---
title: "What is Fare class? | Benefit Systems"
description: "A fare class is the single letter on a ticket that identifies the fare and decides mileage earning, change rights and upgrade eligibility."
source: "aus dem gebauten HTML abgeleitet"
---
# What is Fare class?

A fare class is the single letter on a ticket that identifies the fare and decides mileage earning, change rights and upgrade eligibility.

Also called: Booking class, Fare bucket, Reservation booking designator, RBD.

## How it works #

Within one cabin an airline sells several fare classes at different prices and conditions. The letter appears on the booking confirmation and is the most precise information available about a ticket: it sets how many redeemable and qualifying miles credit, whether changes are permitted, and whether an upgrade is allowed at all. Two adjacent seats can sit in entirely different classes.

## Not to be confused with #

A fare class is not the same as a cabin class: the cabin is the physical section of the aircraft, the fare class is the fare sold inside it.

## In German #

The German term is Buchungsklasse. [German version of this term](/de/glossar/buchungsklasse)

## Related terms #

- [Fare basis code](/en/glossary/fare-basis-code): A fare basis code is the full tariff code on a ticket, encoding promotions, validity and restrictions on top of the fare class letter.
- [Fare rules](/en/glossary/fare-rules): Fare rules are the conditions attached to a specific airfare covering changes, refunds, validity, stopovers and mileage earning.
- [Cabin class](/en/glossary/cabin-class): Cabin class is the physical section of an aircraft, economy, premium economy, business or first, each with its own seating and service.

## Articles that use this term #

- [What is a fare class and why does it decide everything?](/en/knowledge/fare-class)
- [What’s in the fare rules, and why read them?](/en/knowledge/fare-rules)
- [What does “business class” actually mean?](/en/knowledge/what-business-class-means)
- [How do you find award space an airline’s own site won’t show?](/en/knowledge/award-availability)
- [How do cabin upgrades actually work?](/en/knowledge/upgrade-mechanics)
- [What are you owed when you’re denied boarding?](/en/knowledge/denied-boarding)