6 Ways to Get the Best Coach Seat Every Time

Keep Checking

If you book a ticket at the last-minute (like I usually do), chances are that the golden seats will be gone. But don't fret, because the good seats will open up—I can almost guarantee it. The trick is to keep checking your reservation and the flight's seat chart every hour or so. The best seats are usually being reserved by frequent flyers, and they will either be upgraded to business class or at least one of them will cancel at the last minute.

I usually begin checking a few days before departure until I get the seat I want. For example, I was just able to get an exit-row window seat a few days before a flight. But I prefer an aisle seat. I know beggars can't be choosers, but instead of printing my boarding pass 24 hours in advance, I waited until just a few hours ahead of departure. Once you check in, you can't change your seat until you get to the airport—and I had a feeling the aisle might open up. You know what? It did, and that's where I'm writing this post to you from right now.

Set an Alert

If you don't have time to keep checking your reservation, create a seat alert with ExpertFlyer.com. They don't charge for a single seat alert, but if you want more at once, you can buy additional alerts for only $0.99 each, or sign up for a Basic or Premium account (starting at $4.99 per month).

Pay Extra

Most airlines will allow you to upgrade your coach seat. Just make sure you're getting something worthwhile, like more legroom, for your money. Some airlines (ahem, American) will charge you extra just for putting you toward the front of the cabin, with no extra perks included. Don't be fooled.

Be Friendly

One of the best ways to get a great coach seat for free is to be super friendly to the gate agents—I usually bring them a box of chocolates—and kindly request a plush coach seat if they upgrade any frequent flyers to first class. The vacated seats in coach are usually in the exit row or bulkhead.

Get Elite Status

Acquiring elite status is by far the easiest way to secure the best coach seat. That's because most airlines only allow their frequent flyers to sit in the most highly sought-after rows. Attaining elite status isn't that difficult for business travelers. Typically you need to fly 25,000 actual air miles in a calendar year on one particular airline or its partners; to maximize your chances for elite status, don't throw out your boarding passes until the miles have posted.

Use SeatGuru

To find out which seats are the best on a particular aircraft, go to SeatGuru (a sister site of SmarterTravel) or SeatExpert. Both highlight the best seats on every plane and list exactly how much legroom and pitch each one has. They also tell you if there are power ports or personal TVs with each seat. Keep in mind that airlines can change aircraft types at the last minute, so there are no guarantees.

This article, 6 Ways to Get the Best Coach Seat on an Airplane, originally appeared at JohnnyJet.com.

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