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}
Nov 15, 2016, 9:59 am
#91
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 71
Yes, my question too about the Saver Awards. I have a lot of miles to use and now am wondering if I should try to book using them before the end of the year.
Nov 15, 2016, 10:00 am
#92
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: United Premier, American Airlines
Posts: 896
A horrible development, but I'm not surprised. I had Premier status on United up until about two years ago, but gave up. No longer worth being loyal to them. I'm just going to use my remaining miles awards with United, and give up on them. They've destroyed the Mileage Plus program, and destroyed any reason to fly with them. The end.
Nov 15, 2016, 10:00 am
#93
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
My company has contracts with both Delta and United, but I haven't had to concern myself with these fares until now as I always fly UA. So I went looking for comparison to a DL flight in Concur. The Basic Economy (E) fare does not show up in the search.
Example of the difference:
MDW-ATL Dec 10-13
E: $136.20
V: $163.44
Example of the difference:
MDW-ATL Dec 10-13
E: $136.20
V: $163.44
Concur can be programmed to permit full F tickets, refundable travel and so on. Just depends.
A smart business will look at the restrictions on UA's fares and see that they don't make sense for business travel, write them out of the travel policy and thus out of Concur or whatever system is used to monitor rules compliance.
If this fails and UA can't sell the Basic fares, they will just phase out. It's not as though there is a special cabin or 4-4 seating in narrow body, it's just a fare basis.
Nov 15, 2016, 10:03 am
#94
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: WAS/ BOM
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,567
Assuming that you book a BE fare, would you be allowed to upfare (within 24 hours)? Going from the BE fare class to an "earning" fare class? This isnt an upgrade.
Nov 15, 2016, 10:06 am
#95
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,864
You can always make changes within 24hrs, BE fares don't change that. But why would anyone want to do this? I wouldn't think you could upfare after the 24hrs, that's kind of the point of BE fares, no changes...
Nov 15, 2016, 10:08 am
#96
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,438
I can see where if my employer made me book a basic fare, but I could call to pay my own money to upfare (for $27, this would be worth it for me), that this would be attractive.
Nov 15, 2016, 10:15 am
#97
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 957
I worry about significantly overbooked flights now.... If I hold (I won't ever, but let's say I did) a basic economy ticket and my travel plans change, I'm not cancelling it. Why should I? I'll go to the very last absolute second and then cancel, because it's trash either way and if there is a 0.00000001% chance of using it, I'll hold it. So either flights will be departing much less than full, or UA will begin to bet on this phenomenon and overbook by a fairly large %...
Nov 15, 2016, 10:15 am
#98
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: DFW
Programs: UA peon (+decades 1K), AA Exec Plt
Posts: 1,117
This is good. I like it.
No PQM,S;D is good. No more MP members with a low CPM.
If Chase UA cards perk don't change in 2018 will really be a necessity for UA 2016 qualified MP/FF purchasing E- then (now there is E+,E;E- )
Will Oscar begin to be demonized in 2017 as FFers accumulate RDMs but non of the Ps (perks)?
No PQM,S;D is good. No more MP members with a low CPM.
If Chase UA cards perk don't change in 2018 will really be a necessity for UA 2016 qualified MP/FF purchasing E- then (now there is E+,E;E- )
Will Oscar begin to be demonized in 2017 as FFers accumulate RDMs but non of the Ps (perks)?
Nov 15, 2016, 10:15 am
#99
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: dark side of the moon
Programs: papa card, UA 1K
Posts: 707
What UA will gain in upfront price increases for regular economy (forcing people to up-fare in Y) I bet are offset by loosing loyal customers and they are devaluing the UA brand and MP in the process.
Nov 15, 2016, 10:18 am
#100
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: EWR
Programs: UA Gold, BA, HHonors, Avis
Posts: 192
I worry about significantly overbooked flights now.... If I hold (I won't ever, but let's say I did) a basic economy ticket and my travel plans change, I'm not cancelling it. Why should I? I'll go to the very last absolute second and then cancel, because it's trash either way and if there is a 0.00000001% chance of using it, I'll hold it. So either flights will be departing much less than full, or UA will begin to bet on this phenomenon and overbook by a fairly large %...
Nov 15, 2016, 10:19 am
#101
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: EWR
Programs: UA Gold, BA, HHonors, Avis
Posts: 192
Where exactly will they go to? Most airlines have BE already, and I'm pretty sure the rest will go to it as well.
Nov 15, 2016, 10:21 am
#102
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,020
The other revenue boost is in bag charges for some buying BE since the carry-ons are limited.
Nov 15, 2016, 10:24 am
#103
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
I worry about significantly overbooked flights now.... If I hold (I won't ever, but let's say I did) a basic economy ticket and my travel plans change, I'm not cancelling it. Why should I? I'll go to the very last absolute second and then cancel, because it's trash either way and if there is a 0.00000001% chance of using it, I'll hold it. So either flights will be departing much less than full, or UA will begin to bet on this phenomenon and overbook by a fairly large %...
Nov 15, 2016, 10:30 am
#104
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
My wonder is how this will affect on-time performance - either people learn quickly that they can't bring a carryon and it helps on-time as there are fewer bags to gate-check, or having the very last travelers to board being the ones who need to pay for their carry-on (and therefore extra time needed to argue, then pull out a credit card and get it processed) hurt it.
You were very much misled. This was in the works well before Kirby joined up.
Nov 15, 2016, 10:33 am
#105
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: DFW
Programs: UA peon (+decades 1K), AA Exec Plt
Posts: 1,117