On paper, United Airline’s basic economy tier sounds appealing. Pay a bit less to fly? Sign me up.
As The Economist notes, travelers are snapping up these discounted tickets in large numbers. United’s finance chief, Andrew Levy, even said that 30–40% of economy passengers have opted for the cheaper basic economy fares since they launched earlier this year.
But after a closer inspection, I’m left puzzled becausethis isn’t really much of a bargain.
And as Business Insider reported, passengers are baffled by the restrictions attached to basic economy — and they’re not pleased about them.
Listen up, Savinly Readers: I dug into the fine print for you.
Here’s what you actually need to understand about these basic economy fares — and how much they really cost you.
Basic Economy With United: Far From a Steal
Since launching earlier this year, the program has been popular enough that United rolled it out across all domestic routes last month, according to The Economist.
Basic economy travelers typically pay about $15–$20 less than standard economy fares. Still, those apparent savings come with steep trade-offs.
Buying a basic economy ticket means you’re only allowed one personal item onboard. That’s the extent of it.
United’s site states that passengers with additional luggage will need to check it and pay the checked baggage charge, which is $25 for the first bag.
Thinking you’ll be clever and bring a carry-on? Expect a big hit. You’ll owe the standard checked bag fee plus a $25 gate handling charge if you try to bring it to the gate.
Ouch.
With those baggage costs, you’ll end up paying about the same as you would for a regular economy fare. And if you attempt to sneak a carry-on and are caught, you’ll pay more than the normal economy price.
That’s not all. Buying basic economy strips away many regular economy perks. Traveling with family? Tough luck — you can’t guarantee sitting together. Want a window seat? Too bad — seat selection isn’t permitted. Need to change your itinerary? Not allowed. You board last. That’s just rough. And don’t forget: Even if you’re a MileagePlus or Premier member, you lose many of your membership benefits like upgrades and qualifying dollars (you still accrue frequent flyer miles, though).
There is one small upside: United says you may bring a “small musical instrument” that fits in the overhead bin.
But if you tote your little trombone, you can’t also bring your personal item. So what will it be: your purse or your trombone?
When, If Ever, Do These Tickets Make Sense?
I want to find a use case where basic economy is smart, but I’m having trouble. When the price gap between basic and regular economy is just $15–$20, the checked-bag charge wipes out the savings — and can actually add roughly $5 to your total (or more if you try sneaking a bag onboard). The only scenario where these fares might work is if you travel with absolutely no luggage. Even then, that’s likely only true for short business hops where you only need a briefcase.
Otherwise, these tickets rarely add up. You pay less and get significantly less in return. It’s a reminder: sometimes “deals” aren’t deals after you read the fine print. Proceed cautiously.
Want to learn ways to travel the world for free or figure out how to travel basic economy without surprises? Read up before you book.
