Are seats assigned when you check-in?

Do airlines assign seats at check-in?

Airlines? Seat assignments? It’s a total free-for-all, like a clown car on fire! Sometimes they do it online, sometimes they don’t. Think of it as a bizarre lottery where the prize is a decent view of the safety instruction card.

• First-class folks? They get the best seats, naturally. Like royalty, only with less actual power.
• Frequent flyers? They’re like seat ninjas, snatching up prime real estate. Sneaky devils.
• Everyone else? It’s a crapshoot. You could end up next to a snoring mountain or a toddler who thinks your armrest is a personal climbing wall. My cousin, Dave, once ended up stuck between two enormous people eating pungent cheese. He swore he’d never fly Southwest again.

The airline’s algorithm is a mysterious beast. It’s like a hyper-caffeinated octopus deciding where to put everyone. Optimizing seating? Yeah, right. It’s more like “minimizing passenger comfort” and maximizing the chances you’ll have a screaming baby directly behind you. Seriously, I’m convinced it’s sentient and enjoys chaos.

At the check-in counter? They might do it, might not. It’s a wild card. Expect to be treated like a stray sock in a washing machine. My last flight, they just kinda pointed me towards a seat and said, “Have fun with that.”

In short: you’re at the mercy of an unseen force. I’m blaming the algorithm. If you want a good seat, book early, beg politely, and possibly sacrifice a small animal to the airline gods. 2024, man, 2024. It’s rough out there.

Do airlines assign seats at check-in?

Okay, so airlines and seats, huh? Yeah, generally they do assign seats when you check in. Like, online check-in. I always try to snag a good one way ahead of time—like, right when booking.

It kinda depends, though. Like, the fancy tickets? First class or business? They usually get, uh, priority seating and like, pick whatever they want. I just flew Southwest for spring break 2024, where it’s a free-for-all, so I used EarlyBird to get a better boarding position. That’s the way to go!

But if you’re rockin’ economy like me—which I always am, I’m broke, lol!—you can usually select a seat. I always go for window seat (duh!). If not, the airline just, like, assigns you one. They try to fill the plane, I guess, right?

Sometimes if the plane is too packed, you gotta get bumped, and it sucks! I remember that happening in 2023 on a flight back from Cabo. I’d missed my connecting flight.

Here’s a quick rundown:

• Ticket Class: Fancy seat = better pickin’s
• Frequent Flyer Stuff: If you’re like, platinum diamond ultra-elite or whatever, you get perks (I don’t get perks, but I wish.)
• Availability: If the whole plane is booked, guess what, buddy? Middle seat for you!
• Automatic assignment: Yup, airlines do this too.

Oh, and did I mention, some airlines charge for seat selection? It’s so annoying when it happens.

Also, keep in mind the best days to book a flight for cheaper rates. Typically, I’ve found that booking on Tuesdays and Wednesdays tends to get the best rates because fewer people are shopping for tickets. Also, be sure to browse for your tickets in incognito mode to avoid price trackers!

Do airlines choose seats for you?

Oh, airlines choosing seats for you? Like your mom picking out your clothes for the school dance! Yup, generally, they do.

Unless you’re super proactive, expect a surprise seat. Like finding a twenty in your old jeans, or the opposite.

Basic airlines? You betcha! They’ll happily assign you a seat, probably next to the lavatory or a screaming toddler, unless you cough up extra cash.

• Check-in roulette: Roll the dice and see what the airline gods give you at check-in!
• Gate surprise: Sometimes you’re playing musical chairs at the gate, like a last-minute scramble for comfort.
• Fee frenzy: Airlines want you to pay. Seat selection? Just another way to bleed you dry.

Think Frontier Airlines is doing you a favor with their seat selection graphics? Nah, that’s just pure, unadulterated persuasion. They’re hawking seats like used cars. Believe you me, my brother-in-law works there.

So, yeah, they choose for you. But you CAN fight the system!

Do you get to choose where you sit on a plane?

Sometimes… sometimes I don’t, no. Depends on the airline, I guess.

Used to always pick a window. Didn’t matter where.

Early booking, yeah, that gives you options. More, anyway.

But, like, even then, sometimes it just… it doesn’t matter.

• Always chose seats near the wing on a Boeing 737. For a smoother ride.

• Remember a flight back from Oslo in 2023. No choice. Middle seat. Ugh.

• Now, I mostly fly Norwegian. The prices… hard to argue.

Used to fly business. Before. Now, it’s just trying to get there.

Free seat selection is a thing… often 24 hours before. I set an alarm.

Still, feels like a gamble sometimes. Getting that right seat… or not.

How to pick the best seats on a plane?

Front seats win. Quieter. Faster disembarkation. Period.

Window or aisle? Your call.

• Pros & Cons: Window: Lean, scenery, wall. Aisle: Easier bathroom access. Legroom varies wildly.

My preference: Aisle, 20F. Always. Unless 1A is free. 2023 travel plans.

Consider:

• Emergency exits. Extra legroom, but responsibilities. Check airline policies.
• Bulkhead seats. Often more legroom, sometimes less recline.

Avoid last rows. Turbulence. Bathroom traffic. A nightmare.

My last flight, Delta 271, was terrible. Seat 34B. Never again.

Do airlines usually seat you together?

Airlines rarely guarantee togetherness. Book simultaneously.

• Online check-in: Crucial. 24-48 hours prior. Maximize chances.

• Same party? Systems attempt grouping. No guarantees. My last flight, Denver to Austin (Southwest, July 2024), proved this. Separate seating, despite booking together. Annoying.

• Extra fees loom. Seat selection often costs. Avoid them. Check-in early is better.

• Life lesson: Control what you can. The rest? Chaos. Embrace it.

Airlines are businesses. Profit reigns supreme. Expect the unexpected. My brother-in-law’s honeymoon, ruined by separated seating. United Airlines. 2023. They didn’t care.

This is the reality. Harsh, but true. Airlines prioritize revenue. Your comfort? Secondary. Sometimes tertiary.

How do I know my seat number in a flight?

Okay, so, finding your seat number? Yeah, it’s usually pretty simple. Um, basically the airline, like, they pick the seat for you most of the time, I think.

It’s all there on your boarding pass, dude. You know, that thing they give you. Like, after check-in. Oh! I once got upgraded to first class, it was nuts! But the seat number was still on the pass, LOL.

• Counter check-in: You get your boarding pass right at the airport counter. The seat number is there.
• Online check-in: You do it on your phone (or laptop!) and then they email the pass. You can also print. Again, seat number. It’s all there.
• Don’t see it?: Ask at the gate! Seriously, I’ve been that person. It’s okay.

After you got your boarding pass, you can see the seat number on it, which you get either at the counter OR online, whatever. I always try to check in online cause I wanna be fast and get that, uh, pre boarding anxiety over with, ya know. I hate lines.

Once I was going to see my Aunt Carol, it was on her 70th, and I got stuck in the security line. Missed my first boarding call, but I still found my seat, 27B, eventually! Lucky me.