CHICAGO— United Airlines (UA) is expanding its tiered pricing strategy by introducing lower-priced “Base” fares for United First on domestic routes and United Business on eligible short-haul international services.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) remains one of United’s key hubs as the airline expands its fare structure. The new Base option will provide the same premium cabin seat and inflight experience while removing several benefits included with higher-priced fare options.
United Expands Tiered Pricing to Premium Cabins
United Airlines will add “Base” fares to its United First and United Business cabins starting this fall, expanding a pricing model that separates the premium cabin experience from several pre-flight benefits.
The airline announced the expansion in a Sept. 30 employee communication. United said the new fare options are designed to give customers greater choice over the travel experience and benefits they want to purchase.
The new Base fares will be offered alongside Standard and Flexible fare options. The structure allows United to sell the same premium cabin seat at different price levels while varying the benefits attached to each fare.
United First Base fares will apply to domestic routes, while United Business Base fares will be available on eligible short-haul international routes. The international markets include non-Polaris services to Canada and Latin America.
What United Base Fares Include
Customers purchasing the lowest-priced Base fare will retain access to the premium cabin seat and its associated inflight experience.
However, several traditional premium-fare benefits will no longer be included.
| Fare Feature | Base | Standard | Flexible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium cabin seat | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Premium inflight experience | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free checked bags | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Seat selection | Additional fee | Included under applicable fare rules | Included under applicable fare rules |
| Changes | Not flexible | Not flexible | Flexible |
| Refunds | No | Non-refundable | Flexible |
United said customers purchasing Base fares will continue to receive the same premium cabin seat and inflight experience associated with United First and United Business.
The main difference is the number of additional benefits bundled with the ticket. Base customers receive one free checked bag instead of two, while seat selection requires an additional payment. The fare also does not provide change or refund flexibility.
Standard fares retain traditional benefits but remain non-refundable.
United Extends Premium Fare Segmentation
The latest expansion follows United’s April announcement introducing the tiered fare structure for additional premium cabins.
The airline initially applied the model to Polaris and Premium Plus on long-haul international routes, transcontinental services, and selected Hawaii flights. The expansion to United First and United Business extends the segmented pricing approach across more of United’s premium network.
The strategy separates the physical cabin product from several services traditionally bundled into the fare. This gives United an additional pricing option for customers who want a premium seat but do not require every associated benefit.
United’s current booking system also separates cabin choices and fare types, allowing customers to compare different fare options when searching for flights.
Premium Cabin Pricing Becomes More Segmented
United’s move follows similar changes among other U.S. airlines.
Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways have also introduced tiered pricing options for premium cabins in 2026. Their approaches separate the premium seat from some pre-flight benefits, allowing airlines to offer different price points within premium cabins.
Alaska Air Group has also introduced new premium products, including Premium Reserve and new suites for selected aircraft. However, Alaska said it has no immediate plans to introduce a segmented “basic” version of its premium cabins. Alaska executives discussed the strategy during the company’s Sept. 29 Investor Day.
This leaves airlines with different approaches to premium-cabin segmentation. United is expanding lower-priced premium fares, while Alaska is currently focusing on adding differentiated premium products without introducing a basic version of those cabins.
Same Premium Seat With Fewer Benefits
United’s Base fare structure creates a distinction between the seat and the benefits attached to the ticket.
A passenger buying a Base fare will remain in United First or United Business rather than being moved to a lower cabin. The reduced fare instead comes with fewer bundled services and less flexibility.
The approach gives United another way to price premium inventory based on the benefits customers choose. It also extends the airline’s tiered pricing strategy beyond long-haul premium cabins to domestic First and eligible short-haul international Business services.
United operates major hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., supporting its broad domestic and international network.
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