Assuming you would prefer not to sit between two strangers on a flight, there are several steps you can take to prevent getting stuck in a middle seat:
- Immediately choose seats when booking your flight. If tickets are booked through a travel agency or group tour, you may need to call the airline directly to confirm seats.
- If only middle seats are left on a flight, check back with the airline (online or on the phone) frequently to see if other seats open up.
- Monitor your flight for possible schedule or aircraft downgrades, either of which could result in your seat assignment being changed by the airline.
- Inform the airline of your seating preferences in advance. Frequent fliers may be able to update their profile to indicate window or isle seats. Others may need to call the airline directly.
- Use Online check-in for your flight. This provides you one last look of the seating arrangement, and an opportunity to switch to a better seat.
For more information on picking the best airline seats, consider a visit to SeatGuru.