On April 3, United Airlines announced that it will introduce three new fare categories for premium cabins on long-haul international routes, U.S. transcontinental routes, and select Hawaii routes.
The three types are “Base,” “Standard,” and “Flexible,” which will be added on top of the existing three-tier structure in economy class: “Basic,” “Standard,” and “Flexible.”
“Base” fares in the premium cabin will be the lowest-priced option, with significant restrictions: seat selection is paid, only one checked bag is included, and changes or cancellations are not permitted. “Standard” fares include benefits such as free seat selection, an additional checked bag, and the ability to change the reservation. “Flexible” fares are fully refundable and include all of the benefits of Standard fares.
On some transcontinental and Hawaii routes, the front cabin will be rebranded under the “United Polaris” brand. On these routes, customers purchasing United Polaris Standard or Flexible fares will have access to United Polaris lounges. Base fares will continue to provide access to United Club.
The new fare structure will launch in select markets in April and will then be gradually expanded to other routes.
