A FREQUENT flyer has revealed his hack for getting a better seat on a plane, but it’s one that can come with a catch.
Getting an upgrade to a better seat is something that most people can only dream of, but there are ways to get somewhere better to sit without paying extra.
AlamyGetting on the plane last means you can see where the best empty seats are[/caption]
One passenger has revealed how he always gets an entire row to himself when he travels, and can lie flat for whole journeys.
Marlon Misra took to online forum Quora to share his tip.
He wrote: “If you’re traveling on an unpopular flight, select your seat as late as possible.
“This way you can choose a seat where the remaining row is free.
“I’ve had a lot of success doing this. A few times I had rows – three seats – completely empty which meant that I could lie almost flat on entire flights.”
Marlon also recommended that once you’ve chosen your seat and you know you’ve got the row to yourself, board the plane last.
He wrote: “Be the last person that boards. I’ve never understood why so many people rush to line up.”
Another frequent traveller, Lucas Chesterton, agreed with Marlon’s tip and said getting on last can help you get better seats.
Lucas has visited more than 100 countries and has picked up a few tips from his journeys.
In a video he shared on his Instagram account, he showed how he waits until the last call for boarding, before taking his pick of the remaining seats.
He said: “Whenever you’re waiting to board a flight, don’t stand up and line up.
“Sit down, relax and be the last one on, because when I know that it is the final call and there’s nobody else coming, I will walk on the flight and I will look for two or three seats by themselves.
“I know that no one else is coming and I’ll take those seats and get a row to myself.”
Lucas then filmed himself getting on board the plane, where he was able to bag a pair of front row seats in premium economy.
His video has been liked more than 19,000 times, with plenty of people grateful for his handy tip.
One person commented: “Why haven’t I thought of this.”
Another agreed: “Patience is a virtue.”
However, others pointed out a flaw in the plan.
With limited space in the overhead bins, it could leave you searching for somewhere to store your bags.
One said: “It’s the limited overhead bin space—the only reason why passengers want to get in immediately when the boarding gate opens.”
Other people try and find out where the extra seats are going to be before they sit down on their flight, including TikTok user Rob Adcock, who uses airline’s apps to find the best spots.
In a video Rob said:
“What I do is I check in as normal and take the option of a free random allocated seat. Do not pay.
“Then just before the fight, I go back onto the app, click ‘manage’ in the top corner, then click ‘change’.
“Then it shows you a list of all the seats that are empty on the flight.
“Close the app, do not switch your seat, do not pay for owt.
“What I do is go and find a couple of seats where there’s no one in them, ideally with extra legroom, towards the front of the plane, and just brazenly go and sit in it.
“I’ve been doing it for ages, the flight attendants have never asked me for my seat number yet.”
Meanwhile, travel experts revealed several methods they have used to get themselves a free row.
And a man was told he was “creepy” for his method for keeping the seats next to him empty.
GettyWaiting to get on the plane last could get you a better seat (stock image)[/caption] Read More