what are seat assignment fees

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How to Avoid Paying Airline Seat Fees

See recent posts by Peter Thornton

Sit Anywhere on the Plane for Free

Just as restaurants may ask for an extra fee if you want a special side dish or concert venues may charge more for specific seats rather than general admission, most airlines do charge extra if you want to pick a certain seat. I know this isn’t how it used to be, but Basic Economy is here to stay and this is just simply how the industry has evolved. The good news is that airfares are still historically low and, if you are diligent and don’t need all the frills of yesteryear, you can fly super cheap and sit anywhere (read somewhere) on the plane for free.

Don’t Be Fooled Into Paying to Choose a Seat

Airlines want you to pay extra to choose a seat — even middle seats. This is one reason airlines are able to sell tickets for pennies or across oceans for only a couple hundred dollars. The airlines are making big profits from ancillary fees and do everything possible to keep the actual airfare lower than the competition. As consumers of air travel, we need to be careful to only pay for what we want and not get fooled into paying more than we intend. In my opinion, the seat fee is one of the easiest airline fees to avoid.

It can be confusing when going through the booking steps and you may not even realize an extra seat fee was added by the time you get to the final payment screen. Even if an airline’s website makes it appear that you have to pay extra for a seat, you are never required to choose a specific seat and can always opt to decline seat selection in lieu of a FREE seat assignment during check-in.

Related: Passenger Etiquette: The Basic Rules of the Armrest

Watch for pop-ups and automatic add-ons.

The biggest culprits in trying to force seat selection fees are ultra-low-cost carriers like Allegiant, Frontier, and Spirit. None of the fares sold by these airlines include seat selection, but there are certain bundles you can add on, which would include seat assignments. Some legacy airlines have simply made seat selection unavailable for Basic Economy fares and require that you purchase a standard or Main Cabin Economy ticket in order to choose a seat in advance.

Below, I’ll go over specifics on what to look for during the seat selection step when booking on the larger U.S. carriers. These same tactics can be used for international carriers. Just remember, you are never required to pay an extra seat fee.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on Alaska Airlines

Flying Alaska Airlines is one of the easiest ways to avoid a seat fee, because even Alaska’s version of Basic Economy, the “Saver” fare, includes limited free seat assignments at the back of the plane. When choosing seats on the seat map, scroll to the bottom to find seats marked with a “S” for Saver fare seats. Seats shown in a dark blue color are for passengers purchasing a “Main” class fare only so you’ll have to upgrade to that type of fare to choose those seats in advance. If you’re buying a Saver fare and don’t like the choice of seats, simply click on “Skip Seats” and you’ll be assigned seats for free during check-in, which may include seats towards the front of the plane.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on Allegiant Airlines

When the seat selection screen appears on Allegiant’s website, it doesn’t even indicate that there are fees associated with choosing a seat. However, if you do click on a certain seat, a pop-up will appear telling you the price and you’ll have to confirm that you agree. To bypass this and avoid paying a fee, just scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Continue”. You’ll have to do this for both flights if you are booking a roundtrip. Another pop-up will appear warning that you haven’t chosen a seat and asking if it’s ok. Just click “Yes, Continue” and be on your way without caving in to Allegiant’s fear of separation anxiety tactics.

Related: The 10 Best Underseat Carry-On Bags for Basic Economy

How to avoid seat fees on american airlines.

American Airlines does not necessarily try to trick you into paying a seat fee when booking. Its Basic Economy fares do not allow advanced seat selection for domestic or short-haul international flights, and therefore, you simply won’t be shown a seat map when booking a Basic Economy ticket. For transatlantic flights, Basic Economy fares do allow you to choose specific seats during booking for a fee, but prices are clearly displayed on the seat map. To avoid a fee, just click on the small text that reads “skip seats for all flights” and your seats will be assigned for free upon check-in. And if you avoid Basic Economy entirely, you’ll be able to choose seats in advance for any flight when booking a Main Cabin Economy ticket.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on Delta

Delta sells Basic Economy tickets in more markets than any other airline. And while some aspects of Delta’s Basic Economy differ depending on the destination, advanced seat assignments are simply not allowed for any Basic Economy ticket on Delta. Of course, Delta doesn’t want to actually sell its Basic Economy fares. Anytime you select a basic fare, you’ll get a pop-up asking if you’d like to move to Main Cabin Economy fare, which includes seat selection. If you don’t want to pay more, just click on the checkbox that you accept restrictions and then click on the small “Continue with Basic Economy” text to avoid the upcharge. Seats will be assigned for free after check-in.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on Frontier Airlines

Frontier doesn’t really try to mask the fact that you’ll pay to choose a seat. You’ll see prices listed for each seat directly on the seat map. To avoid a fee, scroll to the bottom and click on the green “Continue” button without choosing a seat. A pop-up will then appear and you’ll have to click on the small print “No Thanks, I’ll take whatever.” link to actually continue.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines now offers a Basic Economy fare. While it’s currently limited to only a few routes between the U.S. mainland and Honolulu, Hawaiian’s “Main Cabin Basic” fare is likely to spread throughout its network eventually. This type of fare does not allow advanced seat assignments but you’ll always be asked to confirm your selection when booking a “Main Cabin Basic” fare. And not just once — a second pop-up appears during the booking process asking “Want to choose your seats?” To avoid the upcharge for a “Main Cabin” ticket, just click “No thanks” and you’ll be able to select seats during check-in.

Related: How to Choose the Best Seat on a Plane

How to avoid seat fees on jetblue.

JetBlue was the latest airline to implement a Basic Economy fare, which it calls " Basic Blue ". This fare requires a fee to choose a specific seat in advance. Be careful, because prices are not listed on the seat map itself. Instead, a price will pop-up when you hover over a seat and are also listed to the left of the seat map. To avoid this fee, simply scroll to the bottom of the seat selection page and look for the text that reads "skip seat selection for now". Click on that link and you'll have the chance to choose a seat from what's still available when you check-in starting 24 hours before departure. If you decide to purchase JetBlue's classic "Blue" fare, advanced seat assignments are included.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on Southwest Airlines

Southwest doesn’t assign seats on any of its flights so you won’t ever pay a seat fee, per say, when flying Southwest. However, it does give the option to add EarlyBird automatic check-in for a fee, which would give you an earlier boarding position and a better choice of seat. Alternatively, set an alarm on your phone to check-in exactly 24 hours before your flight and get a decent boarding position for free.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines is very clear and upfront that you’ll be paying a fee to choose a seat. There are prices for each seat on its seat map, but you don’t have to click on any of them. Look for the small print text that says “continue without seats” and click that link to avoid any seat fees. Of course, a pop-up will then appear inducing blatant FOMO (Fear Of Middle Overtone). Just click on the smaller “continue without seats” text again and you can continue without adding any cost to your cheap flight.

Related: Finally! Middle Seats Will Soon Be Larger on Some Airlines

How to avoid seat fees on sun country airlines.

Sun Country is also very upfront with its fees on the seat map. All seats will have a price listed, but it isn’t very clear on this page that you don’t actually need to choose a seat. To avoid a fee, just scroll to the bottom of the page (without clicking on a seat) and click the orange “continue” button. A pop-up will appear saying that your seat selection is not complete. Simply click on the white “continue without all seats” button to finish booking without adding any extra fees.

How to Avoid Seat Fees on United Airlines

United’s Basic Economy fare is the most restrictive of the U.S. legacy carriers, but it does allow advanced seat assignments — for a fee. Since prices are not listed on the seat map until you hover over or select a seat, it can be pretty easy to whisk through this step and add fees to your booking that you did not wish to add. To avoid any extra fees, just click on the grey “Continue to payment” button without choosing any seats. Free seat assignments will be given after check-in. Of course, if you purchase a standard Economy ticket, you’ll be able to choose standard seats for free during booking.

Related: A New Look at Basic Economy for Transatlantic International Travel

There’s a good chance you can sit together without paying a fee.

Choosing to leave seat assignments up to chance is more nerve-racking when you’re traveling with family and friends and want to sit next to each other. While it’s never guaranteed you’ll get seats together, don’t assume that a free seat assignment at check-in will doom you to be separated in middle seats throughout the cabin. Sure, it could happen, but in my experience, and hearing from several others, couples and families are usually still seated together when seats are assigned by the airline for free.

For better odds, I would recommend checking in as early as possible. And if you don’t end up sitting next to your travel companion, it’s not the end of the world. You’ll still get to your destination at the same time and might even enjoy the time to yourself in-flight.

Of course, traveling with small children is a different story and many parents would like to ensure that they will be sitting next to minor children onboard. The Families Flying Together Act calls for any child under the age of 13 to be seated with parents or guardians for no extra charge, but this doesn’t seem to be a concrete law.

To ensure small children are seated next to an adult, the Department of Transportation suggests contacting the airline directly after booking and discussing your situation. Arrive at the airport early and work with the agents to accommodate your family. Airline agents will do everything possible to seat young children next to a family member.

Related: JAL's Seat Map Feature Helps You Avoid Crying Babies on Flights

Book Your Ticket at the Airport

The internet has made booking flights extremely convenient and some airlines have decided to charge a fee for that convenience. I recently booked flights on Frontier and Spirit for a friend and I, in person, at the airport in order to save each airline’s hefty online booking fee. To my surprise, we were also assigned seats next to each other for free at the time of booking. I assumed our seats would be randomly assigned at check-in and never asked for specific seats. But, sure enough, we were given adjacent seats on both flights and even got Frontier’s extra legroom seats assigned for free.

This is not a given, but if you are courteous and friendly with the agent when booking a flight at the airport, you may just find yourself getting free seat assignments in advance. I haven’t tried this with any legacy carriers, but since a human agent has the ability to override the system, you’ll probably have a better chance of getting seats assigned next to each other for free when booking at the airport. I wouldn’t assume that this will happen, but if it’s convenient for you to book at the airport, it’s worth a shot.

Related: How to Avoid Online Booking Fees on Airline Tickets

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UponArriving

How Much It Costs to Choose Your Seats on Each Airline

How much does it cost to select your seat on a major US airline?

Like many things involving airlines, it’s not always super straightforward when it comes to how much things will cost.

But in this article we hope to clear up some confusion!

We will give you a breakdown of how much you can expect to pay when selecting a seat for different classes such as basic economy, economy, economy plus, and also premium cabins.

We analyzed data points for both domestic and international flights since the prices can vary quite a lot and we will break everything down for you so that it is easy to digest.

Table of Contents

When can you choose (and pay for) your seats?

When you first begin to search or book a flight, the airline may allow you to view the seat chart to get a sense of what seats are available.

However, you typically cannot view the price for selecting your seat until after you have chosen your fare class and input your personal details. (This can make “shopping” around for cheaper seat prices a bit time consuming so it is best to login to the airline so that you don’t have to re-enter your details every time.)

Note that if you are booking through a third-party such as Amex Travel or another travel portal, be careful about the seat selection displayed because it does not always line up with what is actually available.

Also, sometimes when using an online travel agency, you may not be able to select upgraded seats when booking.

Instead, you will have to wait until that flight populates in your frequent flyer account and then contact the airline or initiate the process online via the airline’s website.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

What prices to expect when choosing a seat

Business/first class.

Business and First Class seats are found in the top cabin in the front of the plane. On domestic flights you typically have a standard recliner seat with a lot more width and legroom. You’ll receive free food and drinks, priority boarding, and other perks.

On longer flights, you might be able to enjoy a fully reclined seat known as a lie-flat seat.

Every major US airline allows you to select your seats for free whenever you purchase a business or first class ticket.

Premium Economy

Premium Economy is a special class just behind Business Class that offers you a wider seat with better recline and more legroom than economy. Sometimes you also have a nice little foot rest. You also may get additional perks like free drinks.

Premium Economy is usually only found on long-haul international flights — your average domestic flight will not likely include a Premium Economy cabin.

Every major US airlines should allow you to select your premium economy seats for free.

Note that some online platforms equate Premium Economy with Economy Plus but this is a mistake and should be avoided because it causes confusion.

Economy Plus (extra legroom)

Economy Plus seats are standard economy seats that come with extra legroom. These could be located near the emergency exit rows but they could also be placed in rows closer to the front of the Economy cabin.

The amount of extra legroom offered is different based on the airline and where exactly the seat is located but you could be given several inches of extra legroom which makes these seats very desirable. This is especially true for people over 6 feet tall.

Sometimes you will be given extra perks when selecting an Economy Plus seat such as free drinks, priority boarding , dedicated overhead storage bin space, etc.

To get the seats you typically will select Economy as your fare and then simply select to pay more for an Economy Plus seat. However, some airlines such as Delta treat economy plus like its own fare with Delta Comfort Plus.

If you are purchasing Economy Plus on a domestic flight you’re looking at spending around $30 to $50 typically.

But on an international flight such as a transatlantic or transpacific flight, selecting Economy Plus could cost you a couple of hundred dollars.

If you have elite status, even if it is a lower tier, you may be able to receive an upgrade to Economy Plus on a pretty regular basis.

Preferred Seats

Preferred Seats are economy seats located in more desirable parts of the plane such as toward the front of the plane, in rows of two, etc. They also may include window and aisle seats.

Typically, to choose a seat like this you don’t have to pay that much extra and elite members may be able to select these for free. (Elite members may also be able to see free seats available that other non-elites cannot even see as available.)

For a domestic flight, choosing a Preferred Seat could be as cheap as around $13 but for longer international flights you could be paying closer to $50.

You can expect to have to pay a little bit more for window or aisle seats versus the middle seats if they are all considered Preferred Seats.

Keep in mind that not every airline offers Preferred Seats . Or put another way, not every airline forces you to pay extra for seats that don’t suck.

Unless you have booked with an ultra low-cost carrier, you should be able to select certain economy seats free of charge. These will typically be located in the back half or back third of the plane.

If you are flying with an ultra low-cost carrier like Frontier or Spirit and you want to select your seat, you can expect to pay about $25 per seat selection (though that will depend on the route).

Basic Economy

A Basic Economy seat will be the same as a standard economy seat but when you book this fare you will lose the privilege to select your seat for free (among other lost benefits).

Sometimes you can still pay an extra fee to select a seat but other times you will have to pay to simply upgrade to an economy fare in order to select a seat. You can expect this upgrade fee to the range from about $15 to $70.

Airlines seat prices broken down

Alaska airlines.

Alaska Airlines offers something called “Premium Class” which is kind of a cross between Premium Economy and Economy Plus.

It is similar to Premium Economy because it has its own dedicated cabin area right behind Business Class but the seats resemble something you would find in Economy Plus.

They give you 4 inches more legroom than standard Main Cabin seats and allow you enjoy free beer, wine, and cocktails on flights over 350 miles. You also get early boarding privileges.

If you want to select your seat in Basic Economy they offer you the option to upgrade for around $20-$30.

Business/First Class

• Domestic (SFO – ANC): Free
• Mexico (LAX – GDL): Free
• Canada (SEA – YEG): Free

Premium Economy/Economy Plus (Premium Class)

• Domestic (SFO – ANC): $54
• Mexico (LAX – GDL): $34
• Canada (SEA – YEG): $36

Economy (Main)

• Domestic (SFO – ANC): $15 upgrade fee
• Mexico (LAX – GDL): $30 upgrade fee
• Canada (SEA – YEG): $20 upgrade fee

American Airlines

American Airlines allows you to select Main Cabin Extra seats which will provide you with extra legroom (up to 6 inches), preferred boarding with earlier overhead bin access, and even complimentary beer, wine and spirits.

They also offer a special product called “Main Plus,” which has its own fare basis and includes Main Cabin Extra seats  (if available) along with other perks like 1 more free checked bag.

Interestingly, the price to upgrade to Main Plus was sometimes more and sometimes less than the price to select a Main Cabin Extra seat.

• Domestic (ORD – MIA): Free
• Europe (JFK – LHR): Free
• Asia (DFW – NRT): Free

Economy Plus (Main Cabin Extra)

• Domestic (ORD – MIA): $27 – $30 *upgrade from Main Cabin to Main Plus $42
• Europe (JFK – LHR): $93 – $103 *upgrade from Main Cabin to Main Plus $90
• Asia (DFW – NRT): $129 – $166 *upgrade from Main Cabin to Main Plus $125

Related: American Airlines Main Cabin Extra 737-800 Review

Preferred seats

• Domestic (ORD – MIA): $14 – $17
• Europe (JFK – LHR): $62 – $69
• Asia (DFW – NRT): $86 – $93

Economy (Main Cabin)

Related: American Airlines Basic Economy vs Main Cabin (Key Differences)

Delta Airlines

Delta does their Economy Plus a little bit different because it treats it like its own fare called “Delta Comfort Plus.”

So instead of selecting Economy and then choosing to pay for a seat with extra legroom you simply select Comfort Plus as your chosen fare. This means the seat selection is technically free but you are paying more for the ticket.

Some of the perks you will enjoy include more legroom (up to 3 inches), dedicated overhead bin space, complimentary beer, wine, and snacks.

Some of the prices we found for Preferred Seats were a bit on the high side but that could’ve just been the routes we chose. Also, Delta allows you to upgrade from Basic Economy to Main Cabin if you want to select your seat.

Business/First Class (Delta One)

• Domestic (ATL – PDX): Free
• Europe (BOS – LIS): Free
• Asia (DTW – ICN): Free

Premium Economy (Premium Select)

Economy plus (delta comfort plus).

• Domestic (ATL – PDX): $79.99 – $149.99
• Europe (BOS – LIS): $44.99 – $59.99
• Asia (DTW – ICN): $24.99 – $38.99
• Domestic (ATL – PDX): $30 upgrade fee
• Europe (BOS – LIS): $75 upgrade fee
• Asia (DTW – ICN): $40 upgrade fee

Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines does not offer First Class or Business Class seats nor do they offer Premium Economy.

However, at the front of the plane and in the emergency exit rows they do have what they consider Economy Plus seats that offer recline and more legroom that can be up to 7 extra inches. You can expect to pay about $35 for these.

Otherwise, if you want to select a standard seat expect to pay around $20-$30.

Economy Plus (Stretch)

• Domestic (MCI – LAS): $35
• Mexico (DEN – PVR): $35

Economy (Standard)

• Domestic (MCI – LAS): $18 – $28
• Mexico (DEN – PVR): $18 – $28

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines offers an Economy Plus called Extra Comfort that provides more legroom (5 inches or more), priority boarding, priority screening (at select airports), and in-seat A/C power plugs.

For a domestic route Extra Comfort may only cost you about $60 but for international routes you may be paying closer to $125 to $150.

On certain flights, you can also upgrade from Basic Economy.

• Domestic (OGG – SAN): Free
• Asia (HNL – HND): Free

Economy Plus (Extra Comfort)

• Domestic (OGG – SAN): $54 – $64
• Asia (HNL – HND): $111 – $141
• Domestic (OGG – SAN): $19 – $23
• Domestic (OGG – SAN): $40 upgrade fee

If you book a JetBlue Mint seat you can select your seat for free.

JetBlue calls their version of Economy Plus “Even More Space” and it provides more legroom (up to 7 inches), group A boarding , and expedited security lanes (where available). For domestic flights, these may run you about $30 but you can be paying in the triple digits for international flights.

It doesn’t look like they provide Preferred Seats but you can upgrade from Basic Economy in order to select a seat, sometimes for as cheap as $7.

Business/First Class (Mint)

• Mexico (LAX – CUN): Free

Economy Plus (Even More Space)

• Domestic (FLL – DCA): $29 – $37
• Europe (JFK – LHR): $129 – $149
• Mexico (LAX – CUN): $82 – $94

Economy (Core)

• Domestic (FLL – DCA): Free
• Domestic (FLL – DCA): $7 – $61
• Europe (JFK – LHR): $10 – $179
• Mexico (LAX – CUN): $9 – $114

Southwest Airlines

When you fly Southwest, you do not get to select your seat ahead of time, such as at the time of booking.

Instead, at check-in you will be issued a boarding position and that boarding position will dictate when you get to step on the plane. Once you’re in the cabin, you’ll be able to select any seat that is open so it is essentially a first come, first serve process.

Purchasing Business Select  is a nice way to increase your odds of securing one of the  best seats on the plane .

Business Select is the most expensive fare offered by Southwest and it provides you with a number of benefits including:

• Guaranteed A1-A15 boarding
• Fly By lane access
• Free premium drink
• 12 Rapid Rewards per dollar spent
• Fully refundable fare

Guaranteed A1-A15 boarding means that you will be among the first to board the plane and so you will be able to choose from a large selection of seats.

If you do not purchase a Business Select fare you can also upgrade to it. You won’t receive all of the Business Select perks but you will get the guaranteed A1-A15 boarding.

The cost to upgrade to Business Select varies from  $30 to $50 per segment , depending on the route. You should be able to upgrade at the check-in counter or at the gate of departure.

You can also purchase Southwest EarlyBird for $15 to $25 (one-way) which automatically checks you in 36 hours before departure.

EarlyBird will help you get a window or aisle seat but generally will not get you a boarding pass low enough to secure one of the best seats mentioned above.

Tip:  Some Southwest credit cards now come with two credits for EarlyBird.

Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines does not have a true first class in the sense of it being a special fare with its own cabin.

But they do have a couple of rows upfront with significantly more space similar to what a first class seat offers. These are known as the “Big Front Seats” and you can select the seats by paying around $60-$130 depending on the route.

They also have premium seats which could run you around $40-$50 and the seats will offer you up to 10 inches of extra legroom. Typically, these premium seats will be located in the emergency exit row.

Business/First Class (Big Front Seat)

• Domestic (ATL – MSP): $60
• Mexico (DFW – CUN): $128

Economy Plus (Premium)

• Domestic (ATL – MSP): $50
• Mexico (DFW – CUN): $42
• Domestic (ATL – MSP): $18 – $42
• Mexico (DFW – CUN): $9 – $26

United Airlines

United Airlines has one of the most straightforward seat selection processes.

Premium cabins are free to select seats, and the prices to select an Economy Plus seat or a Preferred Seat are within the normal range. You can also pay to select seats if you have a Basic Economy ticket.

• Domestic (IAD – IND): Free
• Europe (EWR – CDG): Free
• Asia (IAH – NRT): Free

Economy Plus

• Domestic (IAD – IND): $45 – $54
• Europe (EWR – CDG): $154 – $209
• Asia (IAH – NRT): $205 – $267
• Domestic (IAD – IND): $13 – $23
• Europe (EWR – CDG): $33 – $43
• Asia (IAH – NRT): $33 – $43
• Domestic (IAD – IND): $13 – $38
• Europe (EWR – CDG): $27 – $77

As you can tell, selecting your seat can involve paying a lot of different prices.

When selecting seats for premium cabins such as First Class, Business Class or Premium Economy, generally you can select your seat free of charge.

If you just want a standard economy seat towards the back of the plane you can choose that for free but if you want to get closer to the front you may have to pay, especially if you want an aisle or window seat.

And if you want that extra legroom you’ll definitely have to pay and that amount can differ a lot based on whether you were flying a short domestic flight or long international flight.

And finally, if you choose a Basic Economy flight you will lose your ability to select a seat free of charge but you may still have the option to upgrade or pay a fee for your seat selection.

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

Privacy Overview

Watch CBS News

You bought your airline ticket, now pay to pick a seat

By Megan Cerullo

December 21, 2018 / 7:00 AM EST / MoneyWatch

Airplane seat assignments have gone the way of free checked luggage and in-flight meals, as major airlines shift from selling all-inclusive tickets to an a-la-carte business model, offering seat selection at an added cost to consumers. While airlines reap the benefits, customers say the move creates confusion and unfairly penalizes families with children who want to travel together.

United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines -- known as the big three -- now offer discounted fares in Basic Economy class that don't come with seat assignments to compete with low-cost carriers including Allegiant, Spirit and Frontier airlines, forcing travelers to pay up for seat reservations.

"Airline executives will be very honest. They aren't offering Basic Economy because they want people to buy Basic Economy. They are offering it because they want you to pay up the higher fare. That's the whole purpose of the construct," said Samuel Engel, an airline consultant who leads ICF's aviation group.  

The big three also charge passengers a fee on top of airfare to reserve "preferred" seats, characterized as such for their cabin location. Seats toward the front of the plane, as well as window and aisle seats qualify, while unpopular middle seats and seats located in the plane's rear don't usually incur fees.

"Seats are real estate, and real estate on an airplane is a very precious commodity," said aviation consultant and IdeaWorks President Jay Sorensen. "Airlines have applied a heat map to the seat selection process based on which seats are most popular, and they view it as an opportunity to charge extra," he said.

Try booking a seat on Delta flight DL898 from New York's Laguardia to Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Seat 16D -- on the aisle near the front of the main cabin -- will cost you $59.99 more than 16B, located in the middle of the row. Same goes for 16F -- a window seat -- while window and aisle seats toward the back of the plane don't come with added costs.

Sorensen touted the upsides of the new model. "It allows a consumer to choose a bare-bones product or to spend more money for more comfort and convenience," he said. "At one point a decade ago, you could post a price and that price included everything a consumer could reasonably expect. But what has happened since is as you go through the booking path, you are picking and choosing things. It generates more revenue."

United President Scott Kirby likened paying more for seats toward the front of a plane to shelling out for prime seating at concerts and sporting events.

"What's so special about 'premium seats'?"

But customers are frustrated that they have to now pay more for marginal gains -- like aisle and window seats -- versus extra leg room.  

"@Delta Wow. Had no idea that 'preferred' seat was code for regular seat. My bad. Please cancel and refund my other purchase," Chris Hamm tweeted, after realizing he had upgraded to what he considered a standard seat on a flight from Atlanta to San Jose, Costa Rica.

"Asked #AmericanAirline what's so special about 'premium seats' that they want me to pay $99 extra on check-in. Their reply? 'Thank-you for your feedback'," a user named SallyD tweeted.

She complained that seat 26D -- located closer to the front of the aircraft -- cost $99 more than seat 33D, to which she was assigned.

Analysts say consumer frustration is all a part of the transition.

"Anytime you change how something is sold or how it's defined there's going to be a rough period where consumers are impacted by the change," IdeaWorks' Sorensen said. "In terms of seating, we are in the middle of that right now."

Family separations

Airlines are also finding money by forcing big broods to pay extra to secure side-by-side seats -- and are being accused of profiting from splitting up kids and their parents.

Consumer advocate Charles Leocha equated the airlines' move to President Donald Trump's policy of separating families at the U.S.-Mexico border in a blog post titled, "Family separation: It is an airline problem, too."

"This is a cruel form of family separation and it is done on a daily basis on airlines with visions of profits dancing in front of the airline-executives' eyes," he wrote. He argued that a family of four could rack up to $800 in extra fees just to sit side-by-side on a domestic flight.  

Families wanting to sit together face an additional hurdle under the new pricing model: Customers who have paid up for preferred seats are less inclined to move to accommodate separated families.

"People who would normally be able to move around now feel very entitled to the specific seats they chose for their own comfort because they paid extra money for that specific seat," Leocha said.

Congress in 2016 passed a law requiring that airlines seat families with their children under age 14 at no additional cost to travelers. But the Department of Transportation has failed to enforce it.

Sky-high revenues

Ancillary revenue -- anything that's not included in the core ticket price -- is expected to reach $92.9 billion globally in 2018, up from $82.2 billion in 2017, according to data from IdeaWorks.

Last year, baggage fees made up the bulk of that revenue, with reserved-seating fees coming in second.

"[Reserved-seating fees] are attractive to airlines because technology powers it. With food, for example, [airlines] have to purchase food. With baggage service, you have to provide all sorts of support, which involves labor," Sorensen said. "But the costs associated with seat assignment services are relatively low." 

• American Airlines
• United Airlines
• Delta Air Lines

Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.

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How to Avoid an Airline's Bullshit 'Seat Selection' Fee

While many airlines have done away with change and cancelation fees  in recent years, there’s still a sneaky “seat selection” fee that you’re not meant to notice when you choose your seat. However, you can avoid it altogether—here’s how.

How to avoid the “seat selection” fee

For most consumers, it’s no secret that an airline’s listed seat price won’t include things like checked bags, onboard food, or wifi access. These extras are typically very clear when you book them because you understand what you’re getting for what you’re paying.

What the booking process makes less clear, though, is the “seat selection” fee, which merely reserves a specific seat for you (for an additional cost), even if it’s the same class of ticket as the seat ahead of it or behind it. Consumers tend to not notice this, however, because the seat selection screen doesn’t make it obvious that you can skip this step entirely—but you can.

Instead of selecting a seat, simply skip past the seat selection screen, and the airline will automatically assign you a seat for no extra charge. To do so, as USA Today recommends, look for a clickable option that says, “Skip seats for all flights,” “Continue with basic economy,” or “No thanks, I’ll take whatever,” usually at the bottom corner of the screen.

How to select your flight seat for free

It’s still possible to request specific seats if you politely ask the gate agent when you arrive at the airport. USA Today also mentions you show up an hour early to do this, since gate agents will be less willing to do this the closer you get to your departure.

Travel smart with these gadgets:

Keep your electronics organized with this hard case: $9.85 (normally $16) iMangoo Shockproof Carrying Case

Prop up your phone on any airplane seat: $13 (usually $18) Universal in Flight Airplane Phone Holder Mount

Shut everything out with this travel pillow with an eye mask and earplugs: $24   Neck Pillow for Travel

What you miss out on by declining to select your flight’s seat

While the seat selection fee is a cash grab, you could argue that it has some value. By not selecting your seat manually, you might:

End up separated from your traveling companions (although there are airlines that allow families to seat together ).

Get stuck in the dreaded middle seat.

Lose out on a favorite spot, like at the front of the plane.

Per Nerdwallet , seat fares range from $0-23, depending on the airline. For some consumers, having their choice of seat is worth the cost, but if you’d rather pocket that money, you can avoid it completely.

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United Airlines Review – Seats, Amenities, Customer Service, Baggage Fees, & More

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Content Contributor

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Table of Contents

United ticketing options, united frequent flyer program, united airlines baggage fees & other fees/add-ons, how to avoid paying excess fees & travel expenses, united seat specs & inflight amenities, united customer satisfaction, charity partnership, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our  Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

There’s no doubt you know United Airlines (and may have even flown with them before), but are you aware of their different fare types, the ins and outs of their baggage allowances, and all of their extra fees/add-ons? What about their seat specs and their consumer satisfaction ratings?

This helpful guide covers all you need to know about this large U.S. carrier so you hopefully won’t be caught unaware on your next flight.

In this post you’ll find a general company overview, ticketing/fare options, extra fees/add-ons (including baggage allowances ), cabin class amenities, seat specs, and more.

Airline: United Airlines

Alliance:  Star Alliance

Category:  Legacy domestic and international airline

Frequent Flyer Program: MileagePlus

Tag Line:  “Fly the Friendly Skies”

About/Mission Statement: “We are committed to providing a level of service to our customers that makes us a leader in the airline industry. We understand that to do this we need to have a product we are proud of and employees who like coming to work every day….” (source)

Daily Flights:  4,700

Main Hub:  Chicago-O’Hare International Airport ( ORD )

Destinations:  356 (including 125 international)

United’s fare types are pretty standard for a large U.S. carrier. But with stiff competition from lots of low-cost airlines, United recently introduced a Basic Economy fare — which pretty much just gets you a seat on the plane.

Handy for those traveling light, this reduced and restricted fare does not include any standard carry-on or checked luggage.

And for anyone part of United’s frequent flyer program (covered later on in this article), you won’t be eligible for premier qualifying miles that go toward your elite status when flying in this class.

Below are the additional differences in fare types and cabin classes, with inflight amenities covered later on in this article:

Basic Economy (most restrictive fare): 

• Pre-assigned seat before boarding
• Family or group seating not possible
• First checked bag costs an additional $120 (round-trip)
• Upgrades not available
• Changes or refunds not permitted

Economy (standard): 

• Seat selection at time of booking (if available)
• Customize your booking with other options

Economy (flexible):

• Refundable ticket (subject to cancellation fees)

Premium Plus:

• Spacious, larger seating with extra legroom
• Complimentary food and beverage
• Enhanced dining with complimentary food and beverage

The availability of certain cabin classes is dependent on the route and plane type. We’ve also covered how you can upgrade to business or first class on United Airlines .

Economy Plus

If you’re looking for a little extra legroom, you can upgrade your booking to Economy Plus. This will also seat you closer to the front of the aircraft so you can disembark quicker.

You can upgrade as a one-off, or subscribe to yearly upgrades when booking a regular economy ticket (where Economy Plus is available).

MileagePlus is United’s frequent flyer loyalty program where you can earn miles to redeem against reward flights and work your way up membership tiers to gain elite benefits, such as priority check-in and additional luggage.

These reward miles can also be used against flights with other Star Alliance members. You can earn miles through flying, shopping, dining out, and spending on certain credit cards.

Hot Tip: For more information, check out our article on United’s MileagePlus frequent flyer program .

Baggage Fees

United Airlines Carry-On Allowance:

1 personal item: FREE 1 standard carry-on bag: FREE (including Basic Economy Transatlantic flights but excluding all other routes for basic economy)

United  Airlines Checked Allowance:

Max weight: 50lb (23kg) for all economy and premium plus fares and 70lbs (32kg) for business and first class fares.

Max size: 62 inches (158cm) linear

United recommends that passengers check their official baggage fee calculator tool to view baggage costs associated with their specific fare type.

We ran some basic route searches, and the fees appeared as the following (do a check on your specific fare before booking to confirm):

Domestic U.S. & Canada

• Economy (Basic, plus and standard): 1st bag $30, 2nd bag $40, 3rd+ bag $150
• Business and first: 1st and 2nd bags free, 3rd+ bag $150

U.S. to/from Mexico

• Economy (Basic, plus and standard): 1st bag $30, 2nd bag $55, 3rd+ bag $180
• Business and first: 1st and 2nd bags free, 3rd+ bag $180

U.S. to/from Europe

• Economy: 1st bag $0 (£60 for Basic Economy), 2nd bag $100, 3rd+ bag $200
• Premium Plus: 1st and 2nd bags free, 3rd+ bag $200
• Business: 1st and 2nd bags free, 3rd+ bag $200
• First: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd bags free; 4th+ bag $200

Additional and Excess Baggage Fees:

Oversized Fee: $200 per bag (up to 115in/292cm)

Overweight Fee (route dependent):

• Bags 51-70lb: $100-$200 per bag
• Bags 71-100lb: $200-$400 per bag

MileagePlus Status weight allowance:

• Silver, Gold, Platinum, 1K: 70lb
• Star Alliance Gold (traveling in first, business or  United Polaris Business ): 70lb

Hot Tip: See our post on United Airlines baggage policy  which details specific baggage allowances for all types of cabin class, status and personnel such as the military. 

United’s Other Fees & Add-Ons

Service Fees

All reservations on United.com can be made without incurring a service fee. For other methods of booking made within the U.S. or Canada, the service fees are as follows:

By Phone: $25

City Ticket Office:  $30

At the Airport: $50

Reservations Made Outside of the U.S.: Fees vary according to country

Cancellation and Change Fees: (Cash Tickets)

• Domestic Cancellation Fee: $200
• International Cancellation Fee: Up to $400
• Waived for Gold, Platinum, and 1k members
• Cancellation : If you cancel a non-refundable ticket, no refund will be issued – but you can use the cost of the flight against a new ticket within 12 months.
• If your departure or arrival time changes by more than 30 minutes (due to a schedule change), you can change your flight at no extra cost or request a refund.

We’ve also gone into detail on United’s  award flight change & cancellation fees .

Seat Selection Fees

There is no charge to select a seat with United (where available), but you can opt for “Preferred seating” (closer to the front of the economy section) from $9 each way.

Economy Plus Upgrade: $16-$169 each way

Unaccompanied Minor Fee: $150 each way

Pet in Cabin Fee: $125 each way

Fare Holding Fees

If you’re not ready to book at the time of searching, then you can pay to reserve your fare using “Farelock.”

The fee varies by destination, but ranges from $5-$20 with the ability to hold a fare for either 3 or 7 days.

United Airlines Annual Subscription Fees

Economy Plus: From $499

Benefit from additional leg room and being closer to the front of the plane for quicker exiting when you reach your destination.

United Bundle Options

Bundles are offered during the reservation process combining different options, such as an Economy Plus upgrade and United Club trip pass. Prices vary per route, but United states that savings can be had by buying these bundles.

Wi-Fi: From $49

United Club Membership: From $550

Get access to all of the  United Club locations and select partner lounges.

Onboard Refreshments

For flights over 3 hours (within the U.S. and to/from Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America) customers can order from the “Bistro on Board” menu serving items such as a chorizo breakfast sandwich, pepperoni deep dish pizza, or a mezze sampler with prices ranging from $6.99-$9.99 . Menu choices depend on the flight route.

On flights over 1.5 hours (within North America, including select Latin American destinations and the Caribbean, in addition to Singapore , Australia , and New Zealand ) customers can order from the “Snack Shop” serving sweet and savory nibbles and snack boxes. Prices range from $3.99-$9.59 .

Beer and wine are $8, while premium spirits range from $8-$9 and specialty cocktails will run you $10.

Onboard entertainment

Available on select Boeing 737 and 757-300 aircraft, customers can purchase access to DIRECTV with more than 100 TV channels plus movies.

This is complimentary for United first passengers, and $5.99 for United economy passengers on flights less than 2 hours ($7.99 for flights more than 2 hours).

Many travel rewards cards come with an annual airline credit and can be used to offset fees such as baggage fees, such as The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve ®  come with an annual $300 travel credit that can be used to offset almost  any  travel expense.

The cards below allow you to redeem Capital One miles for 1 cent each as a statement credit for previous travel purchases (within 90 days):

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• $395 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ®
• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees:  None

Capital One Miles

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card   is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
• $95 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Limited elite benefits
• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.

Interested in a travel rewards credit card without one of those pesky annual fees? Then say hello to the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

In addition to no annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne card offers no foreign transaction fees.

But is this card worth its salt, or is it merely a shell of the more popular Capital One Venture card?

• No annual fee ( rates & fees )
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates & fees )
• Ability to use transfer partners
• Weak earn rate at 1.25x miles per $1 spent on all purchases
• No luxury travel or elite benefits
• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
• Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
• Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months

In addition, if you have the United Explorer℠ Card  you can get 1 free checked bag for you and a companion on your itinerary.

United Airlines has 14 different types of aircraft with varying cabin classes and seat specs.

United Express operates a further 5 aircraft through its partner airlines. You can view the aircraft and seat specs here .

United Inflight Amenities

United Business & First

• Premium leather seat with extra space and comfort, featuring a headrest that adjusts 6 ways
• Storage space for personal items
• Universal AC power plug
• Mobile device holder
• United Wi-Fi (fee applies)
• Complimentary inflight beverages including beer, wine, spirits, and illy coffee
• DIRECTV with more than 100 TV channels plus movies
• Dining options in partnership with The Trotter Project

Polaris Business & First

• Saks Fifth Avenue bedding
• Sleep-inspired amenities (cotton pajamas on flights over 10 hours)
• Soho House’s Cowshed Spa skincare items
• Lie-flat beds
• 16″ HD monitor

Premium Plus

• Larger seat with more legroom, leg and footrests
• Complimentary beverages
• 13″ monitor
• Power and USB sockets
• Noise-reducing headphones

• Extra legroom
• Situated nearer the front of the plane for quicker disembarkation
• Eligible to earn Premier qualifying dollars
• All standard economy benefits

Economy (Basic and Standard)

• On domestic flights and to/from the Caribbean and Latin America, customers receive complimentary soft drinks (including illy coffee) and can purchase snacks/meals and alcohol.
• On international flights, customers receive complimentary food and beverages including house beer and wine
• Entertainment varies by aircraft (details can be found on the Inflight Amenities tab on United’s Flight Status page )

Hot Tip: Check out our post on United Airlines’ boarding policy so you’ll know what to expect from the boarding process as almost all airlines have a different procedure!

Customer satisfaction is a real mixed bag with United Airlines. Their social media channels and Tripadvisor reviews seem to attract many compliments from loyal customers, which is unusual as these outlets are often utilized to rant and rave about poor service!

Additionally, their PR team is pretty genius, sponsoring a number of great causes and shouting about their good deeds on social media — so even if the service was only mediocre for a customer, their philanthropic ways may improve consumer brand impression.

Lost baggage is a real gripe for United customers, being one of the most prominent issues on review sites. Also, inconsistencies of aircraft age can lead to disappointment in inflight amenities.

One customer complaint we found said they had experienced a seat-back entertainment system on once international flight and not on another. That’s going to disappoint any traveler.

United prides itself on their personal device entertainment, but this does rely on the customer having a smartphone/tablet at their disposal.

Most Common Complaints

United Airlines had 1,169 complaints lodged against them from January-September 2018 according to the  September 2018 Air Travel Consumer Report . The chart below represents the complaints by category.

• Flight problems (cancellation, delay, or misconnection): 292
• Baggage: 185
• Customer service: 174
• Reservation, ticketing, boarding: 110
• Disability : 86
• Refunds: 45
• Oversales: 34
• Discrimination: 8
• Advertising: 5

Consumer Rankings, Ratings, Etc. 

There are a number of different review websites out there when it comes to airline ratings. Here are a few of the most popular so you can see the general consumer opinion for United Airlines.

Skytrax Ranking: 3 Star Airline (out of 5)

Skytrax Customer Rating:  3/10 (average from 2,594 reviews)

TripAdvisor Airline Review Rating:  3/5 (average from 36,791 reviews)

Kayak Customer Rating: 7/10 (average from 61,414 reviews)

AirHelp.com Overall Rating: 7.59/10 (departure/arrival performance, service, and satisfaction of claims processing)

Safety and Performance

Airlineratings.com Safety Rating :  7/7 (takes into consideration whether the airline has an IATA Operational Safety Audit Certification, government and crash records, plus information from the World’s Aviation Governing Body).

United Airlines supports numerous charities across their main hub locations and across the globe. It strives to be a more sustainable airline supporting environmental charities and operations such as Clean the World and Conservation International.

United also supports many youth projects, including Youth Guidance with the goal of inspiring future leaders.

Overall, customer satisfaction seems to be somewhere in the middle for United — and as with other legacy U.S. carriers, there will always be a place for the airline with reasonable fares and route availability.

United will never have the sass and style of Virgin Atlantic or the service and luxury of the Middle Eastern airlines, but it serves its purpose and does have a loyal customer base (although this may be dwindling slightly, with many referencing the “good old days” when United was great).

Their current focus seems to be on revamping their premium cabins, with their Polaris offering in business and first — but we’re hoping they don’t neglect economy for too much longer either.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

What alliance is united apart of.

United is apart of Star Alliance partnership.

What is the United carry-on baggage allowance?

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The Delta Seat Selection Guide

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Table of Contents

How Delta seat selection works

Delta seat selection fee, ticket types and seat selection rules, delta air lines seats for elite members, delta plane seating chart, how to pick seats on delta, final thoughts on selecting a seat on delta air lines.

Booking a Delta Air Lines flight and wondering about Delta’s seat selection? It’s no wonder — with differing benefits for elite members and strict restrictions on basic economy tickets, figuring out how and when to choose your Delta seat can quickly become overwhelming.

Here's a look at Delta seat assignments, how Delta Air Lines’ seating system works and the costs of choosing a seat.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards

Delta operates a variety of cabin classes on its aircraft, including economy, Premium Select, first class and Delta One seats.

Like most airlines, Delta will allow you to select your seat when booking, though the cost to do so and any upcharges will vary depending on the flight you’re taking. Those flying with families and wondering “does Delta seat families together?” are in luck. Delta does its best to seat families together, even after check-in.

» Learn more: Delta vs. United, which is best for you?

According to an analysis of airline fees by NerdWallet, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines charge the least for seat selection, while budget airlines Frontier and Spirit charge the most.

Delta sits in the middle, charging an average of $15-plus for each flight that you'd like to select a seat for. The cost will vary depending on the type of ticket you book with the airline — which we'll discuss next.

» Learn more: How to navigate costly airline seat selection fees

How much is seat selection on Delta Air Lines? That will depend on the ticket type you’re purchasing, be it basic economy, main cabin, Premium Select (premium economy), first class or Delta One.

Basic economy

Basic economy tickets have the most restrictions of any Delta ticket, and this extends to seat selection. Those who book basic economy tickets won't be able to select seats; instead, a seat will be randomly assigned to each passenger after check-in. This includes families and groups who are traveling together — expect to be split up when booking a basic economy ticket.

If you reserve a basic economy ticket, it’s possible to purchase a specific seat starting seven days before departure. Pricing for this varies by trip and is priced by segment.

Main cabin seating, also known as regular economy, includes complimentary seat selection. As a main cabin customer, you also have the option to purchase an upgrade to preferred or Delta Comfort Plus seats while remaining an economy class passenger.

You can also book upgraded economy tickets with additional seat selection perks:

Main Cabin Preferred: Main Cabin Preferred seats are functionally the same as regular main cabin seats. The difference lies in the seat location; Main Cabin Preferred seats are typically window and aisle seats nearer to the front of the plane, plus exit rows. These are the least expensive upgrades from standard economy seating.

Comfort Plus: When available, a Delta Comfort Plus ticket can be purchased directly while booking and the price will include seat selection. The cost to upgrade is higher than for a preferred seat in main cabin. Comfort Plus features more legroom than main cabin and offers passengers dedicated overhead bins. In addition, Comfort Plus guests will receive complimentary beer and wine on all domestic and short-haul international flights.

Main cabin passengers can also choose to upgrade to a Comfort Plus seat either before or after purchasing their ticket.

Premium Select

Premium Select is Delta’s version of premium economy, with larger seats and better recline, two free checked bags, earlier boarding and premium extras. Those who book Premium Select can choose any seat within the cabin for no additional fee.

Delta One and first class

Both first class and Delta One ticket holders can choose any seat within their cabin for free. These spacious seats come with two free checked bags, premium snacks and meals, priority boarding, and a dedicated flight attendant.

GET MORE MILES, MORE BENEFITS WITH A DELTA CARD

Regardless of where you sit once you're on the plane, a Delta-branded credit card can make your trip go a little smoother. Most include free checked bags and priority boarding, and some really stack up the perks. Among options:

on American Express' website

$0 intro for the first year, then $150 .

• 2 miles per $1 on purchases made directly with Delta and at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.

• 1 mile per $1 on all other eligible purchases.

Terms apply.

• 2 miles per $1 on purchases made directly with Delta and at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.).

• 3 miles per $1 on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on hotel purchases.

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To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card , see this page . To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card , see this page . To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card , see this page . To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card , see this page .

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Those who have joined the Delta SkyMiles program and earned Medallion elite status will receive seating benefits on their flights.

Main Cabin Preferred

When booking main cabin tickets, all four tiers of elite status members can select main cabin preferred seats for no additional charge.

» Learn more: The NerdWallet guide to earning Delta SkyMiles

Comfort Plus

Platinum and Diamond level elite members (the two highest tiers) can choose Comfort Plus seats shortly after ticketing for free. Mid-tier Gold members, meanwhile, will be able to select these seats starting 72 hours prior to departure, and low-level Silver members can pick from available Comfort Plus seats starting 24 hours before departure.

Delta elite members will also receive upgrades on select first class and Delta One flights depending on their elite status.

You can find Delta Air Lines seating without needing to book a flight. To do so, you’ll want to first search for your preferred route on Delta’s website. On the search results page, you’ll find a variety of flights from which to choose.

Each flight presents a seat map, which you can preview by selecting "Seats."

Once you’ve picked "Seats," you’ll be taken to a new page that shows a live preview of your aircraft’s seats.

You’ll also be able to view the seat map during the booking process. Once you’ve selected your flight, you’ll be taken to another page prompting you to pick a seat.

How do I choose my seat on Delta?

During booking

The process for reserving a Delta seat is fairly simple. As we mentioned above, you’ll be able to pick seats when booking your flights on the website; Delta will automatically prompt you to do so before checkout.

You may not be able to select seats on codeshare flights, which are operated by Delta’s partners . In this case, you’ll want to go directly to the other airlines’ webpage to manage your seat selection.

After booking

If you need to choose or alter your seat after you’ve booked your flight, go to "My Trips" on the Delta homepage.

If you’re logged in already, you’ll be able to view all the trips you have booked with Delta. You’ll find seat selection options by going down to the "Passenger Information" section.

» Learn more: 6 ways to save on Delta flights

Delta has a variety of ticketing options available for every type of passenger. This includes the highly restrictive basic economy class ticket as well as main cabin tickets for those who prefer certainty with their seats.

Upgrading to Main Cabin Preferred and Comfort Plus seats offers better benefits for those in economy. Loyal members of Delta’s SkyMiles program can also expect to receive complimentary access to these seats and upgrades to higher classes depending on their level of status.

Photo courtesy of Delta Air Lines.

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JetBlue introduces new seat fee as it seeks to boost profitability

JetBlue Airways is looking for all the ways it can maximize revenue.

Over the past few days, the New York-based carrier rolled out a new seat-assignment fee, dubbed "Core Preferred," on all its flights.

This new fee is for aisle and window seat assignments in more favorable locations on the plane, such as those in front of the exit row.

Want more airline-specific news? Sign up for TPG's free biweekly Aviation newsletter .

These seats aren't different from the regular JetBlue economy experience; the only upgrade is that you are closer to the front of the plane.

There doesn't seem to be any other benefit to splurging for one of these seats aside from the preferred location and being able to deplane faster.

All JetBlue Mosaic elite members can assign these seats for free. A look at some sample routes shows that these new Core Preferred seats start from $10 for a Boston-to-Los Angeles flight, $21 for a New York-to-West Palm Beach, Florida, flight and up to $49 on a New York-to-Paris flight.

As you can see, the price doesn't seem to be correlated with distance, which is similar to JetBlue's new strategy for selling Even More Space seats based on more in-demand flights.

This new fee is separate from JetBlue's existing Even More Space offering, which includes up to seven inches of additional legroom, early boarding and priority security.

New and improved: Take a tour of JetBlue's brand-new A321neo Mint business class

Core Preferred seats have an average 32 inches of pitch and feature seatback TVs, as well as power outlets and USB ports on most planes.

If only paid seat assignments are available on your flight, JetBlue will provide you with a complimentary seat during check-in or at the airport.

In explaining the move, a carrier spokesperson shared that "the introduction of preferred seating, in line with many other airlines, allows us to continue to offer our low fares and great service, while making progress toward returning to profitability."

This new fee isn't necessarily a revolution in the industry. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have long charged extra for preferred seats in more favorable locations; even JetBlue's ultra-low-cost competitors charge higher prices for seats closer to the front of the plane.

Of course, for passengers, this new fee is no doubt a devaluation of the JetBlue experience, especially for those who usually book far in advance and have gotten used to getting their pick of the best seats.

Though this move was likely in the works for a while, it comes as JetBlue seems to be laser-focused on maximizing revenues and "closing the gap" on product offerings, as incoming CEO Joanna Geraghty said on the company's recent fourth-quarter earnings calls.

The company's takeover of Spirit Airlines was recently blocked , and the carrier continues to underperform financially relative to the broader aviation industry.

Plus, with the upcoming CEO transition, JetBlue is at a pivotal moment for defining its strategy for the upcoming years.

However, one thing is clear: This new Core Preferred seat assignment likely isn't the only change coming to JetBlue's fares and products.

"We think there are potentially additional product offerings we could introduce that tap into a broader spectrum of customers," Geraghty said.

Related reading:

• When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
• The best airline credit cards
• What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
• 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
• Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• What are points and miles worth? TPG's monthly valuations

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Get your preference of aisle, window or middle seat.

Sit near the front, or exit - it's your choice!

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Enhance your journey with the perfect seat selection. Whether its extra legroom or a window seat, elevate your onboard experience by securing your preferred spot for maximum comfort, convenience, and enjoyment.

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Experience the luxury of UpFront Plus seating. Enjoy front-of-the-plane seating with extra comfort and legroom PLUS an empty middle seat. These exclusive seats are limited so make sure you book your Upfront seat today and travel with ease and comfort. Upgrade to a Business bundle and enjoy the added benefit of an UpFront Plus seat assignment! These exclusive seats are limited so make sure you book your UpFront Plus seat today!

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If you do not select a seat during booking, you will randomly be assigned a seat from the remaining selection.

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Preferred seating, standard seating.

Our standard seats are located at the back and middle of the plane and come with standard legroom and space. When you purchase a flight with our Economy bundle, enjoy the added benefit of a standard seat assignment included!

Note: If you do not select a seat at booking or check in, you will be randomly assigned a seat from the remaining selection. We'll try to keep your party together, but the only way to ensure that you'll sit together is to select seats at time of booking.

Best Ways to Choose Your Seat:

Before Your Flight

At Check-In

Traveling with children.

When one or more of the passengers on a reservation are 13 years of age or younger, Frontier will guarantee adjacent seats for the child or children and an accompanying adult (over age 13) at no additional cost for all fare types subject to limited conditions specified below.

• Child and accompanying adult are on the same reservation
• Adjacent seats are available at the time of booking in the selected class of service
• Adult either chooses seats for the entire reservation or skips seats for the entire reservation, and does not make changes to seat assignments once assigned to them
• It is physically possible based on seat layout to seat the number of children traveling next to the accompanying adult(s).

Although Frontier will provide adjacent seats if available at the time of booking, Frontier might not provide seat assignments right away. Frontier will provide the customer the adjacent seating assignments no later than the day before scheduled departure of the flight.

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Have questions ? We have answers. Explore our frequently asked questions below. Don’t see your question. Click here for more information.

What is the difference between UpFront Plus℠, Premium, Preferred, and Standard seating?  ➤

How do i add a seat ➤, do i have to purchase a seat assignment ➤.

Your airfare includes a seat, but the airline wants you to pay more | Cruising Altitude

I am old enough to remember a time when you could pick your seat for free on every flight on just about every airline. That’s because those pesky fees we have now are relatively new. They started to gain traction among full-service carriers in the mid-to-late 2000s, and by 2018, the big three U.S. carriers were all charging them on at least some tickets.

There was a time when there were no Byzantine ticket structures where some fares included seat selection, and others barred you from choosing your location on the plane in advance, or at least from doing so at no cost.

But nowadays it’s different.

Low-cost airlines like Spirit and Frontier, of course, charge extra for just about everything, but even the legacy carriers, American, Delta and United, have fare classes in economy class now that don’t include seat selection. Some charge extra depending on the seat’s location, even if you’ve paid for a ticket that includes selection.

British Airways takes things a step that is ridiculously far: charging business class passengers a fee on top of their ticket price to select their flatbed seats. For example, on a round-trip itinerary departing from New York on Feb. 22 and returning from London on March 6, it costs about $130 per person each way to choose a seat in business, on top of the $3,300 for the round-trip ticket. Keep in mind that pricing is also dynamic and will rise or drop depending on timing and the exact location of the seat, with seats in the center of the plane closer to the lower-class dividers costing less.

I’m afraid these fees are becoming a staple with airlines.

“These fees are beginning to rival what they collect for baggage at many carriers,” Jay Sorensen, president at the airline consulting firm IdeaWorksCompany, told me. “The rapid embrace of assigned seating fees by all airlines has been a surprise to me. The extent to which they have been such powerful generators of revenue has been a surprise to me as well.”

Of course, there are ways to avoid paying the fees, from flying an airline that doesn’t charge them or buying a ticket that includes seat selection to having frequent-flyer status that gives you free seats as a perk. 

Keep in mind that these fees are technically optional. If you buy a ticket, you’ll have a seat on your flight. In many cases, you just won’t have the option of choosing where that seat is without shelling out extra. Airlines will assign you an unclaimed seat when you check in if you haven’t paid to pick one in advance.

Here’s what to know:

How common are seat selection fees?

Most airlines charge seat selection fees one way or another, Sorensen said, whether it’s by selling lower-fare tickets that don’t include seat preferences or simply by making passengers pay for their seats individually. Even Southwest Airlines, which famously does not assign seats, has its ways of generating seating revenue.

“One could say, well, Southwest doesn’t have these fees, but Southwest does have an early boarding fee,” Sorensen said. “If you want to get a better seat, you’re going to have to pay a priority-boarding fee.” 

If you’ve flown in the past few years, you’ve probably seen at least some of the ways airlines squeeze extra revenue out of their seats. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that economy seat selection fees were as high as $100 on some flights.

How can I avoid paying for a seat on an airplane?

Although the fees have become common across the industry, not every passenger on every flight pays them outright. For example, as a frequent flyer with Delta Air Lines, I have complimentary access to preferred seats in the main cabin – those closer to the front of the plane that other passengers would need to pay extra to select during booking.

Sorensen said free seat selection for preferred or extra legroom seats is a valuable, if somewhat frustrating, perk for frequent flyers, especially now that upgrades are getting harder to come by.

For more casual travelers, however, avoiding seat selection fees can be difficult. Even if you don’t pay them directly, you may be compelled to buy a more expensive ticket that will let your entire travel group stick together on board. If you’re already paying extra, you may also be tempted to buy a higher-fare class, which can provide perks like more legroom or a nicer seat, though, of course, at a steeper price.

What happens if I don’t pay for seat selection?

As I mentioned before, you don’t have to pay to select a seat, but you’re much more likely to wind up stuck between two strangers at the back of the plane if you don’t. 

Are airline seat selection fees legal?

The Biden administration has taken a hard look at ancillary airline revenue, and Congress is considering legislation to crack down on airline seating fees.

President Joe Biden urged Congress in March 2023 to introduce legislation that would bar airlines at least from charging fees for families with children who want to sit together, and some airlines have already voluntarily implemented such policies.

The Department of Transportation has a dashboard that outlines these policies by airline.

For now, however, airline seat fees remain unrestricted and hard to avoid.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected]

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Us airlines raking in billions from seat assignment fees.

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It took airlines a long time to realize they could make billions from getting economy customers to pay twice for their seat. Once for getting access to a seat via their ticket and the second time when they wanted to sit in a particular seat, and so was born the seat assignment business model.

Selling preferred seats is big business

There are a handful of airlines globally that earn more income from selling ancillary products and services than they do from selling tickets. While this fee-for-service approach started in the world of low-cost carriers , it is now embedded in most legacy carriers that have unbundled fares in the name of giving passengers more choice, with one choice being where to sit, which is not a reference to their class of travel.

The subject of seat assignments, particularly as it relates to families sitting together, somehow made it into US President Joe Biden's State of the Union Address on February 7th, when he said:

"We'll prohibit airlines from charging up to $50 roundtrip for families just to sit together. Baggage fees are bad enough - they can't just treat your child like a piece of luggage."

IdeaWorksCompany (IWC) is a US specialist consultancy in airline ancillary revenue strategy and regularly reports on developments in the sector. Its president, Jay Sorensen, said those words strongly suggested it was time to review the state of assigned seating fees to determine the scale of activity, how these are implemented, and how this ancillary revenue business can be improved.

Last week IdeaWorksCompany (IWC) produced a report entitled Airlines Assign Big Revenue Priority to Seat Selection , which said eight key US airlines generated $4.2 billion from assigned seat revenue in 2022.

The eight airlines analyzed were Alaska , Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier , JetBlue, Spirit, and United Airlines . It may surprise some that assigned seating now generates around 80% of the revenue that comes from checked baggage, which IWC estimates was $5.1 billion for the same eight airlines last year.

Is it too complicated?

The IWC report sets out all the methodology and assumptions made to produce the revenue estimates and also stresses that these numbers are for the US domestic services of the eight researched airlines. They do not include the longer international flights or global carriers, which would add billions more to the revenues generated by seat assignments.

IWC said that Alaska and Delta are not in the following table because they do not allow consumers who have purchased a basic economy ticket to select and pay for an assigned seat.

The report highlights that booking an assigned seat can be complex and may have terms and conditions that, in effect, don't guarantee the selected seat anyway. Sorensen believes these onerous terms and conditions and lack of disclosure "invite regulators to focus on ancillary revenue," which may explain how the subject made it into President Biden's speech.

With seat fees now a billion-dollar revenue opportunity and consumers accepting these as part of the deal, the IWC report lists five ways to improve the seat assignment business.

• Encourage purchase with miles/points and integrate assigned seats as a bonus offer
• Create a product by guaranteeing travelers will receive their assigned seat or get an automatic refund or equivalent
• Accommodate families by guaranteeing an adult and child will receive no-fee assigned seats in the booking path
• Simplify seat maps by marking each seat with a price that implies value
• Reduce and simplify the rules and decrease complexity.

Get all the latest aviation news for North America here

The IdeaWorksCompany reports are produced with the support of CarTrawler, a global B2B provider of car rental and mobility solutions to the travel industry. CarTrawler's technology platform expands ancillary revenue opportunities for airline and travel partners, including United Airlines, easyJet, Alaska Airlines, Emirates, and American Express.

Do you pay for seat assignments? Let us know in the comments.

Source: IdeaWorksCompany

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United Basic Economy Passengers Can Now Pay To Assign Seats In Advance

• Ben Schlappig
• Published: February 2, 2018
• Updated: February 5, 2024

It’s quite interesting to see how United has modified their basic economy concept since introducing it early last year. United first introduced basic economy on select flights last February, and then extended it to almost all domestic flights last May.

United (in particular president Scott Kirby) was quite smug about the introduction of basic economy. Kirby thought for sure it would be successful if implemented across their network, and expected that better segmenting the marketing would generate a billion dollars in incremental revenue annually. When they presented the numbers, they did so based on the percentage of passengers they thought would opt for basic economy, and didn’t account for the customers they’d lose because of the introduction of basic economy.

The fact that an airline thinks they can introduce this without losing a significant percentage of their passengers shows how the US airline industry is desperately in need of more competition, because they basically feel like they have captive customers. The good news is that basic economy hasn’t worked out the way United had hoped, and they’ve backtracked on it quite a bit. Originally almost all domestic fares (even expensive last minute tickets) had basic economy, while now they’ve eliminated basic economy from many of their more expensive domestic fares.

Well, United has now decided that they want to segment their passenger base even further. One of the main restrictions on basic economy tickets has been that you can’t select a seat assignment in advance. As of February 1, 2018, United is letting basic economy passengers pay to assign their seats up until 24 hours before departure (at that point seat assignments become free).

As you’ll see during the booking process, the page asking you to choose whether you want a basic economy fare or not now says “choose a complimentary seat, or change or upgrade seats,” rather than “choose, change or upgrade seats.”

The next page shows “advance seat assignments may be available for purchase during booking and up until check-in opens.”

So, how much is United charging for seat assignments on basic economy fares? It will vary by flight, but for a Tampa to Chicago flight for later in the year, they’re charging $5 to assign a middle seat, $10 to assign a window seat, and $15 to assign an aisle seat.

For what it’s worth, the fare difference between economy and basic economy is only about $20 one-way

I guess there are two ways to view this change on United’s part:

• Basic economy isn’t panning out as United had hoped, and they’re acting desperately to try and generate more revenue, by now letting you buy one of the main perks that that’s excluded on these fares
• United is being smart in their effort to infinitely segment the market; after all, there are some people who may not value a carry-on, but who may still be willing to pay more to assign a seat; however, at some point this all seems a bit silly

What do you make of United now selling seat assignments on basic economy fares?

• Most Recent
• Oldest First
• Most Helpful

It's terrible. Have to pay extra for seats just to sit next to my family. I have flying anxiety and they choose to seperate people. Smh! Paying for a checked bag, no carry-on, it's sad.

Just flew to kona. Three legs of our journey from Toronto. Stupidly paid to have aisle seats beside each other. Got to the check in...no record of us having paid, even though it had a receipt on my phone to provide proof. We lost our economy plus seats, but got to sit together. I spoke to the gentleman who was sitting in the seat I selected and paid for....guess what...he had paid for...

Just flew to kona. Three legs of our journey from Toronto. Stupidly paid to have aisle seats beside each other. Got to the check in...no record of us having paid, even though it had a receipt on my phone to provide proof. We lost our economy plus seats, but got to sit together. I spoke to the gentleman who was sitting in the seat I selected and paid for....guess what...he had paid for same seat! Is that not THEFT AND DECEIT? The customer service people were well versed in platitudes and passing the buck WORST AIRLINE EVER. CREW MEMBER TOLD BE STOP WHINING AND SUCK IT UP WHAT.......????

United Airlines practices kangaroo seating of late. Should you buy two seats at the same time (Economy or Basic Economy - makes no difference), they will separate you as a matter of principle. I was on a four-seats-abreast plane with a family member - we were assigned 'A' and 'C', while another couple was assigned 'B' and 'D'. Funny the length an airline will go to try to spite you! Of course, we traded. Of...

United Airlines practices kangaroo seating of late. Should you buy two seats at the same time (Economy or Basic Economy - makes no difference), they will separate you as a matter of principle. I was on a four-seats-abreast plane with a family member - we were assigned 'A' and 'C', while another couple was assigned 'B' and 'D'. Funny the length an airline will go to try to spite you! Of course, we traded. Of course, when traveling with a bratty kid, it can be better to count on sitting in a different part of the plane from him. Let him be someone else's problem for a few hours while you nap.

Some people pay for more leg room because they are tall.

We found ourselves on UNITED last week only because our usual JETBLUE non-stop was sold out and UNITED offered a convenient travel time. We booked our BOS-IAD-AUS round trip through EXPEDIA which immediately books you into UNITED's "basic economy" fare. I later received a tersely worded email from UNITED explaining what "basic economy" means and what NOT to expect at this fare. I upgraded to "preferred seating" and for an additional $243.00 later, my wife...

We found ourselves on UNITED last week only because our usual JETBLUE non-stop was sold out and UNITED offered a convenient travel time. We booked our BOS-IAD-AUS round trip through EXPEDIA which immediately books you into UNITED's "basic economy" fare. I later received a tersely worded email from UNITED explaining what "basic economy" means and what NOT to expect at this fare. I upgraded to "preferred seating" and for an additional $243.00 later, my wife and myself were allowed to sit together. In ALL FOUR flight segments the gate agents felt the need to continually remind all "basic economy" passengers in a condescending tone that you board LAST, sit where you are assigned, have NO ACCESS to the overhead storage bins and you will need to stuff any personal belongings under the seat ahead. The tone in ALL FOUR flight segments was basically you are steerage and clearly not as welcome as boarding groups one through four. If UNITED is going to offer a "basic economy" product and try to compete with the LCC's , they really need to reconsider their marketing and correspondence and scripting at the gate agent level. If I want to fly a LCC, I can fly SOUTHWEST for less, have service with a smile and no $30.00 checked bag fee. I can fly SPIRIT for MUCH LESS if I want the condescension I received with UNITED. Having flown AMERICAN and DELTA basic economy over the last few years, the treatment you receive from them was seamless and unnoticeable, but UNITED feels the need to shove the basic economy rules and hyperbole down your throat from the moment you book your flight. I had not flown on UNITED for about 10 years and was skittish on using them again after the Dr. David Dao/United Express Flight 3411 incident and countless poor reviews online regarding their customer service. It seems not much has changed and UNITED's contempt towards it's customers is still there. This may have been my last trip on UNITED. So much for "The Friendly Skies"....

I'm flying South West Airlines next time. UA is way out of line when they charge $45 dollars for an isle seat.

I have two United credit cards. I bought a ticket to/from NYC. I still haven't a clue if I can check a bag for free or board with a carry-on for free. The flight is direct so I will just wait and see on the seat situation. United needs to better integrate the credit card benefits.

This makes me so mad!It just boils down to same fate for no consideration for the passengers.I will avoid United for the concept of same fate less service.Southwest or Alaska would be a good way to handle their portion of the passengers ,which should get smaller with this scheme!!!

They will keep doing this until some pervert molests a kid because the greedy airline put the parents 20 rows away from thier kids. Guess I will have to find another airline the actually cares about the welfare and safety of my family.

Airlines like United make so much money from first class, that they have a vested interest in making non first class passengers as uncomfortable as possible. This helps ensure people In First Class don't look back at steerage and say "that's not so bad!" This is been true for a long time, and they're expanding that model into economy itself. Making some economy seats smaller, and more uncomfortable. This is one more reason I refuse...

Airlines like United make so much money from first class, that they have a vested interest in making non first class passengers as uncomfortable as possible. This helps ensure people In First Class don't look back at steerage and say "that's not so bad!" This is been true for a long time, and they're expanding that model into economy itself. Making some economy seats smaller, and more uncomfortable. This is one more reason I refuse to fly in a domestic carrier other than Southwest. Their open seating model makes these sorts of games and possible.

“I guess the should just change their name to Frontier ”

@Joe no they shouldn’t. The expectations are different here. With ULCCs like Frontier, the baseline is that you’re buying a ticket with zero perks/amenities. People except nothing when they fly, so buying seats, bags, etc. are seen as an upgrade that is only available through incremental purchases. With legacy carriers people generally expect more. The idea that you’re choosing to downgrade from ‘the standard’...

@Joe no they shouldn’t. The expectations are different here. With ULCCs like Frontier, the baseline is that you’re buying a ticket with zero perks/amenities. People except nothing when they fly, so buying seats, bags, etc. are seen as an upgrade that is only available through incremental purchases. With legacy carriers people generally expect more. The idea that you’re choosing to downgrade from ‘the standard’ for a legacy carrier and then are going to start throwing money to move yourself back to the baseline is totally different. I don’t think people are dumb enough to choose the lowest legacy BE price and then pay-up to move back to a standard ticket they probs should’ve bought in the first place.

I think the bottom line is there are of dumb people, rich people, and rich dumb people. UA is just trying to relieve them of that extra cash.

I've never ever understood what would possess someone to pay $70-200 for legroom alone but I guess some people have money to burn!

I guess the should just change their name to Frontier ;-)

@Tom Schneider UA does not permit online check-in for Basic Economy tickets. You are required to see an agent so they can verify you don't have a carry-on.

Whatever,? ! As an ex UAX employee who worked in sales, sound like they are grasping for straws to see whatever will work. So sick of them and their logic

So will this allow Basic Economy fare purchasers the opportunity to buy an Economy Plus Seating Assignment for a fee as well?

I think there were a lot of people who bought BE on Expedia and Co websites without realizing it so this is their way of trying to goose some extra revenue from them.

Wow what an amazing customer friendly enhancement! So glad that United let's me unbundle all of these services and pick and choose exactly what I want!!

@Mike Perhaps I am missing something from your comment but you can receive your boarding pass via the United App. Hell, I just used the boarding pass on the app to pass through security at IAH a few minutes ago.

$5 middle seats make sense if you have a companion with an aisle/window on a separate, non-Basic ticket. And IMO that situation is rare enough that it's rather an insult to the customer to offer for sale the inflight equivalent of shit on a stick.

$20 is a typical increment for one leg between basic and regular economy, so if you pay $15 to get an aisle seat you've now reduced your savings and given up flexibility, a carry-on and mileage earning for a whopping $5!

I need a cheap last minute round trip to EWR Spirit and united were both a 6 am departure and cost $45 a week and a half before departure (one way) I chose spirit because I can get my boarding pass on the mobile app on my way to the airport I don’t want to be “policed” at the kiosk with my personal item in order to print my boarding pass. And have to arrive 10 minutes earlier Bad move United !!!!

Haven't flown on United since the merger with Continental, so no big deal to me. I expect that at some point United with be like Allegiant, Frontier, etc charging for everything little thing they can get away with.

@chesterwilson - The irony of paying for a seat assignment pushing you to fly an airline where a seat assignment isn't even possible is not lost.

I would pay $20 for a seat in first class. Not a penny just for a regular economy seat

I would pay $5 just for "not the back row" so I guess I would pay $5 for a middle seat just to avoid that, but in reality I would pay $10 or $15 for the aisle or window toward the middle of the plane.

That I will continue to fly Southwest Airlines whenever possible.

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It's terrible. Have to pay extra for seats just to sit next to my family. I have flying anxiety and they choose to seperate people. Smh! Paying for a checked bag, no carry-on, it's sad.

United Airlines practices kangaroo seating of late. Should you buy two seats at the same time (Economy or Basic Economy - makes no difference), they will separate you as a matter of principle. I was on a four-seats-abreast plane with a family member - we were assigned 'A' and 'C', while another couple was assigned 'B' and 'D'. Funny the length an airline will go to try to spite you! Of course, we traded. Of course, when traveling with a bratty kid, it can be better to count on sitting in a different part of the plane from him. Let him be someone else's problem for a few hours while you nap.

• June 14, 2024

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