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.

You can identify if you have booked a Basic Economy ticket by looking for specific "Fare Class" codes or restrictions in your confirmation email or the airline's mobile app. On United, Basic Economy is almost always Fare Class N. On Delta, it is often marked as "E", and on American, it is "B". Most importantly, the confirmation will explicitly state "No Carry-on Bag Allowed" (for domestic flights) and "Seat Assigned at Check-in." In 2026, airlines have made these warnings even more prominent during the booking process to avoid gate-side confusion. If your boarding pass shows Group 6 or higher (on United) or "Basic" (on Delta), you are likely in this tier. If you find you’ve booked it by mistake, most airlines allow an "upgrade" to standard Economy for a fee through their app up until the point of check-in, which then grants you seat selection and a full-sized carry-on bag allowance.