Do You Know Your Airline Code?

The next time you feel snubbed while trying to score a seat upgrade or a standby ticket at the airport, blame your code.

Most of us think there are at most three classes of air travel: First, Business and Economy. But as far as the airlines are concerned, there are actually dozens of classes, all identified by a single-letter known as a "fare basis code."

This one letter says more about us than we know, including how far in advance we booked our ticket and how much we paid for it. There are about a dozen codes in coach class alone, according to the Associated Press.

How does this code ultimately affect us? Well, once you're on the plane, not a great deal. It's not like you'll be last to get a flotation device if the plane goes down on the Hudson River. But the code can affect your travel experience before you board. Some codes tell agents that you're not eligible for frequent-flier miles or an upgrade, and others tell agents where to rank you on a standby list.

The codes vary by airline, but here are some that are universal:

Y class: the highest class in coach, fully refundable, last-minute coach fares purchased mainly by business travelers. They're the most expensive, but have the most flexibility.C or J usually indicate business class.F and P denote first class or premium.B, M and Y are the only coach fares that are upgradeable.

The code is found on most e-tickets by itself, but it can also be the first letter of a longer code with a mix of other letters and numbers. Of course, the better code you have, the more benefits you get. So how can you get a better code? Yep. You gotta pay more.

But the AP says there is one way to overcome your code. Check in early and do it online as much as 24 hours before your flight. Next to ticket cost, check-in time is the best way to guarantee yourself a seat or get an upgrade.

Oh, and if you're looking to rack up frequent flier miles? Avoid auction sites like Hotwire and Priceline where you name your own price because those tickets don't qualify for miles.

 

 

Photo by curryosity via Flickr.