United Airlines introduced a “basic economy” ticket in 2017 to compete with budget carriers like Frontier and Spirit Airlines.
The discount ticket comes with a random seat and a personal item when flying domestically. There’s no option to pay extra for a carry-on — it has to be checked for a fee.
Albeit restrictive, this cheaper alternative helps lure more price-sensitive travelers who prefer the perks of a mainline carrier like United — like seatback screens and free snacks — instead of the barebones amenities of a low cost.
I’ve personally moved toward booking basic economy instead of budget carriers for convenience and comfort. I’ll upgrade to regular economy if necessary, but I usually like to save a buck where I can.
My go-to is normally Delta Air Lines for its reliability, but I recently tried United between New York and Denver.
I wanted to see how the airline’s more restrictive basic economy rules played out in reality and how its “United Next” cabin felt after four hours across the US.
Most of my experiences on United have been transatlantic, with my last domestic flight being in the summer of 2022.
After flying United transatlantic a dozen times over the years, its international flights almost always left much to be desired. The widebody economy cabin offers OK comfort, but the food is barely edible on most flights — a common complaint of United customers
My 2022 flight between New Jersey and Seattle was the better journey, mostly because of the upgraded “United Next” cabin enhancement project the airline unveiled in 2021.
This time around, I specifically chose the same plane, a Boeing 737 Max 8, to ensure maximum comfort. (And no, I wasn’t afraid to fly on the Max.)
However, the difference in my booking this time was opting for basic economy.
If you travel like me, basic economy is the best bang for your buck. I’m a carry-on-only person who can manage with a random seat assignment if the goal is to save money.
However, United’s discount fare works differently than mainline rivals American and Delta, and I wanted to see if it’s worth the hassle.
Unlike Delta and American, which similarly offer unbundled basic coach fares, United doesn’t include a carry-on bag for domestic flights.
Adding a carry-on for a fee wasn’t an option, so I instead paid $40 extra during check-in to check my bag. Knowing how basic economy works at United but wanting the full basic economy experience, I begrudgingly handed over the responsibility of my luggage.
To be clear, I don’t necessarily avoid checking a bag because I don’t fully trust United. I mostly do, thanks to its bag status updates via the app, but I don’t like being separated from my stuff, regardless of airline.
United’s rules loosen to include a free carry-on if you’re flying internationally to Canada, South America, across the Atlantic, or across the Pacific. International transpacific flights also get one free checked bag, excluding journeys to China and Tahiti.
I arrived at New York’s LaGuardia Airport at 5:15 a.m. to give myself plenty of time to check my bag before the early morning flight.
I budgeted more time than usual to ensure enough time to check my luggage, which proved easy using the kiosks and self-tagging.
Dropping the bag only required an ID check, and I was off to security.
Security was quick, thanks to TSA PreCheck, and I spent an hour at the new Chase lounge before heading to the gate.
Chase’s new LaGuardia lounge in Terminal B is fancier than some airline business-class lounges I’ve visited worldwide. It has an on-demand menu, coffee (including cold brew!), a bar, two floors of seating, and a mini-arcade.
I get access through my Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, which costs $550 annually. I think it’s 100% worth the cost because I can still visit a nice airport lounge even when I fly basic economy — and I don’t need any airline status.
Boarding was also seamless, though the gate agent double checked I didn’t have too many bags.
My personal item is a small duffle bag that fits both Spirit and Frontier, and it meets the size dimensions displayed at the gate and United check-in desk.
The ticket agent who checked my bag and the gate agent noted my duffle but didn’t say anything else. United’s website warns of a $25 fee on top of the regular checked bag price for basic ticket holders who show up at the gate with a carry-on and a personal item.
It was a tight squeeze, but my personal item fit snugly under the seat in front of me as I settled into 35B.
United allows basic economy ticket holders to pay for a seat in advance, but I skipped the option just to see what I’d randomly get.
Unsurprisingly, I was assigned a middle seat — the same that happened on the American and Delta basic economy flights I took earlier this summer.
The middle seat isn’t ideal and I often pay more for the aisle, but I found it as comfortable as competitors.
I prefer an aisle seat because I like to access the lavatory and stretch my legs whenever I want — so long as the seatbelt sign is on — without disturbing my neighbor.
If I wasn’t trying for the most basic United experience I could get, I would’ve paid more for an aisle as close to the front of the plane as possible since the flight was almost four hours long and left at 7 a.m.
My seat came with the common perks like power and an adjustable headrest. It doesn’t matter at this point if you booked basic or regular coach.
A key difference between basic and low-cost tickets is that basic economy passengers still get the comfort and complimentary amenities of a regular coach seat.
This includes the headrest, power ports, 30 inches of seat pitch, and up to 17.8 inches of seat width, which is on par with competitors. By comparison, you won’t even get a free cup of water on Spirit or Frontier.
Probably the biggest standout, however, was the Bluetooth-capable seatback screens.
While there are few noticeable differences between the mainline carrier cabins, I love United’s Bluetooth capabilities. It’s my favorite perk since I can use my own headset rather than the provided earbuds, which rarely fit right.
Delta also offers the option in first class on its A321neo fleet, but Bluetooth is otherwise only available cabinwide on some 100 United planes, though the airline expects to roll it out on 800 aircraft by 2032.
Bluetooth complemented the good mix of entertainment options.
I took advantage of the screens because of the Bluetooth, which made a noticeable difference. The content was comparable to American and Delta, with movie titles like Dune: Part Two and Kung Fu Panda 4.
The flight also featured free WiFi for T-Mobile customers like myself, with the paid option costing $8 for MileagePlus members.
The T-Mobile inflight WiFi, which is also available on American, Alaska Airlines, and Delta, worked perfectly the entire flight, and I had no issues working, texting, or streaming.
Internet access is easily one of the reasons I prefer mainline over low-cost. Spirit has WiFi now, but it’s less reliable.
I watched Kung Fu Panda 4 and worked for most of the four-hour flight. Everything went smoothly — and my bag made it to Denver.
The regular free snacks and drinks were served throughout the flight, and I opted for Diet Coke on the first run and orange juice on the second. The flight attendants were friendly and helpful, as expected.
Upon landing in Denver, I had no issues getting my bag, and I was happy that United sent me regular status updates about the location of my luggage.
While I hesitated about United after mediocre long-haul experiences, this flight proved its domestic product is solid.
I like United’s new domestic product. The cabin upgrades are clearly competitive with American and Delta, with the Bluetooth giving it that extra edge.
However, I’d note United’s restrictive bag policy for basic economy could trip up inexperienced travelers or push people away.
I book based on price and convenience. If other airlines offer a similar inflight experience and I don’t have to check my bag, that’ll sway me away from United.
For example, the same one-way basic economy flight from LaGuardia to Denver in late September is $109 on both United and Delta, according to Google Flights. Other dates show similarly close fares.
After the added price and hassle to check a bag on United, Delta is a no a brainer. But for weekend trips when I only need a personal item, I’d give United my business if the flight time and price were better.
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