What You Get Flying American Airlines Basic Economy (& How to Beat It)

Kyle Potter is the executive editor of Thrifty Traveler, covering everything from aviation news to travel deals to in-depth guides on using airline miles. A professional journalist, he joined the comp.

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Whether you're planning a domestic trip, vacationing in the Caribbean, heading to Europe, or flying all the way to Australia, basic economy fares have become nearly unavoidable. But every airline handles these no-frills fares a bit differently: What you get (and what you don't) can vary wildly.

Now it's time for a look at American Airlines basic economy.

Like many airlines, the American Airlines basic economy fare is the carrier's lowest-priced fare class. But the lower price comes at a cost: You give up free seat selection, earning some (though not all) American AAdvantage miles, and most importantly, the ability to change or cancel your ticket for free if plans change – or if prices drop. In fact, these cheaper fares have gotten even worse with even higher charges to check luggage on some ultra-long-haul flights.

But just what restrictions come with flying American Airlines basic economy? What kind of baggage can you bring, when can you board, and what mileage will you earn? Keep reading.

• What You Get with American Airlines Basic Economy
• What Routes Have Basic Economy Fares?
• How to Beat American Airlines Basic Economy
  • Get a Free Checked Bag and Priority Boarding with American Co-Branded Credit Cards
  • Pay For a Seat Assignment
  • Or Get an Even Better Seat for Free

  What You Get with American Airlines Basic Economy

  When American Airlines first rolled out its basic economy offering years back, it was one of the worst in the skies.

  It was so restrictive that, like United basic economy, you couldn't even bring a carry-on bag on board with you – just a backpack. And there was no way to pick a seat, for free or whether you paid up.

  Luckily, that has changed as years ago, American relaxed its carry-on baggage restriction, allowing travelers to stow a bag overhead when buying basic economy tickets. And while AA made a handful of improvements to its basic economy fares throughout the pandemic, there have been some recent changes that aren't so good.

  Here's a current look at what you get with an AA basic economy ticket:

  • Baggage: Board basic economy with a carry-on bag and personal item for free; $35 each way for a checked bag when you pay online (or $75 each way to Europe and other ultra-long-haul destinations like Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel).
  • Seat Selection: Available for a fee at time of booking, typically starting at $9 or 10 each way. Otherwise, seats are automatically assigned.
  • Boarding: Final boarding group (Group 9).
  • Earning AAdvantage Miles: Yes, you will earn American Airlines AAdvantage award miles at a rate of 2x miles per dollar, which is significantly less when compared to earning at least 5x points per dollar with an AA main cabin economy fare.
  • Earning Status: Yes, but you'll only earn 2x Loyalty Points per dollar compared to at least 5x points per dollar with a main cabin economy fare.
  • Upgrades: Yes, American basic economy fares are eligible for paid upgrades as well as complimentary upgrades with AAdvantage elite status.
  • Ticket Changes and Cancellation: You can only cancel for a full refund within 24 hours of booking. Otherwise, AAdvantage members who book basic economy can cancel roundtrip domestic flights for a credit, minus a $99 fee. International basic economy fares cannot be canceled, period.

  

  As you can see, American practically begs you to skip a basic economy fare and instead opt for a standard main cabin fare. This kind of upsell effort is common across the major airlines: The entire point is to draw you in with a cheaper fare, then hit you a bunch of restrictions designed to upsell you to a pricier main cabin economy fare. And while the price tag can vary, you can typically count on paying an additional $30 to $35 each way to avoid basic economy on a domestic flight – and much, much more when traveling internationally.

  It's not all good news. American Airlines has begun hiding these bare-bones fares under the cover of a regular “Main” cabin ticket in its search results online at AA.com and on its smartphone app.

  So while you'll initially see a $337 price tag on this roundtrip flight from Phoenix (PHX) to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) explicitly labeled as a main cabin ticket, click through and you'll see that's for an American Airlines basic economy fare – that better main cabin fare actually costs another $60.

  

  On the bright side, American has made basic economy slightly less painful over the years by allowing travelers to purchase a seat assignment right away. Previously, you had to wait until seven days before your flight. Now, you can pay up for a seat assignment when you're booking your flight. And best of all, the fees to pick a seat (and avoid getting assigned a dreaded middle seat) are typically reasonable, starting around $9 to $10.

  And for years, American basic fares were among the worst because could not be changed nor canceled, period. They've gotten some flexibility back thanks to recent changes from AA, but with some major caveats:

  • Only domestic basic economy fares qualify for cancellations. International fares still cannot be canceled for a travel credit
  • You must have booked with your AAdvantage account directly through American – not through a third-party site or travel platform
  • You'll forfeit $99. So if you paid $299 for a roundtrip basic economy ticket to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), you'll only get a $200 travel credit if you cancel

  American has made a slew of other negative changes to these fares in recent years that make them even more painful, including:

  • As of 2023, you'll now earn just 2x AAdvantage miles for every dollar you spend on your American basic economy fare – down from 5x miles per dollar previously. Same goes for earning AA Loyalty Points to build status with the airline.
  • American also now charges $75 each way to bring a checked bag on flights to Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel.

  What Routes Have Basic Economy Fares?

  Whether you're flying to Austin (AUS) or all the way to Australia, you may see basic economy fares across the globe searching with American now.

  American Airlines basic economy has been rolled out on routes heading to all the following locations:

  • U.S. domestic fares
  • Mexico and Central America
  • The Caribbean
  • South America
  • Europe
  • Asia
  • Middle East
  • Australia & New Zealand

  

  But just because AA basic economy fares exist on these routes doesn't mean you'll always see them. Throughout the pandemic, we've seen American Airlines stop selling its pesky basic fares on many routes – especially within the U.S.

  That has changed in recent months, as basic economy has returned to most domestic flights and even many long-haul destinations. But you might get lucky and miss out on basic economy altogether. Trust us: That's a win for travelers.

  How to Beat American Airlines Basic Economy

  Basic economy is a pain no matter what airline you're flying. But flying American Airlines basic economy can be a little less painful with the right strategies – and the right cards in your wallet.

  Get a Free Checked Bag and Priority Boarding with American Co-Branded Credit Cards

  Co-branded airline credit cards can be a powerful weapon to beat basic economy on any carrier. And with American, you’ve got two options that give you identical benefits.

  The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® both get you a free checked bag on any domestic AA flight – along with up to four other travelers booked on the same itinerary. But let us stress: This free baggage benefit only applies to domestic flights.

  And unlike some other airline co-branded cards, you don’t need to actually pay for your flight with the card to get the benefit. It automatically applies once the card is attached to your AAdvantage account.

  That’s huge, as checked bags cost at least $35 each way for domestic flights within the U.S. The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard‘s annual fee of $99 is waived for the first year, which means you have a full year to take advantage of free baggage before paying a single annual fee.
  

  

  Click Here to learn more about the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®

  The AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard’s annual fee of $99 isn’t waived for the first year. But even at that price, it could pay for itself after checking bags on just two round-trip flights each year.
  

  

  Click Here to apply for the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard (this is not an affiliate link)

  But if you’re living the carry-on life, you may need overhead bin space, too. And considering basic economy fares on American board in the final Group 9, there’s no guarantee you’ll get it. Both co-branded cards also move you all the way up to Group 5 even when flying basic economy.
  

  

  Pay For a Seat Assignment

  No one wants to get stuck in a dreaded middle seat. On paper, American Airlines basic economy could leave you stuck there, as you don't get free seat assignment.

  But there are two ways you can get the seat you want flying AA basic economy. One will cost you a bit extra, while the other strategy could help you score an extra legroom seat … for free.

  American allows even basic economy flyers pay extra for a seat, starting right when you book your flights. The American Airlines seat selection fee will vary widely by flight, but they’re pretty reasonable: The fee for a seat typically starts at $10 or $12 for a middle seat and just a few bucks more for an aisle or window seat. Seats closer to the front of the plane will generally cost more than those at the rear.
  

  

  Just beware that if your basic economy fare isn’t a nonstop flight, you’ll have to pay separately for each segment of the trip.

  But don’t count on getting a better seat for free by talking to a gate agent shortly before departure – a favorite trick among frequent flyers. You still have to pay up to move to a better, empty seat before boarding. Of course, this may vary by agent. And if your flight is full, you’re out of luck.

  So if you want to ensure you're not stuck between strangers, your best bet is likely to pay up for a seat assignment right when you book – or long before your flight takes off.

  Worried about sitting next to your children? American guarantees seats together, even with basic economy fares!

  Or Get an Even Better Seat for Free

  Feeling bold? You might be able to score an extra legroom seat for free.

  Buying one of American's Main Cabin Extra seats – which typically come with an extra 3-4 inches of legroom – will generally cost you a lot more than your standard seat, at $40 or more each way. But a quirk in how American Airlines assigns these seats as its planes fills up could land you a spot there without paying a dime.

  If you haven't already paid for a seat, American Airlines will automatically assign you one when you check in. And if no standard economy seats are left by the time you check in, American will put you in a Main Cabin Extra seat. See where we're going with this?

  So by waiting to check in for your flight until the economy cabin is full, you can automatically be placed in a Main Cabin Extra seat for free. It's a bit of a gamble and it certainly won't work every time – only when your flight is filling up. But it's worth trying out on your next American Airlines basic economy flight.

  Read more on how patience can pay off with extra legroom when flying American basic economy.
  

  

  Bottom Line

  Basic economy has transformed the airfare world. Offering these bare-bones fares allows American to compete with budget carriers on price while pitting flyers with new restrictions – largely in hopes that they’ll pay up to upgrade.

  Yes, these fares are a pain – and American Airlines is no exception. But with the right tools, credit cards, and knowledge, you can make them less painful and beat American airlines basic economy fares.

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  Kyle Potter

  Kyle Potter is the executive editor of Thrifty Traveler, covering everything from aviation news to travel deals to in-depth guides on using airline miles. A professional journalist, he joined the company in November 2018 after five years covering state and national politics for T.

  Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

  Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

  

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  December 11, 2017 dulchinea says:

  You might get better cancellation policies if the flight is codeshares. I’m flying AA internationally next month. The cost for the same basic economy was higher on AAs website than on British Airways and Finnair (both codeshare on the flight). So I purchased through BA. A couple days after booking my plans changed and I was able to make a change for no fee thankfully there was no fare difference. BA also allows me to get credit for the flight should I need to cancel. All for the same exact basic economy seat.

  Paul Neebe says: What about if you have AA status? Then can you check bags for free? Get priority Boarding? Kyle Warram says:

  I am going to an Iraq War Reunion with my old platoon and after I bought my Basic Economy American Airline ticket they added a camping trip following the reunion that I would like to attend. I called to try and extend my trip and the representative said there was nothing he could. Is this true? Is there any way to extend my flight, even if I need to pay a little extra?