It could cost you as much as First Class.
Airlines know that it’s easier to upsell than sell. Once they’ve got your patootie booked for one of their coach seats, they offer little incentives with price tags attached. Window seats…
Extra bag allowance…
Premium economy legroom… and on and on it goes.
But those little incentives add up.
There’s psychology involved. Many of us go into a different state of mind once the seat is booked: “OK, now I’ve got my low-cost seat, I might indulge just a touch–it’s still going to be way cheaper. Right?”
Depending on the route, United’s upsell options can cost as much as a domestic First Class seat, and that’s outrageous.
Let’s Have Some Show And Tell
On a Houston to Denver return flight, the average basic economy fare is $192. (Screenshot below.) Do you see where it says, “This fare has restrictions”? United is not kidding! No seat selection, no carry-on baggage, and (no) more.
Now, United has different “bundle options” for that standard economy ticket. The lowest is for a premium economy seat called “Economy Plus,” which offers just a bit more legroom. Because, as United says, “a little extra legroom goes a long way.” We would add (for United): “a long way for us to make a better profit on this seat.”
Travelers can also opt for a checked-in bag. Depending on the route, other opt-ups can include dedicated check-in lines, security lanes, and priority boarding. United’s prices on these options for the flights mentioned above are shown below.
As you can see, the extra cost ranges from $151 to $185 on top of the round-trip economy ticket of $242. So if you chose the Economy Plus option (a bit more legroom) and an extra checked bag, the price is $427.
Are you ready for the outrageous bit? The same flights in domestic First Class cost $444, a $17 difference round-trip (screenshot below). The $17 gets you an “extra spacious…beautifully contoured two-tone” First Class seat (United’s words), meals each way, free checked bag, preferred check-in and boarding, and more.
Not bad for an extra $17. A coffee, newspaper and bagel at the airport could set you back about as much.
The lesson, of course, is to always check the cost of a First Class seat. Sure it’s a relatively short flight, but why not fly First if it’s costing you only a few dollars more?
