Once you have completed your homework and researched theavailable cheap traveloptions, including cheapairplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages, youshould be proactive in reserving comfortable seats on your upcoming flights.
The following are strategies as to how to fly in greatercomfort, according to airfarewatchdog:
Dontpay more for premium economy seats when flying with American, Delta, orUnited and their websites tell you that only the more expensive premium economyseats are available. This does not meanthat you will not eventually get a seat assignment. If all of the cheap seats are taken, you willbe assigned a premium-economy seat when you check in. Try calling your airline directly to see ifthey will give you a seat assignment.
Watchand ask for cheap last-minute upgrades. Although the best seats on a plane are in business and/or first class,they tend to cost many times the price of an economy seat. However last-minute upgrades are oftenoffered when checking in online, at airport kiosks, or even at the gate. Remember even if you are not offered adiscounted upgrade, ask with a wide smile on your face when you check in.
Do notassume that all business and first-class seats are prohibitivelyexpensive. There are frequentlynonrefundable business and first-class fares priced slightly higher thaneconomy and often priced the same as refundable coach fares.
Use awebsite called SeatGuru to find a better seat. This site provides seat maps for almost allairlines and plane types. Given that notall seats are created equal, SeatGuru can tell you which plane types, airlines,and seats might have more legroom or be otherwise more desirable.
Enjoymaximum legroom in economy by flying JetBlue. JetBlues A320/A321 aircraft seat rows are spaced a minimum of 33 to 34apart in coach, compared to 31 to 32 on some airlines. JetBlues Even More Space seats range from37 to 41 apart.
Insteadof using miles for economy class tickets, upgrade the cheapest economy-classfare to business or first. Think aboutspending 25,000 miles on a $250 coach fare or 15,000 miles to upgrade a $139coach fare to a $2,500 business class fare. Earn miles by applying for airlineaffiliated credit cards with 40,000, or more, sign up bonus-mile offers. Remember to never purchase anything onlinewithout checking the bonus-mile offers on airlines shopping malls.
Byflying on a Tuesday or Wednesday, when fewer people travel, there is a greaterchance that the middle seat next to you will be open.
Fly ona newer plane. While new planes will notnecessarily come with more legroom, they will have better in-flightentertainment, better power-port options, and other benefits.
ConsiderUniteds Economy Plus annual subscription. For $499 per year, subscribers are given unlimited domestic upgrades toUniteds extra legroom seating if such a seat is available at the time ofbooking. For an additional $200, you aregiven global access to Economy Plus.
Sometimesit pays to secure an advance seat assignment. If you will be flying with an airline that allows its passengers whopaid the lowest prices to only request specific seat assignment 24 hours beforedeparture, or only at check in at the airport, then it may makes sense to you topay more to avoid being assigned a middle seat.
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