For many travellers, the dream of securing a little extra personal space on a flight feels like a luxury. Now, a seasoned travel expert has revealed a surprisingly simple seating strategy that can significantly boost your chances of having an empty seat beside you.
The Expert's Proven Booking Tactic
Stacey Hamilton, a travel expert at Private Tours England, has perfected this method through years of weekly flying for both work and leisure. She points out that with airline seats becoming narrower over the past three decades, passengers are feeling more squeezed than ever.
Her key advice is straightforward: if you are travelling with a companion and are willing to pay a little extra to select your seats in advance, you should book the window and the aisle seat in a row of three.
"When you're booking, look for a row of three seats and take the window and the aisle," Stacey explained. She notes that the middle seat is universally unpopular and is typically the last one to be filled. By claiming the two outer seats, you actively discourage other passengers from selecting the less desirable spot in between.
Why This Strategy Increases Your Odds
This approach is particularly effective on flights that offer advance seat selection, as passenger choices are constantly in flux right up until departure. Stacey elaborated, "People assume everything is random, but passengers change their seats constantly. If someone sees only the middle seat left in a row, they're much more inclined to choose another row altogether."
To further tilt the odds in your favour, Stacey suggests selecting a row a little further back in the cabin, where the likelihood of someone choosing that middle seat decreases even more.
What If Someone Does Book the Middle Seat?
Even if your plan doesn't work perfectly and someone does end up with the middle seat, all is not lost. Stacey insists the situation is easily manageable. "It's perfectly fine to offer them the aisle or window so you aren't shoulder-to-shoulder," she advised. "Most people are more than happy to switch because it benefits both of you. I've done this many times and it always works out."
While no method is foolproof on a completely full flight, this tactic is about smartly improving your chances. Stacey concluded, "It's about improving the odds and giving yourself a chance. And honestly, more often than not, that middle seat stays empty." For those jetting off on a long-haul journey or simply craving a bit more room to relax, this expert tip could be the key to a more comfortable flight.
