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How to find your fare class before you book

Updated 27 September 2026

Two passengers in the same economy cabin can earn very different rewards. On Singapore Airlines, for example, one might earn half the flight's distance in KrisFlyer miles and the other the full distance. What decides it is a single letter on the ticket: the booking class, also called the fare class. Here's how to find it before you pay.

What a fare class is

Airlines sell each cabin in several price levels, and each level has a one-letter code. Economy might be split into ten or more letters, from flexible fares such as Y down to the cheapest sale fares. Most frequent flyer programmes that reward distance flown set their earning rate by this letter.

The letters aren't standard across airlines. The same letter can mean different things: K is one of the cheapest economy classes on Singapore Airlines, but a regular economy class on Korean Air. Always check the letter against the airline you're actually flying.

Some airlines now sell fares under brand names such as Lite, Saver, Classic or Flex, and several programmes (including Cathay Pacific, Qantas and Vietnam Airlines) set earning by that brand rather than the letter. The brand is usually easy to see when you book. The letter takes a little more digging.

Where to find it before you book

1. On the airline's own website. After you select a flight, look for "fare details", "fare conditions" or "more details". Many airlines list the booking class there, or in the booking summary just before payment. If a trip has connections, each flight may show its own letter.
2. In the fare basis code. If you can see a code such as KLOWSG, the first letter is usually the booking class, in this case K. This is a common convention rather than a rule, so treat it as a strong hint.
3. With ITA Matrix. Google's free ITA Matrix search (matrix.itasoftware.com) shows the booking class for every flight in an itinerary. It can't sell you a ticket, but it's useful for checking which letter a price falls into before you buy it elsewhere.
4. With a paid seat-availability tool. Services such as ExpertFlyer show how many seats are left in each booking class on a flight, which helps if you're trying to book a particular letter.
5. By asking. Travel agents and most online booking sites can see the fare basis and booking class. If it isn't shown, ask before you pay.

Google Flights and most price-comparison sites show the cabin and sometimes the fare brand, but not the booking class. Use them to find a good price, then check the class on the airline's site or ITA Matrix.

After you book

Your e-ticket receipt or itinerary lists the booking class for each flight, often labelled "Class" or "Booking class". You can also see it in the airline's manage-booking page. If it's not what you expected, check with the airline straight away: changing a fare is usually easier before travel than claiming the difference afterwards.

Things that catch people out

• The cheapest fares may earn nothing. Delta Basic Economy earns no miles or status, American Airlines Basic Economy booked from 17 December 2025 earns nothing, and Aeroméxico's basic class V earns no status points. The saving may not be worth it if you're chasing status.
• Spend-based programmes mostly ignore the letter. United, Delta, American, British Airways, Iberia, Finnair, Air India and Air Canada reward what you pay rather than distance. The letter matters less there, except for basic fares.
• Each flight counts separately. A connecting trip can mix classes, for example a cheaper letter on one flight and a better one on the next.
• The flight number on your ticket matters. On a codeshare, earning usually follows the airline whose flight number is on your ticket, not the one operating the plane.
• Upgrades earn at the original fare. Most programmes credit the class you paid for, not the cabin you ended up in.
• Award tickets usually earn nothing. Flights booked with miles or points rarely earn miles or status.