Just because you to find cheap fares and purchased cheap airplane tickets or cheap vacation packages does not mean that you have to fly all scrunched up in your seats. Of course securing comfortable seats is more challenging these day, given that airlines have moved rows of seats closer together and seat padding has been minimized to save on fuel.
The following are tips on how to secure a more comfortable seat on a plane:
Pay extra to be assigned a coach seat with additional legroom. Many airlines are selling seats with extra legroom at the front of the coach cabin or in exit rows. Often the price of such seats is relatively cheap (JetBlue only charges $10) and several airlines give passengers who pay for premium coach seats priority boarding.
Purchase a cheap domestic Business Class seat from a low cost carrier. AirTran and Spirit offer larger business class seats for much less than most legacy airlines. AirTran lets passengers upgrade to business for between $49 to $99 per flight segment.
Sometimes buying upgrades to First Class seats makes sense. Virgin America sells upgrades to First Class four hours before departure for between $70 and $270. US Airways allows passengers to upgrade to first class for between $50 to $500 each way, depending on length of flight.
If you initially purchased Y-UP or Q-UP fares (which business people often do when purchasing last minute tickets), free upgrades are offered to Business or First Class if such seats are refundable.
Certain planes offer more legroom. By going to Seatguru.com and looking at seat pitch data you can identify planes which offer more room between seat rows.
Purchase international Business and First Class tickets from consolidators who have access to discounted premium seats from many airlines that fly oversees.
Look into cashing in miles to upgrade.
If you are a frequent flier, you should do your best to fly on the same airline since premier frequent flier program members often are given free upgrades, plus exit row seats at no additional charge.
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