CINCINNATI — Airfares are rising for Thanksgiving and Christmas week travel as planes become increasingly full.
With the average fare over $300 and up almost 10% in 2025 (according to the Consumer Price Index), a Basic Economy fare may look tempting (Delta recently renamed theirs "Main Basic").
But watch out: one major airline is now charging $65 to bring a roller bag along if you're a Basic Economy passenger, meaning you'll have to watch your savings fly out the plane window.
Watch what happens when our reporter flies United's Basic Economy:
Traveler Shannon Nesmith is OK with flying as cheaply as possible, at least on short flights.
"I think it's a good thing if you are going on a short trip and you get there very quickly," she said.
So when I recently needed to fly to Newark, New Jersey, I decided to book a $229 round trip on United in Basic Economy.
The regular economy fare would have been $299 — $70 more — and I didn't want to pay that much.
While looking, I realized that I would not be able to use the overhead bin — at least on United. Delta and American's rules are a bit looser for carry-on bag size, and may let you use the overhead compartment.
So everything I took had to fit into a small bag under my seat. That meant my trusted roller bag stayed home.
I had to pack very carefully, and couldn't take hoodies, blue jeans and boots with me, unless I wanted to look like Joey on "Friends" and wear all my clothes at once as I flew.
Once at the airport, I headed to the gate to learn my seat assignment, because you can't get a seat at booking time. On top of that, I was in Group 6, which means I got to board the plane last and sat back by the restrooms.
Luckily, my tiny bag fit under the seat, so I was not hit with any surprise extra fees.
Here's the full list of downsides:
- No advance seat assignment
- Last to board the plane
- Only one carry-on bag, and you may not be allowed to use the overhead bin
- No earning Delta SkyMiles, AA Advantage or United MileagePlus points
- In many cases, no ticket changes
Would I do it again? Maybe. I'm cheap. But one change of clothes for a long weekend is pushing things.
But flyer Tayeeb Beydoun is not so sure he would fly basic.
"The price is great, but you've got to pay extra for baggage you take with you. It's not worth it," he said.
And he may be right, with the latest bag fee increase for 2025.
At United, if you show up with any sort of roller bag at the gate that can't fit under your seat, you will be charged $65 each way to gate check it. That adds another $130 to your round trip, wiping out your basic economy savings.
Basic economy can save money, as long as you know the downsides and don't show up with a big bag. That way you don't waste your money.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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