Calculator: How Much Does That Basic Economy Seat Really Cost?

Sam Kemmis
By Sam Kemmis 
Published
Edited by Mary M. Flory

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.

Confused by airline bag fees? Not sure what “basic economy” means and how much extra you’ll pay for bags, carry-ons or seat assignments? You’re not alone. Airlines have made it increasingly difficult to determine how much you’ll end up paying for a given ticket.

We created this calculator to help make sense of basic economy fares and the fees you’ll pay to add on things like bags or seat selection. It includes ways to offset these add-on fees, such as airline branded credit cards and elite status.

You can use the calculator to help determine which ticket will actually be cheaper. For example, if United is charging $100 for a round-trip ticket in basic economy and Southwest is charging $150 for its economy cabin, the calculator can show which fare is really cheaper for you (hint: It’s probably Southwest).

It also shows the tradeoffs in price and convenience of booking basic economy fares. For example, United charges $25 each way for overhead carry-ons in basic economy, but such fees are waived when booking with most branded credit cards.

Some important notes:

  • The calculator only applies to flights within the United States. International bag fees are different for most airlines.

  • These fees are subject to change. We’ll update the calculator when airlines announce changes, but make sure to check the official policy for your fare before booking a ticket.


How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:

Travel Cards from Our Partners
Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x-5x

5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

Points

Intro offer

60,000

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Points
Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Freedom Unlimited®
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1.5%-6.5%

Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Cashback

Intro offer

$300

Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

on Capital One's website

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
4.7
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

2x-5x

Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

Miles

Intro offer

75,000

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Miles
See more travel cards
Get more smart money moves – straight to your inbox
Sign up and we’ll send you Nerdy articles about the money topics that matter most to you along with other ways to help you get more from your money.