Latest news with #BasicEconomy
Time Out
6 days ago
- Business
- Time Out
United is enforcing a new check-in time rule
Are you one of those fliers who cuts it close, getting through security and making it to your gate just as boarding begins? If you're flying United, you might have to curb your last-minute tendencies. That's right, another airline is making big changes with a significant impact. Southwest dropped its free checked bag policy, Delta is getting rid of Basic Economy and now United is cracking down on check-in stragglers. Here's what you need to know about the new United check-in time rule. Starting June 3, United Airlines is tightening the window for domestic check-in. According to the new rule, all passengers on domestic flights without checked bags must now check in at least 45 minutes before departure, up from the previous 30-minute cutoff. Check in too late and you're stranded, no exceptions. The airline says this change is about improving efficiency and giving agents more time to help passengers who do check in on time—whether it's with seating, luggage or boarding logistics. Check-in deadlines for domestic travelers with checked bags (45 minutes) and international flyers (60 minutes) remain the same. So if you're flying United, build in extra time. Avid travelers (and procrastinators) may regularly test the limits of the check-in time requirements, but you'll have to give up those precious 15 extra minutes or you'll be watching the plane take off without you.
Time Out
20-05-2025
- Business
- Time Out
Delta Air Lines is getting rid of Basic Economy: here's why
If you're flying Delta this fall—perhaps through its busy hub in Atlanta —you'll notice a change when booking your flight. Starting October 1 (yep, heads up if you're planning holiday travel), Delta Air Lines is scrapping its Basic Economy class—at least in name. The no-frills fare that's cheap but comes with restrictions isn't going away, but it's getting a new name as part of a rebrand of Delta's fare classes. Here's what you need to know. Why is Delta Air Lines getting rid of Basic Economy? According to the airline, the rebrand offers more flexibility and customization, allowing passengers to choose the experience they want. "As we listen and learn about what our customers want when it comes to their travel, we know that clarity and choice are paramount," SVP and Chief Digital Officer Eric Phillips said in a press release. "Our reimagined shopping experience gives customers more options and flexibility to pick the travel experience that works best for them, and a full picture of all the benefits of flying with Delta." What is replacing Delta's Basic Economy? The airline is folding Basic Economy into a revamped Delta Main category (formerly Main Cabin), which now features three tiers: Basic, Classic and Extra. Delta Main Basic is essentially the same stripped-down experience: no seat selection until check-in and last boarding position in Zone 8. But Delta hopes the new name signals a broader, more flexible ticketing system. Delta Main Classic comes with perks like free seat selection, no-fee cancellations and same-day standby. Go for Delta Main Extra and you'll get even more: full refundability, earlier boarding, free same-day confirmed changes and a better mileage earning rate. Other fare categories are also getting rebranded. Comfort+ becomes Delta Comfort, First Class is now Delta First, but the in-flight experience won't change. Premium Select and Delta One keep their current names. Delta says the overhaul is about simplifying choices and making it easier for travelers to understand what they're buying. In practice, it's a branding pivot that lets Delta soften the stigma around Basic Economy without eliminating the budget option entirely.
Miami Herald
19-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Delta is rebranding Basic Economy and all of its fare classes. What does it all mean?
Delta Air Lines has uncorked a rebranding of all of its fare types - upending the Basic Economy/Main Cabin/Comfort Plus/etc. order that has dominated the big U.S. airlines for the last decade or so. The new ticket types can be booked now for trips starting in October, and includes up to a whopping 11 customized fares. Each ticket will consist of one "product" and one "experience." I think most of us used to call them "classes." Let's try to make sense of it. For the "product" aspect, Delta is simplifying the names of the basic seating offerings on its planes. The availability of these seat types varies according to aircraft and route. You'll notice Basic Economy is missing, because Basic Economy was always just a standard Main Cabin seat with few perks (more on that below). Once you've chosen your seating product, it gets more complicated. The next step is to choose your "experience." The "Basic" experience means few perks for the lowest price within the product. So, no seat selection, no changes allowed, no upgrades, no SkyMile earning. That sounds like Basic Economy because it is. Basic Economy will now be known as Delta Main Basic, basically. For now, Basic is only available in Delta Main, but that could change in the future (see below). The "Classic" experience refers to services that we might have once taken for granted in air travel, such as seat selection, earning miles and being able to change your ticket. The old Main Cabin ticket will be known as Delta Main Classic. The "Extra" experience is a new wrinkle. Tickets booked with this experience are fully refundable, with changes allowed. They earn bonus miles, have a higher boarding priority, and have a higher priority for Medallion upgrades. The new Delta products and experiences mean that there are up to eleven distinct fare combinations available. They are: I pretended to book some Delta flights to Detroit and Tokyo for October, and can confirm: The options are there, depending on the seat types on the flight. The Tokyo flight had nine of the 11 fare options, excluding Delta First Classic and Delta First Extra. We can speculate, but the ultimate answer is, of course, money. First off, the new scheme reminds me of shopping for flights on some European airlines. In the so-called "fare families" model, within each traditional seating area like main cabin or business class you get multiple levels of perks to choose from. This results in a dizzying number of fare options - great if you like choice, but also potentially confusing. Secondly, some travel bloggers have been suggesting that Delta wants to "unbundle" its premium fares, giving you the option to forgo some perks that we traditionally expect in the front of the plane. So someday in the future, will we see fares like "Delta Comfort Basic," "Delta First Basic" and even "Delta One Basic"? Some passengers might see that as a degradation of premium seating; others might welcome the chance to sit in Delta First or Delta One for less money. Finally, Delta is introducing the new "Extra" experience as a way upselling you from plain old "Classic" Main or Comfort seats (and so on) with additional goodies such as refundability and a better chance of being upgraded. Which, of course, is yet another opportunity to spend more money with Delta. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
New York Post
17-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Delta ditches ‘basic economy' in ticketing overhaul — here's how fliers can still snag a cut-price fare
Delta is grounding Basic Economy. The airline is overhauling its ticket offerings in a bid to give customers 'greater choice and more customization' — and it's its most economical offering will be impacted. But frugal fliers fear not, Delta will still offer the cheapest tier of ticket under a new name. From Oct 1, Basic Economy will be officially known as Delta Main Basic. 'Delta Main Basic offers you the essentials, just as a Basic Economy ticket did before,' a new statement from the carrier declared. From Oct 1, Basic Economy will be officially known as Delta Main Basic. REUTERS Customers who opt for this cut-price ticket type won't be entitled to perks such as seat selection or early boarding. Delta Main Basic is the lowest of the three ticket types offered in economy class. There will also be Delta Main Classic and Delta Main Extra, the latter of which will offer extra air miles. Delta Main Basic is the lowest of the three ticket types offered in economy class. Kirk Fisher – Meanwhile, Basic Economy isn't the only ticket type to be renamed. First Class will soon be known as Delta First, while Comfort+ is being rebranded to Delta Comfort. Eric Phillips, Delat's Chief Digital Officer, said the overhaul 'gives customers more options and flexibility to pick the travel experience that works best for them, and a full picture of all the benefits of flying with Delta.' All up, there will be 11 ticket options for customers: Delta First Extra Delta First Classic Delta One Extra Delta One Classic Delta Premium Select Extra Delta Premium Select Classic Delta Comfort Extra Delta Comfort Classic Delta Main Extra Delta Main Classic Delta Main Basic
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Delta is ditching basic economy fare and overhauling entire ticketing structure
Delta Air Lines has announced changes to its fare classes, including readjusting its Basic Economy seating. Beginning Thursday, for flights on or after October 1, the Delta seats will now be under new categories: Delta Main, Delta Comfort, Delta First, Delta Premium Select, and Delta One, according t a news release. Basic Economy will now fall under the Delta Main category, in which there are three tiers: Delta Main Basic, Delta Main Classic, and Delta Main Extra. Main Basic is the equivalent of Basic Economy, with seats being assigned after check-in and Zone 8 boarding priority. Main Classic includes better boarding priority, same-day standby options, and added flexibility for flyers to choose their seats. Main Extra expands even further with a higher boarding priority. 'You can get the benefits you've become accustomed to when you book Classic – seat selection, no-fee cancellation and Same-Day Standby,' the airline said in the frequently asked questions (FAQ) section on its website. 'Extra gets you more than Classic or our previous Refundable ticket option. With Extra, you can enjoy full refundability if you decide to cancel, earlier boarding, free Same-Day Confirmed options and more miles earned.' Delta Comfort was formerly known as Delta Comfort +, and Delta First was formerly known as First Class. The airline noted in the release that only the names of the seating categories would be changing, with all of the same existing benefits, and that the update would not 'affect your in-flight experience.' 'As we listen and learn about what our customers want when it comes to their travel, we know that clarity and choice are paramount,' Senior Vice President Eric Phillips, said in the release. 'Our reimagined shopping experience gives customers more options and flexibility to pick the travel experience that works best for them, and a full picture of all the benefits of flying with Delta.' Delta's news comes after Spirit Airlines announced it would be offering new incentives, including improved seating, in an attempt to lure travelers. The airline's newly announced options offer customers access to seats with extra legroom and a slew of accompanying perks. Spirit previously offered more space to passengers through a 'Go Comfy' option, which blocked off a middle seat in a row of three seats. According to the press release, this option will soon be phased out and replaced with seats with extra legroom. The flight package also includes a carry-on bag, no change or cancel fees, priority boarding, reserved overhead bin space, a snack, and a non-alcoholic beverage in addition to the larger seat. Seven rows toward the front of the plane, totaling more than 40 seats, will have 32 inches of space rather than the customary 28. The new 'Go Comfy' plan will be available for booking Thursday, and travelers will able to start flying in those seats on July 9.
