Is main cabin different from economy American Airlines?
There's not much of a difference between American's main cabin and basic economy offerings. All travelers get a full-size carry-on bag, mileage earnings and the flexibility to change flights on the day of travel for a fee.
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Basic economy fares are cheaper than main cabin. However, you lose out on flexibility for flight changes and/or cancellations, seat selection options and the ability to earn miles at a high rate.
Your seatsYou can choose a specific seat at any time for a fee. AAdvantage® members can choose complimentary seats based on their status. Otherwise, seats will be automatically assigned for free at check-in. We cannot guarantee that companions on the same ticket will be seated together.
You can buy Main Cabin Extra through Reservations, select travel agencies and airport self-service kiosks. If you have a credit card stored in your AAdvantage® profile, you can also buy on our mobile app.
Located in prime areas of the main cabin, Main Cabin Extra seats receive 3 to 6 inches of additional legroom. These seats are in the bulkhead, the first few rows of the plane, or in exit rows. In addition to extra legroom, Main Cabin Extra customers receive free alcoholic beverages.
Thus, most major airlines offer two kinds of Main Cabin tickets: Main Cabin (also known as regular Economy) fares and Basic Economy fares. And while the cheaper fare may seem better on the surface, it's worth considering what you're giving up to lower the cost of your travel.
American Airlines refers to its standard economy class product as main cabin. American Airlines main cabin ticket experience falls in between American Airlines' basic economy and Main Cabin Extra — which is an extra-legroom seat that includes perks like early boarding and a complimentary alcoholic drink.
Basic Economy is the cheapest fare class onboard American Airlines — a no-frills experience that includes some standard onboard amenities, but with many restrictions that will tempt plenty of flyers to avoid this option. On American, Basic Economy books into the “B” fare class, so it's pretty easy to remember.
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.
American Airlines bag feesUnless you have elite status or an American Airlines credit card that offers free checked bags, those traveling only within the U.S. can expect to pay $30 per checked bag each way. That fee could be higher if you check more bags or are traveling further abroad.
Upgrade with AAdvantage milesFor domestic flights within the 48 contiguous states, an upgrade from discount economy to premium economy will cost 15,000 AAdvantage miles plus $75. On long international flights, that same discount-to-premium economy upgrade could cost you 25,000 miles plus $350.
In general, seats near the front of the aircraft are quieter. There's less noise carried forward from other passengers. If you tend to lean when sleeping, a window seat is ideal and also means fellow passengers won't need to disturb you when they need to get up.
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 8 or 9, depending on route).