This seat decision usually happens at the time of booking. However, if you didn't get the option you're after then, you can always approach the counter before boarding to see if there are open seats available. Or, try asking the crew upon boarding if you can swap seats during the flight.
“It's always worth the ask,” the website states. While there may be times when a seat swap request is acceptable, one of the biggest travel etiquette misjudgements a traveller can make is to take a fellow passenger's seat without asking, according to The Points Guy.
"Flight attendants have the authority to move people around and the flight attendant can ask someone," she says, emphasizing that seat trades should always be "equal." But Whitmore says there are two scenarios where it is “never” OK to ask for a switch.
Instead of asking for “a good seat,” try asking for “an aisle seat near the front” or “an exit row seat.” You'll be more likely to get what you want (or an acceptable substitute). Ask again before you board. Sometimes gate agents are able to reassign seats at the last minute.
Realistically, it's a gamble and getting upgraded to business class at the airport is pretty rare. If luxury and extra legroom is really important to you, book it in advance. However, if you're perfectly willing to fly economy class, and willing to roll the dice, a last-minute upgrade can be the cheapest option.
Exit rows, aisle or window seats, and anywhere close to the front are typically considered the best seats on a plane. On a short business trip, you might want an aisle seat near the front of the plane so you can debark as quickly as possible on arrival.
The cheapest way to get a business or first-class ticket is to buy an economy ticket then buy an upgrade. You can either do this immediately after booking or look for last-minute upgrades as your travel date approaches. The price for premium cabin fares decreases as you get closer to departure.
Asking a fellow passenger to change seats generally comes with the assumption that you failed to take the appropriate measures to avoid drawing that short straw (like not paying up or booking too late) and now you expect your more forward-thinking passenger to carry the can.
“A cardinal rule of seat swaps is that you should never take someone else's seat before they board,” the blog states. As for how requests to swap seats should be handled by travellers, both Gottsman and The Points Guy say that passengers should feel comfortable declining if they don't want to give up their seat.
With Basic Economy, you'll automatically be assigned a seat before boarding, and you won't be able to change your seat once it's assigned.
Seat replacement
New seats run between $170-$500+ per seat. Second-hand seats are available online and from wreckers and offer a more cost-effective option than buying new ones.
Be aware of the flight crew's time
You may ask them to swap over seats if you see that there is no one sitting there as the in-flight crew have a seating chart and may be able to accommodate you, whenever possible.
So, is it cheaper to book economy and then upgrade? It can be … but if you want a guaranteed flight to a guaranteed place on a guaranteed day, you'll almost certainly be better off if you shop around for a discounted business class flight rather than gambling on upgrading from economy.
If you're going to sit in economy, you want to be sure you select a Main Cabin Extra seat. These are the best seats you'll find in the rear section of the plane. What makes these seats special is that they have extra pitch — that is, the distance between the seat back of one seat to the seatback of the seat in front.
Usually, it's best to pick a seat toward the front of the plane for several reasons: It's usually quieter, and you can get on and off faster. There's a balance between choosing front/back and window/aisle.
The window seats offer the best views and minimal disruptions from your row mates. Ultimately, you'll be the disruptive one when it's your turn to visit the lavatory, but still, the window seat gives you that undisturbed solitude to make it through your flight without interacting.
Shrinking personal space in the skies is not imaginary: Experts say airline seats shrunk over the years while Americans grew larger. Airlines are balancing passenger demand for cheap airfare and more legroom.
Follow this equation for a bid price: Calculate the regular cost of a business class seat. Subtract what you paid for the economy fare, and aim for around 20% to 40% of the remaining price. Bid slightly above the minimum to beat the crowd, since most people will choose the minimum.