Solo Travel-5 Tips on How to Get the Best Airplane Seats
Enjoy This Post? Share the Love!
5 tips on how to get a good seat on your next flight. To catch a flight to my 67th country, I found it can be a challenge. (Solo Trekker does not book airlines or receive fees from any airline.)
Months ago I found that if your tour changes its dates, your airline may charge you 2X. (First, you may have a fee of $350 and then a new fare charge of $600! I paid about $1900 for my economy flight of $950. My tour gave me credit.) I thought it was easy from there. Stay tuned!
If you can’t pay for an upgrade to Business Class, you will be in a maze of challenges to get a good seat. Here is what I just found and some solutions.
Solo Travel-5 Tips on How to Get the Best Airplane Seats
Tip One: Frequent Flyer:
When you book your flight, join their Frequent Flyer Program.
Even if this is your one trip with the airline, it will have some advantages.
One? I saw that my flight abroad this summer allowed their members to have seating online up until almost the flight’s departure.
Solo Travel-5 Tips on How to Get the Best Airplane Seats: Timing is Key:
Book a seat when you buy the ticket.
The trick here? My airline online did not yet have a seat map. I did not read the fine print which may have said when it was online.
Solo Travel-5 Tips on How to Get the Best Airplane Seats:
Tip Three:
Pay the $29 or other fee to reserve a flight for long overseas flights!
It is worth every penny. I have spent evening and morning calling. I have gone online. I found out:
My flight had no seat map when I booked.
It then would only let you book a seat even if you pay more than 48 hours ahead. Then advance seating closed. Seating with an agent or online was free but only 23 hours ahead. (That meant a 25 hour black out.)
Solo Travel-5 Tips on How to Get the Best Airplane Seats: Online or Not?
Tip Four: Online Help:
Don’t assume you can do this online. I was told I could only do it at the airport (in Europe!)
Solo Travel-5 Tips on How to Get the Best Airplane Seats
Tip Five: App or no App!
I signed up for the app. I then found for the first trip my passport must be scanned at the airport. If I booked a second airline. this likely would have been the same when a visa had to be manually checked.
What does all this mean?
You will do well to pay to book a seat in “advance” for a long overseas flight.
Don’t think you can check-in online to go abroad.
Know that the app will have some of the same issues as going online.
To save on baggage fees, see our link on packing light.
