United Airlines Fare Codes

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United Fare Codes

United Fare Codes

United Airlines Fare Codes

United Airlines uses fare codes (also known as fare classes or booking codes) to categorize different types of fares and services associated with a ticket. These codes help determine things like fare pricing, upgrade eligibility, and other aspects of the passenger's experience. Here’s a breakdown of some of the common fare codes used by United Airlines:

Economy Class

• Y, B, M: Full-fare Economy, generally fully refundable, most flexible.

• E: Economy, limited flexibility, often used for corporate or special contracts.

• H, Q, V, W: Discounted Economy fares, may have some restrictions.

• S, T, L, K, G: Deeper discounted Economy fares, often more restrictive.

• U: Basic Economy, the most restrictive fare class with no changes, seat assignments, or upgrades.

Premium Economy (United Premium Plus)

• O, A: Premium Economy fares, with additional space and enhanced services.

Business Class (United Polaris)

• C, D, Z: Full-fare Business Class, with D and Z being discounted Business fares.

• P: Discounted Business Class, often used for upgrades or special promotions.

First Class

• F: Full-fare First Class, generally fully refundable, most flexible.

• A: Discounted First Class.

Award Travel

• X: Economy class award ticket.

• I: Business class award ticket.

• O: First class award ticket (when available).

Other Special Fare Codes

• N: Basic Economy award ticket.

• R: Upgrade from a lower fare class to a higher one (e.g., Economy to Business).

• J: Used for Premium Services on specific international routes.

These fare codes are part of a larger system that determines availability, pricing, and the terms of the ticket, such as refundability, change fees, and eligibility for upgrades or mileage accrual. Different airlines may have similar but not identical fare codes, so it's always good to check the specific terms when booking.

Standby Flight Code

When a United Airlines employee books a flight on standby, they typically use a special fare code designated for non-revenue or employee travel. The most common fare codes for employee standby travel are:

• SA: Standby for employees (space-available travel).

• SB: Buddy Pass travel (standby travel for friends or family of employees).

• S1, S2, S3: These codes are often used to indicate priority levels for standby travel among employees, their families, and other eligible travelers.

These codes can vary slightly depending on the employee's status, the type of pass they're using, and whether they are traveling domestically or internationally. The specific code used will determine the priority order in which employees are cleared for available seats on the flight.

United Airlines has seven different classes of service

United Polaris.

United First (domestic).

United Business (transcontinental domestic, Latin America and the Caribbean).

United Premium Plus (premium economy).

United Economy Plus.

United economy.

United basic economy.

Order of Fares

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

Fare Code Explanations

*Global Premier Upgrades are not available on flights booked in fare classes Z, P, S, T, K, L, G or N.

**Co-pay is waived for Premier members

SaverPass Award Seats

O - SaverPass 3-cabin First Award

IN - Elite (Plat/1K/GS) SaverPass Business or 2-cabin First Award

I - Non-Elite and Low Elite SaverPass Business or 2-cabin First Award

XN - Elite SaverPass Coach Award

X - Non-Elite SaverPass Coach Award

Upgrade Awards

ON - C to F on 3-cabin aircraft

JN - Y-Up for Elites (tracks to the J bucket; i.e. last seat availability)

PN - B/M-Up for Elites (tracks to the P bucket); All GS upgrades Y->C (CPU, RPU, GPU, miles)

R - Upgrade to Business/Domestic F (except GS)

RN - This has recently been reported to be internal-use only, not elite upgrades. The reality of that report is not yet clear.

Points earning for all upgrades is based on the original purchased fare. Also see below.

Upgrades Note that upgraded flights will post to your MileagePlus statement as Z(X) where the second letter (X) is the original booking class. That letter defines the earning rate for the flight as points are earned based on the original booking class.

If you purchase a ticket on a flight that is marketed by United but operated by another airline (known as a code-share flight), the operating airline determines how many miles you earn for your flight. Note that the booking class that appears on your ticket may differ from the booking class that the operating airline uses to determine flight miles earned.

Fare Classes on United

Fare classes on United Airlines flights directly affect the number of miles you earn. Here's how it works:

1. Earning Miles Based on Fare Class:

• Each fare class earns a different percentage of the actual miles flown. Generally, higher fare classes like first and business earn more miles, while lower economy fare classes earn fewer miles.

2. Multipliers:

• Fare classes have multipliers that determine how many miles you earn compared to the distance flown. For example, business and first-class tickets might earn 150% to 200% of the miles flown, while economy tickets might earn 50% to 100%.

3. Premier Qualifying Miles (PQM):

• PQM is calculated based on the fare class multiplier. Higher fare classes earn more PQM, helping travelers reach elite status faster.

4. Premier Qualifying Segments (PQS):

• PQS is the number of segments flown, adjusted by a multiplier based on the fare class. Higher fare classes can earn more PQS per flight.

5. Upgrades:

• When you upgrade to a higher fare class, the miles you earn are usually based on the original ticket's fare class, not the upgraded class. However, some upgrades might change the earning rate depending on the terms of the upgrade.

6. Award Miles:

• Some fare classes, particularly those that are heavily discounted or promotional, might earn reduced award miles or none at all.

Example Breakdown:

• First/Business Class (e.g., J, C, D, Z):

• Typically earns 150% to 200% of miles flown.

• High PQM and PQS, beneficial for elite status qualification.

• Full-Fare Economy (e.g., Y, B):

• Earns 100% of miles flown.

• Moderate PQM and PQS.

• Discounted Economy (e.g., V, W, S, T):

• Earns 50% to 100% of miles flown, depending on the specific fare class.

• Lower PQM and PQS, slower elite status progress.

In summary, the fare class you book directly impacts the miles you earn, your progress towards elite status, and how quickly you accumulate miles for future travel rewards. Higher fare classes provide more miles and faster progress toward elite status, while lower fare classes offer fewer miles.

PZ fare class

United's PZ fare class is a specific booking code used by United Airlines to manage business class upgrades. This fare class is integral to United's broader fare class system, which organizes seat availability and pricing across different cabins. When the PZ fare is available, Premier members, including Premier 1K and Global Services, can instantly upgrade to first class on full-fare economy tickets, bypassing the typical upgrade waitlist.

PZ is part of a hierarchy of fare classes that differentiate service levels and prices. For instance, PN is used for first-class upgrades from business class, while RN covers business or first-class domestic upgrades from economy. United's fare codes are listed from highest to lowest in terms of price and flexibility, with J representing unrestricted business class and P the least expensive business class fare.

To increase upgrade chances, passengers are encouraged to monitor their flights using United's Expert Mode and confirm upgrades with PlusPoints or miles if PZ fares are available, especially close to departure when first-class seats remain open.

The PZ fare class was introduced after United eliminated international first class, serving as a key component of the airline's pricing strategy. It allows United to differentiate service levels, optimize revenue, and offer greater flexibility to premium passengers.

Miles Earned

Miles Earned

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