Although originally scheduled to go into effect fall 2016, American Airlines delayed the debut of its basic economy fare until January 2017. The new fare will include lower airfare prices, but in turn fewer amenities available for passengers.

American is still working out the kinks until the end of 2016, but by the New Year travelers can opt to purchase a seat with the airline at a substantially lower price. Guests will have to be willing to give up what are currently considered standard amenities such as pre-flight seat selection, frequent-flyer mile allocation and more restrictive cancelation or flight change policies.

Based on the success of a similar program implemented by Delta Air Lines in 2012 as well as the trend-turned-standard service for many European budget airlines, both American and United Airlines are considering a shift to such a pricing model in an effort to appeal to a wider range of travelers and keep prices competitive.