United Airlines Revamps Its Cancellation Policy Once More

Basic Economy, Saver Fare, Blue Basic—historically, the name an airline chose for its lowest fare class didn’t change the fact that these tickets are generally the most restrictive. Often, they lack essential features like seat selection and carry-on luggage, and after 24 hours post-booking—a customer service standard set by the Department of Transportation—ticket modifications are usually not permitted.

This month, however, United Airlines has redefined its cancellation policy for Basic Economy fares. Customers can now cancel their Basic Economy tickets for a fee instead of losing all their money.

“In our continuous effort to enhance flexibility, United is simplifying the process for customers to modify their Basic Economy tickets,” stated Christine Salamone, a United spokesperson, adding that “customers can choose to upgrade to a standard economy ticket, allowing them to reschedule their flight and access all the perks of a standard economy ticket, including premier benefits, complimentary seat assignments, a free carry-on bag, and more; or if they prefer not to rebook, they can cancel their trip and receive a residual credit for their Basic Economy ticket.”

At the onset of the pandemic, United, like most major U.S. airlines, permitted customers to change their Basic Economy tickets without fees. However, on May 1, 2021, the rules reverted to pre-pandemic conditions, making Basic Economy tickets unchangeable and nonrefundable once again.

In February 2021, United launched a standard economy upgrade option, allowing Basic Economy passengers to enhance their ticket to standard economy. This upgrade enables them to reschedule their flights and access all the perks of a standard economy ticket, including complimentary seat assignments and a free carry-on bag. There are no change fees for standard economy or any other flexible tickets like Premium Economy and business class.

As of April 13, even greater flexibility is available—customers who wish to cancel their Basic Economy reservations will receive flight credit for the original purchase price, minus a cancellation fee. For domestic flights, the fee is $49.50 for one-way and $99 for round-trip. For international flights, the fee is $99.50 for one-way cancellations and $199 for round-trip.

Delta Air Lines and JetBlue have similar policies, allowing their Basic Economy or Basic Blue (JetBlue’s name for its lowest fare) customers to cancel for a fee ranging from $99 to $200, depending on the itinerary. However, these airlines do not provide an option to upgrade to standard economy.

Southwest is among the few airlines that have long permitted customers to change tickets without incurring a change fee, regardless of the fare class.

This isn’t the first instance of United Airlines making major adjustments to change fees in recent years. In August 2020, United (along with Delta, American, and Alaska) spearheaded the movement to permanently eliminate flight change fees for main cabin fares and above (at least as they claimed).