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A brief guide to airline ticket fare classes & codes.

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Whenever you purchase an airline ticket, you may have noticed that it always has an alphabetic or alpha-numeric code used to identify a fare type. Fare types range from economy class up to first class.

Because computer algorithms determine ticket prices, many factors go into determining how much you are going to pay for your ticket. Airline tickets are always more expensive during peak times like the summer or school holidays and vacations. Other factors also determine how much you will pay based on availability and how long you purchased your ticket before the flight. There was a time, now sadly gone, when you could show up at an airport without a ticket, and if an empty seat was available, easily purchase a "standby ticket" for a considerable discount.

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Airlines offer between one and four classes of service

Today, generally speaking, on airlines, there are four types of classes:

• Economy: Almost always the rear of the aircraft, a section of dense seating that caters to leisure travelers. On low-cost carriers like Ryanair and easyJet, their aircraft are configured in an all-economy layout.
• Premium economy: Situated behind business class, premium economy seats are slightly wider than economy seats and offer more legroom. Some airlines even offer an upgraded meal service.
• Business class: As the name suggests, catering to people traveling for business, seats in business class offer more privacy and can often be configured into a lay-flat bed perfect for taking a nap on long-haul overnight flights.
• First class: The big three United States carriers Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines, all got rid of their first class seats on long-haul flights and replaced them with business class seats. While similar to what you would find in business class, flying first class can include a chauffeur-driven limousine to and from your hotel. First class passengers are also pampered from start to finish with à la carte meals on demand and a paired wine list to match the food offerings. If you have the funds, you can still fly first class with carriers such as Emirates , Etihad, Air France, British Airways, Japan Airways, All Nippon Airways, Lufthansa, Thai Airways, and Singapore Airlines.

Select the best class of service to suit your needs

As you can see, only some travelers are looking for the cheapest ticket, and paying extra for a premium economy ticket can have more benefits, like extra air miles or an increase in your luggage allowance.

A friend discovered this on a recent TAP Portugal flight from Miami to Lisbon. He needed to travel with two suitcases, but his allowance on an economy class ticket was only one. This meant that if he were flying economy, he would have to pay for the second suitcase. In premium economy, the allowance was two suitcases and extra air miles. However, the cost of upgrading to premium economy was the same as paying for the excess luggage, so the choice was simple.

The codes have a letter and a number

Each of the above fare classes is identified with a one-letter code:

• Y = A full-fare economy class ticket
• W= A full-fare premium economy class ticket
• J= A full-fare business class ticket
• F= A full fare first class ticket

There are various other letters to describe lower fares of the same class as well. After the letter, you will see a number that ranges from zero to nine. For example, if your ticket says J2, two seats are still available in business class on your flight. Nine is the largest possible number and indicates that there are more than nine seats available in your class of service. An example of this would be Y9 in economy class.

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List and Description of All United Airlines Fare Classes

June 5, 2013 by Darren 10 Comments

What has changed – just a bit – is the alphabet soup of fare classes used. And with the fairly recent addition of the super-discounted N-class on United, as well as all Star Alliance carriers now using the same letters for award redemptions, every letter of the alphabet is now in use at United.

Here’s a current alphabetical list and description of what each letter translates into (bold letters are award/upgrade classes only):

• A – First class
• B – Economy – Full fare (even though Y-class is the highest level in coach, it’s still considered a full fare)
• C – Business class
• D – Business class
• E – Economy
• F – First class – Full fare (“FN” is for MileagePlus Standard Awards)
• G – Economy – Discounted
• H – Economy (“HN” is for MileagePlus Standard Awards)
• I – First (2-cabin)/Business (3-cabin) – MileagePlus Saver Award class (“IN” is expanded award availability for GS/1K/Plat elites)
• J – Business class – Full fare (“JN” is expanded MileagePlus Standard Award for elites and Chase credit card holders, as well as an upgrade class from Y-fares for elites)
• K – Economy – Discounted
• L – Economy – Discounted
• M – Economy
• N – Economy – Discounted
• O – First Class (3-cabin) – MileagePlus Saver Award (“ON” is upgrade class on 3-cabin aircraft)
• P – First/Business class – Discounted (“PN” is upgrade from B/M-fares for elites; only GS/1K can upgrade from M)
• Q – Economy
• R – First (2-cabin)/Business (3-cabin) – Upgrade bucket (“RN” is expanded availability for elites)
• S – Economy – Discounted
• T – Economy – Discounted
• U – Economy
• V – Economy
• W – Economy
• X – Economy – MileagePlus Saver Award (“XN” is expanded availability for elites)
• Y – Economy – Full fare (“YN” is an expanded MileagePlus Standard Award for elites and Chase credit card holders)
• Z – Business class – Discounted (“ZN” is for MileagePlus Standard Awards)

As far as the revenue fare classes above, here’s the order from highest to lowest in terms of where each class falls on the spectrum of overall contribution to United:

F, A, J, C, D, Z, P, Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G, N

One important thing to note is that the leading letter of your fare basis code, not necessarily which letter it books into, is what determines your flight mileage accrual. They can be different, which is often the case for “Y-UP†fares where you purchase a coach ticket that books directly into first class.

Another example is what I encountered earlier this year on my mileage run to Tokyo . United had an unadvertised promotional first class sale which booked into “A†class, but my fare basis code began with a “P,†so I only earned redeemable and Premier Qualifying Miles based on the “P.â€

I think this causes a lot of confusion for some travelers as the “A,†in my example, was the only thing that appeared online or on a ticket receipt. To see the fare basis code, you have to click the “View Rules and Restrictions†link during the booking process, which yields something like this:

Questions? Comments?

– Follow Darren Booth on Twitter, @FrequentlyFlyin , for more airline, hotel and travel industry news, reviews and opinions.

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[…] about $600ish more than the cheapest economy ticket. And if you’re unfamiliar, a W-fare is the lowest fare class in which you can use a GPU […]

[…] List and Description of All United Airlines Fare Classes … […]

[…] the seat I wanted, with the appropriate economy class code, and not the last seat […]

Your “JN” entry implies that CC holders can Y-Up; that isn’t actually the case.

And I still think the grid format I have them in is easier to read and clearer. 😉

@Seth: Thanks, I reworded “JN” to make it clear.

The UA Fare Pricing & Bucket posts are my favorite. I should know this information better but I don’t. Seeing it on here is always a welcome refresher course.

Any insight into which fare class indicates availability for GPU into int’l first or business? I am sometimes instantly confirmed when I use GPU, other times I am waitlisted and wondered if there’s an easy way to discover this.

@Dave: “R” is the upgrade class for business class, “ON” for international first. If you enable “expert mode” under your United.com profile, you’ll be able to see all fare classes when shopping for flights when signed in. Alternatively, there are other (paid) services, such as ExpertFlyer and KVS Tool with availability displays.

My wife and I traveled to India on Lufthansa. We were DISAPPOINTED to learn that NO credit will be given to Mileage Plus account. The reason fare code K. We checked with United before buying the tickets and were told we will get credit like other Star Alliance members. It was tricky on the part of bot airlines.

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What is a Class K fire?

What is a Class K fire ? As a fire extinguisher technician walking through commercial buildings, how often do you encounter a hazard where a fire is part of the normal day to day operation with enough fuel to sustain that fire indefinitely?  I will bet your answer is “Not very often, if at all.” That is exactly the situation you will encounter when you enter a commercial cooking operation with a class K fire hazard. 

The fire classification of K for fires in “cooking appliances that involve combustible cooking media,” which was introduced in the early 1990s is our newest class of fire (Previously a 40BC regular dry chemical fire extinguisher was usually paired with a dry chemical fire suppression system to protect commercial cooking operations).  The 1980s presented a swell of fire losses in commercial cooking establishments that were a result of several factors.  First, the energy crisis of the 1970s significantly increased the cost of cooking food, which resulted in more energy efficient cooking appliances that hold heat for a very long time.  Second, consumers became more health conscious, which resulted in most cooking operations switching from animal fat-based oils to vegetable-based oils.  Vegetable oil has a significantly higher auto ignition temperature (685 vs 650) which makes fires harder to extinguish and secure.  Third, the number of restaurants in the US increased rapidly and has not slowed down, even today. 

Class K fires are extinguished using two different methods: Saponification, and cooling. When the chemical (previously dry and now wet) is discharged onto organic oils and greases, it produces a chemical reaction called saponification which is simply the process of making soap or bubbles.  This blanket of foam forms a barrier on the surface that deprives the fire of oxygen. Wet chemical makes a much stronger and thicker foam blanket than dry chemical and it provides cooling capabilities where dry chemical does not. 

This increase in fire losses drove Underwriters laboratories (UL) to reimagine and reinvent their Subject UL300 that was being used as the standard for testing restaurant fire systems.   The result was the launch of a new UL300 “Standard for Fire Testing of fire extinguishing systems for Commercial cooking operations” in November 1994.  This new, modern standard uses a commercially available deep fat fryer instead of a steel box with lard in it, it increased the one minute pre-burn time to a two-minute pre-burn before extinguishment could be tested, it ensured that the discharge spray of the fire system would not splash hot oil onto any employees or patrons, and it required the fire be secured without reflash for 20 minutes. 

 The new UL300 Standard was a worthy challenge for the fire equipment manufacturers. None of the existing dry chemical systems could pass the new fire test standard and the wet chemical systems that passed had to use up to five times as much wet chemical to extinguish and secure the fire.  In short, the UL300 Standard changed the entire industry. 

 The lessons learned from the UL300 standard development were added to the UL711- “Rating and Fire Testing of Fire Extinguishers” standard which started requiring that the same commercially available deep fat fryer be used with aone-minute preburn, a splash test, and to secure the fire for 20 minutes.  None of the 40BC fire extinguishers being used at the time could pass that entire test which drove the creation of the K class fire rating and the development of the wet chemical fire extinguisher.  

 In today’s commercial kitchens, class K fire extinguishers are a normal part of doing business and the IFC and NFPA codes guide us in deciding how many are needed, where and how they should be installed and when they should be activated.  Below is a summary of fire code passages based on the most current versions of the International Fire Code and National Fire Protection Association standards. You should always check with your local jurisdiction to see what IFC and NFPA revisions they are currently enforcing. 

How many K class fire extinguishers should you have and where should they be located? 

IFC 906.4.2 Requires 1 K rated 6 Liter fire extinguisher for every 4 deep fat fryers and for fryers exceeding 6sf in surface area. NFPA 10 - 6.6.1 - Class K fire extinguishers shall be provided for hazards where there is a potential for fires involving combustible cooking media (vegetable or animal oils and fats).  

NFPA 96 - 10.9.2 - Class K fire extinguishers shall be provided for cooking appliance hazards that involve combustible cooking media (vegetable oils and animal oils and fats).  

NFPA 10 - 6.6.2 - Maximum travel distance shall not exceed 30 ft (9.1 m) from the hazard to the extinguishers. 

NFPA 96 - 10.2.1 Fire-extinguishing equipment shall include both automatic fire-extinguishing systems as primary protection and portable fire extinguishers as secondary backup. 

NFPA 10 - 5.5.4.5.3 - Where a hazard is protected by an automatic fire protection system, a placard shall be placed near the extinguisher that states that the fire protection system shall be actuated prior to using the fire extinguisher. 

NFPA 96 - 12.1.4 - Instructions shall be provided to new employees on hiring and to all employees annually on the use of portable fire extinguishers and the manual actuation of the fire-extinguishing system. 

NFPA 10 - 6.7 Solid-Fuel Cooking Appliances - All solid-fuel cooking appliances (whether or not under a hood) with fire boxes of 5 ft3 (0.14 m3) volume or less shall have at least a listed 2-A-rated water-type fire extinguisher or a 1.6 gal (6 L) wet-chemical fire extinguisher that is listed for Class K fires. 

NFPA 96 - 15.9.2.8.3 - In lieu of the sprinkler system outlined in 15.9.2.8, a listed 2-A rated water spray fire extinguisher or a 1.6 gal (6 L) wet chemical fire extinguisher listed for Class K fires with a maximum travel distance of 20 ft (6 m) to the solid fuel piles shall be permitted to be used for a solid fuel pile, provided that the fuel pile does not exceed 5 ft3 (0.14 m3) volume. 

Refuse and storage areas in the back of the commercial cooking operation often have large amounts of cardboard, waste oil and new fryer oil.  Amerex offers an array of acceptable Fire Extinguisher choices for this deep-seated type of occupancy hazard. The A240 Water Fire extinguisher with a Loaded Stream Charge is best suited if no oil or grease is present and the B260 or B262 Class K fire extinguishers with a 2A K UL rating are best suited if waste oil or new fryer oil is being stored. 

Jamie Knowles

Jamie Knowles is the Industry Relations Manager at Amerex Corporation and has been active in the fire protection industry since 1993.  His experience working as a fire technician, manager, manufacturers rep and technical committee member gives him a unique perspective on our business.  In Jamie’s current position with Amerex he serves on NFPA 10 – Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers, CALFIRE - Fire Extinguisher Advisory and Automatic Fire Extinguishing Systems Advisory committees, technical committees for UL299/711 and UL300.  He interacts with Fire Equipment Distributors, Kitchen Hood Manufacturers, Restaurant Chains and Fire code Officials across the country.

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Everything you need to know about different flight classes

When it comes to booking your next plane ticket, one of the first things you’ll need to decide is which of the flight classes to choose. That decision will be based on multiple factors: What’s your budget? How long is the flight? Do you have any points or airmiles you can use?

The list goes on. But whatever the reasons, it’s important to make sure you understand all the key differences between the various airline cabin classes, as well as the fare classes and what they mean.

In this post

• What are airline cabin classes?
• What are the different flight classes?
• What are fare classes and what do they mean?
• Tips on how to choose the best class and fare

1. What are airline cabin classes?

Air travel has changed a lot since the first, very basic commercial flight took to the skies in 1914. Now there’s a plethora of choices for customers, with most airlines offering four main cabin classes: Economy, Premium Economy, Business and First Class.

The main differences between these classes tend to be the cost of the flight and the extra perks and amenities you get on board – though it’s worth noting that all airlines offer slightly different options within their various classes.

Depending on the size of the airline, there may only be one single class available – Coach. Even then, an Economy seat on one carrier can differ hugely from a seat in Coach on another airline. If you’re not sure how many cabin classes your airline offers, it’s worth checking before booking.

2. What are the different flight classes?

While most airlines now offer the four main cabin classes , not all of them do, so it’s always worth checking in advance. And while certain airlines may have fleets that feature the same airplane models, many choose to design their interiors differently, so don’t just assume they’ll all be the same.

Look at the seating map for both the airline and airplane type you’re flying – doing your homework really pays off when it comes to picking the best class.

Economy seats are the no-frills option, great for travelers on a budget or those who make regular, short-haul flights and aren’t looking for luxury perks. Also known as coach, standard, or main cabin seats , this is the most affordable flight class and as basic as it comes on an airplane these days. The seats in Economy are narrower than in other classes, and you’ll also notice there’s much less legroom than in other classes. What’s included in an Economy ticket varies from airline to airline – on some flights, it doesn’t come with any extras, and things like in-flight food, Wi-Fi and luggage allowances need to be purchased separately. Other carriers might throw in complimentary snacks, drinks, and in-flight entertainment.

Premium Economy

Premium Economy offers a slight upgrade on standard Economy seats without ramping up the ticket price too much, making it a great option for frequent travelers looking for a slightly more comfortable option. The main perks in this class include wider seats and more legroom , though at a much lower price than Business or First Class. Premium Economy may be separated from other seats by a partition and often offers seats in a more desirable part of the plane (such as near the front), but they’ll usually be listed under the main cabin seats.

On domestic flights , the ‘Premium’ element usually just refers to the fact that they’re the better seats on an aircraft , but on international flights, Premium Economy may offer perks like better food, a larger baggage allowance and free amenity kits.

Those looking for a more luxurious option than Economy but who don’t want to stump up for first-class go for Business, which sits somewhere between the two. Business is definitely a big step up from Economy, offering much more comfortable seats that are wider and can either recline or lie flat, full, or multi-course meals (some of which are served on good China rather than disposable trays) and personal bar service . Naturally, offerings vary depending on different airlines , so it’s worth checking what each one offers before booking.

Lounge access is another great perk that comes along with buying a business-class ticket, particularly if you’re making a stopover on a long-haul journey. For the best deals, check out KAYAK’s handy guide on buying cheap business-class tickets .

First Class

It doesn’t get any better than First Class , which is the crème de la crème of flight classes. This is the most luxurious option available, and you can expect the price of your ticket to reflect that. Passengers in first class get to feel the benefits before they even get on board, skipping the long Economy check-in line and boarding first . The offerings vary vastly depending on the airline , but typically you can expect seats that flatten fully, plenty of personal attention from the flight attendants, special privacy features like your own door and a full meal service with the sort of food you might get in a nice restaurant. Some airlines, such as Emirates, really pull out all the stops, offering passengers their own suite with a double bed and a bathroom with a shower.

3. What are fare classes and what do they mean?

The various fare classes airlines use divide every seat on a plane into different categories, each of which comes with its own price and its own set of rules. These fare classes are identified by one-letter codes , which you’ve probably spotted on your boarding pass before without realizing what they mean (I know I have). While fare codes vary from airline to airline, there are a few that are generally the same, such as the first letter in the fare basis code that represents the fare classes:

• Y: Full-fare Economy-Class ticket
• W: Full-fare Premium Economy Class ticket
• J: Full-fare Business-Class ticket
• F: Full-fare First-Class ticket

The fare basis code (series of 1-8 alphanumeric characters) holds lots of key information, such as the price of your ticket, how many air miles you’ll earn for that flight, and the level of flexibility you have to make any changes. Airlines use fare classes to help control their inventory and determine how many tickets can be sold at a particular price.

4. Tips on how to choose the best class and fare

With so many factors to take into consideration, it’s important to make sure you know exactly what you’re looking for when booking a flight.

Once you’ve determined things like budget and whether you want to put airmiles towards a booking, you can start searching for the best deals in different flight classes and fare classes .

Use KAYAK’s Flight Search tool to track down the best deals. Here are a few tips and tricks to make sure you’re getting the most out of your next plane booking:

• Do your homework and shop around to make sure you’re getting the best deal on airline cabin classes.
• Fare classes vary by airline, so consult them directly to ensure you understand what each letter means before booking a flight with them.
• It’s important to know what fare class you’ve booked, as that will help you fully understand how it will affect your flight. For example, certain fare classes might prevent you from upgrading tickets or could earn you more points than others. Knowledge is power when it comes to making the most of airline deals and restrictions.
• Generally, the cheaper the fare class, the more restrictions will be associated with that fare.

How this guide was created

I’ve been a travel journalist for 15 years and during that time have hopped on and off more planes than I can count, experiencing everything from cramped long-haul stints in coach to ultra-luxurious trips in first-class and all-expenses-paid private jets. This guide pulls together all the knowledge I’ve gathered during those excursions, as well as extensive research into different airline cabin policies and fare classes.

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What are the differences between flight classes?

Booking a flight and not sure which flight class to buy? We get it. Airplane classes can differ wildly from airline to airline or even between different types of planes on the same airline.

The quality and perks of different fare classes depend on a lot of factors, including flight route, plane model, and more. All of this can get confusing, but we’re here to help you get the most bang for your buck. Read on for our guide to flight classes and how to choose the one that’s right for you.

Understanding and utilizing different flight classes

Since the first commercial flight in 1914, the airline industry has achieved many milestones , including introducing innovative amenities to entice travelers to fly the friendly skies. Today’s flight experience is, of course, vastly different from the inaugural commercial flight in 1914.

One of the most notable differences is how much we pay for our journey and what’s included in the price. Flight prices today are really about getting from point A to point B. Another development has been the introduction of multiple classes of service and the variety of pricing schemes within each fare class, allowing you to only pay for the extras if you choose.

We’ve purchased our fair share of seats across all air carriers, and it’s clear not all seats and classes are equal. Here are answers to frequently asked questions about North American airline classes and what you can expect from each class.

Table of contents

What are cabin classes?

What are the different cabin classes, what are fare classes, what does each letter of the fare basis code mean, how do fare class letters and miles work, how can you use fare classes when finding flights.

There are four cabin classes offered on most airlines: economy, premium economy, business, and first class.

“In the early days, all seats were first class,” said Seth Kaplan, managing partner of “ Airline Weekly ,” a subscriber-supported publication about the airline business.

“In the 1950s, airlines including Delta Air Lines, began experimenting with coach flights at off-peak hours – in other words, not first class and coach cabins separated by a curtain, but entirely separate flights. Later they begin offering 2 cabins on the same flight, as we see today,” said Kaplan.

“The number of seats increased after deregulation kicked in, calling for more seats to make more profits per flying mile”, says Stephen Carbone, who has worked for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as well as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

“Seats were wider because the airlines were subsidized, so they could afford to fly fewer people to more obscure locations. This was changed with the introduction of the hub-and-spoke routing system,” said Carbone. “Destinations were now decided by passenger numbers, which brought about the concept of how many seats can we legally and safely fit.”

Depending on the airline, some seats have shrunk over time while others have remained the same across all classes of service. See our guides on how to pick the best airline seat and which airline has the most legroom to secure the best seat .

While there are four airline cabin classes, some airlines only offer one — coach, also known as economy. But a seat in economy class on one carrier can be vastly different from an economy seat on another airline. Many airlines have the same airplane models in their fleets, but they configure the interiors differently, so it’s important to look at the seating map not only for the airplane type, but also the airline you’re flying with.

Using another airline’s map may not be accurate. If your airline doesn’t provide airplane seating charts, call and speak with an agent, who should be able to provide guidance. Let’s break down what you can expect in each class on flights.

Economy class

Whether you call it coach, standard, main cabin, or “cattle class”, economy is the most basic class. The seats here are the narrowest, typically ranging from 16 inches to just over 19 inches wide. The seat pitch, which is the distance from one seat to the seat in front or behind it – what travelers often refer to as “legroom” – ranges from 29 inches to 34 inches. These days, economy offers little more than a seat that will get you from point A to point B.

Some airlines like jetBlue and Hawaiian Airlines offer free snacks, beverages and in-flight entertainment systems in economy. Delta Air Lines, on the other hand, offers three classes of service for the economy experience based on seat size and location:

• Basic Economy : The cheapest experience, this class gets you a seat in the main cabin with restrictions like no eligibility for upgrades, no complimentary changes, and seats randomly assigned only after check-in.
• Main Cabin : This class of service gets you zero change fees, complimentary snacks and drinks, and seats assigned after purchase.
• Delta Comfort+ : This experience is the top tier of the airline’s economy class and offers free seat selection, more legroom, dedicated overhead bin space, and early boarding.

Some low-cost carriers like Allegiant Air , Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airline s only offer coach class.

Premium economy

Virgin Atlantic was actually the first airline to incorporate the concept of premium economy back in 1992. Since then, dozens of airlines have followed suit. Once only found on international flights, premium economy is now widely available on flights within North America. The slightly comfier premium economy offers wider seats and more legroom at a more wallet-friendly price than business or first class on most airlines.

Some airlines categorize both economy and premium economy under main cabin. Generally physically partitioned on international and some long-haul flights, the “premium” in premium economy is the added space and sometimes location of seats in more desirable locations, like the front of the aircraft.

On international flights, premium economy may not only be physically separate from economy class, but it may also offer additional perks like complimentary or better food, a greater baggage allowance and amenity kits. Premium economy often refers to the “better” seats on an aircraft on domestic flights.

As the upgraded version of economy class, the benefits of premium economy are usually more legroom and wider seats, but these perks differ between airlines. Here is an overview of what you can expect in premium economy on North American flights.

Business Class

The happy medium between economy or premium economy class and first class is business class. Pioneered by airlines like Pan Am and Qantas, business class was born after the deregulation of airlines when international first-class fares skyrocketed –discounts in economy were common and full-fare coach travelers were not happy.

Business class is a completely different class from economy, and airlines have increased the quality in this category so much that some have replaced first class with business class or, as was the case with now-defunct Continental Airlines, combined the privileges of business class with the luxuries of first class into what the airline called BusinessFirst when it launched in the early 90s.

On some airlines like Delta Air Lines, international flights may offer business class service in lieu of first class. The experience ranges from a wider seat that reclines but doesn’t lie flat, full meal service, in-flight entertainment and an amenity kit on American Airlines, to a seat that converts to a full lie-flat seat, personal minibar, multi-course meals served on fine china and a full bar area complete with a bartender and canapés on Emirates. Another notable experience is jetBlue’s Mint, which features a 6-foot, 8-inch lie-flat seat with adjustable firmness and a massage feature, a door for privacy, in-flight entertainment and full meal service.

Explore the differences between business class on the major North American airlines below. Note that Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, jetBlue, Porter Airlines, Southwest, Spirit Airlines, do not offer business class.

First Class

Passengers can’t get upgraded any further than first class, which is a luxurious experience that varies depending on the airline. It can range from simply having larger seats on some low-cost airlines to Etihad’s The Residence, a three-room suite with a living room, bedroom with a double bed and private bathroom with shower.

Discover the perks of first class on the major North American airlines below. Please note that Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, jetBlue, Porter Airlines, Southwest, Spirit Airlines, do not offer first class.

The service classes of economy, premium economy, business, and first class are further divided into fare classes, which appear as a letter on your ticket. Every seat on an airplane is put in a fare class, and each comes with its own set of rules and prices. What might look like a random letter on your ticket is actually a valuable piece of information that shouldn’t be overlooked.

A ticket’s fare class (also called a booking class) is represented with one of the letters of the alphabet. Originally, booking codes were standardized by the International Air Transport Association, but booking codes are now determined by each airline. Most airlines have a different fare class for each letter, and this can vary.

The fare class letter denotes information like how much your ticket costs, how many airline miles you’ll accrue for the flight, and the amount of flexibility you have to change your reservation. Airlines, reservation systems and travel agents use fare classes to keep track of tickets sold and fare class availability. Airlines want to get as much money as they can for each seat while also aiming for a full flight, so ticket prices fall within particular fare classes to help control inventory. There are also “hidden” fare classes for frequent flyer awards and elite upgrades that are not normally shown in travel searches.

To control inventory while maximizing profit, airlines divide the seats on a flight into buckets. Airlines use an algorithm that takes into account the number of seats on a flight, departure and destination airports, time of day, time of year, and the expected breakdown of passengers to determine how many seats get assigned to each bucket. It’s hard to gauge how many seats are allotted to each one, but once the seats within a bucket are sold, the bucket isn’t replenished. Only travel agents and airline staff or travelers who subscribe to services like Expert Flyer can see how many seats remain.

The letters within each fare class also have a hierarchy. When reading an airline’s fare class chart, read from top to bottom and left to right. For example, on American Airlines, F and J are both full-fare first class/business class, but F is higher than J. This becomes meaningful when you’re looking to upgrade or stand by for a flight.

Each ticket also has a fare basis code, an alpha or alphanumeric code that describes the fare you bought, making it easy for airline staff and travel agents to access the fare rules for a ticket. Almost always, the fare basis code begins with a letter that denotes the class of service. What follows after may refer to the season, how many days in advance the ticket needed to be purchased, minimum and maximum stay requirements, and other restrictions or specifications. If you have an itinerary with multiple fare codes, you may be restricted by the limitations of the most restrictive portion, so check with the airline to ensure you understand.

As mentioned, each airline uses its own system for fare classes, and sometimes airlines (usually low-cost ones) only use one fare class. For example, Allegiant Air uses just one fare class, but offers upgrades such as Giant Seats and Legroom+ seats for an extra fee. Similarly, Spirit Airlines is an all-coach airline that offers passengers the option to purchase a BIG FRONT SEAT for an additional fee.

We’ll break down the rest for you.

Frequent-flyer miles aren’t based on the number of miles flown. The fare class determines how many airline miles you will accrue for the flight. Some fare classes offer double or triple miles while other classes offer no miles. Depending on your objective, achieving status on an airline or booking the cheapest ticket possible, reviewing the mileage accrual chart for your chosen airline may be an important factor in choosing which flight to book.

Most airline websites allow you to search for flights by fare class by selecting the advanced booking options. Expert Flyer also allows users to search for flights by fare code. When shopping for tickets on airline websites, the fare code is displayed toward the end of the booking process, either when selecting flight options or just before submitting payment. Typically, there is a correlation between the fare class and the price of the ticket; the cheapest fares are the lowest fare classes. Tickets that have more perks and fewer restrictions have higher fare classes (and, most often, higher prices).

What fare class do you typically purchase when you fly? Share your preferences in the comments and start your next flight search on Cheapflights.com .

 This article was refreshed on August 2nd, 2024.

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What the Airfare Class of Service Letters Mean

If you've ever bought a plane ticket and noticed an odd group of letters on it, chances are those were service letters. These letters indicate the class of service for your plane ticket as well as the type of fare that was purchased. And, since the classes may vary from airline to airline, understanding what the class of service letters mean can be difficult.

Class of Service Letters

When you see a group of letters on your flight ticket or receipt, they usually refer to the class or kind of ticket you bought as well as what perks or extra costs may come with that fare. Though many of the airlines have similar class indicators, these are not universal so be sure to always double check your ticket.

• F, A and P are the letters that indicate a full fare First Class ticket.
• J and C represent full fare Business or Executive Class ticket.
• W represents premium economy ticket.
• Y is almost universally used for full fare economy tickets.
• B, H, L, M, and V are just some of the letters indicating subclasses (reduced, restricted, and/or discounted fares). These letters vary by airline and in value. On one airline B may be indicative of a more expensive ticket. On another airline, L may represent a ticket booked for a seat sale. Check the fine print to make sure you understand what specific ticket you purchased.
• X, U, and R commonly refer to a fare purchased from a consolidator. Consolidators are companies that buy tickets directly from airlines at special discount prices, and then resell them to travel agents or customers for prices much lower than published fares . These sales can be as much as 20 to 70 percent off the sticker price. Tip: For the best deals, look for consolidator tickets on international flights.

Fare classes are used by airline reservation systems and travel agents to sell seats on a plane, helping them keep track of which fare classes are still available for purchase.

Where to Find the Class of Service Letters

If you have booked a discounted fare and are interested in the subclass you are holding, check the letter immediately following the flight number on your ticket. It may also fall under the heading of Booking Class or some similar, shortened phrase. If you happen to see an E after the service letter, this is a ticket with an excursion fare, which means that there is a minimum or maximum stay attached to your destination or trip. This typically only happens if you book an itinerary through a travel agent or cruise line.

Keep in Mind

As with all flight classes, it's important to know what you are getting for the price. Economy tickets (Y service letter) usually indicate less flexibility with changing tickets as well as restrictions such as not being able to select your seat ahead of time, no free checked bags, and so on. On the other hand, unrestricted fares are some of the most expensive tickets, but they provide conveniences like full refunds and flexibility to change flight itineraries. This is especially beneficial for business travelers who may need to extend a work trip or go to multiple destinations.

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The Guide to United Fare Classes

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Table of Contents

What is a fare class on United?

How do i find my fare class on united, why should i pay attention to fare classes on united, how can i book specific fare classes on united, book smarter: united credit cards, final thoughts on united fare classes.

Contrary to what one might assume, United Airlines has more classes than just first, business, premium economy and economy. In fact, each of those cabins is divided into multiple fare classes, all designated with a different letter.

While it might seem like alphabet soup, the airline can use fare classes to know how and when you booked your ticket and how to upgrade it — if that’s what you want to do.

Let’s take a look at the United fare class chart, how to find the fare class on your ticket and why it's smart to pay attention to your fare class in the first place.

All United cabins of service are divided into fare classes — sometimes called fare buckets — to keep track of the number of tickets sold on each flight as well as which seats are still available.

For example, if you’ve ever found a great deal on airfare and then the price went up before you could buy it, it’s likely because that first fare class sold out, even if there are still tickets available in that particular cabin.

» Learn more: United credit cards, perks to consider

Though there are similarities across airlines, each one labels its fare classes slightly differently. Here are United’s fare classes for each class of service on a paid ticket:

First/business class

Full fare: J.

High fare: C, D.

Discounted fare: Z.

Deep-discounted fare: P.

Premium Plus

High fare: O.

Discounted fare: A.

Deep-discounted fare: R.

Highest full fare: Y.

Full fare: B.

High fare: M, E, H, U.

Discounted fare: Q, V, W.

Deep-discounted fare: L, K, S, T.

Lowest discounted fare: G.

Basic economy: N (on domestic flights).

» Learn more: Valuable benefits of United Airlines credit cards

Note that tickets booked with miles come with their own separate set of fare classes.

When you’re shopping for a ticket on United, the fare classes are listed under each ticket type.

For example, in the screenshot below, the top flight from Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany, has the following fare classes: S in economy, R in premium economy and P in business. The bottom flight has the following fare types: S in economy, A in premium economy and D in business class.

If you’re shopping for a flight on an online travel agency’s website, such as Expedia or Orbitz , you should be able to locate the fare class under “Details” once you select your flights but before you enter your credit card number.

This ticket from Chicago-O'Hare to Frankfurt, Germany, has a fare class of S in the economy cabin.

When possible, book your flights directly with the airline. This way, you avoid having to deal with a third-party booking site in case you need to change or cancel the flight or if there’s a cancellation by the airline.

There are some good reasons to pay attention to which fare class you’re booking. For one, your fare class (specifically, the price) can determine how quickly you earn elite status and whether you’re eligible for an upgrade.

Elite status qualification

Passengers achieve elite status by earning a combination of Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) and Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) earned. PQF are based on the flight segments completed. So a nonstop flight counts as one PQF while a flight with one stop will count as two PQF. Basic economy tickets are an exception because they don't earn any PQF.

PQP is comprised of the base fare, carrier imposed charges, seat purchases and paid upgrades. So, the more expensive your flight, the more PQP you earn, and the faster you can achieve elite status.

» Learn more: The guide to United Airlines Premier elite status

Upgrade eligibility

To be eligible for an upgrade , you’ll need to have booked in the right fare class for the type of upgrade you’re requesting.

Complimentary Premier upgrades

If you’re a MileagePlus Premier flyer, tickets booked in certain fare classes are eligible for instant complimentary Premier upgrades (available on select routes). For example, economy tickets booked in fare classes Y or B for all Premier members, and tickets booked in fare classes Y, B or M for Premier 1K members, qualify for immediate upgrades to the premium cabin at booking.

The following routes are eligible for complimentary Premier upgrades:

Continental U.S. (except premium transcontinental routes).

Hawaii from Los Angeles or San Francisco.

Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean and Central America.

Guam and Micronesia.

Outside of instant upgrades, you can increase your chances of getting a complimentary Premier upgrade when you book a higher fare class than a fellow Premier member at the same status tier.

MileagePlus upgrades

If you’re not an elite flyer with United, you still have the option to upgrade a flight with MileagePlus miles. Depending on the fare class, your Premier status level and your flight route, you might be asked for a cash co-pay on top of the miles redeemed.

For example, tickets in fare classes B, O or Y don’t include a cash component. Tickets booked in most other fare classes will require a cash co-pay.

PlusPoints upgrades

Premier Platinum and Premier 1K members receive PlusPoints that can be used to upgrade United flights. Platinum members receive 40 PlusPoints upon reaching their status tier, and 1K members get another 280 PlusPoints, totaling 320 PlusPoints toward upgrades.

United charges 40 PlusPoints for upgrades from economy to Polaris business class and 80 PlusPoints for upgrades from discounted economy to Polaris on long-haul flights. So, if your ticket’s fare class is S, T, L, K or G then you’ll need 80 PlusPoints for an upgrade to Polaris. Otherwise, you’ll just need 40 PlusPoints for your upgrade.

Additionally, if you’re a Premier 1K member, some fares make you eligible to skip the waitlist and confirm an upgrade right away, as long as your flight is on an eligible international route and is more than 30 days out. Those fares include:

From United Premium Plus to United Polaris business class: O, A and R.

From United economy to United Polaris business class: Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V and W.

From United economy to United Premium Plus: Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L and K.

When crediting miles to a partner program

Another time you should pay attention to fare classes is when you’re crediting a flight to a partner program. Say you’d rather earn miles with Air Canada Aeroplan , who is a Star Alliance partner of United, and you want to know the earning rates.

You’ll earn the following number of Aeroplan points and Status Qualifying Miles (SQMs) when crediting paid United flights to Aeroplan:

If you’re a member of multiple airline loyalty programs and can’t decide where to credit your flight, check out WhereToCredit , a website that shows you how many miles you’d earn in any frequent flyer program for a particular flight. This can help you make sure you're earning the highest possible number of redeemable miles.

Let’s say you’ve booked a United economy ticket in fare class V and want to know where to credit this flight. Go to the WhereToCredit website, select the airline and fare class and view the results.

Based on the results, you’d earn 5 miles per base dollar spent on the ticket with United MileagePlus (as a general member), 50% of the flight distance with ANA Mileage Club and Miles & More and 75% with all the other partner programs, so you can take your pick of the programs earning more miles.

» Learn more: How to save money on United Airlines flights

Travelers often don’t care which fare class they book as long as the ticket price is low. However, if you’re chasing status or want to book an upgradeable ticket, there are ways to search for specific fare classes on United.

Go to United.com and select “Advanced search.”

Enter your flight search details as usual and scroll down until you see a “Fare class” box. Fill in the fare classes you’re looking for and click on “Find flights.”

On the results page, you’ll see the regular search results for all other booking classes as well as a column with the requested fare classes.

This way you can compare ticket prices and decide whether booking a specific fare class is worth it or not.

Secure the best earning rates and benefits for your United flight needs by purchasing your tickets with the right credit card.

Here are a handful of Chase United credit card options — or you can read NerdWallet analysis on which are the best .

on Chase's website

$0 intro for the first year, then $95 .

• 2 miles per $1 on United purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants and hotels (when booked directly with hotel).

• 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases.

• 3 miles per $1 on United purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants, select streaming services and all other travel.

• 4 miles per $1 on United purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 at restaurants and all other travel purchases.

• 2 miles per $1 on United purchases, gas stations and local transit and commuting.

• First checked bag free for you and one companion on your reservation.

• 2 United Club one-time passes each year.

• Credit of up to $100 every four years for TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or NEXUS.

• Priority boarding.

• No foreign transaction fees.

• First and second checked bag free for you and one companion on your reservation.

• $125 United purchase credit per year (good on airfare).

• Two 5,000-mile award flight credits per anniversary year.

• Access to United Club airport lounges.

Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Earn 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. Learn more.

If you seek more flexibility in redeeming miles for award flights, consider applying for a more general travel credit card instead. A more general travel credit card differs from an airline card in that you can book flights with multiple carriers, rather than reaping the benefits of staying loyal to a single brand.

The more high-end (or 'premium' ) the travel credit card, the more benefits you can enjoy, including airport lounge access or automatic elite status in certain programs. That said, a brand-specific airline card can net you benefits like waived baggage fees, which can have meaningful dollar value.

» Learn more: Is a United credit card worth it?

The United fare class you’ve booked can make all the difference between qualifying for an upgrade or not, how much the upgrade is going to cost in miles or cash, and how many miles and segments toward elite status you’ll be earning.

United makes it easy to find your specific fare class before or after you book a flight. It's smart for United elites in particular to pay attention to fare classes, as booking the right one could make you more likely to score an upgrade.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

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

No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ 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

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

Earn 5 free nights at an IHG property after $4k in spend (each night valued at up to 60k points).

Complete guide to United's revenue, award and upgrade fare classes

Editor's Note

If you're looking for ways to maximize your recently devalued United miles , you're not alone.

As you delve into the details of the MileagePlus program , you'll come across fare classes, which can feel like alphabet soup. United uses different letter codes in its reservation systems to label different buckets of tickets. While we commonly refer to them as economy, premium economy, business class or first class, the reservations systems use designators such as Y, O and J, among others .

For example, let's consider the United Polaris cabin. Regardless of the seat they choose, passengers in this cabin may have booked their tickets in different fare classes. One passenger in seat 1A might have booked the "I" class, which indicates a saver award ticket using miles. Another passenger in seat 8L might have booked a full-fare (paid) "J" ticket. The in-flight experience won't differ, but there are still important distinctions between the two.

Understanding fare classes is essential for frequent United flyers as it affects mileage and Premier qualifying points (PQPs) earnings, which are generally tied to the price of your ticket. For instance, a basic economy passenger with an "N" class ticket will generally earn significantly fewer miles than a business traveler with a full-fare "Y" ticket.

In addition, if you hope to upgrade to a higher cabin, paying attention to fare classes is important. Booking a flight in the "W" fare class or higher requires 40 PlusPoints, while lower-priced fare classes require double that amount.

These fare class codes also come into play when making flight changes. If only a higher fare class is available, you may need to pay the price difference, even when using United's same-day change policy. Therefore, it's crucial to familiarize yourself with these codes.

Let's take a closer look at how United breaks them down.

Revenue fare classes

United uses many different fare classes for standard revenue tickets. These letters apply to paid tickets booked on United.com, but they also apply to reservations made via credit card travel portals — including Chase Travel and American Express Travel .

For visibility into these fare classes, we suggest visiting United's website and enabling Expert Mode on your profile page. This will allow you to see the complete list of fare classes when searching for paid itineraries on United-operated flights, as demonstrated below with an example from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN).

The available fare classes list includes paid tickets, upgrades and awards, all mixed in.

Starting with revenue fares, here's how it breaks down:

First/business class

J: Full fare C: High fare D: High fare Z: Discounted fare P: Deepest discounted fare

Premium Plus

O: High fare A: Discounted fare R: Deepest discounted fare

Y: Highest full fare — regional instant upgrades for all elite members when PN is available (or PZ if Premier 1K) B: Full fare — regional instant upgrades for all elite members when PN is available (or PZ if Premier 1K) M: High fare — regional instant upgrades for Premier 1K when PZ is available E: High fare U: High fare H: High fare Q: Discounted fare V: Discounted fare W: Lowest standard Polaris upgrade-eligible fare S: Deep-discounted fare T: Deep-discounted fare L: Deep-discounted fare K: Deep-discounted fare G: Deepest discounted fare N: Basic economy on domestic and short-haul international flights

Just note that you'll often see multiple prices for the same economy fare class. Domestic and short-haul international flights offer an "upgrade" option to convert a discounted fare into a fully refundable one. Meanwhile, long-haul international flights usually have three different options for the lowest-priced economy fare class:

• Basic economy (limited perks)
• Economy (standard perks)
• Flexible economy (standard perks on a fully refundable fare)

Pay close attention to the ticket you book to know exactly what to expect.

How fare classes impact partner mileage rates

When you book United flights via United.com, you earn Mileage Plus miles based on the price of your ticket. However, if you opt to credit these flights to a partner program, most of them still compute earning rates based on the fare class and distance flown.

Take Air Canada Aeroplan . Here's the accrual chart for United-operated flights credited to your Aeroplan account:

In the above flight from San Francisco to Singapore, the Great Circle Mapper calculates the distance as 8,446 miles. Booking a ticket in the S fare class would accrue Aeroplan points at 50% of said distance — so you'd take home 4,223 points. This is notably higher than the 3,675 United miles you'd earn with United MileagePlus.

Related: United's best kept elite status secret: How to earn PQPs faster with partner flights

Upgrade fare classes

United also has different fare classes for upgrading to a higher cabin. This includes travelers booked in economy who want to upgrade to Premium Plus or Polaris business class, as well as ticketed passengers in Premium Plus who want to snag a business class seat. These can also vary depending on your United elite status tier.

PN: Global Services mileage and PlusPoints upgrade and instant upgrades for Premier 1K customers in full-fare economy on eligible routes. PZ: Premier Platinum and 1K PlusPoints and all mileage upgrade awards — though if you've received a Complimentary Premier Upgrade (CPU), you'll also be automatically reticketed in this fare class

RN: Upgrades for all members

Upgrade-eligible fare classes

While these upgrade classes are fixed, the price you'll need to pay to upgrade is not, as it depends on the revenue fare class you book. Passengers with tickets in the "W" fare class or higher can use 40 PlusPoints to upgrade to Polaris business class on eligible international flights. However, tickets booked in S, T, L, K or G fare classes require 80 points for the upgrade.

All paid Premium Plus fares are eligible for Polaris upgrades at 30 PlusPoints, and all regular economy fares can be upgraded to Premium Plus for 20 PlusPoints.

Note that United's basic economy fares — which book into the N fare class — aren't eligible for any type of upgrade.

Related: Why Premium Plus and higher fare classes are the secret to United upgrades

Award fare classes

Now, let's discuss award tickets. There are nine fare classes for mileage tickets, and the rates can differ significantly between each code. As noted above, you can view all fare class availability by enabling Expert Mode. From there, you'd initiate a revenue search instead of selecting "book with miles" on United.com.

Here's a breakdown of United's award fare classes.

JN: Everyday award for all members (dynamic pricing) IN: Saver award for Premier Platinum and 1K members I: Saver award for all other customers and partner redemptions

Premier Platinum, 1K and Global Services members have access to expanded business- and first-class saver awards on United-operated flights. These will book into the IN fare class but will only appear when logged into an eligible account.

For example, I'm a Premier 1K member, and here's what I see when I search for the same flight from San Francisco to Singapore detailed above.

In this specific example, the IN inventory matches the I inventory. However, as a general rule of thumb, United typically releases more seats to the IN fare than the I fare (the standard fare class for business-class and domestic first-class saver awards).

Just remember that only I inventory is bookable using rewards from partner programs like Air Canada Aeroplan and ANA Mileage Club .

Read more: The best websites to search for Star Alliance award availability

ON: All awards (dynamic pricing)

YN: Everyday award for all members (dynamic pricing) XN: Saver award for elite members and select credit cardholders X: Saver award for all other customers and partner redemptions

If you're the primary cardholder of a United Explorer Card , United Business Card , United Quest Card or United Club Infinite Card , you can access expanded economy-class saver awards , giving you access to the XN fare class. This also applies to all United elites — including Premier Silver and Premier Gold members. United often releases more seats to the XN fare than the X fare (the standard fare class for economy-class saver awards).

However, like business class, only X inventory is available using partner currencies.

Bottom line

Frequent flyers often familiarize themselves with fare classes, as understanding their meanings empowers them to book, change and earn credit from flights more efficiently. While you don't need to memorize all the fare classes immediately, we suggest enabling Expert Mode on United's website. This will grant you access to this valuable information whenever you log in, whether through the airline's website or mobile app.

Additional reporting by Zach Honig.

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What Does My Ticket Fare Class Mean?

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "It's not revolutionary, but a small Moleskine notebook is my one travel must-have. It's great for noting things you want to remember and it takes up hardly any space in your bag."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Japan. I'd love to take a month off and visit the cities, temples, and countryside. I'm fascinated by the country's juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern ambitions."

Travel Motto: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” –Terry Pratchett

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window."

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A reader recently asked, “What do those letters on my airline ticket mean?”

Generally speaking, they refer to the type of fare you paid—first class, business class, and so forth. But since this is the airline industry we’re talking about, no explanation can be that simple. Within each fare class are numerous subclasses the airlines use to track exactly what sort of ticket you purchased.

Here’s the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) official list of fare codes. Not all airlines follow this list exactly, but most are pretty close:

First Class

R Supersonic P First Class Premium F First Class A First Class Discounted

Business Class

J Business Class Premium C Business Class D, I, Z Business Class Discounted

Economy/Coach Class

W Economy/Coach Premium S, Y Economy/Coach B, H, K, L, M, N, Q, T, V, X Economy/Coach Discounted

Further, additional codes indicate seasonality, day of week, time of day, and a whole host of other qualifiers .

There are two primary ways these codes affect your travels. One, which frequent flyers know well, is upgrade eligibility. Some fare classes are easier to upgrade than others. United, for example, posts an enormous chart detailing which codes are eligible for what kinds of upgrades. Each airline has its own policy, so check with your carrier to see which codes require the most miles and/or cash to move up to the front cabin. Some economy fare classes, called Y-UP and sometimes Q-UP , can be upgraded for free by anyone, but they’re tricky to find and pricey (though considerably cheaper than first-class fares).

On the other end of the spectrum, passengers flying in lower fare classes are more vulnerable to being bumped. According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), “Airlines set their own ‘boarding priorities,’ the order in which they will bump different categories of passengers in an oversale situation. When a flight is oversold and there are not enough volunteers, some airlines bump passengers with the lowest fares first. Others bump the last passengers to check in.” If you’ve booked a super-discounted fare, such as a name-your-own-price ticket, you’ll probably be in the lowest fare class and, therefore, be more vulnerable to being bumped. Your best defense, in that case, is to check in early.

The only way to get a better code, of course, is to pay for it. Typically the cheapest fares are also the lowest fare class, which come with the most restrictions and, as mentioned above, the least security. If you want to book in a higher fare class, and likely get a ticket that’s more flexible and refundable than a discounted one, most airlines will let you search by fare class from the “advanced booking” page.

Got more travel-related questions? Send them in or leave a comment below, and your query could show up in the next Reader Q&A! 

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Here you will find information about our comfortable seating, entertainment program and food & beverages in Lufthansa Business Class.

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Travelling First Class means you can expect the extraordinary – experience it for yourself.

Enjoy even more comfortable seating, more service and more extras in Lufthansa First Class.

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The Complete Guide to British Airways Fare Classes (a.k.a. Fare Buckets)

What are fare classes.

Fare classes are the different letters that represent a price of a ticket. You will see these represented in a variety of ways through different means, such as in Manage My Booking:

or in Expert Flyer.

or in Matrix.

Chances are if you are using Expert Flyer or Matrix though, you will probably already know about Fare Classes and just want to know how many Avios or Tier Points you will be earning. Feel free to skip ahead!

What is the difference between Fare Class and Travel Class?

“Travel class” is which cabin you are flying in. First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy or Economy Class.

“Fare class” is what specific price your ticket is purchased at, and the restrictions imposed on it, represented by the letters mentioned throughout this post.

What Fare Classes does British Airways have?

There are a myriad of fare classes, which can be confusing for those who do not (yet) know how British Airways prices their tickets.

As with most other airlines, usually the more expensive the ticket the more flexibility it buys in terms of advance purchase requirements, ability to change flights, refunds on cancellations, shorter minimum stays and longer maximum stays. And in the lower travel classes, you need to be buying more expensive fare classes in order to be able to upgrade

At the more extreme levels of pricing, you may sometimes find that fares in a higher travel class are actually cheaper than buying in a lower travel class. E.g. non-refundable business class cheaper than fully-flexible premium economy.

First Class :

From most to least expensive: F, A

Club World / Europe (business class) :

From most to least expensive: J, C, D, R, I

World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy) ,

From most to least expensive: W, E, T

World/Euro Traveller (Economy) :

From most to least expensive: Y, B, H, K, M, L, V, S, N, Q, O, G – Note that G is specifically reserved for Travel Agents (including BA Flights and Holidays) or BA staff bookings.

Which Fare Classes do redemptions book into?

Avios or other partner airline redemptions book into the following fare classes

• First Class: Z
• Club World/Europe (business class): U 
• World Traveller Plus (premium economy): P
• World/Euro Traveller (economy): X

How Many Avios and Tier Points will I earn?

For slightly easier formatting, and to ensure up-to-date information, I advise going directly to one of the following:

• British Airways Avios and Tier Points Earnings Tables
• British Airways Avios and Tier Points Earning Calculator

The latter being good if you have a specific route in mind, and will also calculate the bonus Avios you get if you have Bronze, Silver or Gold British Airways Executive Club status.

But to make this a one-stop shop…

First Class:

• F – 300% Flown Distance. Minimum 1250 Avios, 100% Tier points
• A – 250% Flown Distance. Minimum 1250 Avios, 100% Tier points

Club World / Europe (Business Class):

• J – 250% Flown Distance. Minimum 1250 Avios, 100% Tier points
• C – 250% Flown Distance. Minimum 1250 Avios, 100% Tier points
• D – 250% Flown Distance. Minimum 1250 Avios, 100% Tier points
• R – 150% Flown Distance. Minimum 750 Avios, 100% Tier points
• I – 150% Flown Distance. Minimum 750 Avios, 100% Tier points

World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy):

• W – 150% Flown Distance. Minimum 750 Avios, 100% Tier points
• E – 100% Flown Distance. Minimum 500 Avios, 100% Tier points
• T – 100% Flown Distance. Minimum 500 Avios, 100% Tier points

World / Euro Traveller (Economy Class):

• Y – 100% Flown Distance. Minimum 500 Avios, 100% Tier points
• B – 100% Flown Distance. Minimum 500 Avios, 100% Tier points
• H – 100% Flown Distance. Minimum 500 Avios, 100% Tier points
• K – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• M – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• L – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• V – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• S – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• N – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• Q – 25% Flown Distance. Minimum 125 Avios, 25% Tier points
• O – 25% Flown Distance. Minimum 125 Avios, 25% Tier points
• G – 25% Flown Distance. Minimum 125 Avios, 25% Tier points

As with most airlines, redemptions do not earn any Avios. This includes V  fares which Gold members can sometimes book into as a reward fare.

Bronze members get 25% extra Avios, Silver gets 50% extra Avios and Gold gets 100% extra Avios. This is calculated in addition to the Avios earned in the fare class calculations above.

Bottom Line

Understanding British Airways' fare classes is important for knowing how many Avios and Tier Points you will earn. If you are coming from Star Alliance or Skyteam you will also notice that the order of the letters is different, so take note!

Share this:

Hey Tim – booked and paid for Club World, and upgraded to First, but the class is now showing as Z. Seems that it doesn’t earn anything… thoughts?

You will get the original Tier Points and Avios for your original Club World booking!

Is there any way to get BA to send me something that shows the orig booking class? I want to have my backup incase I don’t get credit.

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Your Complete Guide To All The Airline Classes

Air travel is very much impacted by the type of class and fare a traveler is paying. Though the kinds of service across the classes can differ wildly from one airline to another, there are four types of airline classes: economy, premium economy, business, and first class. Unless you are well-versed in airline booking hacks  or a frequent flyer with airline status, you'll most likely spend most of your time in economy — unless you want to shell out a lot of money for a better seat.

What class you're in will impact not just your seat and position in the plane itself, but it will also dictate what kind of service you receive on the plane. Higher classes have larger seats, more room in between the seats, and complimentary services like better food, snacks, and beverage options. You may even be lucky enough to fly with an international airline in a class with private suites for the ultimate flight experience. But what are the biggest differences between the airline classes and what do you need to know before booking your next flight?

Basic economy

The seats in basic economy are often the same as those in regular economy, though the ticket itself is more restricted. These are usually the cheapest tickets offered by an airline. However, with cost savings come restrictions on changing your flight dates or times, a limited amount of baggage you can bring, the inability to select seats, boarding last, and several other limitations depending on the airline. The reason folks buy basic economy tickets is to save money, though with additional fees, the cost of the ticket may very well add up to more than the price of a regular economy ticket.

Some of the other terms you may encounter in purchasing tickets under a basic economy fare can include economy light, saver fare, economy basic, and bare fare. Each airline can have its own terminology for the flight classes, so be sure to read the fine print when purchasing your ticket. Try comparing the cost of the amenities you need like a free carry-on bag with what you'd pay with a basic fare. You may be better off with a regular economy ticket.

Regardless of the kind of plane or airline you're flying with, the economy section is pretty much the same across the board. These tickets are not as cheap as basic economy tickets, though they usually still afford a pretty average travel experience. Generally, an economy experience in a legacy airline like Delta, United, or American Airlines will be more comfortable than in a budget airline like Spirit or Frontier.

In regular economy, you may or may not get complimentary snacks and drinks or even meals if your flight is long enough. Choosing your seat is usually included with an economy fare, though if you try to choose a seat in certain parts of the cabin you may have to pay extra. Exit row seats are often more expensive, as are seats that are closer to the front, or any that provide additional perks like more legroom or more space to recline.

Premium economy

Like the differences between basic and regular economy, premium economy can either be a significant upgrade from regular economy or basically the same. What is true for premium economy seats is that there is more legroom and potentially more recline pitch in the seat back. Some airlines also provide premium economy passengers with amenity kits, better food, and sometimes even the free alcoholic offerings you'd find in first or business class.

The few inches of extra room can vary widely between carriers. Japan Airlines, for example, can have 10 inches more space in their premium economy seats whereas the average for carriers is between 5 and 6 inches of additional space. Premium economy seats are also often in more favorable parts of the cabin like the front of the economy section. You may also be in a better boarding group with a premium economy ticket than others in the economy cabin. Again, it really depends on the airline you're flying with.

First class

In general, a lot of travelers use business and first-class cabins interchangeably. It's easy to do since they can be pretty close together in their amenity offerings. Planes generally don't have both business and first-class seating options, they'll have one or the other. First class, like premium economy, can mean a lot of things depending on which airline and route you're flying. For example, domestic flights generally have first-class seating rather than business.

Domestic first class usually includes more comfortable seats, more room around seats, a more favorable seating arrangement, and food and drink inclusions. They're generally not the seats you see all over luxury planes on Instagram. These are not lie-flat seats, though they are still much more comfortable than economy seats. You'll probably get hot food even on shorter flights and your choice of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

International first class on the other hand is easily confused with business class. They can include private or semi-private suites, lie-flat beds, gourmet dining, and lots of drinks to keep you cozy in the sky. You may have turn-down service, complimentary pajamas, and luxury amenity kits with posh items. A first-class international ticket can also more than likely get you into an international airport lounge before takeoff.

Business class

Although even airlines use first and business class interchangeably, generally the experiences folks hope to one day attain are designated to business class. Lie-flat seats, complimentary meals and snacks, unlimited drink selections, and other amenities can be linked to first class, though more often than not it's business. In some cases, business class is considered a step down from first class and can offer a premium experience for more than economy but less than a first class ticket.

Like with first class, the kinds of service and amenities travelers receive with a business class ticket depend on whether you are flying domestically or internationally. International flights by and large are going to be the most luxurious version of a business class experience, not that a domestic business class flight isn't considered a posh experience.

Business class flights also often come with airport lounge access. That's true for most domestic and international flights on a business class ticket, though international lounges like the United Polaris Lounge tend to offer a more luxurious experience than their United Club domestic counterparts.

Why airline classes vary so much

Air travel was a much more luxurious experience for everyone in the mid-20th century. But the big reason why airline classes have gotten so competitive, seats have gotten smaller, and amenities have started to disappear is because of deregulation. The federal government in the United States deregulated the airline industry in 1978 which meant airlines could do even more to increase their revenue per passenger.

Because of that deregulation, and the fact that planes have become more advanced to get people where they're going faster, ticket prices continue to rise. That is regardless of the fuel price trends because there is a wider profit margin for airlines to take advantage of. While it's easy to assume that the widest profit margin is in the higher classes, it actually isn't. Per square foot of space, first class and economy are pretty close because the airlines want to fill their planes as much as possible. It's in the addition of premium economy and business class sections that the airlines make more money per square foot.

Domestic versus international destinations

When it comes to airline classes, domestic flights have much less variety in the kinds of experiences you'll receive. Even if the plane has economy, premium economy, and first class, the service you'll get on a domestic flight is usually far less than you would on an international flight. Long-haul flights have the most variety of classes and amenities. For example, domestic first class (the best class on that plane) will have better seats but they don't lie flat. At the same time, that same class on an international flight will have lie-flat seating.

Different lengths of travel also offer passengers of all classes more amenities all around. Most international journeys will provide even economy passengers with some kind of meal and comfort items like pillows and blankets. Economy might not be the most comfortable way to travel internationally, though it can be more comfortable than domestic flights. Jumping from economy to premium economy on a long-haul flight may also be a significant difference in an in-flight experience as well.

Class action claim seeks £4bn in repayments from Visa and Mastercard

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Class action claims against Mastercard and Visa for repayment of illegal fees on commercial card payments to travel, hospitality and retail businesses in the UK could total more than £4 billion.

The UK Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) gave a go-ahead in August for the collective action that could see businesses compensated for the multilateral interchange fees (MIFs) set by Mastercard and Visa on commercial card transactions.

Lawyers acting for the Class Representatives in these claims, or ‘collective proceedings’, allege businesses which received payments by commercial cards between June 2016 and June 2022 paid fees much higher than they should have been, causing them losses estimated to be at least $4 billion.

Any business which received payment by commercial card in that time could be included in the proceedings and, if the claim is successful, damages will continue to accrue until the date of judgment or settlement.

The Tribunal ordered that the claims – Commercial and Interregional Card Claims I & II – be certified, enabling the Class Representatives to seek compensation for the unlawful fees paid by UK businesses.

It dismissed Mastercard’s and Visa’s objections to the claims being certified, ruling that the cases can proceed as collective actions, and set a deadline for involvement in the claims.

Businesses are encouraged to register their interest now to stay updated on developments and, if successful, to claim their share of any damages.

Jeremy Robinson, partner at law firm Harcus Parker which is representing the Class Representatives, said: “We welcome the opportunity to hold Mastercard and Visa to account for imposing multilateral interchange fees at an unlawfully high level and causing substantial loss to UK businesses.

“We’re pleased this important claim will now proceed despite Mastercard and Visa’s attempts over the last two years to deny thousands of UK businesses a straightforward route to justice through the Competition Appeal Tribunal.”

Robinson said: “Both the UK Supreme Court and the Court of Justice of the EU have condemned similar practices engaged in by Mastercard and Visa in relation to different types of MIFs.

“Holding global corporate giants to account through class action litigation is the best way to ensure Mastercard and Visa do not go on imposing unfair charges on businesses.”

Stephen Allen, former head of Portman Travel and Wexas Travel and director of the Class Representatives, said: “We’re fighting to ensure businesses and organisations across the UK economy are properly compensated by Mastercard and Visa for their unlawful multilateral interchange fees.”

“These operate like a tax on business, increasing the fees businesses have to pay to their banks for accepting commercial card transactions.

“The claims seek to recover the losses businesses have suffered as a result of Visa and Mastercard’s practices and highlight the need for such practices to be abolished.”

Allen added: “We’re delighted this claim has been endorsed by leading trade bodies including UK Hospitality and Abta.

“UK businesses in the travel, hospitality, and retail sectors have been particularly hurt by Mastercard’s and Visa’s multilateral interchange fees.”

MIFs are paid by businesses through fees paid to their banks on acceptance of a commercial card transaction.

A spokesperson for Mastercard said: “We disagree with the basis of this claim. Businesses get real value when they choose to accept cards issued on our network, helping them grow their sales, ensure a guaranteed payment, reach new customers and reduce fraud.”

For more information about the opt-in and opt-out collective claims and to register, visit commercialcardclaim.co.uk

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