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How to Navigate Costly Airline Seat Selection Fees

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Airlines always seem to have one more trick up their sleeves for adding fees to the cost of airfare. Anyone who has flown in the past few years knows that some airlines now charge for basics, like carry-on bags and a printed boarding ticket. Yet one sneaky charge is often ignored by even savvy travelers: seat selection fees.

On the surface, there’s nothing complicated about these fees. Some airlines will let you select a specific seat for a markup on the base cost of your ticket. However, the way the fees are presented is often misleading, making it seem like you must select a seat and pay the accompanying fee.

A seat selection chart from Frontier Airlines.

This approach, in which companies add fees throughout the checkout process, is called “drip pricing” by experts. And research indicates that it's an effective sales tactic, both for confusing customers and driving up overall prices.

But here’s the thing: You almost never have to pay these fees. Here’s how to avoid — or at least minimize — these pesky fees.

Ways to avoid seat selection fees

Skip seat selection altogether.

Though it might sound scary, there's one weird trick airlines don’t want you to know: You don’t have to select a seat. On most airlines, you'll get assigned a seat at check-in or at the gate if you don’t already have one.

Some airlines make it seem like you must (or at least should) select a seat during checkout. Frontier Airlines even has a graphic interstitial page telling you why selecting a seat is such a great option.

Don’t fall for it. You can always skip seat selection and save the money, but do keep a few things in mind:

Skipping seat selection doesn’t mean you won’t get a seat on the flight.

You might get stuck in the middle seat if you don’t pay for one.

Even if seat selection is free, you might want to skip it if only lousy seats are available (see the "upgrade hack” below).

Pick an airline with lower seat fees

Part of what’s so confusing about these fees is how inconsistently the industry is applying them. Unlike change and cancellation fees, which most U.S. airlines recently abolished, many airlines seem to be increasing the upcharge on selecting seats.

But some are charging much more than others.

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

Airlines with modest seat fees (less than $10 each leg):

Airlines with high seat fees ($15-plus each leg):

Southwest Airlines doesn’t technically charge for nor allow seat selection in the same way as other airlines, so it's excluded from this data. But you won’t get charged a seat selection fee on Southwest during checkout, so it’s also a good option.

Roll the dice with an upgrade hack

As a regular, non-frequent flyer, it’s hard to get your seat upgraded these days. Yet skipping seat selection sometimes offers the opportunity to get bumped into premium seating.

Here’s how it works. Airlines now offer a “premium economy” fare or similar. Sometimes, all of the good seats — including the exit rows — are considered premium. The airlines try to charge extra for these seats, but if nobody takes them and the flight is full, they have to assign them to somebody.

Specifically, airlines will assign these empty, better seats to those passengers who haven't selected a seat. So if you put yourself in this pool, you have a chance of scoring an even better seat than those who paid extra for advance seat selection.

Of course, there’s a potential downside: You could very well get stuck in a middle seat in the back of the plane rather than getting upgraded. But if you notice that your flight is full and not many passengers have upgraded to the good main cabin seats, skipping seat selection altogether can be an expert-level travel move.

» Learn more: How families can get seats together on a plane

Don’t pay for advance seat selection

Airlines are playing the same game. They want to show the lowest fares possible on search results, then upsell you during checkout. This drip-pricing tactic is a pain for passengers . Charging for seat selection is one way airlines try to make a buck at the last minute.

Know your options and avoid their trickery. Skip seat selection altogether or fly an airline with limited seat fees, like Alaska, Hawaiian or JetBlue. Each charges little or nothing for choosing a seat. Worst case, you’ll end up in the middle seat. Best case, you’ll get a seat with extra legroom.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee:   Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards:  Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card  

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x 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.

75,000 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.

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

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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.

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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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About Erin Miller

An experienced points hacker, Erin is Alex’s partner-in-crime and contributes to Upgraded Points with in-depth guides and relationship management. Erin’s work has been cited in multiple major publications.

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United Economy Vs Basic Economy: What You Need To Know

E ver since EVA Air offered its upgraded Evergreen class of premium economy seats in 1991, other airlines have jumped on the wagon, hoping that passengers will pay extra for a slightly better experience. The experience can vary greatly depending on the airline, with some offering an increased baggage allowance, better in-flight meals, and improved entertainment. One thing they all have in common is increased legroom and a more expensive purchase price.

Chicago-headquartered United Airlines has taken the concept a bit further, offering three classes of economy tickets, which are:

• Basic economy
• Economy plus

With this in mind, we will compare United Airlines' basic economy and see how it compares to the carrier's regular economy offering. United Airlines economy class is comparable to other American carriers like Delta Air Lines and American Airlines. Still, its basic economy only offers some of the perks of a regular economy class ticket.

Basic Economy Class

What you get with a United Airlines basic economy ticket :

• Checked luggage and carry-ons: If you are flying within the lower 48 states, you can bring one personal item like a shoulder or laptop bag aboard, so long as it can be stowed on the floor of the seat in front of you. No full-size carry-on bags are permitted. If you have another bag, you must pay $35 and have it checked in. Checked luggage on international flights costs $60, but you can bring a carry-on.
• Seat assignment: United Airlines will assign you a seat. However, some flights allow you to select your seat for a fee starting from $10.
• Boarding: As a basic economy passenger, you will be in the last group to board the aircraft.
• Cancelations and refunds: United Airlines basic economy tickets cannot be changed, but you can get a refund if you cancel your flight at least 24 hours after booking for a full refund. If you cancel your flight later than 24 hours before departure, you will pay $99 for a domestic flight and $199 for an international flight. You will also not be reimbursed in cash but will receive a voucher that you can use for a future flight.
• Miles and upgrades: With a basic economy fare, you will not receive a complimentary upgrade to economy plus. You will earn half the air miles you would typically be entitled to with a regular economy ticket.

Basic Economy Tickets Revenue Increased 20% At United Airlines In Q4 2023

Economy class.

What you get with a United Airlines economy class ticket:

• Checked luggage and carry-ons: United Airlines economy seating has the same fees as basic economy, but it does allow you one piece of carry-on luggage.
• Seat assignment: With regular economy, you can select where you want to sit, which is a big plus when traveling with friends or family.
• Boarding: Just like with basic economy, standard economy is one of the last groups to board, but you do get called for boarding ahead of people with basic economy tickets.
• Cancelations and refunds: United Airlines, like other mainstream American carriers, has gotten rid of ticket change fees > If you cancel your booking within 24 hours of making it, you will be entitled to a full refund. You can still cancel later, but your refund will be in the form of a voucher for a future flight.
• Miles and upgrades: If you are a member of the United Airlines MileagePlus program, you may be offered a free upgrade to economy plus

Is it worth paying the extra money rather than flying basic economy?

Looking at flying with United Airlines round trip from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA), a basic economy ticket at this time of year is available for $116. The same flight when flying regular economy is $186, which is $70 more expensive than the basic fare.

Seeing how it is only a two-hour ten-minute flight and the fact both seats are the same width and legroom, it makes sense to fly basic economy. Having said that, if you dread getting assigned a middle seat, need a carry-on, and want to sit with family and friends, it makes sense to pay the extra $70.

Skyrocketing seat selection fees enrage flyers, enrich airlines

There is nothing special about aisle seat 18D on Delta Air Lines Flight 2876 from Atlanta to New York.

No extra legroom, free drinks or priority boarding.

But try to reserve it for a January weekend getaway and a price tag pops up: $59.99. One way. On top of the ticket price.

Seat 18D is an ordinary aisle seat on American Airlines, too, but it'll cost you $39 one way to reserve it on a flight between Dallas and Boston in mid-February. Prefer 12D a few rows up? That'll be $43. 12E,  a lowly middle seat, is going for $36. 

Seat selection fees, once the province of no frills discount airlines like Spirit and Allegiant, have become big business for major airlines – and a source of frustration and confusion for travelers.

They are prevalent and pricey at American and Delta, and United starting selling them on Dec. 14, a move the company announced in August . United appears to be starting slow, with limited seats per flight and an initial fee of $9 each way, according to a spot check of routes by USA TODAY.

The seat assignments for sale are "preferred'' seats, so named because they are in areas of the plane airlines say passengers prefer, such as aisle and window seats closer to the front.

United President Scott Kirby, a pioneer of seat fees when he was president of US Airways a decade ago, has long said paying different prices for seats on a plane, even if the only perk is getting off sooner than other passengers, is no different than paying higher prices for seats closer to the front at a concert or sporting event.

Brett Snyder, a former airline employee who writes the Cranky Flier blog and runs a travel service called Cranky Concierge , calls that a "completely ridiculous comparison.''

"It's not like you need a view of the pilot here,'' he said.

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Bob Denny calls preferred seats a ripoff. Denny, who lives in Ohio and travels overseas for his job as an anti-terrorism assistance instructor for the U.S. Department of State, says he paid about $65 for what he thought was a seat upgrade on an Atlanta-Paris flight on Delta partner Air France in September.  Like many business travelers, he paid for the "upgrade'' with his own money to stay compliant with his company's travel policy.

For that price, Denny figured he was in the extra legroom seats in the front of the economy cabin.

He wasn't. He had purchased a "preferred'' aisle seat in what he called the "sardine'' section. He tried to get a refund but has had no luck.

"I think it's a fleecing,'' he said. "There's nothing preferred about it.''

Airlines get plenty of questions and complaints about preferred seats on social media. 

Airlines are making a bundle of money selling seat assignments that used to be free

The government doesn't require airlines to disclose seat fee revenue as it does with bag fees and reservation change fees, and airlines don't publicly break them out. (Except for Southwest, which doesn't assign seats but took in $358 million from its version of a seat fee called EarlyBird check in.)

Veteran travel analyst Henry Harteveldt, co-founder of Atmosphere Research Group in San Francisco, estimates seat selection fees generate "well north of'' half a billion dollars a year for large airlines that charge them.

"It could be substantially higher,'' he said.

Harteveldt says he recently booked a flight on an airline on which he doesn't have elite frequent flyer status (elite members generally can book preferred seats for free.) When he pulled up the seating chart, all that was available to reserve without extra charges were center seats.

"I coughed up about $48 to have a window seat,'' he said.

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Jay Sorensen, president of airline consulting firm IdeaWorks and an expert on airline ancillary revenue, said the the adoption of seat assignment fees in the last two years has been surprisingly rapid.

"The big three – American, Delta, United – have been going down this path of copying the playbook from the low cost carriers,'' he said.

Sorensen says airline seat fees are now a strong second to baggage fees (when you include fees to upgrade to airlines' economy seats with extra legroom and other perks. Delta calls it Comfort Plus, American, Main Cabin Extra and United Economy Plus.

Airlines are up front about preferred seats but passengers are still confused

Harteveldt says he fields questions from friends about the difference between preferred seats and seats with extra legroom.

"You have to plan and book trips with your eyes wide open,'' he said. "There's nothing preferred about it.''

Snyder calls preferred seat fees a form of bait and switch. Airlines like Delta, United and American created no frills Basic Economy fares for budget sensitive travelers in the past few years, with restrictions including no free advance seat assignments. During booking, they try to get travelers to pay more for a regular economy by touting the perks you get over a basic economy ticket.

Except one of the biggest perks, a seat assignment, now carries a caveat: Fees may apply.

United CEO Oscar Munoz defended seat fees on a conference call with reporters in mid-December. He dismissed the suggestion that airlines risk alienating customers with more "nickel and diming'' for things like seats closer to the front of the plane, and noted that "everyone'' is doing it.

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Munoz said preferred seat fees are simply part  of the industry's move toward cabin "segmentation," carving up each plane's real estate to offer different things to different travelers. It's all about customer choice, he said.

"There's certainly not a piss off the customer factor in anything we do,'' Munoz said.

Harteveldt wonders if airlines' tone on seat fees will change during the next economic downturn. 

"The airlines have what one of my grandfathers would call a high-class problem: right now demand is strong, people are traveling,'' he said.

"I think that there is a risk, we may be pushing some of these fees and the monetization almost too far. I think the airlines are going to have have to be careful about the seat assignments.''

Five things to know about those pesky airline seat fees 

1. No, you don't have to buy a seat assignment.  Skip over those color coded pricey premium and "preferred'' seats and look for free seats during booking if you're not particular about where you sit. There are usually plenty of free window and aisle seats at the time of booking, often in the back half of the plane, especially if you book tickets in advance. If there aren't any free seats or all that is left are middle seats, you can select a seat for free during online check-in or at the airport. You might snag your coveted aisle or window seat at that time, or could be stuck in the middle.

2. Yes, there's a good chance you won't be seated next to family members, friends or colleagues traveling with you   if free seats are scarce and you don't pay up for a seat assignment. Airlines say, however, that talk of families with young children being separated by the seat fee policy are overblown. American says its reservation system automatically sits an adult and child younger than age 14 without seat assignments together 48 hours after ticketing so the child won't be seated alone. Some seats are also blocked until the day of departure out to accommodate scattered families at the gate. 

 3. There's a big difference between a preferred seat in economy and a premium seat in economy.  A preferred seat is an ordinary economy seat airlines are charging extra for simply given its location on the plane. It could be a window, aisle or even middle seat closer to the front of the plane for a quicker exit upon landing.  Premium seats, in contrast, generally come with extra legroom, priority boarding, dedicated bin space and free drinks, all at the front of the economy cabin. (Policies vary by carrier.) 

4. You can pay as much or more for a seat assignment than checked bags on some flights . American Airlines is selling preferred seats on a flight between Charlotte, North Carolina, and Aruba over President's Weekend for $36 to $40 per person. The new baggage fee norm on major carriers except Southwest is $30 for the first bag and $40 for the second bag. And the fees are per person each way.

5. Not all airlines charge them. Southwest doesn't have assigned seats so thus no seat fees, though the airline recently raised prices for its EarlyBird Check In option , a version of a seat fee that ranges from $15 to $25 per passenger each way. JetBlue Airways and Alaska Airlines don't charge extra for regular seat assignments in coach.

Window Seat Passengers Will Now Get Priority Boarding on United Airlines

By Jessica Puckett

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

United Airlines is changing its boarding process for economy passengers, and your seat preference —window, middle, or aisle—could determine how quickly you are allowed on the plane.

According to an internal memo, the airline will be switching to a boarding system in economy that will follow a window, middle, aisle seat order, or WILMA in industry parlance.

The new process will go into effect on most United flights on October 26. Here’s how it will work: When economy boarding starts, passengers with a window seat will board in Group 3, along with fliers in exit row seats. Next up will be economy fliers with middle seats, who will be in boarding in Group 4. The last regular economy passengers on the aircraft will be fliers with seats along the aisle, who will be assigned Group 5 on their boarding passes.

The new process will also accommodate fliers traveling with companions—multiple customers on the same economy reservation, like families or partners traveling together, will be assigned the same and highest boarding group number. The only exception is passengers in basic economy.

All basic economy fliers, regardless of seat assignment, will be pushed to the newly established Group 6, the final group and the last passengers to get on the plane.

There will be no change in the boarding system for pre-boarding groups like active military or disabled passengers, or for business class, first class, and fliers with elite status.

The airline has boarded its planes using the WILMA method in the past, but stopped the process in 2017 in favor of a standard front-to-back approach. However, the airline’s memo says that since 2019, United’s average boarding times have increased by two minutes, as a result of which, it has been researching a way to streamline its protocol again.

United tested the WILMA process at four boarding points at unnamed domestic airports , including one of its major hubs, and reports that it’s a faster procedure, shaving the extra two minutes off of boarding times. Those two minutes are crucial for both the airline and for passengers, as a departure running behind by even that amount of time can cause tarmac delays that throw off passengers’ travel plans and become costly for carriers.

US airlines are always tinkering with the boarding process to see if it can be smoother or more profitable. JetBlue used to be known for boarding passengers with a quicker back-to-front method—a system it briefly revived during the pandemic to reduce the amount of time passengers were standing in the aisles. Southwest, too, has its open-seating boarding system in which passengers board by group but are free to pick the first available seat that appeals to them. That process is about 47 percent faster than traditional boarding, according to flight search platform CheapAir.com . Even so, Southwest has experimented with ways to make its process more efficient by testing a boarding procedure that opened both the front and rear doors for passengers at a handful of airports—although that option never seemed to catch on across its fleet.

But in general, airlines today stick to a front-to-back, row-by-row procedure because it is simply more lucrative. Priority boarding is usually seen as an added perk for passengers who buy more expensive premium seats, spend enough on an airline’s co-branded credit cards to earn elite status, or separately purchase early boarding access—a major boon for Southwest’s bottomline in particular.

Indeed, many passengers are willing to pay more to be among the first to board with access to overhead bin space for any carry-on items . But if you’re an economy flier who doesn’t want to hand over more money, now you can just opt for the window seat .

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United Begins Charging For 'Preferred' Seats in Economy

Earlier this year, United Airlines referenced a new "preferred" seating product , framed as an opportunity for certain corporate travelers to snag a seat closer to the front of the plane.

These are regular economy seats — not Economy Plus , with extra legroom and benefits — but instead of being available to most customers free of charge, they're now reserved for many corporate flyers, elites and non-status customers willing to pay a small fee to avoid getting stuck in the back.

Now, several months after we first learned about this new product, United's "preferred" seating has now fully rolled out to all United and United Express flights.

The number of preferred seats varies based on the aircraft — larger planes don't necessarily have a greater number of preferred seating rows. Take an upcoming 787-9 Dreamliner flight I have booked from San Francisco (SFO) to Sydney (SYD), for example. While many have already been selected, there are clearly just a few rows of preferred seats available, located just behind Economy Plus in the rear coach cabin.

On my connecting 757 flight from Newark (EWR) to SFO, however, there are many more rows of preferred seating — more than half the cabin, in fact.

On that 757 flight, Economy Plus starts at a whopping $119, while preferred seats cost 9 bucks, regardless of which one I pick.

On that transpacific leg, meanwhile, preferred seats are still $9, even though Economy Plus jumps to $205 (and up).

Note that all United elite members and select corporate travelers get access to Preferred seating for free, though Gold elites and above can select Economy Plus free of charge at booking, and Silver members get free Economy Plus at check-in — if available, you'll still be better off grabbing one of those extra-legroom seats.

If you don't want to spring for the blue-seat upgrade, there are still a few benefits to sitting closer to the front. First, you'll get off the plane earlier, which is especially helpful when you're gunning for an earlier spot in the immigration queue or traveling without a checked bag. You'll also be closer to the beginning of the meal service, which could mean more meal and drink options, or just a chance to eat a few minutes earlier in the flight.

Are preferred seats worth an extra $9 if you don't have status? If the only free options are middle seats, I wouldn't hesitate to "upgrade" — otherwise, sitting a row or two behind wouldn't be the end of the world, especially on a short domestic hop, in which case I'd rather spend those 9 bucks on a drink or snack, instead.

But while the math is easy enough for one ticket, this change hits the occasional budget family traveler the hardest as there are now fewer free seat assignments available on United. If your family books tickets once the rows of free seat assignments are full, you'll either have to split up, pay more for seat assignments in preferred rows (times multiple people) or roll the dice. This is already a known problem for families on American Airlines where there are a very limited number of free seat assignments available, and one of the reasons that American ranked lower in the TPG Best Airlines for Families study than the other major US airlines.

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