybe they've decided that all the extra perks you get with Standard Economy are worth it?
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Old Jun 9, 2018, 10:18 am
  #3248  
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Originally Posted by helvetic
I almost never book Basic Economy (and have the app set not to show me Basic Economy results) but today came across this differential, which is a tad more than the usual $25 upsell.



What is going on?
Is this a close-in flight?

There have been a few examples of this, where UA is trying to compete with a low-cost ULCC fare without destroying their pricing power for business travelers. So far, they've all been 0-advance purchase G-BN or K-BN fares that don't have a corresponding regular economy fare.

Basically, it's an example of UA attempting to use BE for what they said it was for -- ULCC competition -- instead of simply as a fare increase.
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Old Jun 9, 2018, 10:25 am
  #3249  
 
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Originally Posted by jsloan
Is this a close-in flight?

There have been a few examples of this, where UA is trying to compete with a low-cost ULCC fare without destroying their pricing power for business travelers. So far, they've all been 0-advance purchase G-BN or K-BN fares that don't have a corresponding regular economy fare.

Basically, it's an example of UA attempting to use BE for what they said it was for -- ULCC competition -- instead of simply as a fare increase.
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.
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Old Jun 9, 2018, 10:29 am
  #3250  
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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.
As a frequent last-minute non-business traveler who values E+/F (and, to a lesser extent, PQD), I assure you, this wouldn't capture me. But I can't argue that much with the strategy; it's certainly a better one than their initial strategy of trying to sell Y-BN fares. I'm also not familiar with that route, so I don't know if it used to be common to get the $61 fare as a last-minute traveler or if $505 was the usual price.

ETA: upon re-reading, I should point out that I also normally have a great deal of destination flexibility. I haven't been offered a $400 BE difference on a flight that I actually needed to take. I don't want it to sound like I'd pay the extra $400; I'd simply decide, "well, SFO-DFW is out..."

Last edited by jsloan; Jun 9, 2018 at 10:42 am
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Old Jun 9, 2018, 10:37 am
  #3251  
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Jeez. SFO-DFW day-of. If it were where I live, I'd buy that in a heartbeat. I could sell the BBQ/tamales I bring back for more.
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Old Jun 9, 2018, 10:43 am
  #3252  
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Originally Posted by jsloan
But I can't argue that much with the strategy; it's certainly a better one than their initial strategy of trying to sell Y-BN fares.
Agreed, at least it's not just a disguised fare increase, which is what BE has mostly turned out to be. Though if I were UA, I'd be concerned about cannibalizing sales of the expensive fares, a concern that's been expressed every time someone points out one of these large fare discrepancies.
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Old Jun 9, 2018, 10:45 am
  #3253  
 
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wow, that is a weird one.

AS is $452 o/w (12:30 departure)
AA is $505 for 11 am departure
UA is $62 (BE) for a 10:41 am departure.

and there is only one seat (10E) empty on the plane.

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

p.s. same $61 BE fare is also available on Wed 6/13, when the plane is 40% empty per the seat map.
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Old Jun 9, 2018, 10:47 am
  #3254  
 
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Originally Posted by spin88
wow, that is a weird one.

AS is $452 o/w (12:30 departure)
AA is $505 for 11 am departure
UA is $62 (BE) for a 10:41 am departure.

and there is only one seat (10E) empty on the plane.

This fare has to be the result of incompetence on the part of UA's fare/IT department.
AA has an identical $61 fare from OAK-DFW, maybe that's what UA was trying to match?
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Old Jun 9, 2018, 10:54 am
  #3255  
 
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Originally Posted by pushmyredbutton
AA has an identical $61 fare from OAK-DFW, maybe that's what UA was trying to match?
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.
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