How to use credit cards to defeat basic economy

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. There’s no doubt that basic economy is infuriating. From carry-on baggage restrictions on some airlines to a lack of seat selection, it’s a step down from what travelers are used to getting when flying. Airlines are also doing a good job …

Apr 9, 2025 - 23:05

How to use credit cards to defeat basic economy

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

There’s no doubt that basic economy is infuriating. From carry-on baggage restrictions on some airlines to a lack of seat selection, it’s a step down from what travelers are used to getting when flying.

Airlines are also doing a good job of making basic economy sound really bad, so you’ll want to pay more for their standard economy offerings.

Despite unpleasant things like checked baggage fees, there’s a way to use credit cards to avoid some of the pain points of basic economy. Let’s go airline by airline to see how.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines’ basic economy fares are called “Saver fares.” They have minimal amenities and typically save you $15 to $30 each way compared to the main cabin fare.

Unlike some stricter airlines, Alaska allows you to bring a full-size carry-on bag for free. But you’ll still be boarding in Alaska’s final boarding group, with no seat changes or refunds after 24 hours. You’re also not eligible for complimentary upgrades.

Alaska Airlines charges a $35 fee for the first checked bag and $45 for the second on all its flights. However, cardholders of the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card and the Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card aren’t subject to some basic economy restrictions. Cardholders are eligible to check a first bag for free for themselves and up to six additional passengers on the same reservation when they book using their card.

That makes these cards well worth the annual fee, even if you only travel with Alaska a few times a year.

Passengers without status	Saver fare	Main cabin	Saver fare and a cobranded card
Boarding group	F	C to D	C
Carry-on baggage allowance	1	1	1
Checked baggage allowance	0	0	1 each for you and up to six additional passengers
Flight changes or refunds	None	Fees apply	None

For more details, check out our full Alaska Airlines Visa review and Alaska Airlines Visa Business review.

American Airlines

American Airlines offers basic economy fares on all domestic routes and flights to/from Mexico, South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Canada, Europe and Africa.

Basic Economy restrictions mean that you’ll be assigned a seat at check-in (likely a middle seat), you won’t be eligible for an upgrade, you’ll earn fewer elite-qualifying miles/segments and you’ll board in the final boarding group. The ticket is also not eligible for any flight changes or refunds. There is an exception for domestic travel booked by AAdvantage members, as cancellations made within these parameters are eligible to receive a travel credit for a fee.

You are allowed to bring a carry-on bag on board.

American Airlines Boeing 737 Airbus A319 LaGuardia LGA Planes — ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

On American Airlines’ basic economy overview, you’ll find that there’s a caveat: “AAdvantage® status members and eligible Citi® / AAdvantage® or AAdvantage® Aviator® Mastercard® cardmembers are exempt from certain restrictions.”

But what if you don’t have status? Then, you can use one of these eligible cards to get an even better boarding group than standard economy and get the checked baggage allowance awarded by the credit card.

Eligible cards:

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees)
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®*
Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees)
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® American Express® Card (not available to new customers)*
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Visa Signature (not available to new customers)*
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Red Mastercard®*
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Silver Mastercard®*
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®*

All of the mentioned American Airlines credit cards help you bypass the restrictions of basic economy when flying American.

*The information for these cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Passengers without status	Basic Economy	Main Cabin	Basic Economy and a cobranded card
Boarding group	9	6 to 8	4 to 5
Assigned seat	Select within 48 hours for a fee, or assigned	Limited selection at booking	Selection depends on certain cards’ benefits
Carry-on baggage allowance	1	1	1
Checked baggage allowance	0	0 to 1	1
Flight changes or refunds	None, with few exceptions for a fee	Fees apply	None, with few exceptions for a fee

With a cobranded AAdvantage card, you’ll jump the bulk of economy passengers (in groups 6-8) and board in Group 4; this gives you a great chance of finding space in the overhead bins. Plus, you’ll get a free checked bag on domestic flights.

You don’t have to pay for your flights with the cobranded card to get these benefits. American Airlines will tie your credit card to your AAdvantage account and apply these benefits automatically.

This allows you to use a credit card with better travel protection — like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), which offers up to $500 of expense reimbursement for delays of over six hours — when booking flights.

With the cobranded card approach, access to seat selection is generally determined by which card you hold.

Delta Air Lines

Delta was the first legacy carrier to start offering basic economy, and it has the least harsh restrictions. With Delta’s version, you don’t get advance seat assignments, upgrades or any changes to the flights (after the required 24-hour period). That said, you can choose your seats at check-in for a fee and get a carry-on bag.

delta new interior comfort plus screens — SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY

There are still advantages to getting a cobranded Delta credit card if you’re considering basic economy. While you get a carry-on bag with Delta’s basic economy fare, you might have to gate-check it, as you’ll be boarding in Group 8.

With a cobranded card, you’ll get a free checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights, ensuring an almost certain spot in the overhead bins.

Eligible cards:

Passengers without status	Basic Economy	Main Cabin	Basic Economy and a cobranded card
Boarding group	8	6 to 7	5
Assigned seat	Potential to choose at check-in for a fee but may be assigned at the gate	Choose at booking	Potential to choose at check-in for a fee but may be assigned at the gate
Carry-on baggage allowance	1	1	1
Checked baggage allowance	0	0-1	1
Flight changes or refunds	None	None for tickets originating in the U.S. and Canada	None

That’s right: You can get a card with a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year and then $150 per year afterward (Delta SkyMiles Gold card, see rates and fees or Delta SkyMiles Gold Business, see rates and fees) to avoid first-checked bag fees and the need to gate-check your bag.

As with American, you don’t have to purchase your ticket with your Delta credit card to get the free checked bag — just having the card and including your Delta SkyMiles number in your reservation is enough.

What is the downside of going with the cobranded card approach? You won’t receive free advance seat selection. Delta’s basic economy fares have the potential to choose seats at check-in for a fee; however, it’s possible that you may not get a seat assigned until the gate.

United Airlines

Of all the major airlines, United’s basic economy is the worst. While American Airlines lets basic economy passengers bring a carry-on bag, United still doesn’t allow basic economy passengers anything larger than a personal item (except on certain international itineraries and long-haul international flights). Plus, the basic economy fares can be absurd.

And what do you get with United’s basic economy? Not much. You’ll receive an auto-assigned seat at check-in (with no chance to change), no carry-on bags, no upgrades, and no changes or refunds (unless you settle for a partial travel credit).

A United credit card can help ease some of the pain of basic economy. Like with American and Delta, you’ll jump from the last boarding group to an earlier one. And, you’ll earn back a carry-on bag and get a first free checked bag — or two with certain cards.

Eligible cards:

United℠ Explorer Card (see rates and fees)
United℠ Business Card (see rates and fees)
United Club℠ Card (see rates and fees) (up to two free checked bags)
United Quest℠ Card (see rates and fees) (up to two free checked bags)
United Club℠ Business Card (up to two free checked bags)

The information for the United Club Business has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Passengers without status	Basic economy	Economy	Basic economy and a cobranded card
Boarding group	6	3 to 5	2
Assigned seat	Assigned at check-in	Choose at booking	Assigned at check-in
Carry-on baggage allowance	0	1	1
Checked baggage allowance	0	0	1
Flight changes or refunds	None	Fees apply	None

It’s important to note that you need to use your cobranded United card to pay for your flights to get the checked baggage allowance. Unfortunately, the cobranded card approach doesn’t let you select a better seat or get upgrades.

Related: Best United cards

Southwest Airlines

Southwest will debut a new Basic fare option starting May 28. This will replace its “Wanna Get Away” fares with a much more stripped-down option that comes with very few perks.

The key factors to know about Southwest’s Basic fare are as follows:

No free checked bags
Barred from making changes
No same-day changes

Alaska Airlines At San Diego International Airport — KEVIN CARTER/GETTY IMAGES

Southwest will also begin charging to check bags on May 28 — a departure from the airline’s previous policy of two free checked bags per person.

A way to avoid the Basic restriction with Southwest’s newest fare is to be a Southwest cardholder. If you hold a Southwest credit card, you will still be able to check one bag for yourself and up to eight guests flying on the same reservation for free.

Eligible cards:

The information for the Southwest Premier card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Southwest plans to overhaul its boarding process by 2026, moving to traditional boarding groups. Where certain fare classes or cardholders will be assigned within these boarding groups remains to be seen, but Basic fares will likely be restricted.

Bottom line

Basic economy fares have become ubiquitous on U.S. legacy airlines, covering all domestic routes and many international ones. However, by having a cobranded airline credit card, you can avoid some of the pain of basic economy without having to buy up to standard economy.

If you like to carry-on a bag — and want to avoid checking it at the gate — as well as get a free checked bag, all you need is to get an eligible cobranded card and buy the cheapest fare. Thanks to priority boarding benefits, you’ll get access to the overhead bins before those who paid extra to get standard economy but don’t have a cobranded card.

For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Business card, click here.