Overall, most of you would be better off with United’s MileagePlus Club Visa card, at $395 per year, providing access to United Club, two checked bags worldwide and other features.Īmerican clearly has the best approach for anyone other than a very frequent flier. United’s “baggage subscription” starts at $395 per year for one person, checking one bag add $100 for Alaska, Hawaii and Central America, or an incredible $450 more for worldwide coverage add $50 for two bags. But the prices are stiff: $499 per year for one person, domestic flights only add $100 for Alaska, Hawaii and Central America add $200 worldwide add $200 for a companion or $400 for a travel party up to eight. United’s Economy Plus “subscription” provides extra-legroom Economy Plus on all trips for a full year. 1, with no indication yet about what a full year will cost in 2014. Delta and United are taking totally different approaches.ĭelta’s deal is a “smart travel pack” consisting of one no-charge checked bag for everyone in the travel party, priority boarding, access to “preferred” seats (based on location, not legroom), discounts on extra-legroom Economy Comfort of 50 percent domestic and 25 percent international, and 25 percent extra frequent flier miles.EVA, LAN, Lufthansa and Qantas offer a few options, based mainly on mileage earnings and differing exchange fees.But, as with Air Canada, base fares can sell out, and often all that’s left are the higher classes. The Plus option adds two checked bags, no itinerary change fee and an extra-legroom seat for about $100 more than Flex - maybe a bit better value. Flex lowers the fees by $25, but that’s a pretty small benefit for a fare that’s almost $200 more on a long-haul trip. WestJet’s base economy fare includes one checked bag and fees of $75 to $82 to refund or exchange the ticket.Unlike American, however, Tango seats often sell out well in advance, so only the higher fares are available. Air Canada offers bottom-level Tango fares that earn only 25 percent of actual mileage the Flex nonrefundable adds full mileage and no-charge seat assignments, but the price - an additional $100 on a transcontinental round-trip - is pretty high for what seem to be minor benefits.Unlike some other lines’ bundles, American says it continues to offer all three options when low-fare seats sell out as increments to whatever is the lowest available fare at the time. And, for many, the mileage bonus and same-day change (the regular fee is $75) are worth yet another $20. Last week, the most tight-fisted traveler I know chose American over US Airways to take advantage of the Choice Essential option. One checked bag adds $40 to a round-trip domestic trip, and the change fee is $200 for a domestic ticket. Choice Plus, at $80 extra for a round-trip, adds a 50 percent mileage bonus, no fee to exchange a ticket, same-day flight change, and same-day standby for a domestic flight.Ĭlearly, these bundles are priced to be attractive.Choice Essential, at $68 extra for a round-trip, adds one no-charge checked bag, no fee to exchange the ticket and apply its value toward another ticket, and priority boarding.Choice, a bare-bones bottom economy fare.On any domestic fare search, American’s website automatically displays three economy-class fare options: For now, here’s what you need to know.īy far, the best current example of bundling is on American Airlines. So far, there’s more talk than action, but you can expect the practice to grow. Industry mavens these days are talking a lot about airlines’ “bundling” of fares and fees.
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