SINGAPORE, 10 April 2026: United has introduced a new tiered fare structure, giving customers more options across all ticket types.
The airline will offer three premium cabin fare options for long-haul international flights, transcontinental US flights, and select flights to Hawaii. They are base (new offer) standard and flexible, in the premium cabin, which will join the airline’s existing standard and flexible fares tiers in the economy cabin.
The front cabin will also be branded United Polaris on select transcontinental US and select longer Hawaii flights. Customers who buy the standard or flexible fares in United Polaris on these flights will have access to the United Polaris lounge. Customers who purchase the base United Polaris option will still have access to the United Club.
United has also redesigned the shopping pages on its website and mobile app to accommodate this change and launch the new categories in select markets during April. It will expand the fares to additional long-haul international, transcontinental US and longer Hawaii flights later this year.
“These new tiered options give customers more choice and make it easier to find a fare that includes the benefits they want most – whether that’s a great value, added perks, or maximum flexibility,” said United’s Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella.
For domestic and short-haul international flights, and for travel in United economy cabins on long-haul international flights, there’s no change to what’s included in the basic, standard, and flexible categories. They will simply be displayed on United’s shopping pages in a new, clearer way.
In premium cabins on long-haul international and transcontinental US flights and flights between the airline’s hubs in Newark, Washington D.C. and Chicago and Hawaii, the base category offers customers the lowest price point, the standard category offers perks like free seat selection, additional checked bags and the ability to make changes, and tickets in the flexible category are fully refundable and offer all the benefits included in standard tickets.
(Source: United Airlines)
