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}
Jan 20, 2017, 2:14 pm
#1081
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,413
I was looking at July 4. Here is the exact text, which first appears on the screen where you enter traveler information:
Basic Economy restrictions apply, including:
No seat selection icon
No seat selection
Seat assigned prior to boarding
No group or family seating
No Premier® member seating benefits
No carry on bag icon
No full-sized carry-on bag* Unless you’re a Premier member, primary cardmember of a qualifying MileagePlus credit card or Star Alliance™ Gold member. You’re allowed a small personal item.
Bags brought to the gate will be checked and subject to the applicable checked bag fee plus a $25 gate handling charge
*Unless you’re a Premier member, primary cardmember of a qualifying MileagePlus credit card or Star Alliance™ Gold member. You’re allowed a small personal item.
Learn more about Basic Economy
Basic Economy restrictions apply, including:
No seat selection icon
No seat selection
Seat assigned prior to boarding
No group or family seating
No Premier® member seating benefits
No carry on bag icon
No full-sized carry-on bag* Unless you’re a Premier member, primary cardmember of a qualifying MileagePlus credit card or Star Alliance™ Gold member. You’re allowed a small personal item.
Bags brought to the gate will be checked and subject to the applicable checked bag fee plus a $25 gate handling charge
*Unless you’re a Premier member, primary cardmember of a qualifying MileagePlus credit card or Star Alliance™ Gold member. You’re allowed a small personal item.
Learn more about Basic Economy
The text seems a little strange -- "no carry on bag icon"? -- so my guess is that you've been treated to a "sneak preview" of the coming Basic Economy experience; either UA is deliberately testing something, and you're in their target group, or their software has accidentally let this out.
Jan 20, 2017, 2:30 pm
#1082
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,165
The text seems a little strange -- "no carry on bag icon"? -- so my guess is that you've been treated to a "sneak preview" of the coming Basic Economy experience; either UA is deliberately testing something, and you're in their target group, or their software has accidentally let this out.
Jan 20, 2017, 2:34 pm
#1083
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,854
The text seems a little strange -- "no carry on bag icon"? -- so my guess is that you've been treated to a "sneak preview" of the coming Basic Economy experience; either UA is deliberately testing something, and you're in their target group, or their software has accidentally let this out.
Jan 20, 2017, 2:42 pm
#1084
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Platinum/LT Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 5,594
Jan 20, 2017, 3:24 pm
#1085
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Jan 20, 2017, 3:59 pm
#1086
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,854
Jan 20, 2017, 4:45 pm
#1087
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,419
Interesting. I'm not able to reproduce this; when I search on July 4th, I don't get an L fare, at least on the non-stop (I'm assuming that you were searching round-trip, BTW; although most UA domestic fares are priced as one-ways, this one is not). I tried an L-fare connecting itinerary and did not see the "Basic Economy" verbiage.
Jan 20, 2017, 6:55 pm
#1088
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: BOS
Programs: UA 1K (2MM); AA LT Gold (1.9 MM); SQ; WN; DL; "Bonvoy Ambassador""
Posts: 398
Sometimes the price is comparable, sometimes it's not even competitive. Kind of like UA. WN often has $49 & $59 sales to match B6 & VX. I would tend to agree that WN's base product > BE though one could argue otherwise the seats are crap and there are no assigned seats for anyone. The point is, WN's product will now be far superior to UA's BE product, so when the price is identical passengers will flush UA.
Jan 22, 2017, 2:40 pm
#1089
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Homosassa, FL & Ringwood, NJ -UA-G(Lifetime); SPG-Plat (Lifetime)
Posts: 6,120
I have been buYing one way G Fares tpa-ewr or ewr-tpa for 82 for the last couple of days.. We must be getting real close to the launch of UA basic economy.
Jan 22, 2017, 6:07 pm
#1090
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: LIS/ATL/other
Programs: UA 1K, Avis PC, Hertz PC, Sixt Plat, Marriott Gold, HH Silver
Posts: 1,983
Jan 22, 2017, 7:09 pm
#1091
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Homosassa, FL & Ringwood, NJ -UA-G(Lifetime); SPG-Plat (Lifetime)
Posts: 6,120
It is when exvept for 2 flights at 82, the rest were between 180 and 357. Remember, this is one way. I make this run about a dozen times a year and I am generally happy when I can get a one way ticket for $150. This city pair has gotten expensive as UA is the only major airline with nonstop service.
Jan 22, 2017, 7:24 pm
#1092
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: CO
Programs: UA OG-1K, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,360
Can we add to the WIKI:
What fare classes are Basic? N?
What we have to do on UA.com searches not to get Basic fares (Is it as simple as a fourth column option being added?)
What we need to tell our corp travel policy admin to set up things like Concur to not dead-head on these fares?
What fare classes are Basic? N?
What we have to do on UA.com searches not to get Basic fares (Is it as simple as a fourth column option being added?)
What we need to tell our corp travel policy admin to set up things like Concur to not dead-head on these fares?
Jan 22, 2017, 7:44 pm
#1093
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Can't corporate travel get this from its UA sales contact? Or more to the point, won't UA Sales push this information to corporate travel and the coding for Concur as well as other software?
Jan 22, 2017, 7:48 pm
#1094
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,857
So we’re going to be rolling out Basic Economy later this quarter and starting travel in the second quarter. To me, the most important thing that we’re going to need to do on that is communicate to our customers. And I assure you, on united.com, we’re going to have a very clear communications about what the rules and restrictions are. And I think it’s going to be really hard to go through and buy on united.com and not know exactly what the rules and restrictions are.
We want all of our other entities that sell United tickets to do the same thing. And we want customers to know for sure what they’re buying and the GDSes can play an important role in that, hasn’t historically been the top of their investment list, but we need them to do that. And if we can create a relationship, where they’re effectively communicating that and we have a cost structure that is fair and balanced, I think we can continue to evolve on the path that we’re on, but and actually that with those caveats.
We want all of our other entities that sell United tickets to do the same thing. And we want customers to know for sure what they’re buying and the GDSes can play an important role in that, hasn’t historically been the top of their investment list, but we need them to do that. And if we can create a relationship, where they’re effectively communicating that and we have a cost structure that is fair and balanced, I think we can continue to evolve on the path that we’re on, but and actually that with those caveats.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jan 22, 2017 at 7:55 pm Reason: self-merge
Jan 22, 2017, 7:56 pm
#1095
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: Hertz PC
Posts: 657
Looks like MSP will be the first market and they plan on making it nationwide (possibly international).
http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel...olis/96721002/
They expect to enforce the carry-on restriction at the gate and not through FA.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel...olis/96721002/
They expect to enforce the carry-on restriction at the gate and not through FA.