What is a Fare Basis Code In Flights?
A fare basis code for a flight is normally a lettter that tells the airline staff what contract applies to your ticket.
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Key takeaways
- Fare basis codes indicate the rules and restrictions tied to your ticket. They vary not only by cabin class (e.g., economy vs. business) but also within the same class.
- You can find your fare code in your booking confirmation or by searching the airline’s website, and it helps determine your eligibility for upgrades, changes, or mileage earning.
- With Going membership plans, you can get real-time alerts as soon as prices drop for domestic and international flights. That way, you know you're getting some of the cheapest flights every time.
There are different fare basis codes not only for different booking classes—business class is a different category than economy, for instance—but even within the same class (such as economy), there may be multiple fare codes with varying conditions for each specific fare.
What is the fare basis code?
A fare basis code is a combination of letters and numbers that tells the airline the rules and conditions tied to your ticket, such as refundability, change fees, or upgrade eligibility. It also indicates your booking class, like economy, business, or first class.
What is the fare basis of a flight?
The fare basis of a flight is a code that indicates the specific rules, conditions, and booking class associated with your airline ticket. It helps airlines and passengers understand things like fare type, refundability, and upgrade eligibility.
How do I find my fare basis code?
Fare basis codes aren’t solely for airline staff, and knowing your booking class can tell you in advance whether it’s even worth asking about things like upgrades. Within the fare code, one or two letters can tell you what fare class you have.
While the letters can vary a bit by airline, an “F” nearly always means first class, while business class is often indicated with a J, C, or D. Economy class has a long potential list of letters associated with it, with Y, L, M, Q, T, B, and K being among the most common.
Many airlines have a list of the fare codes they use on their websites—a simple web search for “fare codes [airline name]” brings up the relevant results. You can also consult your booking confirmation email, which may even list the fare class in a more straightforward way—such as “Economy (Y).” Using that information, you can look into the fare rules or restrictions for that class to find out what options you have on your ticket.
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Here's an example of American Airlines' fare chart, which details the amount of qualifying frequent flyer miles earned per fare code.
Is fare basis the same as flight number?
No, the fare basis code is not the same as the flight number. The fare basis code defines the ticket’s rules and conditions, while the flight number identifies the specific flight operated on a given route and time.
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Last updated May 22, 2025