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}
Jul 20, 2017, 8:24 am
#2147
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, AA Plat Pro, VS Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 838
I wonder if American will copy United's full BE deployment strategy in the long term since I have to imagine that was Kirby's plan at AA. I don't think Delta will match because they're using BE more selectively... and let's not forget they've had years of experience with BE. And finally, Alaska, JetBlue Southwest and Virgin are unlikely to roll out BE any time soon (if ever), so even if AA and DL do fully deploy BE, UA will always have to deal with the potential of those 4 carriers matching a BE fare with a full service offering, potentially leading to the passenger booking away from UA for that flight. So to Kirby's point that UA will be at a disadvantage until other carriers fully deploy, I'm not entirely sure I agree with his premise.
Jul 20, 2017, 8:33 am
#2148
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
I've been looking for flights in December, and UA did not have BE filed for the routes I looked at while both AA and DL did. Granted, you could get regular Economy for about $20 more each way.
Jul 20, 2017, 9:04 am
#2149
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 214
I wonder if American will copy United's full BE deployment strategy in the long term since I have to imagine that was Kirby's plan at AA. I don't think Delta will match because they're using BE more selectively... and let's not forget they've had years of experience with BE. And finally, Alaska, JetBlue Southwest and Virgin are unlikely to roll out BE any time soon (if ever), so even if AA and DL do fully deploy BE, UA will always have to deal with the potential of those 4 carriers matching a BE fare with a full service offering, potentially leading to the passenger booking away from UA for that flight. So to Kirby's point that UA will be at a disadvantage until other carriers fully deploy, I'm not entirely sure I agree with his premise.
Jul 20, 2017, 1:56 pm
#2150
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: SNA/LAX, PHL
Programs: AA Gold, AS MVP, WN A-List, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Exp, Hertz PC
Posts: 449
Am I correct in saying that the only differences between BE and Y for Star Golds are:
1. The inability to select seats; and,
2. No same-day changes?
1. The inability to select seats; and,
2. No same-day changes?
Jul 20, 2017, 2:02 pm
#2151
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Delta Platinum Medallion; IHG Platinum; Marriott Gold; Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,071
Jul 20, 2017, 2:14 pm
#2152
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,424
2. (as nycityny noted) No changes or refunds of any kind. Fly the ticket as booked or its value is forfeit.
3. No Premier or lifetime credit if accruing to UA; most *A FFPs also give zero credit for UA N fares.
Jul 20, 2017, 4:38 pm
#2153
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
)
Jul 20, 2017, 11:54 pm
#2154
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
If it was just those two, I'd be fine buying BE. The sucker is you won't earn miles with most programs. Mine is generous in that it at least gives redeemable miles for BE, but without elite miles it's not enough.
Jul 21, 2017, 7:36 am
#2155
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: IAD, DCA, BWI
Programs: SPG-Plat, AA-Gold, DL-Plat
Posts: 41
I purchased a basic economy flight for 9/8 on my MileagePlus Club card which waives the baggage fees. However, I am going to cancel the card in August. Do I still get the waiver on baggage fees?
Jul 21, 2017, 11:01 am
#2156
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,891
Also, this isn't really a basic economy question - should probably go in the general Explorer thread or on its own - checked bag charges/waivers have nothing to do with a basic economy fare, and are the same whether on a BE or regular fare.
Jul 21, 2017, 12:26 pm
#2157
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,859
The traveler must be a Cardmember at the time of check-in in order to be eligible for free checked bags.
Let's continue any further discussion in the above thread.
WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
Jul 22, 2017, 3:02 am
#2158
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: SNA/LAX, PHL
Programs: AA Gold, AS MVP, WN A-List, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Exp, Hertz PC
Posts: 449
nycityny, findark, EmailKid, zeer0 - thanks for the reply! Guess UA don't want my business anymore…
Jul 22, 2017, 6:17 am
#2159
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: IAD-DCA
Programs: Won Kay
Posts: 1,324
Don't question it.
Jul 22, 2017, 6:50 am
#2160
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
Never UA
Hi everyone,
Today we announced our newest offering, Basic Economy, which will give customers more options when it comes to their travel needs. Basic Economy will also help to speed up the boarding process so our customers can get to where they need to be on time.
While there are some differences to the Basic Economy fare, customers will enjoy the same United Economy cabin experience and services, dining options, Wi-Fi and inflight entertainment options. Available for sale this January, customers will be able to book Basic Economy fares for spring travel.
We will continue to offer a spectrum of products, from Basic Economy to standard economy to Economy Plus, as well as premium cabin experiences in United First and United Polaris.
Watch the video at United Hub to hear more about Basic Economy from our CEO, Oscar Munoz.
Thank you,
-UA Insider
Today we announced our newest offering, Basic Economy, which will give customers more options when it comes to their travel needs. Basic Economy will also help to speed up the boarding process so our customers can get to where they need to be on time.
While there are some differences to the Basic Economy fare, customers will enjoy the same United Economy cabin experience and services, dining options, Wi-Fi and inflight entertainment options. Available for sale this January, customers will be able to book Basic Economy fares for spring travel.
We will continue to offer a spectrum of products, from Basic Economy to standard economy to Economy Plus, as well as premium cabin experiences in United First and United Polaris.
Watch the video at United Hub to hear more about Basic Economy from our CEO, Oscar Munoz.
Thank you,
-UA Insider
I don't fly too many domestic segments and as AA EXP, I always consider them first. But, I look at all the alternatives now that AA is turning to the dark side. UA is not even close to the (lower) cost of AA on my recently ticketed LAX-DEN nor LAX-ORD nor DEN-SFO. Seems some of these are UA's main markets. Frontier was even lower overall on some, even with the added seat and baggage charges.
Definitely will never fly UA due to their recent CS issues and a CEO who has his head too far up his....Then this stupidity. So far, AA has had the good sense to not copy. If they do, there are always other alternatives. Never UA though.
Last edited by rbAA; Jul 22, 2017 at 7:40 am