{"id":8287,"date":"2024-08-30T03:09:13","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T03:09:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelaffiliatewebsite.com\/mer\/how-to-use-credit-cards-to-defeat-basic-economy\/"},"modified":"2024-08-30T03:09:13","modified_gmt":"2024-08-30T03:09:13","slug":"how-to-use-credit-cards-to-defeat-basic-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travelaffiliatewebsite.com\/mer\/how-to-use-credit-cards-to-defeat-basic-economy\/","title":{"rendered":"How to use credit cards to defeat basic economy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>There&#8217;s no doubt: basic economy is infuriating. From carry-on baggage restrictions on some airlines to a lack of seat selection, it&#8217;s a step down from what travelers are used to getting when flying.<\/p>\n<p>The airlines are also doing a good job of making basic economy sound really bad, so you&#8217;ll buy up to standard economy. Despite unpleasant things like <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/how-to-avoid-checked-baggage-fees\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">checked baggage fees<\/a>, there&#8217;s a way to use credit cards to avoid some of the pain points of basic economy. Let&#8217;s go airline by airline to see how to do so.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"alaska-airlines\" class=\"jsx-2362441780 anchor\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"jsx-2362441780\">Alaska Airlines<\/h2>\n<p>Alaska Airlines began offering basic economy fares, which it calls &#8220;Saver Fares,&#8221; in 2019. These fares have minimal amenities. Buying basic economy rather than a main cabin fare will typically save you $15-$30 each way.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-1853040249 tpg-figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-top:0\" class=\"jsx-36530878 full-width-auto-height-image\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;padding-top:66.6875%\"\/><noscript><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/04\/alaska-airlines-jet-rdu.jpeg?width=640 640w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/04\/alaska-airlines-jet-rdu.jpeg?width=750 750w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/04\/alaska-airlines-jet-rdu.jpeg?width=828 828w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/04\/alaska-airlines-jet-rdu.jpeg?width=1080 1080w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/04\/alaska-airlines-jet-rdu.jpeg?width=1200 1200w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/04\/alaska-airlines-jet-rdu.jpeg?width=1920 1920w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/04\/alaska-airlines-jet-rdu.jpeg?width=2048 2048w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/04\/alaska-airlines-jet-rdu.jpeg?width=3840 3840w\" src=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/04\/alaska-airlines-jet-rdu.jpeg?width=3840\"\/><\/noscript><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"jsx-1853040249 figcaption\">SEAN CUDAHY\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Unlike some stricter airlines, Alaska does allow you to bring a full-size carry-on bag for free. But you&#8217;ll still be boarding in Alaska&#8217;s final boarding group, with no seat changes or refunds after 24 hours. You&#8217;re also not eligible for complimentary upgrades.<\/p>\n<p>Alaska Airlines charges a $35 fee for the first checked bag and $45 for the second on all its flights. However, cardholders of the <span class=\"jsx-eb69f9b09a3de1d0 jsx-eea0d1f218f5e80b\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/apply-now\/alaska-airlines-visa-signature-credit-card\/?tid=post\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"jsx-eb69f9b09a3de1d0 jsx-eea0d1f218f5e80b applyLink inherit\">Alaska Airlines Visa Signature\u00ae credit card<\/a><\/span> and the <span class=\"jsx-eb69f9b09a3de1d0 jsx-eea0d1f218f5e80b\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/apply-now\/alaska-airlines-visa-business-credit-card\/?tid=post\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"jsx-eb69f9b09a3de1d0 jsx-eea0d1f218f5e80b applyLink inherit\">Alaska Airlines Visa\u00ae Business card<\/a><\/span> overcome some basic economy restrictions, such as checking a first bag for free for you and up to six additional passengers on the same reservation when you book with your card.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/reviews\/alaska-visa-signature-card-review\/\">Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card review<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That makes these cards well worth the annual fee, even if you only travel with Alaska a few times a year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-3297233758 tpg-table \">\n<div tabindex=\"0\" class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<table class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<thead class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\">Passengers without status<\/th>\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\"><strong>Basic economy<\/strong><\/th>\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\"><strong>Standard economy<\/strong><\/th>\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\"><strong>Basic economy and a<\/strong><br \/><strong>cobranded card<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Boarding group<\/td>\n<td>E<\/td>\n<td>C to D<\/td>\n<td>C<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Carry-on baggage allowance<\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Checked baggage allowance<\/td>\n<td>0<\/td>\n<td>0<\/td>\n<td>1 each for you and up to six additional passengers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Extra cost vs. basic economy<\/td>\n<td>N\/A<\/td>\n<td>$30<\/td>\n<td>$95 for either card<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Flight changes or refunds<\/td>\n<td>None<\/td>\n<td>Fees apply<\/td>\n<td>None<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>For more details, check out our full <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/reviews\/alaska-visa-signature-card-review\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Alaska Airlines Visa review<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/reviews\/alaska-airlines-visa-business-card-review\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Alaska Airlines Visa Business review<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/guide\/alaska-airlines-saver-fares\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Everything you need to know about flying Alaska Airlines&#8217; Saver fares<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"&#10;        EmailSignUp_container__qYzYT&#10;        undefined&#10;        EmailSignUp_isLoading__i_qm0&#10;      \"><picture class=\"EmailSignUp_graphic__zgpFm\"><source media=\"screen and (max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"\/images\/EmailSignUp\/daily-mob.svg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/images\/EmailSignUp\/daily-dt.svg\"\/><\/picture>\n<div class=\"EmailSignUp_form__C8FWb\">\n<p>Daily Newsletter<\/p>\n<p>Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter<\/p>\n<p>Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG\u2019s experts<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a id=\"american-airlines\" class=\"jsx-2362441780 anchor\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"jsx-2362441780\">American Airlines<\/h2>\n<p>American Airlines offers basic economy fares on all domestic routes and flights to\/from Mexico, South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Canada, Europe and Africa.<\/p>\n<p>Basic Economy restrictions mean that you&#8217;ll be assigned a seat at check-in (likely a middle seat), you won&#8217;t be eligible for an upgrade, you&#8217;ll earn fewer elite-qualifying miles\/segments, you&#8217;ll board in the final boarding group, and the ticket doesn&#8217;t allow any flight changes or refunds. You are allowed to bring a carry-on bag on board.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-1853040249 tpg-figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-top:0\" class=\"jsx-36530878 full-width-auto-height-image\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;padding-top:66.6875%\"\/><img alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%\"\/><noscript><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/07\/American-Airlines-LGA-Planes-11.jpg?width=640 640w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/07\/American-Airlines-LGA-Planes-11.jpg?width=750 750w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/07\/American-Airlines-LGA-Planes-11.jpg?width=828 828w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/07\/American-Airlines-LGA-Planes-11.jpg?width=1080 1080w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/07\/American-Airlines-LGA-Planes-11.jpg?width=1200 1200w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/07\/American-Airlines-LGA-Planes-11.jpg?width=1920 1920w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/07\/American-Airlines-LGA-Planes-11.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/07\/American-Airlines-LGA-Planes-11.jpg?width=3840 3840w\" src=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/07\/American-Airlines-LGA-Planes-11.jpg?width=3840\"\/><\/noscript><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"jsx-1853040249 figcaption\">ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>On <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aa.com\/i18n\/travel-info\/experience\/seats\/basic-economy.jsp\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">American Airlines&#8217; basic economy overview<\/a>, you&#8217;ll find that there&#8217;s a caveat:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;AAdvantage\u00ae status members and eligible Citi\u00ae \/ AAdvantage\u00ae or AAdvantage\u00ae Aviator\u00ae Mastercard\u00ae cardmembers are exempt from certain restrictions.<\/p>\n<p>Those with <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/guide\/what-is-aa-elite-status-worth\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">AA elite status<\/a> can maintain their boarding group and checked-bag benefits.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>But what if you don&#8217;t have status? Then, you can use one of these eligible cards to get an even better boarding group than standard economy and get the checked baggage allowance awarded by the credit card.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Eligible cards<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p>All of the mentioned American Airlines credit cards help you bypass the restrictions of basic economy when flying American.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/reviews\/citi-aadvantage-executive-review\/\">Citi \/ AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard review<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>*The information for these cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-3297233758 tpg-table \">\n<div tabindex=\"0\" class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<table class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<thead class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\">Passengers without status<\/th>\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\"><strong>Basic economy<\/strong><\/th>\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\"><strong>Standard economy<\/strong><\/th>\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\"><strong>Basic economy and a<\/strong><br \/><strong>cobranded card<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Boarding group<\/td>\n<td>9<\/td>\n<td>6 to 8<\/td>\n<td>4 to 5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Assigned seat<\/td>\n<td>Select within 48 hours for a fee, or assigned<\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/airlines\/beginners-guide-aa-economy-seats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Limited selection<\/a><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/airlines\/beginners-guide-aa-economy-seats\/\">at booking<\/a><\/td>\n<td>Select within 48 hours for a fee, or assigned<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Carry-on baggage allowance<\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Checked baggage allowance<\/td>\n<td>0<\/td>\n<td>0 to 1<\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Extra cost vs. basic economy<\/td>\n<td>N\/A<\/td>\n<td>$30<\/td>\n<td>Starting at $0 for the first year, then starting at $99 per year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Flight changes or refunds<\/td>\n<td>None<\/td>\n<td>Fees apply<\/td>\n<td>None<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Rather than paying $30+ more per flight for standard economy, you can use a cobranded credit card like the Citi \/ AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard to avoid being relegated to the last group of boarding due to basic economy fares.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, you&#8217;ll jump the bulk of economy passengers (in Groups 6-8) and board in Group 4, where you&#8217;ve got a great chance of having space in the overhead bins. Plus, you&#8217;ll get a free checked bag on domestic flights.<\/p>\n<p>You don&#8217;t have to pay for your flights with the cobranded card to get these benefits \u2014 American Airlines will tie your credit card to your AAdvantage account and apply these benefits automatically. This allows you to <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/cards-with-trip-delay-reimbursement\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">use a credit card with better travel protection<\/a> when booking flights \u2014 like the <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/apply-now\/chase-sapphire-reserve%e2%84%a0\/?pid=221211836&amp;tid=post\">Chase Sapphire Reserve\u00ae<\/a>, which offers up to $500 of expense reimbursement for delays of over six hours.<\/p>\n<p>The downside of the cobranded card approach is that you still don&#8217;t get to pick your seat for free. You&#8217;ll have the option to pay to select a seat 48 hours before departure. Otherwise, AA will assign you a seat at check-in.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related reading: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/american-airlines\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Choosing the best credit card for American Airlines flyers<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a id=\"delta-air-lines\" class=\"jsx-2362441780 anchor\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"jsx-2362441780\">Delta Air Lines<\/h2>\n<p>The O.G. of legacy carriers for basic economy is Delta. Launched in 2012, <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/guide\/how-to-survive-basic-economy-on-delta-air-lines\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Delta&#8217;s basic economy<\/a> has the least harsh restrictions. With Delta&#8217;s version, you don&#8217;t get advance seat assignments, upgrades or any changes to the flights (<a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/guide\/airlines-24-hour-hold-cancellation-policies\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">after the required 24-hour period<\/a>). That said, you can choose your seats at check-in and get a carry-on bag.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-1853040249 tpg-figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-top:0\" class=\"jsx-36530878 full-width-auto-height-image\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;padding-top:66.64999999999999%\"\/><img alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%\"\/><noscript><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2018\/07\/Delta-767-Seats-2.jpg?width=640 640w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2018\/07\/Delta-767-Seats-2.jpg?width=750 750w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2018\/07\/Delta-767-Seats-2.jpg?width=828 828w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2018\/07\/Delta-767-Seats-2.jpg?width=1080 1080w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2018\/07\/Delta-767-Seats-2.jpg?width=1200 1200w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2018\/07\/Delta-767-Seats-2.jpg?width=1920 1920w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2018\/07\/Delta-767-Seats-2.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2018\/07\/Delta-767-Seats-2.jpg?width=3840 3840w\" src=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2018\/07\/Delta-767-Seats-2.jpg?width=3840\"\/><\/noscript><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"jsx-1853040249 figcaption\">BENJI STAWSKI\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>There are still advantages to getting a cobranded Delta credit card if you&#8217;re considering basic economy. While you get a carry-on bag with Delta&#8217;s basic economy fare, you might have to gate-check it, as you&#8217;ll be boarding in Group 8. With a cobranded card, you&#8217;ll get a free checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights to have an almost-sure spot in the overhead bins.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Eligible cards<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/delta\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Choosing the best credit card for Delta flyers<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-3297233758 tpg-table \">\n<div tabindex=\"0\" class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<table class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<thead class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\"><strong>Passengers without status<\/strong><\/th>\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\"><strong>Basic economy<\/strong><\/th>\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\"><strong>Standard economy<\/strong><\/th>\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\"><strong>Basic economy and a<\/strong><br \/><strong>cobranded card<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Boarding group<\/td>\n<td>8<\/td>\n<td>6 to 7<\/td>\n<td>5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Assigned seat<\/td>\n<td>Potential to choose at check-in but may be assigned at the gate<\/td>\n<td>Choose at booking<\/td>\n<td>Potential to choose at check-in but may be assigned at the gate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Carry-on baggage allowance<\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Checked baggage allowance<\/td>\n<td>0<\/td>\n<td>0-1<\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Extra cost vs. basic economy<\/td>\n<td>N\/A<\/td>\n<td>$30<\/td>\n<td>Starting at $0 for the first year, then starting at $150 per year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Flight changes or refunds<\/td>\n<td>None<\/td>\n<td>Fees apply<\/td>\n<td>None<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>That&#8217;s right: you can get a card with a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (<span class=\"jsx-eb69f9b09a3de1d0 jsx-eea0d1f218f5e80b\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/apply-now\/delta-skymiles-gold-american-express-card\/?tid=post\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"jsx-eb69f9b09a3de1d0 jsx-eea0d1f218f5e80b applyLink inherit\">Delta SkyMiles Gold card<\/a><\/span>, see <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/apply-now\/delta-skymiles-gold-american-express-card-rates-fees\/?tid=post\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">rates and fees<\/a> or <span class=\"jsx-eb69f9b09a3de1d0 jsx-eea0d1f218f5e80b\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/apply-now\/delta-skymiles-gold-business-american-express-card\/?tid=post\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"jsx-eb69f9b09a3de1d0 jsx-eea0d1f218f5e80b applyLink inherit\">Delta SkyMiles Gold Business<\/a><\/span>, see <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/apply-now\/delta-skymiles-gold-business-american-express-card-rates-fees\/?tid=post\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">rates and fees<\/a>) to avoid first checked bag fees and having to gate-check your bag. As with American, you don&#8217;t have to purchase your ticket with your <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/delta\/\">Delta credit card<\/a> to get the free checked bag \u2014 just having the card and including your Delta SkyMiles number in your reservation is enough.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/platinum-delta-skymiles-credit-card-review\/\">Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex review<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>What is the downside of going with the cobranded card approach? No advance seat selection. Delta&#8217;s basic economy fares have the potential to choose seats at check-in, but it&#8217;s possible that you may not get a seat assigned until the gate.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/delta-platinum-vs-delta-reserve-which-card-is-right-for-you\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Delta Platinum vs. Delta Reserve<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a id=\"united-airlines\" class=\"jsx-2362441780 anchor\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"jsx-2362441780\">United Airlines<br \/>\n<\/h2>\n<p>Of all the major airlines, <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/guide\/how-to-survive-basic-economy-on-united-airlines\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">United&#8217;s basic economy is the worst<\/a>. While American Airlines relented and lets basic economy passengers carry-on a bag, United still doesn&#8217;t allow basic economy passengers anything larger than a personal item (except on long-haul international flights). Plus, the basic economy fares can be absurd.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"jsx-1853040249 tpg-figure\">\n<div style=\"padding-top:0\" class=\"jsx-36530878 full-width-auto-height-image\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;padding-top:66.6875%\"\/><img alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%\"\/><noscript><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/08\/Planes-PIT-5.jpg?width=640 640w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/08\/Planes-PIT-5.jpg?width=750 750w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/08\/Planes-PIT-5.jpg?width=828 828w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/08\/Planes-PIT-5.jpg?width=1080 1080w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/08\/Planes-PIT-5.jpg?width=1200 1200w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/08\/Planes-PIT-5.jpg?width=1920 1920w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/08\/Planes-PIT-5.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/08\/Planes-PIT-5.jpg?width=3840 3840w\" src=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.global.ssl.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2024\/08\/Planes-PIT-5.jpg?width=3840\"\/><\/noscript><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"jsx-1853040249 figcaption\">ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>And what do you get with United&#8217;s basic economy? Not much: an auto-assigned seat at check-in (with no chance to change), no carry-on bags, no upgrades and no changes\/refunds. You can&#8217;t even check in online (except for transatlantic flights) unless you&#8217;re paying for a checked bag.<\/p>\n<p>A United credit card can help ease some of the pain of basic economy. Like American and Delta, you&#8217;ll jump from the last boarding group to an earlier one. And, you&#8217;ll earn back a carry-on bag and get a first free checked bag \u2014 or two with certain cards.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Eligible cards<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/united\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The best credit cards for flying United<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>The information for the United Club Business has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-3297233758 tpg-table \">\n<div tabindex=\"0\" class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<table class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<thead class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\"><strong>Passengers without status<\/strong><\/th>\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\"><strong>Basic economy<\/strong><\/th>\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\"><strong>Standard economy<\/strong><\/th>\n<th class=\"jsx-3297233758\"><strong>Basic economy and a<\/strong><br \/><strong>cobranded card<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Boarding group<\/td>\n<td>6<\/td>\n<td>3 to 5<\/td>\n<td>2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Assigned seat<\/td>\n<td>Assigned at check-in<\/td>\n<td>Choose at booking<\/td>\n<td>Assigned at check-in<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Carry-on baggage allowance<\/td>\n<td>0<\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Checked baggage allowance<\/td>\n<td>0<\/td>\n<td>0<\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Extra cost vs. basic economy<\/td>\n<td>N\/A<\/td>\n<td>$30<\/td>\n<td>Starting at $0 for the first year, then starting at $95 per year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"jsx-3297233758\">\n<td>Flight changes or refunds<\/td>\n<td>None<\/td>\n<td>Fees apply<\/td>\n<td>None<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>It&#8217;s important to note that you need to use your cobranded United card to pay for your flights to get the checked baggage allowance. Unfortunately, the cobranded card approach doesn&#8217;t let you select a better seat or get upgrades.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/reviews\/united-infinite-club-card-review\/\">United Club Infinite Card review<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a id=\"southwest-airlines\" class=\"jsx-2362441780 anchor\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"jsx-2362441780\">Southwest Airlines<\/h2>\n<p>It&#8217;s worth noting that of the major airlines, Southwest is the only one without a basic economy class.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"bottom-line\" class=\"jsx-2362441780 anchor\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"jsx-2362441780\">Bottom line<\/h2>\n<p>Basic economy fares have become ubiquitous on U.S. legacy airlines, covering all domestic routes and many international ones. However, by having a cobranded <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/airline\/\">airline credit card<\/a>, you can avoid some of the pain of basic economy without having to buy up to standard economy.<\/p>\n<p>If you like to carry on a bag \u2014 and not gate-check it \u2014 as well as get a free checked bag, all you need is to get an eligible cobranded card and buy the cheapest fare. Thanks to priority boarding benefits, you&#8217;ll get access to the overhead bins before those who paid extra to get standard economy but don&#8217;t have a cobranded card.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/credit-cards\/are-airline-credit-cards-worth-it-anymore\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Are airline credit cards worth it?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold card, click <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/apply-now\/delta-skymiles-gold-american-express-card-rates-fees\/?tid=post\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>.<\/em><br \/><em>For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business card, click <a href=\"https:\/\/thepointsguy.com\/apply-now\/delta-skymiles-gold-business-american-express-card-rates-fees\/?tid=post\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There&#8217;s no doubt: basic economy is infuriating. From carry-on baggage restrictions on some airlines to a lack of seat selection, it&#8217;s a step down from what travelers are used to getting when flying. The airlines are also doing a good job of making basic economy sound really bad, so you&#8217;ll buy up to standard economy. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8288,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"","ocean_second_sidebar":"","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"","ocean_custom_header_template":"","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel","entry","has-media","owp-thumbs-layout-horizontal","owp-btn-normal","owp-tabs-layout-horizontal","has-no-thumbnails","has-product-nav"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/thepointsguy.freetls.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2022\/07\/United-Airlines-Planes-Social-Disclaimer.jpg?w=1699&resize=1699,889&ssl=1","rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/thepointsguy.freetls.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2022\/07\/United-Airlines-Planes-Social-Disclaimer.jpg?w=1699&resize=1699,889&ssl=1",1699,889,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/thepointsguy.freetls.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2022\/07\/United-Airlines-Planes-Social-Disclaimer.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1",1200,0,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/thepointsguy.freetls.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2022\/07\/United-Airlines-Planes-Social-Disclaimer.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1",1200,0,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/thepointsguy.freetls.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2022\/07\/United-Airlines-Planes-Social-Disclaimer.jpg?w=150&resize=150,150&ssl=1",150,150,false],"medium":["https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/thepointsguy.freetls.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2022\/07\/United-Airlines-Planes-Social-Disclaimer.jpg?w=300&resize=300,300&ssl=1",300,300,false],"large":["https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/thepointsguy.freetls.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2022\/07\/United-Airlines-Planes-Social-Disclaimer.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1",1024,1024,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/thepointsguy.freetls.fastly.net\/us\/originals\/2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href=\"https:\/\/travelaffiliatewebsite.com\/mer\/category\/travel\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Travel<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"There&#8217;s no doubt: basic economy is infuriating. From carry-on baggage restrictions on some airlines to a lack of seat selection, it&#8217;s a step down from what travelers are used to getting when flying. The airlines are also doing a good job of making basic economy sound really bad, so you&#8217;ll buy up to standard economy.&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelaffiliatewebsite.com\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8287"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelaffiliatewebsite.com\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelaffiliatewebsite.com\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelaffiliatewebsite.com\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelaffiliatewebsite.com\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8287"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/travelaffiliatewebsite.com\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8287\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8289,"href":"https:\/\/travelaffiliatewebsite.com\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8287\/revisions\/8289"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelaffiliatewebsite.com\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8288"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/travelaffiliatewebsite.com\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8287"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelaffiliatewebsite.com\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8287"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travelaffiliatewebsite.com\/mer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8287"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}