United Airlines has officially debuted basic fares for domestic first class. You can now spend more than $700 for a first class ticket and earn no award miles, pay $199 to change your ticket, and still have to pay extra to choose your seat assignment. Welcome to the latest version of premium travel.

United Airlines Launches Basic First Class With Seat Fees And More Restrictions

I recently wrote about United’s enthusiasm for its basic business class strategy , with Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella boasting that “the buy-up rates are incredibly high.” The airline promised more expansion, and now we can see what that looks like for domestic first class passengers.

United’s new domestic first class fare tiers went live on October 28, 2026. Travelers now face three options: Base, Standard, and Flexible.

The cheapest option still gets you into the first class cabin.…