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American Airlines: Main Cabin Extra vs. Preferred Seating – What Are the Differences?

James Larounis

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Differences Between Standard Seats, Preferred Seats, and Main Cabin Extra Seats

Preferred boarding, complimentary snacks and alcoholic beverages, seat location, dedicated overhead bin access, american airlines elite status, oneworld frequent flyer status, wait until the last minute, monitor upgrades, a word about upgrades, final thoughts.

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When it comes to seating on American Airlines, not all options are alike. For those in the back of the plane (the “Main Cabin”), there are 3 seating options: standard Main Cabin seats, Preferred seats, and Main Cabin Extra.

Here’s a look at the differences between Main Cabin Extra and Preferred seating, the best ones on each type of aircraft, and the perks that come with where you sit.

American Airlines — Classes of Service

No one loves sitting in economy, but if you’ve got to be in the rear part of the plane, you can definitely be a savvy traveler and pick seats that improve your onboard experience .

Here’s a look at all of American’s different seat types, as a brief reference, before diving into your economy options:

Flagship First

Flagship First is American’s top class of service and is only available on 3-class aircraft, including the 777-300ER and the A321T , that fly transcontinental from coast to coast. Flagship First includes access to the Flagship First Dining area at select airports and the Flagship Lounge . Onboard, you’ll find personal “pods” for every passenger without being near others.

It’s worth noting that Flagship First is being retired and will slowly be phased out over the next few years.

Flagship Business

Available on wide-body international flights or transcontinental A321T flights, Flagship Business is American’s standard business class offering , complete with upgraded dining, Flagship Lounge access, and additional amenities on select routes. On wide-body aircraft, seats are staggered in a 1-2-1 configuration or a 2-2 arrangement on cross-country planes.

You can pay to upgrade to Flagship Business Plus to receive additional free checked bags, Flagship check-in, and Flagship First Dining on select itineraries.

Premium Economy

Premium Economy is the middle ground between Main Cabin and business class. Here, you’ll find seats similar to first class on domestic flights, which are larger leather recliners. With seats in a 2-3-2 or 2-4-2 configuration, this cabin provides more legroom, recline space, and amenities than the economy cabin. Customers will receive premium-style meals and inflight entertainment on larger seatback screens.

Domestic First Class

On 2-class narrow-body planes, first class is situated at the front of the aircraft and arranged in a 2-2 seating style . With additional recline and pitch over Main Cabin in the rear, first class is certainly a more comfortable area to sit. Amenities include pre-departure beverages, coat hanging, and meals, depending on flight length.

Hot Tip: Fly American often? See our in-depth article on the best credit cards for frequent AA flyers to help you maximize your miles, as well as benefits such as lounge access, priority boarding, and more!

Main Cabin Extra  

Located in prime areas of the main cabin, Main Cabin Extra seats receive 3 to 6 inches of additional legroom. These seats are in the bulkhead, the first few rows of the plane, or in exit rows. In addition to extra legroom, Main Cabin Extra customers receive free alcoholic beverages.

Preferred Seats

Preferred seats don’t receive any extra legroom, but they are in better locations of the Main Cabin that are closer to the front of the plane, allowing you to access your seat quicker when boarding and exit more quickly when getting off.

Standard Seats

Standard Main Cabin seats are located throughout the Main Cabin but are mostly concentrated in the rear. These seats have no additional amenities and only standard pitch and recline.

For reference, here’s a chart that summarizes the difference between your coach options:

Main Cabin Extra Benefits in Detail

American has 9 boarding groups , so it’s important to understand where you fit in the boarding picture. If you’re not an elite and you purchase a Main Cabin Extra seat, you will board with Group 5 .

Here’s what that will look like:

• Pre-Boarding: ConciergeKey (invite-only) members
• Group 1: Uniformed military plus first class (on a domestic 2-class plane, transcontinental, or international 3-class plane) or business class (on an international 2-class plane), Executive Platinum members
• Group 2: Platinum Pro members , business class on a 3-class plane, and Oneworld Emerald customers
• Group 3:   Platinum members  and Oneworld Sapphire customers
• Group 4: Premium economy (international-equipped flights), AAdvantage Gold members , Oneworld Ruby customers, Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard ®  cardmembers, travelers who purchased Priority boarding outright, and AirPass members
• Group 5: Other qualifying American Airlines cardholders and Main Cabin Extra
• Group 6 to 7: Main Cabin customers in no particular order; all AAdvantage members, at a minimum (including Basic Economy)
• Group 8: Basic Economy to and from Europe
• Group 9: Basic Economy customers on U.S., Canada, Central America, Mexico, and Caribbean flights

If you’re seated in Main Cabin Extra but are an elite passenger, you’ll board ahead with your elite boarding group. So, for example, an Executive Platinum seated in Main Cabin Extra will board with the higher Group 2.

Hot Tip: If you’re an elite member, make sure you board with your dedicated boarding group and don’t wait until Group 5! There will be fewer people boarding with you and more room for your luggage if you board earlier.

Keep in mind that Group 5 is a fairly large boarding group — you’ll be boarding with a sizable chunk of the Main Cabin, including American credit cardholders. Be aware that there can be quite a few on a hub-to-hub route.

Along with receiving a small snack of either Biscoff cookies or packaged pretzels, those in Main Cabin Extra will receive unlimited complimentary beverages, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic.

Note that snacks are offered to all customers, not just those in Main Cabin Extra. Unlike Delta Air Lines, which offers a dedicated snack basket to its extra legroom seat customers, American only offers the complimentary alcoholic beverage as an extra onboard amenity.

This said, you can certainly purchase any of the snacks on the onboard menu. If you’re an Executive Platinum or ConciergeKey, you can choose your fresh meal on select longer flights.

If your flight features a full beverage service, you can select from any of American’s onboard alcoholic drink selections. You’ll be able to have as many of these drinks as you wish, within reason — this is subject to flight length and flight attendant discretion depending on how many you’ve had.

Your selections may include:

• Aviation American Gin
• Ayrum Granacha Rose
• BACARDI Rum
• Bailey’s Irish Cream
• Barone Montalto Vino Spumante
• Bottega Millesimato Brut Spumante
• DISARRONNO Amaretto
• Dewar’s White Label
• Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey
• Les Marins Merlot
• Mini Cellar Airen-Verdejo
• Tito’s Handmade Vodka
• Vina Albali Red Blend
• Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Hot Tip: Most flight attendants on longer flights will make a second pass for drinks, at which time you may be able to select another; otherwise, feel free to ring your call button to request another.

If you’re an AAdvantage Executive Platinum or ConciergeKey member, you will still be able to select your complimentary alcoholic beverage as well as a snack or fresh food item, so there’s no difference if you’re sitting in a Main Cabin Extra seat.

Main Cabin Extra seats are the best places to sit if you have to be in or near the rear of the plane. Sure, everyone likes those fancy lie-flat or recliner first class seats up front, but reality says that at least some flights will probably be in economy.

In economy, Main Cabin Extra seats have the advantage of being located in the most prime spots, including:

• Bulkheads — You may be seated directly behind a wall or other divider between classes
• Emergency Exit Rows — On some planes, there may be more than 1 emergency exit row
• First Few Rows of Main Cabin — Additional legroom and a better location to put you among the first few coach passengers to exit the airplane

Hot Tip: SeatGuru and Expert Flyer are excellent tools to use for figuring out what type of plane you’re flying on , seat maps, and more. 

Depending on your aircraft, Main Cabin Extra seating can look slightly different. Keep in mind that there can be aircraft swaps at any time throughout your journey, as well, so even if you book your ticket on 1 plane, it can be substituted with another at the last minute.

As you can see, most planes in American’s fleet have Main Cabin Extra seating and a decent number of those seats to choose from. Depending on the route and time of day, however, these Main Cabin Extra seats may be consumed by elite passengers who can select them for free. Even if you’re willing to pay for them, there may be fewer to choose from.

The chart below is the list of all Main Cabin Extra seats on specific aircraft. Keep in mind that some different seating arrangements may be available on different models of planes, so you may notice some slight variations.

Occasionally, American also updates what it classifies as a Main Cabin Extra seat, so you may find that some seats are labeled as extra legroom on one plane whereas the same seats on a similar aircraft may not be. This is most often the case on smaller regional aircraft.

On all planes with dedicated Main Cabin Extra sections, you’ll be able to stow your bags in overhead bins marked “For Main Cabin Extra customers only,” which reduces the amount of non-Main Cabin Extra bags that get stowed there.

Still, as the plane begins to fill up, customers tend to put their bags in any open bin they find. And sometimes, customers elect to put their bags farther forward even though they are seated in the back so that they can access their bags quickly as they exit the plane.

The designated placards will help prevent this, but they aren’t necessarily a guarantee — there’s not a ton of policing, though savvy flight attendants will close the bins over these seats to help preserve space.  

Bottom Line: Main Cabin Extra seats come with dedicated storage , which gives you a place to stow your bags without having to fight for overhead bin space.

How To Access Main Cabin Extra Seats

There are a few ways to access Main Cabin Extra seats — some at a cost and some for free.

Platinum, Platinum Pro, Executive Platinum, and ConciergeKey members on American Airlines can select Main Cabin Extra for free at the time of booking (for themselves and up to 8 companions on the same reservation). Gold members can select these seats for free 24 hours before departure.

This can be phenomenal savings: Main Cabin Extra on transcontinental flights can cost $100+ and can be double that on international flights.

If you’re a Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald member and have status with British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, or Japan Airlines, you can select Main Cabin Extra and Preferred seats for free at the time of booking for yourself and up to 8 travel companions on the same reservation. Oneworld Ruby members of the previously mentioned airlines also have access to book these seats within 24 hours of departure.

On some flights, fewer people are willing to purchase Main Cabin Extra seats, or there aren’t enough elites to grab them for free. If you can’t select a seat in the rear, are on a Basic Economy ticket, or don’t have a seat assignment, wait until you get to the airport before checking in.

At the counter or the gate, you may be assigned a Main Cabin Extra seat for free, simply because it is one of the only remaining seats on the plane. This actually happens quite a bit — certain routes aren’t elite-heavy and the regular seats fill up.

If no one is willing to purchase Main Cabin Extra, American still has to assign those seats to accommodate everyone — so by waiting until the last minute, you may get lucky. It’s worth noting that even if you receive a Main Cabin Extra seat for free, you still receive all of the perks that come with it  (namely the alcoholic beverages).  

It’s the most expensive option, but for those without elite status or who aren’t targeted for some sort of reward, it’s one of the only ways. When you purchase a seat assignment in Main Cabin Extra, the cost depends on the seat you want — even in Main Cabin Extra, middle seats cost less than their aisle or window counterparts in the same area.

As mentioned above, these seats can come at a hefty price tag, so you’ll want to grab a really good seat if you have to pay up. The bulkhead and exit rows will usually get you the most bang for your buck since they have the most legroom.

Here’s a trick that not many people know about. On all of American’s domestic routes, including Canada, Mexico, and Caribbean flights, American offers complimentary or earned upgrades to elites. On the vast majority of these flights, there will be some sort of upgrade list at the gate. While some passengers may have been upgraded before this point, inevitably there will be some passengers who haven’t cleared yet and are waitlisted at the gate.

If there are still seats open in first class, ask the gate agent which seats the first few people on the upgrade list are in. If the gate agent is willing to tell you, you may be able to ask to swap into their seat (which is usually a Main Cabin Extra seat) as soon as their upgrade is processed. This isn’t a sure-fire way but can be useful in last-minute situations.

To upgrade on American (whether complimentary, using instruments like systemwide upgrades , or miles/copay), American considers Main Cabin Extra to be in the same cabin as Main Cabin. This is important because when upgrading, you are moving from 1 cabin to the next.

Here are some examples of how this can look on a domestic/Canada/Mexico/Caribbean flight if you’re using some sort of instrument, such as a systemwide upgrade:

• Basic Economy to business/first
• Main Cabin to business/first
• Main Cabin Extra to business/first
• Premium Economy to business/first

And if you’re on an international 3-class plane, it will look like this:

• Basic Economy to business
• Main Cabin to business
• Main Cabin Extra to business
• Premium Economy to business
• Business to first

There are some airlines, such as Delta, that consider an extra-legroom economy seat to be a true upgrade, and its elite program solidifies this with requests to be able to be upgraded to such a seat.

American doesn’t have this type of system — so, regardless of where you’re sitting in the economy cabin, your next upgrade could truly be to business/first.

Bottom Line: Main Cabin Extra is considered part of the economy class cabin, and it’s not a separate area for the purposes of using miles or instruments to upgrade.

As you can see, Main Cabin Extra seats really are some of the best economy class seats on American Airlines flights — there’s no doubt about it. If you can’t secure one of these seats, Preferred seats offer a great location on the plane, but without the additional legroom.

When you’re flying American, try to find ways of sitting in Main Cabin Extra — whether using elite status or a buy-up. If not, be selective about where you sit in the Main Cabin, grabbing a Preferred seat if you can.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does main cabin extra mean.

Main Cabin Extra is the extra-legroom economy class seating product on American Airlines, and it is available on most aircraft. Seats include up to 6 inches of additional legroom and also feature complimentary alcoholic beverages. Main Cabin Extra seats are located in the forward part of the economy class cabin and at exit rows.

Are drinks free in Main Cabin Extra?

Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are free in Main Cabin Extra. Customers receive an unlimited amount of these drinks (at the flight attendants’ discretion).

Is Premium Economy the same as Main Cabin Extra?

Main Cabin Extra is not the same as Premium Economy. Premium Economy is only available on widebody aircraft on major international long-haul routes, while Main Cabin Extra is available on every aircraft, regardless of route. Main Cabin Extra seats are regular economy seats with extra legroom, and Premium Economy seats are wider seats that are similar to those found in domestic first class.

Is Main Cabin Extra worth it on American Airlines?

For longer flights, Main Cabin Extra is definitely worth it so you can have extra legroom and complimentary drinks. Having more legroom means you can get up without disturbing your seatmate on long-haul flights.

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About James Larounis

James (Jamie) started The Forward Cabin blog to educate readers about points, miles, and loyalty programs. He’s spoken at Princeton University and The New York Times Travel Show and has been quoted in dozens of travel publications.

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Are airlines required to seat families together? Guide to airline family seating policies

Editor's Note

As a mom of three, I'm no stranger to the ins and outs of flying with family .

I know how to disassemble and reassemble my double stroller with ninja-level precision so it will fit through the baggage scanner at security. I also throw screen time rules out the window on travel days. Most importantly, I don't take any chances when it comes to getting my family's seats together when we fly.

Because I know how turbulent flying with kids can be, I happily gave up my seat on a recent solo flight when a father asked if I would switch seats so he could sit with his young son.

I was also quick to say yes because he had a window seat a couple of rows in front of my own window seat. (Had he been in the middle seat, I might have needed an adult beverage thrown in to sweeten the deal, but I digress.)

Related: Should you ask to switch seats on a plane?

The crux of the issue is that it can be costly and confusing to find seats together when traveling with young kids. Some parents assume they will automatically be seated with their kids. Others may end up separated from their families if they are rebooked due to a cancellation. Regardless of the reason, airlines are not legally required to seat families together.

In November 2022, the Department of Transportation began monitoring airline seating policies to determine if federal regulation was necessary regarding family seating.

After months of monitoring, the DOT launched an online dashboard that displays, among other things, which airlines guarantee free family seating. This is part of a larger initiative by the Biden administration to improve consumer protections in the airline industry.

So far, only three airlines – American Airlines , Frontier Airlines and Alaska Airlines – comply with the DOT's guideline that airlines guarantee "adjacent seats for children 13 and under and an accompanying adult at no additional cost for all fare types."

That doesn't mean you are completely out of luck in guaranteeing your family sits together if you are flying on another major airline. Here is a guide to each airline's family seating policy and tips for ensuring your family members can sit together on your next flight.

American Airlines

Like most major airlines, American allows you to choose your seats when booking or at any time leading up to your flight.

There is no fee to choose your seats if you book a first-class, business-class, premium economy or main cabin fare. However, you will have to pay a fee to choose your seats if you choose basic economy tickets — American's least expensive (and most restrictive) fare type.

If you're traveling with children under 15 on any fare type, American's system will detect that you are a family traveling together and automatically search for seats together if you don't choose them yourself. If adjacent seats are unavailable for your entire family, American guarantees children under 15 will be seated next to at least one adult.

Related: Here's what it's really like flying business class with little kids

It's important that you do everything in your power to choose seats for your entire family at the time of booking. This is the only way to guarantee your entire family will sit together during your flight.

To do this, American advises the following :

• Book your entire party's tickets in the same reservation.
• Book your tickets as early as possible, so there are more available seats to choose from.
• It's better to skip seat selection than to choose just a few seats or seats scattered throughout the cabin.

Related: Your ultimate guide to American Airlines AAdvantage

Alaska Airlines

To select your seats at the time of booking on an Alaska flight, you'll need to book either a first-class, premium or main-cabin ticket. Only a limited number of advance seating assignments are available to customers who purchase Alaska's Saver fare tickets.

If no advance seats are available, the seats will be assigned at the gate; this is not ideal for a family wishing to sit together.

The good news is that Alaska Airlines' family seating policy does guarantee that children under 14 will automatically be seated with at least one parent or guardian at no additional charge, including on Saver fares. So, even if you can't find adjacent seats for your entire family, you can rest assured that your children won't be seated separately from an adult.

To guarantee your family sits together on an Alaska Airlines flight :

• Book as early as possible and reserve your family's seats together at the time of purchase.
• Book children on the same reservation as adults.
• Confirm seat selections made through third parties on Alaska Airlines' website or by speaking with a reservations agent by phone.
• If you cannot get reserved seats together with your family during booking, call an Alaska Airlines reservation agent to review available seating options.
• As a last resort, check in online exactly 24 hours before your flight, as this is when most unclaimed seats become available (does not apply to Saver fare seats, which are assigned at the gate on the day of departure).
• Arrive at the gate at least 60 minutes prior to your departure time and speak with a gate agent. Alaska does block a limited number of seats to accommodate families and other needs on a first-come, first-served basis.

Delta Air Lines

All but one of Delta's fare types allow you to select your seats when you purchase your tickets.

If you want your family to sit together, steer clear of Delta's basic economy fares because they do not include advanced seat selection. If you purchase first class, Comfort+ or main cabin tickets, you'll have the option to select your seats during the booking process.

Delta's has other tips for getting your family's seats together :

• Book children on the same reservation as the adults in your party.
• Confirm seat selections made through third parties by calling a Delta reservations agent or going online .
• If you cannot obtain seats together with your family, contact Delta by phone to review your options or, as a last resort, speak with a Delta gate agent at the airport.

Delta does try and seat family members together but only upon request.

Flight attendants will sometimes ask for volunteers to switch seats. The airline also blocks a handful of rows in the main economy cabin on most flights to accommodate groups and families. Still, there are no guarantees unless you reserve your family's seats together before arriving at the airport (preferably at the time of booking).

Frontier Airlines

Frontier's base fares can be alluring to budget-conscious flyers. However, you'll have to pay extra if you want the luxury of advanced seating assignments.

Luckily, Frontier updated its family seating policy to be in compliance with the DOT's recommendations and guarantees that children under age 14 will be seated automatically with at least one parent or guardian at no additional charge.

Unless you have elite status with Frontier , seat selection fees run between $17 and $90 per passenger per flight segment. There are no fare types that include complimentary seat selection for non-elite members if you want your entire family to sit together.

However, you could potentially make up the extra cost by joining Frontier's Discount Den and choosing a Kids Fly Free flight .

Frontier also recommends that families:

• Book as early as possible and purchase advance seat reservations at the time of booking.
• Book children on the same reservation as adults in your party.
• If you book through a third party, visit Frontier's website as soon as possible to purchase advance seat selections.
• Check in as early as possible online or through Frontier's mobile app and Frontier will assign group seats together if any are available.
• If your family is not assigned seats together, speak with a gate agent for assistance.

JetBlue offers complimentary seat selection with all fare types except Blue Basic, meaning Blue and Blue Extra fares include free advance seat selection. However, for Blue Basic fares, there is a fee of between $5 and $40 each way to choose your seat more than 24 hours before departure (Seat selection is available for free at check-in).

With JetBlue's family seating policy , however, the airline guarantees that children ages 13 and younger will be seated next to at least one adult traveling with them on the same reservation without an additional fee. This applies to all fare types, including Blue Basic fares. At the time of booking, JetBlue's system will assign seats together for at least one accompanying parent as long as adjacent seats are still available when you book your flight.

Other tips from JetBlue :

• Book as early as possible for maximum seat selection availability.
• Confirm seat selections made through a third party on JetBlue's website.
• If you cannot obtain seats together at the time of booking, contact a JetBlue agent at check-in or talk to one at the gate. They will do their best to seat your family together.

JetBlue does its best to keep families together and blocks a limited number of rows until the day of travel for passengers with disabilities and unaccompanied minors . If any seats are available after accommodating these passengers, JetBlue may be able to use them to seat families together.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines is the one airline on this list that does not assign seats in advance, so you cannot purchase a specific seat assignment ahead of time.

With Southwest's open seating policy , you will be assigned a boarding group (A, B or C) and a position within that boarding group (1 through 60-plus) at check-in. Essentially, A1 is the best boarding position and you'll have the most seating options available to you when you board the plane.

Because of this, the strategies for getting your family's seats together on a Southwest flight differ from other airlines.

Check in on time

To get as high of a boarding group as possible, you'll need to check in exactly (like, to the second) 24 hours prior to your flight. This should land your family in an A or B boarding group, and most of the time, you won't have an issue getting your family's seats together. You may have to venture to the back of the plane to find those seats, though.

Utilize family boarding

If you have a B or C boarding group and are traveling with a child 6 years old or younger, you will have the option to board between the A and B groups during "family boarding."

Southwest's policy states that up to two adults can board with a child age 6 or younger during family boarding. If you have more adults than this in your party, speak with a Southwest gate agent to determine your best strategy for finding seats together once on board.

Related: Southwest Airlines offers expanded family boarding ages on some flights

Purchase EarlyBird Check-In or Upgraded Boarding

You can also purchase EarlyBird Check-In , which gives you the convenience of automatic check-in 36 hours before your flight. (Southwest's regular check-in process begins 24 hours prior to your flight.) This means you'll automatically receive an earlier boarding position and more available seats to choose from than if you'd done it yourself.

EarlyBird Check-In pricing starts at $15 per passenger per flight segment, and you must purchase it for everyone in your party. Depending on availability, you may also be able to purchase Upgraded Boarding at the gate for between $30 and $50 per person per flight segment to secure an A1-A15 boarding position.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card holders can receive two EarlyBird Check-Ins per year, which can bring the total cost for your family down a bit. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card also has a benefit of four Upgraded Boardings per year.

Rapid Rewards A-List and A-List Preferred members (and those traveling on the same reservation) automatically receive a boarding position 36 hours prior to departure, though you will still need to check in within 24 hours of your flight to receive your boarding pass.

The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Buy a Business Select fare

Finally, you have the option to purchase a Business Select fare, which, among other perks, includes priority boarding in the A1-A15 group.

Speak with an agent

If you don't heed our advice and find yourself at the airport with a less-than-desirable boarding group, Southwest advises that you speak with a gate agent or flight attendant. They will see if any passengers are willing to move to accommodate your family if you aren't able to get seats together.

Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines keeps its family seating advice plain and simple: The only way to guarantee you'll be able to sit with your family is to purchase your seat assignments ahead of time.

Seat assignments start at $5 per person per segment and vary by route and seat location in the aircraft. You can purchase your seat assignment when you book your flight, during check-in or anytime in between. However, the earlier you choose the seats, the better chance your entire family will be able to sit together.

Spirit currently has no official family seating policy. It only states that it "can't guarantee that you'll sit with your friends and family" if you don't purchase seat assignments; it says that gate agents will work to provide adjacent seats for guests flying with children aged 13 and under whenever possible.

There are ways to save money when purchasing your seats, though. Spirit Saver$ Club members receive low fares and discounted prices for add-ons like bags and seats. There is an annual fee, but if you have a large family or plan on flying Spirit Airlines often, the cost may be less than purchasing seats for your entire group.

Speaking of frequent flying, members of Spirit's Free Spirit loyalty program at the Gold level receive, among other perks, free seat selection at the time of booking. Unlike Frontier's program, Spirit's elite status perks, such as seat selection, do not confer to other members on the reservation.

United Airlines

United is also among the few airlines committed to helping families sit together on flights. United's family seating policy guarantees families with children under age 12 in certain cabins can sit together for free, regardless of fare type.

Now, United's new "dynamic seat map feature" will enable passengers to book two seats together for travelers under 12 and an adult companion for free, including on basic economy fares.

You'll probably want to avoid basic economy on United if you want your party to stay together. United explicitly states on its website that it's not able to guarantee your entire party will be able to sit together if you purchase a basic economy fare and do not purchase advance seat assignments.

Here are a few more helpful tips for families flying United :

• Book your tickets as early as possible and reserve your family's seats together when booking.
• Confirm seat selections made through a third party.
• If only scattered seats are available at the time of booking, you are better off letting United's system automatically choose seats for you because it will attempt to seat families on the same reservation with unassigned seats together.
• If you do not select seats in advance, United's system will attempt to find adjoining seats for you and your children under 15 on the same reservation, regardless of fare type.
• If you cannot obtain seats together, arrive early at your departure gate and speak with a gate agent. They will ask for volunteers to move seats and help accommodate your family.

General tips

There is a lot of overlap with the guidance for getting your family's seats together on most U.S. airlines (with Southwest being the exception).

You want to do everything possible to:

• Book early and select seats when you book. Do not wait until the last minute to check your seat assignments.
• Avoid saver or basic fares because they often do not offer complimentary seat selection.
• Choose your family's seats when booking, whether it's included with your fare or you have to pay an additional fee.
• If you are unable to get your family's seats together at the time of booking, call the airline and speak with a reservations agent to determine the best course of action.
• Keep checking seat availability in the months and weeks leading up to your flight, especially in the final week before your trip and again 24 hours before your flight. These are the times when people make last-minute changes or elite flyers receive automatic seat upgrades, freeing up space on the seating map.
• If you arrive at the airport and still haven't been able to secure your family's seats together, politely ask a gate agent or flight attendant for help. You may still have the option to pay for an upgrade, or they can assist you by finding open seats. It may be too late to do anything official, but they'll be much more willing to help if you approach them with kindness.

Related: Where to sit on a plane with 2 small kids

Bottom line

Sometimes kind travelers will help parents who end up in a bind onboard, but there's no guarantee. Luckily, airlines are falling in line and making it easier for families traveling together to sit together.

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How to Choose a Seat on a Plane

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What used to be a simple part of purchasing an airline ticket has become a hot mess in recent years. Should you pay for more legroom? Should you pay at all? Do you have to select a seat in order to get on the plane? These are legitimate questions, and airlines do little to help answer them during checkout.

Here we offer simple, straightforward guidance for how to choose airlines seats, or how to skip seat selection altogether. Airlines have different rules and costs associated with seat selection yet all share many similarities. Mastering this basic yet important aspect of flying can make your trip more comfortable and save you a surprising amount of money.

The big exception here is Southwest Airlines, which doesn't follow the industry’s seat selection conventions .

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

Steps to selecting seats on planes

Step 1: pick an airline with lower seat selection fees.

Let’s take a step back: Yes, many airlines now charge a fee to select seats ahead of time. This is a relatively new reality in the travel world and isn't consistent from airline to airline or even trip to trip. Therefore, it’s good to know which airlines are saddling customers with sky-high fees and which are keeping them modest, or skipping them altogether.

We determined these seat selection fees by looking across several fares and averaging the cost of choosing a window seat near the front of the plane and choosing a middle seat near the back.

Airlines like American Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines charged high fees for both window seats near the front of the plane and middle seats near the back.

Delta Air Lines and United Airlines only charged for the nicer seats.

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines charged nothing at all.

So you can save yourself some hassle by choosing an airline with more reasonable rules and fees. You don’t want to end up on the fifth checkout screen and realize that you owe $40 extra for your seat.

» Learn more: How to navigate costly airline seat selection fees

Step 2: Skip seat selection if you have to pay

Here’s the tricky underside of seat selection fees: You usually don’t have to pay them, but airlines really want you to. This gets especially confusing with basic economy fares, which differ from airline to airline and often don’t include free seat selection. 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.

You might think you have to shell out $14 extra on this flight, but not so: You can skip the seat selection process altogether and save that money if you don't care at all about where you will sit.

Does skipping seat selection mean you might not get a seat at all? Emphatically, no. You will likely get assigned a seat during check-in (though you should still skip it if the airline tries to tack on a fee) or, at the very least, at the gate.

Again: You don’t have to select a seat in order to get a seat. You just might get stuck with a suboptimal one if you choose to skip it. It is important to note that if you're traveling with others, there is no guarantee that your seats will be assigned together if you choose to forgo paying for seat selection, so you’ll need to factor that inconvenience into your decision.

Step 3: Weigh the pros and cons of paying to upgrade your seat

Most airlines now offer three categories of economy fares:

Basic economy . These fares are highly restrictive and usually don’t include free seat selection.

Economy (sometimes called “main cabin”). These are the normal economy fares.

Premium economy (every airline has its own name). Premium economy fares often include perks like extra legroom and a free drink.

Some airlines even offer a fourth category:

Economy preferred (or similar). These are usually economy seats with preferential placement, such as near the front of the plane and on the aisles and windows.

When you purchase one of these fares, your airline will probably ask whether you want to upgrade. Sometimes this will be an interstitial screen during checkout, such as this section from Delta:

More often, this choice will be baked into the seat selection screen. For example, if you select a Comfort+ (premium economy) seat on Delta, you’ll see the cost of upgrading to this seat along with some of the perks.

Feeling some decision fatigue yet? Don’t worry, here are some simple rules to follow:

If you are not 100% confident in your plans, upgrade from basic economy to main cabin for better change/cancellation policies.

If you must have a window or aisle seat, upgrade from basic economy to economy or economy preferred.

If you must have more legroom, upgrade from main cabin (or main cabin preferred) to premium economy.

When in doubt, don’t upgrade. These fees might seem small, but they can add up in a hurry, especially on round-trip flights.

Keep in mind that airlines have different names for these different upgrade options.

Step 4: Check to make sure your seat selection is OK

Assuming you have selected a seat and not chosen to skip it in step 2, you’ll want to make sure it’s a decent, comfortable option and your best choice for your journey. This is especially important for long international flights where the difference between a cramped seat by the bathroom and a bulkhead seat with extra legroom can make a huge difference.

Some airlines include information about the seats during the seat selection process, but remember that they are trying to upsell you on an upgrade, so take this with a grain of salt. Instead, consult a third-party website like SeatGuru.

SeatGuru includes detailed information about each seat in most major airlines’ fleets. It has a color-coded map that lets you easily spot the best and worst seats onboard.

The easiest way to find your aircraft is to use the search tool on SeatGuru’s homepage.

Fair warning: SeatGuru is not the most user-friendly site. It’s still so much better than all the competition that it remains the go-to resource for fleet-specific seat info.

» Learn more: What to look for in airline seat reviews

Final thoughts on picking plane seats

Don’t be overwhelmed by the process of learning how to pick flight seats. Airlines have made it that way on purpose in order to sell their more “premium” seating options. Understanding these basics can save you lots of money.

When in doubt, keep it simple. Skip seat selection altogether if the airline is asking you to pay, knowing that you’ll still get assigned a seat before takeoff. And don’t upgrade your seat unless you absolutely must.

Seating is just one of the ways that airlines have turned purchasing air travel into a gamut of add-on fees . Keeping your total cost down requires a bit of know-how and navigation, but is well worth the effort.

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SeatGuru was created to help travelers choose the best seats and in-flight amenities.

Choosing your seat in advance

We recommend that you choose your seat as early as possible to get the one you want, and to avoid sitting separately from family or friends.

How to choose your seat

You can do this when booking your flight or afterwards through Manage My Booking.

If you have a booking, follow these simple steps:

• Log in to Manage My Booking
• Under 'Your booking details', click on your flight number
• Under 'Seating', click on 'View or change seats for this flight' and follow the instructions on screen

Do I have to pay to choose a seat?

Whether your seat selection is free or you’ll have to pay extra depends on a range of factors, including the fare you choose and your cabin of travel.

You can choose your seat for free from 24 hours before departure when check-in opens, unless you’ve booked a Basic ticket (economy, hand-baggage only) where your seat is allocated to you.

With a Basic ticket (economy, hand baggage only), you can either:

• Pay to choose your seat from when you book until check-in opens, or
• We’ll allocate you a seat for free when check-in opens. You can then pay to change to a different seat, although your choice may be limited.

If you’re an Executive Club Member, you’ll collect Avios if you pay to choose your seat on a British Airways flight. You’ll collect at least six Avios per pound (GBP) spent. Find out more about collecting Avios on flights .

You may be entitled to choose your seat for free if you fall into one of the following groups.

Travelling in First

It’s free from the time of booking to choose a seat in our First cabin.

Executive Club Members

As an Executive Club one world® frequent flyer Member you're able to choose seats at different stages, depending on your tier.

You must be travelling on the booking, or in the case of Gold Members, one of the bookings, for these benefits to apply. They apply to British Airways-operated flights only and are not available on group rate bookings.

On some occasions, exit row seats on short-haul flights may not be available in advance due to operational reasons.

Gold/oneworld Emerald

Enjoy free seat selection when booking for everyone in your party. This includes friends and family on other bookings who are travelling with you in the same travel class and on the same flight.

Silver/oneworld Sapphire

Enjoy free seat selection – excluding exit row seats on long-haul flights – from the time of booking for everyone in your party. Exit row seats on long-haul flights can be selected for free from 24 hours before departure.

Bronze/oneworld Ruby

Enjoy free seat selection – excluding exit row seats – from seven days before departure for everyone in your party. Exit row seats can be selected for free from 24 hours before departure.

Enjoy free seat selection from 24 hours before departure, excluding exit row seats and not including travel on basic fares. Seats can be purchased from the time of booking.

Flexible tickets

Tickets with increased flexibility allow you to make certain changes to the date and time of your flight. They also include free seat selection.

• Fully Flexible fares (Y/W/J class) allow you to choose seats for free from the time of booking.
• Short haul Plus fares allow you to choose seats for free from 48 hours before departure.

You choose your flexibility when you buy your flights.

Choosing seats together on separate tickets

You can see which seats are still available together to choose for free from 24 hours before your flight, when online check-in opens.

However, if you are travelling with others on different bookings, you can pay in advance to choose specific seats to ensure you sit together for your flight. Just log in to Manage My Booking .

Flying with children

To get the best choice of seats and make sure your family sits together, it’s best to choose your seats in advance. You might have to pay to do this.

If you don’t choose your seats in advance

We’ll do our best to seat your family together by assigning seats a few days before your flight departs. However, seat selection may be limited at that time and your seats may be split across different rows or the aisle. We'll make sure each child under 12 years sits next to an adult from your booking but children over 12 years are booked as an adult in our system and may sit separately.

Travelling with an infant under two

Seats are free when you fly with an infant under two who won't be travelling in a seat of their own. You can choose a seat for you and everyone in your party free of charge as soon as you've made your booking, except for bookings of over nine people. One person in your group and the infant will be able to choose a carrycot/seat position, subject to availability. The remainder of your party will be able to select other seats for free.

Travelling with a disability

There's no charge for choosing your seat if you have a specific seating requirement because of your disability.

How to book your seat

In most cases, you can select your seat using Manage My Booking, but sometimes you may need to contact us, like for some non-visible disabilities. Here's what you need to do.

• Book your flight
• We recommend that you let us know about the assistance you require at least 48 hours before your flight leaves. Once you have notified us that you require additional assistance, go to Manage My Booking and click on 'Seating' within the flight details section
• Select your seat, and if you need any help, please contact us

Travelling in large groups

Groups of more than nine people.

When you travel as a group, we’ll allocate your seats free of charge. While we'll try to seat your party together, we can't always guarantee it, particularly if your group is split across separate bookings.

To ensure your group is seated together, or if you would like specific seats, you can pay to choose your seats in advance. This applies to groups booked in the UK and Ireland only.

Paying for a seat

How much will it cost.

The cost of selecting a seat varies depending on the type of seat and the cabin you're travelling in. Prices are available when booking your flight or in Manage My Booking. You can pay in advance using a credit or debit card or by using Avios on British Airways-operated flights.

It may not be possible to choose bulkhead seats, as they're usually reserved for customers with a disability or those travelling with an infant.

Payments at the airport

Like many airlines, we only accept debit or credit card payments at many of the airports we operate from, including London Heathrow, London Gatwick and North America.

Pay with Avios

You can use your Avios to pay for seats in advance via Manage My Booking , with full or part payment options available. This is available for British Airways-operated flights and gives you more ways to spend your Avios.

As an Executive Club Bronze, Silver or Gold Member you can choose seats for free in many instances. For more information see our terms and conditions below.

Changes and refunds

If you’ve paid to choose a seat and we're unable to offer you that seat or a suitable alternative when you board your flight, you can claim a refund. See our terms and conditions for paid seating below.

Terms and conditions

Availability

• All paid seating is subject to availability and is only confirmed once paid for.
• Paid seating is available on British Airways mainline operated flights and on British Airways-operated flights marketed by other carriers.
• Paid seating may be offered by British Airways franchisee airlines. The seating Terms and Conditions of British Airways franchisee airlines may differ from those of British Airways mainline-operated flights, therefore we recommend that you refer to the franchisee airline’s relevant Terms and Conditions.
• Paid seating may be unavailable on some flights operated by codeshare partners.
• Paid seating for group customers (bookings containing more than 9 passengers) is only available where the reservation has been made directly with British Airways Group Sales. Group customers who have made their reservation through a travel agent or a tour operator cannot currently book paid seating. Payment with Avios is currently unavailable for group customers.
• All un-ticketed passengers, including those travelling on a cruise or package holiday who have not yet received confirmation of their ticket numbers, are unable to choose paid seating until they have received confirmation of their ticket numbers.

Changes to seats

• On British Airways marketed and operated flights, you may change your seat (subject to availability) at any time. If you change your seat to a lower-priced seat, we will not refund the difference in price. If you change your seat to a higher-priced seat, you must pay the difference in price.
• You cannot make changes to paid seating on British Airways-operated flights marketed by other carriers.
• Paid seating is not guaranteed, as seating may need to be changed for operational, safety or security reasons, even after boarding the aircraft.
• If we change your seat, we will attempt to find you a suitable alternative. If you are unsatisfied with your new seat, you can apply for a refund of the paid seating.
• Paid seating is not transferable to any other passenger.
• British Airways changes your seat to an alternative seat and you are unsatisfied with the alternative seat
• British Airways cancels your flight
• You become ineligible to sit in an exit row and you inform us at least 48 hours in advance of scheduled departure of your flight, or
• You have paid for a cabin upgrade and do not wish to pay the difference to select your seat in the upgraded cabin.

The above does not affect any right to a refund you may have during a “cooling-off” period, if and to the extent applicable under local law. Details of this under Israel’s Consumer Protection Law 1981 are set out in our legal information .

• Cancel your flight
• Are involuntarily upgraded
• Are considered unsuitable to sit in the seat type you have selected
• Accept a voucher towards a future booking that includes paid seating (see further the relevant voucher Terms and Conditions), or
• Have booked a British Airways operated flight marketed by another carrier and choose to move to a different flight.
• On British Airways marketed and operated flights, if, in accordance with your ticket type, you choose to move to a different flight, you will be entitled to choose an equivalent seat on your new flight. If an equivalent seat is not available, any sums previously paid for seating will be forfeited and will not be refunded. Alternatively, you may choose a more expensive seat and pay the difference in price.
• On flights marketed by other carriers, if you choose to move to a different flight, you will not be entitled to choose an equivalent seat on the new flight and you will not be entitled to a refund.
• You have 30 days after the last flight in your itinerary to apply for a refund of paid seating, where due. Please submit your refund application online using our seating refund form . We cannot process refund applications at the airport or on board.
• Unless otherwise stated, we will only make a refund to the credit card used to pay for the paid seating, or in the case of Avios payment, to the Executive Club Member’s Avios account.  

Exit row seats

• Exit row seats are situated either next to or immediately behind the exit door.
• If you choose an exit seat, in the unlikely event of an emergency evacuation you will be expected to assist us in opening the emergency door. For this reason, you must: be over the age of 12 years old, not be pregnant, not have accessibility needs or be substantially blind or deaf, be fit enough to operate an emergency exit door, be able to understand printed or verbal instructions given in English, and be willing, as well as able, to assist in the case of an emergency evacuation. When requesting an exit row seat, you will be asked to verify your eligibility.
• British Airways has the sole discretion to determine whether you meet the requirements to sit in an exit row seat. If you do not meet the requirements, you will be assigned an alternative seat. The additional amount paid for an exit row seat will be forfeited and will not be refunded.
• If, after the date of requesting an exit row seat, you become unable to fulfil the requirements to sit in an exit row seat, please contact us at least 48 hours before your flight in order to claim a refund.

Using Avios as payment for seat selection

• Executive Club Members can use their Avios to pay in full or in part for paid seating on British Airways operated flights in Manage My Booking on ba.com or by calling a British Airways Contact Centre.
• Paid seating purchased with this payment option will be subject to these Paid Seating Terms and Conditions.
• All seats selected must be eligible for full or part Avios payment in order for Avios to be applied to the booking.
• The Avios payment rates are defined in a fixed set of currencies. If more than one Avios payment option is available, it is not possible to change the price option chosen once a booking has been made.
• The Avios payable will depend on the cabin class, route selected and the number of people on the booking. This will be displayed on the booking page.
• British Airways reserves the right to alter the applicable Avios payment rates at any time in its sole and absolute discretion, but this will not apply to bookings already made.
• When an Executive Club Member pays for seating using Avios, the Avios will be debited from the Member’s Executive Club account for each passenger on the booking.
• When Avios has been used as full or part payment for seating, those Avios will be refundable only in accordance with the rules detailed in these Paid Seating Terms and Conditions.
• When a seat selection is made using Avios as full or part payment for a member who is either on the Household Account or the Family and Friends List, the Avios will be taken from each Member’s Avios points balance in proportion to the size of each Household Account Member’s Avios points balance. Members of a Household Account can make full or part Avios payment for paid seating for people outside of the Household Account.
• Avios payment may not be used in conjunction with any other promotional offers, unless expressly stated otherwise.
• Members do not earn Avios and Tier Points on paid seating.
• It is not possible to use Avios for paid seating on bookings made through Concur or on group bookings.

Booking an extra seat for additional space

You can buy an extra ticket to keep the seat next to you free, for reasons like requiring additional personal space or to secure a fragile or precious item, such as a musical instrument or painting.

An item must fit in the seat, otherwise it will need to be checked into the hold. Find out more about baggage .

How to book an extra seat

• Please contact us  or your travel agent to make a booking for an extra seat as this type of booking cannot be made online.
• If you arrive at the airport and haven't booked an extra seat in advance, please speak to a member of British Airways staff. If there are seats available in the cabin you are travelling in, you may be able to buy an extra seat.
• At many airports, including London Heathrow, London Gatwick and some in North America, you can only pay using a card. Please check with a member of our staff at the airport to find out if options are available for converting cash to a payment card.

Additional personal space and safety

If you would like the seat next to you to be kept free for additional personal space, you can buy it as an extra seat for comfort.

You'll need to buy yourself an extra seat for comfort if:

• You're travelling in economy and need more space to easily fasten your seatbelt for take-off, landing or during periods of turbulence, or
• You're unable to fully lower both armrests of your seat. It's a safety requirement to have a fully lowered armrest between each passenger during take-off, landing and turbulence.

We can give you an extension seatbelt if you need it.

Please note:

• An extra seat doesn't give additional seat width – see our seat dimensions guide below for the minimum seat widths on our aircraft.
• On most of our long-haul aircraft, the armrests in the economy cabin don't fold away into the seat back completely. They stop at an angle of 45 degrees when lifted and can't be raised further.
• There must be a fully lowered armrest between each passenger during take-off, landing and turbulence. 
• Armrests are fixed in our First, business (Club World) and premium economy (World Traveller Plus) cabins and can't be raised or lowered.
• You can't buy an extra seat for comfort at the bulkhead or on an exit row.
• You won't be able to buy an extra seat on a British Airways-operated flight if your journey includes a flight operated by another airline.

Choosing seats with our partner airlines

If you book with us for a flight operated by American Airlines, Finnair, Iberia, JAL or Qantas, you can choose your seats in Manage My Booking .

If you’re flying with one of our one world alliance partners and are an Executive Club Gold/oneworld Emerald Member, a Silver/Sapphire Member, or a Bronze/Ruby Member, you can contact your local British Airways customer centre to choose a seat for that flight.

In all other cases when you're flying with one of our partner airlines, please contact them directly to choose your seat.

Please note that you cannot use Avios to pay for seats on flights that are operated by our partner airlines.

If you paid to choose a seat on a flight operated by any of our partner airlines and would like to get a refund, please contact them directly.

How to use ExpertFlyer alerts to snag a better seat

MSN has partnered with The Points Guy for our coverage of credit card products. MSN and The Points Guy may receive a commission from card issuers.

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with the latest information.

We get it. Airline seat selection can be a frustrating endeavor. Window or aisle? Preferred seat or standard seat? Over the wing or not? Should I not select a seat and hope to score a great one at check-in?

Sometimes, your ideal seat may not be available when you book. And who has time to manually check a seat map multiple times a day leading up to a flight in the hopes that a better one opens up?

Fortunately, ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG’s parent company, Red Ventures) can do this automatically. Best of all, you can set an alert for a window or aisle seat with ExpertFlyer’s free membership. In this guide, we’ll take you through exactly how to set up and use ExpertFlyer seat alerts.

What is ExpertFlyer?

ExpertFlyer is free for anyone to join, but it also includes two paid membership tiers that unlock expanded features and functionality. You can sign up for a free five-day Premium trial on the ExpertFlyer website if you’re a new member. Here are the three membership levels:

• Free : Set an alert to notify you when a more desirable seat opens up on your flight. You’re limited to one free alert at a time, though you can add more for $0.99 each.
• Basic ($4.99 per month): Offers additional features, such as award and upgrade inventory search and flight availability. You can set four seat alerts simultaneously, but you’re limited to 250 queries per month.
• Premium ($9.99 per month, or $99.99 per year): Includes flexible search options, unlimited queries and the ability to create aircraft change and flight alerts. You can have up to 200 combined flight and seat alerts simultaneously.

For more information on ExpertFlyer, check out our guide to finding award space with ExpertFlyer . The remainder of this guide will focus solely on ExperFlyer seat alerts.

Related: Tips for picking the perfect airplane seat every time

How to set an ExpertFlyer seat alert

Once you’ve signed up for ExpertFlyer, you can set a seat alert even if you opt for the free membership tier. Before you go to ExpertFlyer to set a seat alert, gather your flight information. Specifically, you’ll need the following information about your flight:

• Departure airport
• Arrival airport
• Airline name or International Air Transport Association code
• Flight number
• Class of service

Once you have this information, log in to your account and click “Create new seat alert” from the homepage.

Next, enter your flight details and click “Search.”

Now, click “Create seat alert.” Name your alert and select your criteria on the right before clicking “Create.” Note that if you are on a free ExpertFlyer membership and are using your free alert, you’ll only be able to set up an alert for any seat, any aisle seat or any window seat. In this case, I’ve set the alert to advise me about aisle and window bulkhead seats.

Once you create an alert, ExpertFlyer will notify you via email if your desired seats become available.

Related:  Are airlines required to seat families together? Guide to airline family seating policies

When to set a seat alert

There are a handful of times when you may find yourself in need of a better seat, including the following scenarios:

• Your preferred seat type (aisle or window) isn’t available.
• You’re stuck in a middle seat and prefer a window or aisle seat.
• You can’t find seats together for you and your spouse/friend(s)/family member(s).
• You’d prefer a seat in a different part of the plane (like closer to the front for ease of deplaning or closer to the back for restroom proximity).
• You want a specific seat, such as an exit-row seat or a seat in a two-seat row.

In any of these cases, the ExpertFlyer seat alerts feature can help get you out of your existing seat and into a better one.

Related: Apps and websites that make award redemptions easier

Using ExpertFlyer seat alerts

Now, let’s consider how to use ExpertFlyer seat alerts.

Let’s say you are flying American Airlines flight 185 from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Nov. 26, 2023 — a flight roughly five weeks away when we last updated this guide. Given the flight’s length, you’d like to avoid sitting in a middle seat. Unfortunately, there are no more standard window or aisle seats left — only paid ones.

To set up an alert, log in to your ExpertFlyer account and click “Create new seat alert” from the homepage. Enter the search criteria for your flight:

• Departure airport name or code: JFK
• Arrival airport name or code: LAX
• Date: Nov. 26, 2023
• Airline name or code: American Airlines (AA)
• Flight number: 185
• Class of service: Economy

The site will then pull up the above seat map, and you can select specific seats. In this case, I ticked off all the complimentary aisle and window seats except for the plane’s last row.

Once you’ve added these details, click “Create.” You’ll get an immediate notification that your alert was successfully created.

You’ll receive an email notification once ExpertFlyer locates a seat that matches your alert criteria. At that point, it’s up to you to access your reservation directly with the operating airline and select the seat. Do so immediately, especially if your flight departs within 24 to 48 hours. Open seats tend to get snapped up quickly, so acting quickly when you get an alert will maximize your chances of moving to a better seat.

Related:  Should you ask to switch seats on a plane?

Bottom line

ExpertFlyer can have a ton of utility for advanced flyers, as you can set alerts for awards and upgrades on dozens of airlines with a paid Premium membership. However, it’s also a fantastic tool for casual travelers, thanks to the seat alert feature available even to users with a free membership.

If you can’t select a window or aisle seat you like for an upcoming flight, I recommend starting a free ExpertFlyer membership (or a five-day free Premium trial ) and setting a seat alert to search for a better seat. It’s quick and free to do so, and you may let you snag a window or an aisle seat. Likewise, if you’re traveling with a friend or family member and can’t find two seats together, it may be well worth upgrading to a Basic or Premium ExpertFlyer membership to create a seat alert for any two seats together.

SPONSORED:  With states reopening, enjoying a meal from a restaurant no longer just means curbside pickup.

And when you do spend on dining, you should use a credit card that will maximize your rewards and potentially even score special discounts. Thanks to temporary card bonuses and changes due to coronavirus, you may even be able to score a meal at your favorite restaurant for free. 

These are the best credit cards for dining out, taking out, and ordering in to maximize every meal purchase.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Travel with Grant

Transforming your frequent flyer miles into free trips around the world.

Contact AMEX if Alaska Airlines Seat Assignment / Upgrade Purchases Do Not Trigger Airline Fee Reimbursement Credit

Good afternoon everyone, I hope your week is going well.  Recently, I noticed that my Alaska Airlines seat assignment purchases on my American Express Business Platinum Card were not triggering the $200 Airline Fee Reimbursement Credit.  I paid for 4 premium economy seat assignments on Alaska Airlines in January and the credits had not posted in the following 2 months.  I went to Frequent Miler’s Amex Airline Fee Reimbursements. What still works? post and scrolled down to the Alaska Airlines section.  There was a note that said:

“Since 2022, there have been many reports of Alaska charges not being reimbursed automatically. It seems that many have had success getting charges for premium seat selection and things that ordinarily should be included (like lounge access, onboard purchases, etc) manually credited via the chat function, but only after 2 weeks has passed since the transaction date. Historical Alaska data included below, but beware that you may need to chat and hope for a friendly agent. See more data in this Flyertalk thread.”

I decided to reach out to American Express for help.

On Friday (4/12), I called the phone number on the back of my AMEX Business Platinum (1-800-492-8468) and spoke to the rep.  I explained to the rep that my Alaska Airlines premium economy seat assignment purchases from January did not trigger the $200 Airline Fee Reimbursement Credit.  The rep researched the transactions, said they were all eligible for the credit, and was able to manually apply the credits to my account.  I was told it would take up to 5 business days for the credit to post.  Fast forward to today (4/15) and I saw the $200 in credits posted to my account with a posting date of 4/13.

I also confirmed in the Benefits tab that the $200 Airline Fee Reimbursement Credit benefit was successfully completed,

I have never had an issue with the $200 Airline Fee Reimbursement Credit in previous years when I purchases Alaska Airlines premium economy seat assignments, so I’m not sure when this issue started.  Long story short, if it’s been more than 2-3 weeks since your qualifying purchase and you do not see the credits, reach out to American Express for help.  You can call or use the live chat feature to resolve this issue.  If you have any questions about the process, please leave a comment below.  Have a great day everyone!

Check Out These Related Posts:

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American Airlines pilots raise alarm about safety in new union memo

American Airlines’ pilots union is warning that it’s been tracking a “significant spike” in safety and maintenance issues at the airline.

In a memo to its members that USA TODAY reviewed, the Allied Pilots Association’s Safety Committee said it was seeing a trend of tools left in wheel wells after maintenance work was performed, an increase in aircraft collisions on the ground during towing operations, poor recordkeeping and abbreviated check flights after maintenance, among other issues.

“While United Airlines is currently under public and government scrutiny, it could just as easily be American Airlines,” the memo said. The union also said airline employees appear to be under pressure to return aircraft to service in an effort to maintain flight schedules.

In a separate letter to the union’s members that USA TODAY reviewed, APA President Ed Sicher said union representatives have met with American’s management team to address their concerns.

“We secured management’s commitment to involve the union earlier in the safety risk assessment (SRA) process, and we are likewise seeking a commitment that APA will have a seat at the table for the entire quality assurance process,” Sicher’s letter said. It also encouraged members to continue taking advantage of internal reporting tools if they witness safety or maintenance-related incidents.

American Airlines did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.

The airline told The Hill in a statement that it emphasized safety in all its operations.

“Safety at any airline is a shared mission and it’s especially true at American. Our robust safety program is guided by our industry-leading safety management system,” the statement said.

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

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• Travel experience

Basic Economy

Our lowest Main Cabin fare around the world

Book a Basic Economy fare to get our lowest price. There are some restrictions, but you'll still enjoy a comfortable seat in the Main Cabin, free snacks, soft drinks and inflight entertainment.

Basic Economy fares cannot be combined with other fare types.

Book a trip today

The basics about Basic Economy fares

Changes and cancellations.

Basic Economy fare tickets cannot be changed*. However, you have up to 24 hours from the time you first buy your ticket to cancel and get a refund if you booked at least 2 days before departure. After 24 hours, refunds are not allowed.

Read about 24-hour cancellations

AAdvantage ® members can cancel Basic Economy fare tickets on or after January 17, 2024 and receive travel credit for a fee. To qualify, your AAdvantage ® number must be in your reservation before canceling. Your trip must also be on American marketed and operated flights within the 50 U.S. states and canceled on aa.com or the American app before the first flight departs. If the fee is more than the ticket price, travel credit will not be issued.

• Read about Basic Economy cancellations
• Ticketing and other fees

*If your trip originates in Europe (except Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania), you can change your Basic Economy ticket for a fee.

You can bring 1 carry-on bag and 1 personal item on board the plane. Carry-on requirements apply to all customers, including AAdvantage ® status members.

• Carry-on bag: This bag must fit in the overhead bin above your seat
• Personal item: This item must fit under the seat in front of you
• Basic Economy fares do not include free checked bags**

In addition to your 1 personal item, you can also bring instruments, pets and special items that meet our guidelines, but you will be charged a standard fee for these items.

No other items can be carried on; they must be checked at the ticket counter.

Need more information about bag policies?

• Carry-on bags
• Checked bag policy
• Traveling with pets
• Special items and sports equipment

**Doesn’t apply to AAdvantage ® status members. Eligible AAdvantage ® credit cardmembers are exempt only when flying within the U.S. and Canada on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines. For travel to / from Asia, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel for tickets issued on / after June 7, 2023 there are no free checked bags and for tickets issued on / before June 6, 2023 Basic Economy has 1 free checked bag.

You can choose a specific seat at any time for a fee. AAdvantage ® members can choose complimentary seats based on their status. Otherwise, seats will be automatically assigned for free at check-in. We cannot guarantee that companions on the same ticket will be seated together.

Families traveling

If you’re a family traveling with children under 15, and do not already have seats assigned, our system will search for seats together automatically before the day of departure. We’ll try our best to keep you together, but if seats are limited, we’ll assign seats so children under 15 are next to at least 1 adult.

Traveling with children and infants

When you’ll board

Basic Economy passengers board last, typically in Group 9. Overhead bin space is usually full by then, so plan to check your carry-on bag and bring only 1 personal item on board. Customers who need special assistance and families with children under 2 years old can ask to board early at the gate.

AAdvantage ® status members, AAdvantage ® members who reach 15,000 Loyalty Points during the qualification year or eligible AAdvantage ® credit cardmembers may board in the group shown on their boarding pass.

Boarding process

Same-day travel

If you have a change of plans, you can make same-day confirmed changes on select flights for a fee, with some exceptions. You can also stand by for a flight at no charge.

AAdvantage® members

AAdvantage ® status benefits may vary for flights marketed and / or operated by our partners.

AAdvantage ® status members can upgrade from Basic Economy fares for themselves plus 1 companion traveling on the same flight, if they bought their ticket at least 24 hours before departure. Upgrades are only available on flights marketed and operated by American within / between the U.S. (including Hawaii), Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean and Central America.

Complimentary upgrades

AAdvantage ® status members and eligible Citi ® / AAdvantage ® or AAdvantage ® Aviator ® Mastercard ® cardmembers are exempt from certain restrictions.

• Upgrade privileges
• Complimentary Preferred and Main Cabin Extra seat benefits based on AAdvantage ® status
• Complimentary confirmed same-day flight changes for AAdvantage Executive Platinum ® and AAdvantage Platinum Pro ® members
• Priority or preferred boarding privileges
• Checked bag benefits*

*Eligible AAdvantage ® credit cardmembers may check 1 free bag when traveling to domestic destinations on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines.

Eligible cards

• Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard ®
• Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select World Elite™ Mastercard ®
• CitiBusiness / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select World Elite™ Mastercard ®
• Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® American Express ® Card
• Citi ® / AAdvantage ® Platinum Select ® Visa Signature
• AAdvantage ® Aviator™ Silver Mastercard ®
• AAdvantage ® Aviator™ Red Mastercard ®
• AAdvantage ® Aviator™ Business Mastercard ®

Award miles earn based on ticket price (includes base fare plus carrier-imposed fees; excludes government-imposed taxes and fees) on flights marketed and operated by American.

Basic Economy tickets issued on or after January 1, 2023, for travel starting March 1, 2023 will earn award miles at a rate of 2 miles per dollar in addition to Loyalty Points. Status members bonus percentages will apply to the base mileage rate of 2 miles per dollar on American and other select partner airlines.

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