paying for seat assignment

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How to Avoid an Airline's Bullshit 'Seat Selection' Fee

While many airlines have done away with change and cancelation fees  in recent years, there’s still a sneaky “seat selection” fee that you’re not meant to notice when you choose your seat. However, you can avoid it altogether—here’s how.

How to avoid the “seat selection” fee

For most consumers, it’s no secret that an airline’s listed seat price won’t include things like checked bags, onboard food, or wifi access. These extras are typically very clear when you book them because you understand what you’re getting for what you’re paying.

What the booking process makes less clear, though, is the “seat selection” fee, which merely reserves a specific seat for you (for an additional cost), even if it’s the same class of ticket as the seat ahead of it or behind it. Consumers tend to not notice this, however, because the seat selection screen doesn’t make it obvious that you can skip this step entirely—but you can.

Instead of selecting a seat, simply skip past the seat selection screen, and the airline will automatically assign you a seat for no extra charge. To do so, as USA Today recommends, look for a clickable option that says, “Skip seats for all flights,” “Continue with basic economy,” or “No thanks, I’ll take whatever,” usually at the bottom corner of the screen.

How to select your flight seat for free

It’s still possible to request specific seats if you politely ask the gate agent when you arrive at the airport. USA Today also mentions you show up an hour early to do this, since gate agents will be less willing to do this the closer you get to your departure.

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What you miss out on by declining to select your flight’s seat

While the seat selection fee is a cash grab, you could argue that it has some value. By not selecting your seat manually, you might:

End up separated from your traveling companions (although there are airlines that allow families to seat together ).

Get stuck in the dreaded middle seat.

Lose out on a favorite spot, like at the front of the plane.

Per Nerdwallet , seat fares range from $0-23, depending on the airline. For some consumers, having their choice of seat is worth the cost, but if you’d rather pocket that money, you can avoid it completely.

UponArriving

How Much It Costs to Choose Your Seats on Each Airline

How much does it cost to select your seat on a major US airline?

Like many things involving airlines, it’s not always super straightforward when it comes to how much things will cost.

But in this article we hope to clear up some confusion!

We will give you a breakdown of how much you can expect to pay when selecting a seat for different classes such as basic economy, economy, economy plus, and also premium cabins.

We analyzed data points for both domestic and international flights since the prices can vary quite a lot and we will break everything down for you so that it is easy to digest.

Table of Contents

When can you choose (and pay for) your seats?

When you first begin to search or book a flight, the airline may allow you to view the seat chart to get a sense of what seats are available.

However, you typically cannot view the price for selecting your seat until after you have chosen your fare class and input your personal details. (This can make “shopping” around for cheaper seat prices a bit time consuming so it is best to login to the airline so that you don’t have to re-enter your details every time.)

Note that if you are booking through a third-party such as Amex Travel or another travel portal, be careful about the seat selection displayed because it does not always line up with what is actually available.

Also, sometimes when using an online travel agency, you may not be able to select upgraded seats when booking.

Instead, you will have to wait until that flight populates in your frequent flyer account and then contact the airline or initiate the process online via the airline’s website.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

What prices to expect when choosing a seat

Business/first class.

Business and First Class seats are found in the top cabin in the front of the plane. On domestic flights you typically have a standard recliner seat with a lot more width and legroom. You’ll receive free food and drinks, priority boarding, and other perks.

On longer flights, you might be able to enjoy a fully reclined seat known as a lie-flat seat.

Every major US airline allows you to select your seats for free whenever you purchase a business or first class ticket.

Premium Economy

Premium Economy is a special class just behind Business Class that offers you a wider seat with better recline and more legroom than economy. Sometimes you also have a nice little foot rest. You also may get additional perks like free drinks.

Premium Economy is usually only found on long-haul international flights — your average domestic flight will not likely include a Premium Economy cabin.

Every major US airlines should allow you to select your premium economy seats for free.

Note that some online platforms equate Premium Economy with Economy Plus but this is a mistake and should be avoided because it causes confusion.

Economy Plus (extra legroom)

Economy Plus seats are standard economy seats that come with extra legroom. These could be located near the emergency exit rows but they could also be placed in rows closer to the front of the Economy cabin.

The amount of extra legroom offered is different based on the airline and where exactly the seat is located but you could be given several inches of extra legroom which makes these seats very desirable. This is especially true for people over 6 feet tall.

Sometimes you will be given extra perks when selecting an Economy Plus seat such as free drinks, priority boarding , dedicated overhead storage bin space, etc.

To get the seats you typically will select Economy as your fare and then simply select to pay more for an Economy Plus seat. However, some airlines such as Delta treat economy plus like its own fare with Delta Comfort Plus.

If you are purchasing Economy Plus on a domestic flight you’re looking at spending around $30 to $50 typically.

But on an international flight such as a transatlantic or transpacific flight, selecting Economy Plus could cost you a couple of hundred dollars.

If you have elite status, even if it is a lower tier, you may be able to receive an upgrade to Economy Plus on a pretty regular basis.

Preferred Seats

Preferred Seats are economy seats located in more desirable parts of the plane such as toward the front of the plane, in rows of two, etc. They also may include window and aisle seats.

Typically, to choose a seat like this you don’t have to pay that much extra and elite members may be able to select these for free. (Elite members may also be able to see free seats available that other non-elites cannot even see as available.)

For a domestic flight, choosing a Preferred Seat could be as cheap as around $13 but for longer international flights you could be paying closer to $50.

You can expect to have to pay a little bit more for window or aisle seats versus the middle seats if they are all considered Preferred Seats.

Keep in mind that not every airline offers Preferred Seats . Or put another way, not every airline forces you to pay extra for seats that don’t suck.

Unless you have booked with an ultra low-cost carrier, you should be able to select certain economy seats free of charge. These will typically be located in the back half or back third of the plane.

If you are flying with an ultra low-cost carrier like Frontier or Spirit and you want to select your seat, you can expect to pay about $25 per seat selection (though that will depend on the route).

Basic Economy

A Basic Economy seat will be the same as a standard economy seat but when you book this fare you will lose the privilege to select your seat for free (among other lost benefits).

Sometimes you can still pay an extra fee to select a seat but other times you will have to pay to simply upgrade to an economy fare in order to select a seat. You can expect this upgrade fee to the range from about $15 to $70.

Airlines seat prices broken down

Alaska airlines.

Alaska Airlines offers something called “Premium Class” which is kind of a cross between Premium Economy and Economy Plus.

It is similar to Premium Economy because it has its own dedicated cabin area right behind Business Class but the seats resemble something you would find in Economy Plus.

They give you 4 inches more legroom than standard Main Cabin seats and allow you enjoy free beer, wine, and cocktails on flights over 350 miles. You also get early boarding privileges.

If you want to select your seat in Basic Economy they offer you the option to upgrade for around $20-$30.

Business/First Class

• Domestic (SFO – ANC): Free
• Mexico (LAX – GDL): Free
• Canada (SEA – YEG): Free

Premium Economy/Economy Plus (Premium Class)

• Domestic (SFO – ANC): $54
• Mexico (LAX – GDL): $34
• Canada (SEA – YEG): $36

Economy (Main)

• Domestic (SFO – ANC): $15 upgrade fee
• Mexico (LAX – GDL): $30 upgrade fee
• Canada (SEA – YEG): $20 upgrade fee

American Airlines

American Airlines allows you to select Main Cabin Extra seats which will provide you with extra legroom (up to 6 inches), preferred boarding with earlier overhead bin access, and even complimentary beer, wine and spirits.

They also offer a special product called “Main Plus,” which has its own fare basis and includes Main Cabin Extra seats  (if available) along with other perks like 1 more free checked bag.

Interestingly, the price to upgrade to Main Plus was sometimes more and sometimes less than the price to select a Main Cabin Extra seat.

• Domestic (ORD – MIA): Free
• Europe (JFK – LHR): Free
• Asia (DFW – NRT): Free

Economy Plus (Main Cabin Extra)

• Domestic (ORD – MIA): $27 – $30 *upgrade from Main Cabin to Main Plus $42
• Europe (JFK – LHR): $93 – $103 *upgrade from Main Cabin to Main Plus $90
• Asia (DFW – NRT): $129 – $166 *upgrade from Main Cabin to Main Plus $125

Related: American Airlines Main Cabin Extra 737-800 Review

Preferred seats

• Domestic (ORD – MIA): $14 – $17
• Europe (JFK – LHR): $62 – $69
• Asia (DFW – NRT): $86 – $93

Economy (Main Cabin)

Related: American Airlines Basic Economy vs Main Cabin (Key Differences)

Delta Airlines

Delta does their Economy Plus a little bit different because it treats it like its own fare called “Delta Comfort Plus.”

So instead of selecting Economy and then choosing to pay for a seat with extra legroom you simply select Comfort Plus as your chosen fare. This means the seat selection is technically free but you are paying more for the ticket.

Some of the perks you will enjoy include more legroom (up to 3 inches), dedicated overhead bin space, complimentary beer, wine, and snacks.

Some of the prices we found for Preferred Seats were a bit on the high side but that could’ve just been the routes we chose. Also, Delta allows you to upgrade from Basic Economy to Main Cabin if you want to select your seat.

Business/First Class (Delta One)

• Domestic (ATL – PDX): Free
• Europe (BOS – LIS): Free
• Asia (DTW – ICN): Free

Premium Economy (Premium Select)

Economy plus (delta comfort plus).

• Domestic (ATL – PDX): $79.99 – $149.99
• Europe (BOS – LIS): $44.99 – $59.99
• Asia (DTW – ICN): $24.99 – $38.99
• Domestic (ATL – PDX): $30 upgrade fee
• Europe (BOS – LIS): $75 upgrade fee
• Asia (DTW – ICN): $40 upgrade fee

Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines does not offer First Class or Business Class seats nor do they offer Premium Economy.

However, at the front of the plane and in the emergency exit rows they do have what they consider Economy Plus seats that offer recline and more legroom that can be up to 7 extra inches. You can expect to pay about $35 for these.

Otherwise, if you want to select a standard seat expect to pay around $20-$30.

Economy Plus (Stretch)

• Domestic (MCI – LAS): $35
• Mexico (DEN – PVR): $35

Economy (Standard)

• Domestic (MCI – LAS): $18 – $28
• Mexico (DEN – PVR): $18 – $28

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines offers an Economy Plus called Extra Comfort that provides more legroom (5 inches or more), priority boarding, priority screening (at select airports), and in-seat A/C power plugs.

For a domestic route Extra Comfort may only cost you about $60 but for international routes you may be paying closer to $125 to $150.

On certain flights, you can also upgrade from Basic Economy.

• Domestic (OGG – SAN): Free
• Asia (HNL – HND): Free

Economy Plus (Extra Comfort)

• Domestic (OGG – SAN): $54 – $64
• Asia (HNL – HND): $111 – $141
• Domestic (OGG – SAN): $19 – $23
• Domestic (OGG – SAN): $40 upgrade fee

If you book a JetBlue Mint seat you can select your seat for free.

JetBlue calls their version of Economy Plus “Even More Space” and it provides more legroom (up to 7 inches), group A boarding , and expedited security lanes (where available). For domestic flights, these may run you about $30 but you can be paying in the triple digits for international flights.

It doesn’t look like they provide Preferred Seats but you can upgrade from Basic Economy in order to select a seat, sometimes for as cheap as $7.

Business/First Class (Mint)

• Mexico (LAX – CUN): Free

Economy Plus (Even More Space)

• Domestic (FLL – DCA): $29 – $37
• Europe (JFK – LHR): $129 – $149
• Mexico (LAX – CUN): $82 – $94

Economy (Core)

• Domestic (FLL – DCA): Free
• Domestic (FLL – DCA): $7 – $61
• Europe (JFK – LHR): $10 – $179
• Mexico (LAX – CUN): $9 – $114

Southwest Airlines

When you fly Southwest, you do not get to select your seat ahead of time, such as at the time of booking.

Instead, at check-in you will be issued a boarding position and that boarding position will dictate when you get to step on the plane. Once you’re in the cabin, you’ll be able to select any seat that is open so it is essentially a first come, first serve process.

Purchasing Business Select  is a nice way to increase your odds of securing one of the  best seats on the plane .

Business Select is the most expensive fare offered by Southwest and it provides you with a number of benefits including:

• Guaranteed A1-A15 boarding
• Fly By lane access
• Free premium drink
• 12 Rapid Rewards per dollar spent
• Fully refundable fare

Guaranteed A1-A15 boarding means that you will be among the first to board the plane and so you will be able to choose from a large selection of seats.

If you do not purchase a Business Select fare you can also upgrade to it. You won’t receive all of the Business Select perks but you will get the guaranteed A1-A15 boarding.

The cost to upgrade to Business Select varies from  $30 to $50 per segment , depending on the route. You should be able to upgrade at the check-in counter or at the gate of departure.

You can also purchase Southwest EarlyBird for $15 to $25 (one-way) which automatically checks you in 36 hours before departure.

EarlyBird will help you get a window or aisle seat but generally will not get you a boarding pass low enough to secure one of the best seats mentioned above.

Tip:  Some Southwest credit cards now come with two credits for EarlyBird.

Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines does not have a true first class in the sense of it being a special fare with its own cabin.

But they do have a couple of rows upfront with significantly more space similar to what a first class seat offers. These are known as the “Big Front Seats” and you can select the seats by paying around $60-$130 depending on the route.

They also have premium seats which could run you around $40-$50 and the seats will offer you up to 10 inches of extra legroom. Typically, these premium seats will be located in the emergency exit row.

Business/First Class (Big Front Seat)

• Domestic (ATL – MSP): $60
• Mexico (DFW – CUN): $128

Economy Plus (Premium)

• Domestic (ATL – MSP): $50
• Mexico (DFW – CUN): $42
• Domestic (ATL – MSP): $18 – $42
• Mexico (DFW – CUN): $9 – $26

United Airlines

United Airlines has one of the most straightforward seat selection processes.

Premium cabins are free to select seats, and the prices to select an Economy Plus seat or a Preferred Seat are within the normal range. You can also pay to select seats if you have a Basic Economy ticket.

• Domestic (IAD – IND): Free
• Europe (EWR – CDG): Free
• Asia (IAH – NRT): Free

Economy Plus

• Domestic (IAD – IND): $45 – $54
• Europe (EWR – CDG): $154 – $209
• Asia (IAH – NRT): $205 – $267
• Domestic (IAD – IND): $13 – $23
• Europe (EWR – CDG): $33 – $43
• Asia (IAH – NRT): $33 – $43
• Domestic (IAD – IND): $13 – $38
• Europe (EWR – CDG): $27 – $77

As you can tell, selecting your seat can involve paying a lot of different prices.

When selecting seats for premium cabins such as First Class, Business Class or Premium Economy, generally you can select your seat free of charge.

If you just want a standard economy seat towards the back of the plane you can choose that for free but if you want to get closer to the front you may have to pay, especially if you want an aisle or window seat.

And if you want that extra legroom you’ll definitely have to pay and that amount can differ a lot based on whether you were flying a short domestic flight or long international flight.

And finally, if you choose a Basic Economy flight you will lose your ability to select a seat free of charge but you may still have the option to upgrade or pay a fee for your seat selection.

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

Privacy Overview

Your airfare includes a seat, but the airline wants you to pay more | Cruising Altitude

I am old enough to remember a time when you could pick your seat for free on every flight on just about every airline. That’s because those pesky fees we have now are relatively new. They started to gain traction among full-service carriers in the mid-to-late 2000s, and by 2018, the big three U.S. carriers were all charging them on at least some tickets.

There was a time when there were no Byzantine ticket structures where some fares included seat selection, and others barred you from choosing your location on the plane in advance, or at least from doing so at no cost.

But nowadays it’s different.

Low-cost airlines like Spirit and Frontier, of course, charge extra for just about everything, but even the legacy carriers, American, Delta and United, have fare classes in economy class now that don’t include seat selection. Some charge extra depending on the seat’s location, even if you’ve paid for a ticket that includes selection.

British Airways takes things a step that is ridiculously far: charging business class passengers a fee on top of their ticket price to select their flatbed seats. For example, on a round-trip itinerary departing from New York on Feb. 22 and returning from London on March 6, it costs about $130 per person each way to choose a seat in business, on top of the $3,300 for the round-trip ticket. Keep in mind that pricing is also dynamic and will rise or drop depending on timing and the exact location of the seat, with seats in the center of the plane closer to the lower-class dividers costing less.

I’m afraid these fees are becoming a staple with airlines.

“These fees are beginning to rival what they collect for baggage at many carriers,” Jay Sorensen, president at the airline consulting firm IdeaWorksCompany, told me. “The rapid embrace of assigned seating fees by all airlines has been a surprise to me. The extent to which they have been such powerful generators of revenue has been a surprise to me as well.”

Of course, there are ways to avoid paying the fees, from flying an airline that doesn’t charge them or buying a ticket that includes seat selection to having frequent-flyer status that gives you free seats as a perk. 

Keep in mind that these fees are technically optional. If you buy a ticket, you’ll have a seat on your flight. In many cases, you just won’t have the option of choosing where that seat is without shelling out extra. Airlines will assign you an unclaimed seat when you check in if you haven’t paid to pick one in advance.

Here’s what to know:

How common are seat selection fees?

Most airlines charge seat selection fees one way or another, Sorensen said, whether it’s by selling lower-fare tickets that don’t include seat preferences or simply by making passengers pay for their seats individually. Even Southwest Airlines, which famously does not assign seats, has its ways of generating seating revenue.

“One could say, well, Southwest doesn’t have these fees, but Southwest does have an early boarding fee,” Sorensen said. “If you want to get a better seat, you’re going to have to pay a priority-boarding fee.” 

If you’ve flown in the past few years, you’ve probably seen at least some of the ways airlines squeeze extra revenue out of their seats. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that economy seat selection fees were as high as $100 on some flights.

How can I avoid paying for a seat on an airplane?

Although the fees have become common across the industry, not every passenger on every flight pays them outright. For example, as a frequent flyer with Delta Air Lines, I have complimentary access to preferred seats in the main cabin – those closer to the front of the plane that other passengers would need to pay extra to select during booking.

Sorensen said free seat selection for preferred or extra legroom seats is a valuable, if somewhat frustrating, perk for frequent flyers, especially now that upgrades are getting harder to come by.

For more casual travelers, however, avoiding seat selection fees can be difficult. Even if you don’t pay them directly, you may be compelled to buy a more expensive ticket that will let your entire travel group stick together on board. If you’re already paying extra, you may also be tempted to buy a higher-fare class, which can provide perks like more legroom or a nicer seat, though, of course, at a steeper price.

What happens if I don’t pay for seat selection?

As I mentioned before, you don’t have to pay to select a seat, but you’re much more likely to wind up stuck between two strangers at the back of the plane if you don’t. 

Are airline seat selection fees legal?

The Biden administration has taken a hard look at ancillary airline revenue, and Congress is considering legislation to crack down on airline seating fees.

President Joe Biden urged Congress in March 2023 to introduce legislation that would bar airlines at least from charging fees for families with children who want to sit together, and some airlines have already voluntarily implemented such policies.

The Department of Transportation has a dashboard that outlines these policies by airline.

For now, however, airline seat fees remain unrestricted and hard to avoid.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected]

Why You Should Never Pay To Select Seats

• Post author: Andrew D'Amours
• Post published: July 9, 2018
• Post category: Travel tips
• Post comments: 32 Comments

Almost every airline will now try to make you cough up some cash to select specific seats, but here’s how to be seated with you travel companions for free.

Ultra Low-Cost Carriers (ULCCs) are the best thing to have happened to the airline industry, making flying so much more affordable. Most of them charge for seat selection, which allows them to offer ridiculously low flights (you can find those on our flight deals page ).

READ ALSO : How Ultra Low-Cost Carriers (ULCC) Work

In fact, most regular airlines now charge for seat selection anyways. It’s often around $10-$30 per seat per flight segment, so if you cave in and pay for that, it can add up quickly. You shouldn’t do it.

No matter which airline you’re flying on, don’t ever pay to select a seat.

By the way, you shouldn’t pay baggage fees either, you can read our article about that.

I personally flew on well above 100 flights where I was offered the privilege of choosing a seat for a fee, and I’ve never paid a single dollar for that. I think you shouldn’t either.

Why? Because there is a way to be seated with your travel companion for free, that will work 95% of the time.

1. Check-in online precisely 24 hours before your flight

Almost all airlines allow you to check-in online and print your own ticket precisely 24 hours before your flight takes off by going on their website with your confirmation number.

As soon as you buy a plane ticket, set an alarm on your cellphone for 24 hours before takeoff and go check-in at exactly that moment. That way you’ll almost surely be seated with your travel companion (for free) since you’ll be among the first to select seats.

That way you won’t have to pay and at least 9 times out of 10 you’ll be automatically seated with the person you are travelling with. Let me be clear: this works if you check-in 24 hours before your flight, not 20 hours. If you wait a few hours, everyone else will have checked-in online and you might be stuck with bad seats.

The same goes with ULCCs. Even though some won’t ever let you actually select seats (as opposed to regular airlines), at least by being the first to check-in you ensure you’re basically never separated. Only those who wait at the airport to check-in get split up… which makes sense, you are among the last to check-in, there are no other seats left by that point.

It only takes about 5 minutes to check-in, and you don’t even need a printer right then and there. You can save your boarding pass as a PDF document and print it later. You can even print it at the airport in the self-service kiosks if you don’t know anyone who owns a printer. Many airlines have apps where you can check-in and have your boarding pass on your phone, which is even simpler.

Another bonus is that if you’re travelling with a carry-on only (which you should always do), you can avoid any wait at the airport and head straight to security. That is a good enough reason to check-in online in and of itself. And even if you are an inexperienced traveler that brings checked luggage, at least you’ll be able to use the baggage drop line and avoid the wait at the check-in counter.

READ ALSO: Top 10 Behaviors to Avoid on a Plane

By the way, there is another perk. If you are among those who are scared of overbookings, you should know that after travelers with elite-status, the first passengers to be protected when airlines are looking for people to bump from a flight are the ones who have checked-in first. Another reason to do it at home early.

2. You’ll probably regret waiting until you’re at the airport

You could always try getting to the airport early, but we don’t recommend it. Why? Most people now check-in online, so if you wait until you’re at the airport, all the best seats will probably be taken and you’ll be stuck with what’s left.

On top of that, some ultra low-cost carriers charge a fee for an airport check-in in addition to the fee to select a specific seat. I couldn’t agree more with that business model: employess cost money, so why should I subsidize your inability to print your ticket at home through my own fare? You want to waste an airline employee’s time? Pay up!

3. Plan B for when it doesn’t work

In case the online check-in hasn’t given you the seats you wanted, you have a couple of options.

It can happen, even though out of 100 times in my case, it has only happened once. That time, since it was a short 3 hour flight, we just kept our separate seating. Believe it or not, we survived. It’s not the end of the world.

That’s option 1 if you’re assigned separate seats, just relax and listen to some music in your separate seats. Unless you have kids or are on a 14-hour flight to Asia, it shouldn’t be so bad. And even then, now airlines aren’t supposed to split kids from their parents at all, even when you don’t pay for seat selection.

But there’s a second option: you can always try to trade seats with someone on-board. In most cases, another passenger won’t mind switching places with you, unless you are very unlucky. Just be polite and ask a few people around, you should find someone who is willing to change… as long as you don’t offer a middle seat to someone who isn’t in a middle seat (that’s just insulting).

READ ALSO : How To Fly to Any European City At a Low Price

Finally, the last option is to simply pay up. You can easily go back and pay for seats afterwards on most airlines’ website or at the airport, so if you’re gonna pay anyways, at least give it a try before to get the seats for free. And it won’t cost more if you pay later, so try this trick first!

Don’t forget to check out our pro tip to get a full row of seats for free when travelling with someone else or how to get an empty seat next to you when flying solo (coming soon).

Bottom Line

If you want to travel more, saving money each time is the key. By not wasting money on seat selection, especially when this free trick works so often.

Have you ever tried this trick?

Want to see our current discounted plane tickets click here to see our flight deals, want more travel tips and inspiration click here to see the blog homepage, you’ll probably enjoy this article: a new island literally just appeared off the us coast, help us spread the word about our flight deals and travel tips by sharing this article and most importantly bookmark flytrippers so we can help you navigate the world of low-cost travel.

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Andrew D'Amours

This post has 32 comments.

A number of very experienced travellers still take checked baggage especially if cruising!! The 24 hour rule doesn’t always work esp. if its a popular route. We collect points and use these to select seats in advance.

Unfortunately, that’s one of the worst redemptions for points in terms of value, at least for those who want to maximize them. And sure a lot of people bring checked bags, but it’s still not the way to go to be a pro flier; it’s just not 😛 To each their own, but carry-on only is still better — cruise or not. And yes it’s true the trick doesn’t work all the time as we said, but it works a lot more often than not 🙂

I flew last year to london, malta, germany and prague. All airlines wanted me to pay for seat selection. I would check in at exactly 24hrs before the flight. Alot of seats were blocked out. I got my window (over the wing seat). Imagine my surprise when i board Virgin to heathrow and half the plane was empty. People asked the FA if they could change seats. No problem they said. Im so happy i never shelled out extra money to pick a seat.

Roundtrip from JFK to LHR i had the entire row to myself.

Malta i was put in the front of the plane. Prague to LHR on BA they allowed me to change to a different row.

Travel off peak and never pay extra.

Exactly 😉 Thanks for sharing your experience !!!

I used to do the 24 hr. before flight seat booking but over the last 2years I have found that it has changed and most of the good seats and isle seats are gone

Hey Andrew, Am I ever glad I found your article. You saved me money. However I need to know if I did pay to select a seat but my flight involved two planes to get from point A to point B if the seat I selected would be the same on the second plane (same airline just with a layover) and if I would be charged for two seats.

Hi, unfortunately every flight segment is considered separately, so you would have to pay an additional extra to choose in advance for the 2nd flight as well :S

Can you sign in before 24 hours to pick a seat? I am travelling with my Yorkie. I am planning to fly with American Airlines.

Hi! Check-in only opens 24 hours before the flight (at least in North America) so any seat selection before that will incur a fee, unless you booked one of the more expensive fare classes. Not sure about the pet policy though, never did that :S

Hi. I am a single female traveler going from Ottawa to Da Nang Vietnam. In my booking it suggests I pick my seats. I need to book a isle seat for the long haul. Do you still advise me to check in 24 hours ahead to book my seats?

Hi, with many airlines if you need to be 100% sure, the only way is to pay ahead. If you can tolerate a bit of risk, usually if you check in precisely 24 hours before the flight or call the airline when checkin is open, you can be pretty sure to get what you want 🙂

Hi Andrew I have booked a flight from Ottawa to Da Nang Vietnam with CheapO Air. I went on their support page today and they told me I have to check in with each airline that I am booked with to check in. They gave me no idea regards to seat selection. I am not a frequent flyer. I am a senior. I flew once to Australia and I never had to check in with each airline. Any ideas?

Hello, yes well it depends whether or not your outbound flights are with the same airline or airlines who partner together. You’ll need to use the Booking Number / Confirmation Number / Booking Reference / Ticket Number as provided by CheapOair and use that to see your seat selection option on the airline’s website (or you can call too). If you are flying two different airlines, you’ll need to do it separately for both.

I booked my tickets to Frankfurt from Delhi through Ukraine International Airlines. In my web check-in they automatically selected my seats which I was not comfortable with. I clicked on the option of change seats and guess what I had to pay for seats I wanted in the economy class. Every one in the family said, this has never happened before that one had to pay for the seats but I had to.

Hello Arunika, yes that is quite possible with some Ultra Low-Cost Carriers and even low-cost carriers, which UIA can be considered to be. Unfortunately for those, there’s no other way but to pay to select a seat if you really want to choose. But in thoses cases it usually doesn’t hurt to wait until check-in to see if the randomly assigned seat is good enough for free.

Do u book econo seats & still get to book your seat for free within 24 hrs of your flight with Air Canada within Canada

Yes exactly!

Unless I have missed it? – What if almost all seats have been pre-booked, and the only seats available are single seats? We are due to travel to Hong Kong from London, Premium economy two persons in five weeks, and this matter is quite a worry

Premium economy might be a bit different, because indeed there are so much less of those on a plane. You could call the airline to check, you paid a hefty premium for that seat class compared to economy, so I would assume it should give you some leverage to be seated together (although I really can’t say for sure having never bought premium economy).

Worked great for us on Emirates flights to and from Africa, it was $60 per seat per sector if I remember correctly. I acted on my reminder 48hrs ahead and there was no problem even when the 2nd flight commenced outside that 48hr period. Got excellent seats in the most forward economy section – best long flight I’ve ever had(17hrs!) Reading the small print of Air New Zealand it seems they will refund the selection fee on flights to and from the USA. Don’t know why this is, but investigation brought me to this site!

Thanks for the advice. I haven’t flown in some time, and I didn’t realize they now charge for seat selection – ridiculous!

Not really. Some people really don’t care where they sit, by taking the convenience of choosing a seat out of the price, it makes the ticket cheaper for those who want less options. So yes, they now charge for seat selection… but they also sometimes charge $247CAD for a roundtrip flight from Montreal or Toronto to Europe, which is pretty insane 😛

it works — Mr Fly must be working in the airline industry —

Thanks John! We do fly a lot so we pick up a few tricks and share them with you guys! Thanks for reading 🙂

Nice try Andrew’s second account.

Haha… I can guarantee I don’t have any time to waste creating fake accounts, don’t worry.

When you are searching a flight you need to fill the first page on the second they ask you to make reservation of the seats. You can ‘t go to the tirth page to pay when you not fill the second page. So you need to order your seats firrst mostly on a crazy price.. Daniel Belgium

Hello Daniel, I’ve bought many flights and never seen one where you HAVE to select a seat (and I’ve been on 44 different airlines), I’m pretty sure that’s not the case. They usually have a button that says “skip this step”, “choose later” and it’s often a bit hidden because they want people to fall for it and pay up. Although I guess it’s possible that a smaller airline has a dishonest policy like you describe, which airline was it?

I have also flown well over 100 thousand miles the last year and a half. And no, this isn’t a good idea for people that want to sit together. Anyone reading this shouldn’t go fo this.

Well, we’ll just agree to disagree haha 😛

Lmao this isn’t true and will not work, terrible advice to save a couple dollars. It may work an anecdotally but that’s it. You can only have seats together if everyone else on the plane hasn’t already taking up the majority of rows by selecting their own seats with friends or family. And at some airlines, if you do this, you will not be assigned a seat at all, until boarding, and you’ll be put in whatever seats are left, sprinkled all over the cabin.

I’ve flown over 200 flights in the past few years. Always check-in online 24 hours before the flight, happened like only once that I wasn’t sitting with my travel companions. It’s not anecdotal, you’ll get first selection of seats by being the first to check-in (apart from those who paid money to choose). Of course if you don’t check in online and wait at the airport, then you’ll get split up for sure yes!

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Seat selection

Ensure you get the seat you want with advanced seat selection. Seats can be selected when you book your flight, or any time up to 24 hours before your flight using  Manage Trips . Fees may apply for seat selection based on the fare purchased and the location of the seat on the aircraft.

Guests purchasing our Economy fares such as UltraBasic, Econo and EconoFlex will be seated in our Economy cabin. If you choose not to reserve a seat in advance you can go back and do so any time prior to check-in through Manage Trips or the WestJet app . Standard seat selection is included for EconoFlex fares, but a seat selection fee will be charged for Econo and UltraBasic guests who change their pre-assigned seats. All guests with an Economy fare can also select an Exit Row or Extended Comfort seat for an additional fee. 

UltraBasic guests who do not select a seat before check-in will be pre-assigned a seat at the back of the aircraft at check-in and may not be seated with their party. There is a fee to change a pre-assigned seat with UltraBasic. 

Premium and Business guests will be seated in our separate Premium and Business cabins. Guests receive advance seat selection at any time in their respective cabins.

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An enhanced way to travel

Select an Extended Comfort seat and make your journey smoother from start to finish. Benefits include Priority boarding (Zone 2), extra legroom seating located towards the front of the aircraft, early access to overhead bin space and more.  

Extended Comfort is available for all guests who purchased an Economy fare (including UltraBasic, Econo, EconoFlex). Guests can select an Extended Comfort seat during booking, after booking through Manage Trips  and the WestJet App , or at check-in. 

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Exit Row seats offer additional legroom and board earlier therefore allowing for easier access to overhead bin space. For safety reasons you must meet the Exit Row seating restrictions.

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When booking Premium , PremiumFlex, Business , or BusinessFlex seats are included within the applicable cabin and can be chosen  at time of booking or through Manage Trips .

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Watch CBS News

You bought your airline ticket, now pay to pick a seat

By Megan Cerullo

December 21, 2018 / 7:00 AM EST / MoneyWatch

Airplane seat assignments have gone the way of free checked luggage and in-flight meals, as major airlines shift from selling all-inclusive tickets to an a-la-carte business model, offering seat selection at an added cost to consumers. While airlines reap the benefits, customers say the move creates confusion and unfairly penalizes families with children who want to travel together.

United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines -- known as the big three -- now offer discounted fares in Basic Economy class that don't come with seat assignments to compete with low-cost carriers including Allegiant, Spirit and Frontier airlines, forcing travelers to pay up for seat reservations.

"Airline executives will be very honest. They aren't offering Basic Economy because they want people to buy Basic Economy. They are offering it because they want you to pay up the higher fare. That's the whole purpose of the construct," said Samuel Engel, an airline consultant who leads ICF's aviation group.  

The big three also charge passengers a fee on top of airfare to reserve "preferred" seats, characterized as such for their cabin location. Seats toward the front of the plane, as well as window and aisle seats qualify, while unpopular middle seats and seats located in the plane's rear don't usually incur fees.

"Seats are real estate, and real estate on an airplane is a very precious commodity," said aviation consultant and IdeaWorks President Jay Sorensen. "Airlines have applied a heat map to the seat selection process based on which seats are most popular, and they view it as an opportunity to charge extra," he said.

Try booking a seat on Delta flight DL898 from New York's Laguardia to Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Seat 16D -- on the aisle near the front of the main cabin -- will cost you $59.99 more than 16B, located in the middle of the row. Same goes for 16F -- a window seat -- while window and aisle seats toward the back of the plane don't come with added costs.

Sorensen touted the upsides of the new model. "It allows a consumer to choose a bare-bones product or to spend more money for more comfort and convenience," he said. "At one point a decade ago, you could post a price and that price included everything a consumer could reasonably expect. But what has happened since is as you go through the booking path, you are picking and choosing things. It generates more revenue."

United President Scott Kirby likened paying more for seats toward the front of a plane to shelling out for prime seating at concerts and sporting events.

"What's so special about 'premium seats'?"

But customers are frustrated that they have to now pay more for marginal gains -- like aisle and window seats -- versus extra leg room.  

"@Delta Wow. Had no idea that 'preferred' seat was code for regular seat. My bad. Please cancel and refund my other purchase," Chris Hamm tweeted, after realizing he had upgraded to what he considered a standard seat on a flight from Atlanta to San Jose, Costa Rica.

"Asked #AmericanAirline what's so special about 'premium seats' that they want me to pay $99 extra on check-in. Their reply? 'Thank-you for your feedback'," a user named SallyD tweeted.

She complained that seat 26D -- located closer to the front of the aircraft -- cost $99 more than seat 33D, to which she was assigned.

Analysts say consumer frustration is all a part of the transition.

"Anytime you change how something is sold or how it's defined there's going to be a rough period where consumers are impacted by the change," IdeaWorks' Sorensen said. "In terms of seating, we are in the middle of that right now."

Family separations

Airlines are also finding money by forcing big broods to pay extra to secure side-by-side seats -- and are being accused of profiting from splitting up kids and their parents.

Consumer advocate Charles Leocha equated the airlines' move to President Donald Trump's policy of separating families at the U.S.-Mexico border in a blog post titled, "Family separation: It is an airline problem, too."

"This is a cruel form of family separation and it is done on a daily basis on airlines with visions of profits dancing in front of the airline-executives' eyes," he wrote. He argued that a family of four could rack up to $800 in extra fees just to sit side-by-side on a domestic flight.  

Families wanting to sit together face an additional hurdle under the new pricing model: Customers who have paid up for preferred seats are less inclined to move to accommodate separated families.

"People who would normally be able to move around now feel very entitled to the specific seats they chose for their own comfort because they paid extra money for that specific seat," Leocha said.

Congress in 2016 passed a law requiring that airlines seat families with their children under age 14 at no additional cost to travelers. But the Department of Transportation has failed to enforce it.

Sky-high revenues

Ancillary revenue -- anything that's not included in the core ticket price -- is expected to reach $92.9 billion globally in 2018, up from $82.2 billion in 2017, according to data from IdeaWorks.

Last year, baggage fees made up the bulk of that revenue, with reserved-seating fees coming in second.

"[Reserved-seating fees] are attractive to airlines because technology powers it. With food, for example, [airlines] have to purchase food. With baggage service, you have to provide all sorts of support, which involves labor," Sorensen said. "But the costs associated with seat assignment services are relatively low." 

• American Airlines
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Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.

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Popular Topics

American Allows Basic Economy to Pay for Seat Selection at Purchase

Kyle Potter is the executive editor of Thrifty Traveler, covering everything from aviation news to travel deals to in-depth guides on using airline miles. A professional journalist, he joined the comp...

Among the long, long list of reasons basic economy hurts travelers, the inability to pick your own seat is at the top. Airlines use the prospect of getting stuck in a middle seat between two strangers to convince flyers to pay up for a more-inclusive fare.

But in reality, most of the major airlines allow travelers to pay a fee to pick their own seat. And American Airlines' policy just got a lot better.

American now allows travelers buying a basic economy fare to pay for a seat assignment at any time from check-out to check-in . Previously, you could only pay for a seat within seven days of departure. J.T. Genter first reported the change.

Small change to @americanair Basic Economy policies: BE passengers can now purchase a seat anytime after purchase rather than having to wait until 7 days to departure. pic.twitter.com/b52EQ0lX6H — JT Genter (@JTGenter) March 28, 2020

Basic economy is still a drag. But this is a great change that gives flyers more time to snag the seat they want rather than waiting until the cabin fills up – or getting assigned a seat at the gate.

This puts American in line with United, which also allows basic economy fares to purchase a seat assignment right away. Delta only allows you to pay for a seat within seven days of departure – but also gives flyers a window to pick a seat for free.

If getting a seat next to your travel companion is your top priority, it likely makes more sense to buy a basic economy fare and pay extra for seat selection than paying the $70 additional airlines charge for a round-trip main cabin fare.

Thrifty Tip: Want an even better seat without paying for it? Read up on a strategy to get a Main Cabin Extra seat for free even when flying AA basic economy.

Bottom Line

This is a small but important change for basic economy fares on American. You can now pay for a seat assignment from check-out until check-in. And with reasonable fees to pick a seat, that's good news.

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Kyle Potter

Kyle Potter is the executive editor of Thrifty Traveler, covering everything from aviation news to travel deals to in-depth guides on using airline miles. A professional journalist, he joined the company in November 2018 after five years covering state and national politics for T...

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How to Get the Best Seat in Coach, According to Experts

Your seat selection strategy matters when you're flying in the economy cabin.

MesquitaFMS/Getty Images

You can argue window or aisle all day long, but the real key to surviving a flight in economy is picking the best seat for you. And unfortunately, that's sometimes easier said than done. In some cases, you might have to pay extra for a seat selection. In others, you might find only middle seats are left. To make matters more complicated, some airlines don't assign seats at all. So, if you're booking an economy ticket and you want to score the best seat possible, here are the tips you need to know.

Know the seat selection policy of your airline.

These days, most airlines charge extra for seat selection . If you don't pay for a seat, one will likely be assigned to you during the check-in process. But there are a few outliers that don't charge for seat selection, including Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian. So, if picking a seat for free is important to you, choose one of these carriers.

Stephen Swintek/Getty Images

Book early.

The earlier you book a flight, the more likely the plane will be empty, giving you a vast selection of seats. Of course, you might have to pay for those seats, but at least the choice will be there. If you can't book early, look into booking off-peak flights (meaning off-peak times of the year or even off-peak days of the week, like a Tuesday or Wednesday). Those will likely have more seats open than peak options.

Research your aircraft's layout.

"Different planes have different layouts and seat configurations , so it's important to research the type of plane you'll be on to determine the best seat options," App in the Air CEO Greg Kott tells Travel + Leisure . Most airlines have seating charts online, or you can try a third-party site like AeroLopa to see the layout and view which rows are bulkhead or near the bathrooms. "You may want to avoid sitting too close to the bathrooms to avoid the noise that comes with lines and potential odors," Kott adds.

urbazon/Getty Images

Keep checking for availability.

If your ideal seat isn't available at the time of booking, keep checking back regularly. People cancel flights all the time, which means a better seat can open up at any moment. If you don't want to continually check the seating charts, consider paying for a third-party service like ExpertFlyer , which can send you notifications about seat availability.

Check in as early as possible.

If your seat is going to be assigned at check-in, be sure to check in as early as possible. Usually, once you've been auto-assigned a seat, you can then change it to any available one in the cabin. If you check in right when the window opens, there may be some other options elsewhere in the cabin.

Achieve frequent flier status.

This may be easier said than done, but if you achieve airline frequent flier status , you'll likely be able to pick seats for free. The higher tiers of elite status can even get you free upgrades or economy seats with extra leg room, pending availability. Be sure to research your airline's specific policies, though, since each carrier has its own perks for status.

Sometimes, the only option to ensure you'll get the absolute best seat in economy is to pay extra for it. For long-haul red-eye flights , it might be worth it to avoid a cramped middle seat near the lavatories.

Ask at the check-in desk — or even at the gate.

"If you weren't able to secure your desired seat at the time of booking, try asking for a seat change at check-in," says Kott. "There may be better seats available that weren't open when you booked your flight." If you don't have luck at check-in, you have one more shot — ask your gate agent if there are any other seats available (say, a window or aisle seat if you're stuck in the middle). You never know if someone changed their flight at the last minute or missed a connection.

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Gov. Tim Walz is Kamala Harris’ running mate. What happens now in Minnesota politics?

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The selection of Gov. Tim Walz as a Democratic vice presidential candidate could trigger a cascade of political leadership changes in Minnesota — if the newly minted ticket wins.

But it’s important to note at the outset that the timing of any Walz departure from the Minnesota governor’s office would dictate everything.

Here are the ways the dominoes could fall:

Would Tim Walz be required to leave office to run for vice president?

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It wouldn’t be in his interest to give up the governor’s office until after the election results are known, because he can remain governor if he and Vice President Kamala Harris lose the presidential election in November.

Walz has two-plus years remaining on his second term. He hasn’t even said what would come after 2026, leaving the door open to another run for governor or something else. Minnesota doesn’t have term limits.

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If he does resign, who will fill his spot in Minnesota?

Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a fellow Democrat, would become Minnesota’s next governor under succession steps laid out in the Minnesota Constitution . Flanagan would be the first female governor in Minnesota and the first Native American woman to serve as governor in the country. She is a member of the White Earth Nation.

She would be the eighth lieutenant governor in Minnesota to climb the ladder. It last happened in 1976 when then-Gov. Wendell Anderson resigned his office to take the U.S. Senate seat opened by Walter Mondale’s impending ascension to the vice presidency. Rudy Perpich moved up.

In 1943, Lt. Gov. Edward Thye became governor upon the resignation of Gov. Harold Stassen.

Two other resignations in the 1800s resulted in a political promotion as well.

Three times in Minnesota’s history, a governor’s death in office led to the lieutenant governor moving up, according to records kept by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library .

Who becomes lieutenant governor?

Under the line of succession, the Minnesota Senate president moves up. 

This is where things get trickier and murkier. 

Currently, that’s four-term DFL Sen. Bobby Joe Champion of Minneapolis. But that doesn’t mean he’ll get the job. 

It depends on a lot of factors, including which party controls the Senate when Walz submits his resignation.

The 67-member chamber is currently tied 33-33. Sen. Kelly Morrison, DFL-Deephaven, resigned her seat to run for Congress in Minnesota’s 3rd District. A special election in November will determine who wins the seat — and the Senate majority heading into the 2025 session.

If Democrats win the seat there could be stability in the Senate president’s chair. The party could also opt to elect a new president if Champion decided he didn’t want the lieutenant governor’s post; after all, he could always try to reclaim the Senate president post later given that a new one of those would be chosen next. 

Last month, Champion told reporters that he’s not yet considering what a climb up the political ranks might mean for him.

If Republicans win, upon the election certification of the new senator — as soon as mid-November — they could move to have that person sworn in to give the GOP a 34-33 edge.

When the Legislature reconvenes in mid-January, the party could put one of their own in the Senate president’s seat. 

Or GOP members could work a political angle, perhaps installing a swing-seat Democrat as president with the awareness that person would be tugged up the chain. That would open that elevated senator’s seat for another special election.

Is there a deadline for Walz to resign?

It would be largely up to him. He could resign soon after the election or wait a bit.

Walz would not be sworn in as vice president until Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, so conceivably he could keep the Minnesota post right up until then.

Given that the Legislature comes back on Jan. 14 for the next session, the musical chairs in the Senate could be settled soon after that and give Walz a clear picture of what would be in the rearview mirror.

How might it affect the state Senate’s operations?

The Senate would be down a member until that resulting special election is held. There is a possibility it could be done prior to the 2025 session, but also the possibility it wouldn’t occur until February or March.

That might mean a 33-33 party split for the opening weeks of a budget-year session. The state House majority, currently held by Democrats, is also at stake this November.

It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen problems generated by the ascendancy of a senator to the lieutenant governor post in Minnesota. In 2017, then Gov. Mark Dayton appointed Lt. Gov. Tina Smith to the U.S. Senate seat left open by Al Franken’s resignation. 

Then-Senate President Michelle Fischbach, a Republican who now represents a vast swath of western Minnesota in Congress, moved up to the role of lieutenant governor. But Fischbach tried to maintain that she could serve as both Lieutenant Governor and Senate President. 

Democrats sued Fischbach twice. In the first lawsuit, a Ramsey County district judge ruled that the Senate had the duty to determine eligibility of its members and the case was dismissed . Democrats sued Fischbach again a few months later, but the case was dropped when the legislative session ended and Fischbach resigned from the Senate to accept an invitation to be Tim Pawlenty’s running mate in the governor’s race. They ultimately lost.

• Walz agrees to date for vice presidential debate
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How Families Can Get Seats Together on a Plane

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Booking airfare is a lot more complicated than it used to be. Should you choose basic economy or main cabin ? Do you want the “bundle” or would you rather pay “a la carte”? And how much are you willing to pay for a seat? 

Seat selection is a particularly thorny issue for those traveling with kids. Now that airlines charge to select “preferred” seats, such as those near the front or by the aisle or window, families can pay hundreds of dollars simply for the privilege to sit together on a round-trip flight. 

United recently announced a new family seating policy that allows kids 12 years old and under to sit next to an accompanying adult on basic economy fares at no extra cost. American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Frontier also guarantee complimentary family seating.

Is paying extra for seats an inevitability for families? Or can these pesky fees be minimized or circumvented altogether? And why do they even exist in the first place? 

What are seat selection fees?

Seat selection fees have become more common for a reason — they drive a lot of revenue for airlines. Low-cost airlines Spirit and Frontier earned roughly half of their revenue from “ancillary fees” in 2020, according to a report by IdeaWorksCompany, an industry analytics firm. 

Ancillary fees also tend to mislead consumers. In one 2020 study in the journal Marketing Science, participants who saw ancillary fees “dripped” throughout the checkout process ended up paying more overall than those who saw the total costs upfront. So a $20 fee to select a seat might not seem like much, but it can add up quickly, and can transform an apparently cheap airfare into a pricey one. 

The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued a notice to improve transparency on some ancillary airline fees, such as those for carry-on bags. But so far seat selection fees are getting a pass, which means they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. 

How to sit together on a flight

Are airlines required to seat families together? No. That said, the DOT notice specifically calls for more transparency for parents who are trying to select a seat for their young children.

Until the rules change, however, parents are stuck with a tough choice: Cough up the cash to ensure the family sits together or skip seat selection and risk getting separated. For example, Spirit says gate agents and flight attendants will try to sit parents with children under the age of 14, but it cannot guarantee it.

To select a seat without overpaying, try to: 

Choose seats in the back half of the plane. These usually carry fewer or no fees to select, and are the last to be selected by other passengers. 

Pick an airline with lower seat selection fees (see below). 

Avoid basic economy fares. These often carry restrictions on seat selection, and make family travel especially difficult.

Remember that children under two years old can fly for free and do not require a seat (though some parents prefer to buy a seat anyway). 

Seat selection is always optional, whether flying solo or with a family of 10. It might seem nerve-wracking to head to the airport without confirmed seat assignments, but many families do it as a way to save money. 

Yes, you can skip seat selection

While airlines want to make it seem like families have to select seats in order to sit together, it’s rarely this black and white. Most gate agents will work with families — even those without seat assignments — to get everyone seated together, when possible. It might mean bumping the family further back in the plane, but young children will not be left unattended with strangers (for everyone’s sake). 

In other words, you can skip seat selection altogether and (usually) remain seated with your companions. 

Skipping seat selection doesn’t mean you or your family won’t get a seat. It just means you’ll have to wait until later in the process to get one assigned. 

Skipping this step might not be as easy as it sounds. Many airlines now include seat selection as part of the checkout process and make it seem like selecting — and paying for — a seat is a required step.

If you don’t want to pay these fees, find a way to skip this step, and don’t get scared by the pop-ups and warnings the airlines use to make it seem mandatory. 

Which airlines charge the most? 

Discount airlines like Spirit and Frontier may have pioneered the a la carte airfare model, but traditional airlines have jumped on board in order to compete. Not all airlines charge the same amount — or charge for seat selection at all. 

NerdWallet performed an analysis of seat selection fees by comparing several routes across the major U.S. airlines. This revealed that some are charging far more for seat selection than others. 

Southwest Airlines is not included here, because it’s an outlier: It doesn’t charge for — or allow — seat selection at all. 

So, which airlines don't charge for seat selection? Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines are the only airlines that allow passengers to select a seat for free, though it may be near the back of the plane. 

American, Delta, Frontier and Spirit all charged more than $10 each way for seat selection when applicable, even for lousy seats. Passengers should skip these airlines (or the seat selection process altogether) if they want to avoid such high fees. 

Watch out for 'upgrades'

Another airline invention from the past decade: Charging extra for “main cabin preferred” (or similar) seats that offer little more than a few inches of extra legroom. These seats often look similar to regular economy seats in the seat selection screen, but can carry hefty fees. 

For example, an exit row seat on a nonstop Delta flight from Atlanta to Seattle cost $130 each way, or $260 more total — on a $358 flight. This 73% markup might make sense for particularly long-legged passengers, but for most travelers, these “upgrades” aren’t worth it. 

To make it even more confusing, many airlines now have “ premium economy ” or “main cabin comfort” seats that do offer benefits like free drinks and priority boarding. The benefit of these seats varies considerably by airline. Some offer wider, more comfortable seats, while others offer standard seats, but throw in a free alcoholic drink and snack plate. 

For children with short legs and little need for a cocktail, the markup on these upgraded seats is usually wasted. 

The edge of your seat

Airlines want to charge you to select a seat because it costs them nothing. This incentive has led many airlines to push harder and harder, making “seat selection fees” seem like an unavoidable add-on charge for most fares. 

For families, this decision is particularly fraught. Who wants to get separated from their preschooler on a six-hour flight? Yet it’s rarely so straightforward. Many families skip seat selection fees and end up sitting together, no problem. 

For some people, the peace of mind that comes with knowing where the whole family will be seated is well worth the fee. For others, avoiding the fee and relying on the gate agents (and fellow passengers) to shuffle around works just fine.

It really comes down to risk tolerance.

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Politics latest: Ukraine clear to use British weapons inside Russia, UK government confirms

The Ministry of Defence has clarified that it has no objection to Ukraine using British weapons inside Russia as part of its counteroffensive. Meanwhile, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson will be on to speak about this year's A Level results day.

Thursday 15 August 2024 07:24, UK

• Phillipson 'determined' to turn around geographic inequality in university applications
• Schools blaming VAT for closing were already in trouble
• Ukraine can use British weapons inside Russia - UK government
• Government and train drivers' union strike pay deal
• Truss fumes after lettuce prank sees her storm off stage
• Analysis: Truss not amused - but has to face up to her record
• Listen: What can we expect from the economy this autumn?

Things you might have missed

• Listen: How well has Starmer handled riots?
• Analysis: As support plummets, can Farage have his cake and eat it?
• Explained: Why it's so quiet in UK politics | What does 'two-tier policing' mean - and does it exist? | Robert Jenrick and the Allahu Akbar row

One of the new government's more controversial pledges is a plan to impose VAT on private school fees.

There have been claims from some educational institutions going out of business that the new rates coming in for the next academic year are forcing them to close.

Speaking to Sky News, however, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson points out that a number of those schools closing their doors and blaming the government were already in trouble.

She says: "I think what we've seen with some of the examples that are being discussed are schools that were already experiencing big budget shortfalls, weren't attracting the same numbers of students that they might like to attract. 

"And that's what's driving what we see here."

Ms Phillipson says she wants private schools to be an option for parents - but points out 93% of pupils in the UK are state educated.

She says political decisions need to be made to fund the sector - which includes raising taxes on private education.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is speaking to Sky News this morning, as A Level results are set to be collected this morning.

The MP, who represents a seat in Sunderland, says she wants to break down the barriers for people to apply for tertiary education.

She says that people from London and the South East are far more likely to apply for university.

"I'm absolutely determined to turn that around, because I don't believe where you're from should determine what you can go on to achieve, and it certainly shouldn't limit your choices and options," she says.

Ms Phillipson says the current government doesn't want to change the recently implemented visa restrictions on foreign students.

But she does point out that foreign students and their higher fees help subsidise domestic students.

She says there are challenges to university funding, with fees for UK students having barely risen in the past 12 years.

But it would be "really unpalatable" to be considering linking fees to inflation - or taking similar steps - as students are already facing "big challenges around the cost of living".

We've just had the latest Gross Domestic Product figures come through.

The stats show the UK grew by 0.6% in Q2 this year.

In June alone, there was no economic growth.

These numbers are in line with expectations. 

 ONS director of economic statistics Liz McKeown said: "The UK economy has now grown strongly for two quarters, following the weakness we saw in the second half of last year.

"Growth across the three months was led by the service sector, where scientific research, the IT industry and legal services all did well.

"In June growth was flat with services falling, due to a weak month for health, retailing and wholesaling, offset by widespread growth in manufacturing."

Away from Westminster, one of the big news events at the moment is Ukraine's counterattack into Russian territory.

There had been questions about whether the weapons the UK had supplied to Kyiv would be able to be used on Russian soil.

Last night, the Ministry of Defence indicated they were happy with this scenario.

A spokesperson said: "There has been no change in UK  government policy, under article 51 of the UN Charter Ukraine has a clear right of self-defence against Russia's illegal attacks, that does not preclude operations inside Russia.

"We make clear during the gifting process that equipment is to be used in line with international law."

You can read more about the conflict in our live blog below:

By Faye Brown , political reporter

Hundreds of homes built for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham are being sold off by the council at a projected loss of more than £300m, in a situation branded "nothing short of a scandal".

The government is facing pressure to intervene to stop the sale of 755 properties on the Perry Barr Estate to a private bidder, as the city battles an acute housing and funding crisis.

The local authority, the largest in Europe, declared itself effectively bankrupt last year, largely due to a financial black hole caused by an equal-pay bill and a botched implementation of an IT system.

At the same time, there are more than 23,000 households on the waiting list for council accommodation and an average of 447 applications received each week.

The current Perry Barr Estate was designed to accommodate athletes during the Commonwealth Games of 2022 and was heralded as a legacy regeneration project of the competition.

The development was stalled because of the coronavirus pandemic, with the athletes housed in student accommodation instead.

Read the full story here:

By Alexandra Rogers , political reporter

A funding injection of £13.5m will be given to businesses and workers affected by job losses at Tata Steel, the government will announce.

Up to 2,800 jobs at Tata Steel are expected to be axed at the country's biggest steelworks in Port Talbot as the company moves over to a greener form of steel production which requires fewer workers.

Jo Stevens, the Welsh secretary, will make the funding announcement at her second meeting as chair of the Tata Steel/Port Talbot transition board on Wednesday.

The package is designed to support businesses that rely on Tata Steel as their main customer, while the money will also be used to help workers who have been made redundant by giving them access to training and qualifications in sectors where there are job vacancies.

As part of the deal, Ms Stevens, the MP for Cardiff East, will also announce that more than 50 businesses have signed a pledge to support any workers forced to leave their jobs in the steelworks.

Negotiations between the government and Tata Steel regarding the future of the Port Talbot plant - where the workforce currently accounts for 12% of the coastal town's entire population - will continue separately.

Read the full story below:

Welcome back to the Politics Hub.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson will be talking to Sky News just after 7am, as she reacts to A Level results day.

Elsewhere, we're expecting new data on the economy today, showing off whether the UK grew in Q2 this year.

Things may be quiet in Westminster as it's recess, but there is still plenty of politics around.

We're bringing the Politics Hub to a close for the night.

It was a day dominated by Liz Truss's reaction to being trolled by pranksters last night, as a banner featuring a lettuce and stating "I crashed the economy" was unfurled behind her at an event.

Those who romained with us into the evening were treated to news that should go down well with anyone reading this from a carriage, as train drivers' union Aslef announced a pay deal with the government that could bring strikes to an end.

There were a few other gems in the Politics Hub today, including minister Jess Phillips expressing regret over a controversial tweet she sent during the recent riots.

And those stories are just the tip of the iceberg - there's plenty more to catch up on by scrolling back through the Politics Hub, and there's a podcast about today's inflation news above.

We'll be back tomorrow morning, when Sky News will bring you live coverage of this year's A-level results and an update to GDP figures.

Have a great evening.

By Jennifer Scott , political reporter

The government's child poverty taskforce has got to work as ministers begin putting together a strategy to lift families out of destitution.

But despite pressure within Labour and from other parties, it won't be scrapping the controversial two-child benefit cap.

What is the policy?

The two-child benefit cap was announced by the Conservatives in 2015, forming part of their austerity measures.

It means while parents can claim child tax credit or Universal Credit payments for their first and second child, they couldn't make claims for any further children they had.

These are separate payments to child benefit, which has no limit on how many children can be claimed for.

The argument from the Tories limiting the tax credit to two children made the system fairer for taxpayers, ensuring households on benefits "face the same financial choices about having children as those supporting themselves solely through work".

But opposition MPs and campaigners said the measure would drag more children into poverty and hit hard up families.

What is Labour's stance on it?

Labour were strong critics of the policy while in opposition and many expected they would scrap it if they won power.

But last year, Sir Keir Starmer ruled it out due to the public finances.

The Resolution Foundation has said abolishing the two-child limit would cost the government somewhere between £2.5bn and £3.6bn, but the Save the Children charity estimated the move would take half a million children out of relative poverty.

Seven Labour MPs paid the price for trying to force the government to scrap the policy - they were suspended from the parliamentary party for voting against the King's Speech.

Ministers have hinted they don't particularly like the policy - but it's not going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

The government's child poverty taskforce has met for the first time.

Chaired by the work and pensions secretary, Liz Kendall, it aims to put together measures to tackle a "scar on our society".

The taskforce was viewed as a compromise measure of sorts to satiate Labour MPs keen for the divisive to scrap the controversial two-child benefit cap, a Tory policy which the government is keeping in place.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has suggested scrapping it isn't affordable for at least the time being.

Speaking after today's meeting, Ms Kendall said the taskforce had a "comprehensive strategy to drive down poverty", with latest figures showing four million children now growing up in a low-income family.

Ms Kendall was joined today by colleagues including the deputy prime minister and education secretary, who co-chairs the taskforce.

What will the taskforce do?

According to the government, its priorities are:

• Consider social security reforms to help people into work
• Bring down essential household costs
• Help people build savings and tackle problem debt

The taskforce will hear directly from affected families and children, leading campaigners and charities, while relevant ministers will work with local leaders across the country.

A dedicated child poverty unit is being set up in the Cabinet Office to assist with delivering the strategy, which the government said would be finalised and published by next spring.

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