Airplane Seat Geek (2025)

FAQs

How to avoid paying for seat selection? ›

Pick a middle seat or do not choose a seat until check-in. Middle seats often have no additional cost unless they are in the exit row or toward the front of the cattle cabin. If the flight is not too full, you can get a non-middle seat at check-in without paying.

It's a favorite booking hack by couples who hope luck will be on their side: Choose the aisle and the window and cross your fingers that other travelers will be discouraged from picking the remaining seat in the middle.

The best seats on a plane

Best seat for legroom: A bulkhead or exit-row seat. Best seat for sleeping: A window seat in a bulkhead row. Best seat for extra space without a seatmate: A seat towards the back. Best seat for a tight connection: A seat closest to the front exit.

"We used to skip 33 on certain maps to make the [final] row standardized, but the end row is no longer standardized," a United Airlines spokesperson told Travel + Leisure. In short, the reasoning behind having a unanimous seating map is a math equation of sorts.

Skip seat selection altogether or fly an airline with limited seat fees, like Alaska, Hawaiian or JetBlue. Each charges little or nothing for choosing a seat. Worst case, you'll end up in the middle seat. Best case, you'll get a seat with extra legroom.

Airlines will assign you an unclaimed seat when you check in if you haven't paid to pick one in advance.

Not all seats are up for grabs

American Airlines, for instance, calls these “preferred seats.” “The best rule of thumb is to check with the flight attendant before making any moves, because they'll have the final say once the boarding door closes,” Shon says.

Booking the window and aisle seat (if you are traveling with a companion), leaving the middle seat empty so no one will likely book this. Placing a personal item like a book or a scarf on the seat next to you. Praying and putting on your most unapproachable expression.

Seats at the back of the plane tend to be bumpier, and sitting towards the back also means you're one of the last passengers to get off the plane after landing.

When deciding between window or aisle, factors like duration of the flight, preference for window views, desire for privacy versus mobility and ease of sleeping come into play. Some compromise by choosing an aisle seat in an exit row which has extra legroom.

Is it better to sit on the wing or behind it? ›

There is less turbulence towards the front and especially between the wings of the plane, since this area is more stable. For the same reason, if you suffer from motion sickness, it would also be better to be seated close to the wings or at the front.

Seat Choice

For most commercial airplanes, the seats closest to the front of the plane are the quietest. And although it's not always possible to get a front row seat, anything in front of the wing is preferable to seating behind the wing. The loudest row is just behind the wing where the engines are located.

Night flying restrictions or night-time curfews, including night flight bans, are any regulations or legislation imposed by a governing body to limit the ground-perceived exposure to aircraft noise pollution during the night hours, when the majority of residents are trying to sleep.

Few planes leave with empty seats. Airlines sell the last seats cheaper at the time when a flight is close to departure and there are still seats available. They might offer those seats at a lower price to fill them up. It's better for them to have someone in those seats paying less money than to have them fly empty.

Survivors. No one survived in, above, or immediately below the North Tower's impact zone. The highest survivors came from Floor 91. Some 15 people below and on floor 22 survived the collapse of WTC 1, later escaping or being rescued from the rubble.

If you choose not to pay to reserve a seat, your seat will be assigned to you free of charge when you check in, between 24 hours and 2 hours prior to departure.

In case you don't wish to purchase a preferred seat you can always select any free seat available or would be assigned a seat free of charge at the time of check-in at the airport.

Book At The Same Time

An airline system typically group seating for people who travelling in the same party. Thus, it's wise to check in online as soon as it becomes available (typically 24-48 hours before the flight). This increases the chances of finding seats together without paying extra.

But no matter what, you should skip seat selection altogether if the airline is trying to make you pay. Here's an example. When trying to book a United basic economy fare, you might see that every available seat carries a charge, even the really lousy ones in the back.