Are you guaranteed a seat in United Economy?

For all fare classes except Basic Economy, you'll be able to pick your seat or change your seat assignment. If you have a Basic Economy ticket, you're able to purchase a seat assignment during booking and up until check-in opens. Learn more about Basic Economy restrictions.



While a confirmed ticket in United Economy typically implies you will have a seat on the plane, it is technically not a "guarantee" of a specific seat or even a seat on that specific flight due to the airline's Contract of Carriage. United, like most major carriers, sometimes overbooks flights to account for "no-shows." If you have a "Basic Economy" ticket, you are not assigned a seat until check-in or even at the gate, which means you are at the highest risk of being "bumped" if the flight is oversold. If you have a standard "Economy" ticket and have already selected a seat number, your position is much more secure. However, operational changes—such as an aircraft swap to a smaller plane—can result in seat reassignments. Under U.S. Department of Transportation rules, if you are "involuntarily bumped" from a flight, United is required to compensate you, often with a check for up to 400% of your one-way fare, provided they cannot get you to your destination within a certain timeframe. To best "guarantee" your spot, it is highly recommended to check in exactly 24 hours before departure and join the United MileagePlus program.

People Also Ask

All Premier members are eligible for complimentary Economy Plus seating. Premier Gold, Platinum and 1K members have complimentary access to Economy Plus seating at booking, and Premier Silver members have complimentary access at check-in, when available.

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Unless you pay for a seat, you'll be assigned one either at check-in or at boarding time. You are, however, guaranteed a seat as much as with any other ticket.

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United restricts full-sized carry-ons for its basic economy tickets. Basic economy tickets are ineligible for refunds and don't include seat selection. Economy Plus features standard economy seats with extra legroom. Standard economy includes seat selection and a free carry-on.

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A quick easy way is to go into your reservation on the United website or app and try to select a seat. If you are Basic Economy, it won't let you select a seat or have a seat assignment in advance unless you purchased one.

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It's in their contracts of carriage: When you buy an airfare, airlines do not guarantee a particular seat, schedule or flight. And airlines can be pretty persnickety about who they fly and where they seat them.

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Emphatically, no. You will likely get assigned a seat during check-in (though you should still skip it if the airline tries to tack on a fee) or, at the very least, at the gate. Again: You don't have to select a seat in order to get a seat. You just might get stuck with a suboptimal one if you choose to skip it.

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In fact, most regular airlines now charge for seat selection anyways. It's often around $10-$30 per seat per flight segment, so if you cave in and pay for that, it can add up quickly. You shouldn't do it. No matter which airline you're flying on, don't ever pay to select a seat.

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Customers traveling together, including families, will not be able to sit together. Advance seat assignments may be available for purchase during booking and up until check-in opens. Carry-on bags: On trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific flights, your carry-on bag allowance is the same as for standard Economy tickets.

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Faster boarding = big savings Under the new United plan that starts October 23, people with window seats in economy class (and no frequent flyer status) will board first. Aisle seats will be last. As for middle seats, well -- they're in the middle for boarding, too.

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They're among the most restrictive fares you'll find in the skies. While every other airline allows you to bring a carry-on bag while flying basic economy, United does not. And that means you can't check in online, either.

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United Airlines
United's family seating policy guarantees families with children under age 12 in certain cabins can sit together for free, regardless of fare type.

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Originally Answered: I'm booking a flight for the first time, and my ticket was confirmed, but I wasn't assigned a seat number. Should I be worried? You need not be worried about the case. It's a part of how Airline booking works, you will only get a confirmation of your booking and not the allotted seat number.

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Can airlines force you to buy a seat? Even if an airline's website makes it appear that you have to pay extra for a seat, you are never required to choose a specific seat and can always opt to decline seat selection in lieu of a FREE seat assignment during check-in.

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Here are the top strategies for getting the best airline seat for your needs. Exit rows, aisle or window seats, and anywhere close to the front are typically considered the best seats on a plane.

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Southwest Airlines is the one airline on this list that does not assign seats in advance, so you cannot purchase a specific seat assignment ahead of time. With Southwest's open seating policy, you will be assigned a boarding group (A, B or C) and a position within that boarding group (1 through 60-plus) at check-in.

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Seats: Basic economy does not include a seat assignment, though a preferred seat can be booked up to 48 hours before departure. Food: Snacks and beverages are included in the flight. Checked bags: A checked bag on TAP is $92 each way.

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One of the advantages of flying in economy plus is the additional legroom. Seats in United's economy class have 31 inches of legroom and a width of 17.3 inches. Whereas United's Economy Plus also has 17.3 inches of width, it has 37 inches of legroom, meaning six extra inches of legroom.

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K - Economy/Coach Discounted. L - Economy/Coach Discounted. M - Economy/Coach Discounted – Usually an upgradable fare to Business. N - Economy/Coach Discounted. P - First Class Premium.

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