Lots of people traveling together as a couple book an aisle seat and a window seat. They’re hoping that the middle seat stays open and they’ll get some extra space for the flight.
This doesn’t always work out. Often, planes are full. Even if the middle seats are the last ones to fill up, there’s a good chance someone will be in that seat.
“That’s ok,” you think, “we can always trade them the window seat and still sit together.”
- Best case scenario, extra space with an empty middle seat
- Worst case scenario, you’re still next to each other
- So it’s better to give yourself a shot at best case rather than book worst case from the outset.
Only sometimes the middle seat passenger won’t move. Here’s a woman who says she prefers a middle seat over a window for two reasons:
- She’s claustrophobic, so being closer to the aisle is better
- She gets up to go to the bathroom a lot, and prefers to only have to climb over one person instead of two to do it.
She told a couple no, she wouldn’t take the window seat – but she’s trade for the aisle. The woman with the aisle seat refused, saying she was going to keep the seat she’d paid for! But she’s the one wanting to make a trade. Finally the middle seat passenger relented and took the window – and when she needed to get up to use the lavatory she had to climb over both passengers, who wouldn’t get up even though they’d promised to as part of the trade.
@nycshreya first world problems
That’s why the elegant solution isn’t to book a window and aisle seat instead what you want is two aisle seats across from each other.
- You still sit next to each other, with no passengers in between
- And you’re guaranteed the extra space of the aisle between you
Why don’t people do this? Of course you can also buy that extra empty seat if you wish on most airlines. Yet almost no one does this, either.
If you don’t like the seats that are available, that you do assign yourself, you can set a free email alert for a better seat. Virtually no one does this, either. (By the way here’s how to know which seat is best.)
Not a good suggestion. For mine it’s hard to talk to someone across the aisle. For 2 in an empty middle seat you can put things on the seat or under the seat in front – neither of which can you do with the across the aisle suggestion. If I am traveling with someone I would much prefer to try for the empty middle seat and if that does not work either middle and aisle or middle and window.
My wife and I do this all the time, we are both watching some form of entertainment to pass the time so the aisle/aisle combo gives us both room and easy access.
Why don’t more people do this?
Because they’re selfish Tuesdays.
Wouldn’t work for me…I always get an aisle seat while my significant other always needs a window seat…needs to take pictures of everything. We don’t talk when we fly so it works for us.
I make a point of not accommodating “trades” for couples trying to game the system. It’s an extremely selfish and narcissistic tactic. Book the seats you want to sit in. The end.
Enjoy your middle seat Sal.
I’ve done it 100 times, once someone initially refused window, wanted aisle, but we called their bluff. 100% success rate.
Yeah you wouldn’t think people would be dumb enough not to trade but this trick backfired spectacularly on me. I put my in-laws in this set up for an 8 hr international flight and the person in between wouldn’t move. I’ll never do this again.
I have the perfect solution! Select the seats you want and stop relying on others to change their seat to accommodate you!
My husband and I book adjoining aisle seats every time we fly. We
enjoy having someone sitting next to us on only one side.
We can still speak to each other easily.
I don’t need to take photos from the plane window. I can read or watch a movie if I choose.
I don’t mind getting up to allow someone to use the restroom.
We also upgrade to exit row aisle seats whenever possible so I try to book well in advance. .
We pay for our chosen and preferred seats so I’m not volunteering to change to accommodate others who don’t plan ahead.
I started doing this when I was flying with my elderly mother who had enough trouble getting out of an aisle seat. Worked so well I’ve started booking two aisle seats across from each other in other situations.
Your wife must be happier sitting next to strange men than mine.
Neither I nor my other like aisle seats – lots of bumping and traffic, we both prefer window seats. So we book two window seats, one behind the other. Makes it easy to pass snacks or reading material or whatever. Of course on overseas flights if there’s a two-seat configuration, window/aisle we always grab those.and either swap midflight or takes turns having window going vs returning
Are you having YMMV write your articles now? What’s next….”How to buckle an airplane seatbelt”?
What a silly article with a silly example. The example doesn’t show that there’d an issue with booking aisle-window, it shows that being an *** can backfire.
Sitting across the aisle doesn’t work, as it still leaves me gambling on who I have to share the armrest with, including their politeness, cleanliness, and size. It also precludes sharing tray table space.
Still better to book aisle-window; you just have to accept you might end up middle-window. But that still let’s you share arm rest space AND tray table space with someone next to you.
Also, you’re not trying to talk across the aisle, which is it’s own annoyance to you and others.
Never understood couples that are so clingy they just have to sit together. Married 34 years and we are both independent. We go on trips alone all the time and, while we enjoy taking trips together, no big deal if we aren’t sitting next to each other – we have plenty of time together. In the other hand we are usually flying business internationally so not together at all which works out fine. We are both capable of entertaining ourselves.
@AC:
Haa nothing to do about clingy. Has to do with reducing the chances of sitting next to a Somoan lineman (or other similarly broad-shouldered individual).
Oh the games people play now. Every night and every day now. (Joe South)
Or…stop being sociopathic narcissists and just book window/middle or middle/aisle.
I can’t be the only one that doesn’t have this problem because we just fly first class.
I do the window/aisle plan, because usually people don’t want to sit in the middle between two strangers, and will easily trade for the aisle seat. AND I often get free upgrades with my status and I’ll trade for a first class seat. Last time I did that, two weeks ago, the lady was SOOOO excited to trade, she had never flown in first class, and definitely did not want to sit in the middle between us.
AC has it right. I’m 6’4”. My wife is 5’10. We both prefer aisle seats and haven’t sat next to each other in years. If our daughter is traveling with us (she’s 6’1”) , she and my wife will sit middle window. What kind of stunad books aisle/window hoping the middle stays open and tries to work another passenger if it doesn’t work out.
I be damned. You only trade for a seat you deem equal or better. For me, it would have been the aisle or nothing at all.
I book aisle/window so I don’t have to sit next to my husband; he encroaches on my space. He prefers window, I prefer aisle and we never ask the person in the middle to trade seats.
Some of y’all are ridiculous. There is no planet in which I wouldn’t trade a middle seat for either aisle or window. Y’all acting tough because you might be momentarily inconvenienced and offered a better seat than the one you were assigned.
If someone offers you a trade and you don’t want it, the simple and appropriate answer is “No, thank you.”
Y’all are coming off really self absorbed like the people that crowd the baggage claim conveyor belt instead of taking a step back and waiting until they see their baggage to step forward to get it. There are other people in the world that have needs, not just you.
We do the double isle booking only on domestic flights as isles can be a hassle as you get run into all night long on international flights.
How about aisle seats one behind the other. Easier to help each other with overhead items plus the spare room of the aisle. Also, as you age, easy access to the restroom.
Only issue I find is elderly are the first to be challenged for seat swaps by FAs. Our standard response is, “I am comfortable where I am” which is our polite rebuttal. If any further meddling, we mention the bathroom issue. That stops the intruders 100% of the time.
Book connecting flights on regionals that are 2-2. Problem solved.
My wife and I always but the whole row of 3 seats. Most flights we fly on are always fairy full so we are guaranteed our space
Windows seat only. As a Normal size human my shoulders are wider than the seat back and my legs are too long for the allocated prison cell. At least I can lean at an angle to find an hour or two of comfort, more of a big deal when I’m traveling alone; I don’t have a stranger rubbing up against me. I don’t have to worry abo7t being decapitated by the beverage cart that barely fits the aisles. I prefer to drive whenever possible since airlines charge way too much for their urban intercity bus experience.
Jeez Louis two adults who have to sit next to each other.
why not book in F?
I’m surprised the airlines allow people to book 2 seats with an empty seat in the middle. When I buy tickets for a concert, Ticketmaster won’t let me buy 2 seats with an empty seat between them.
Of course if the airlines forced people on a single booking to take adjoining seats, the couple would just book separately and risk that one would get bumped without the other.
We almost always do exit row, adjacent aisle seats. If not available, one behind the other.
Very happy when we aren’t flying business.
Having status and potential upgrades changes the equation and you have neglected to mention that. Our issue was when only one upgrade comes through. It happened. So having aisle and window prevents one of us being left in a middle seat. And so far everyone has loved getting to have an aisle or window seat when they were expecting middle. But if not, we will survive and they will as well.
Whoever, or whatever a.i. wrote this is a massive retard.
How about giving the person in the middle the choice of aisle or window and then giving it to them? It’s just an airplane ride, we are all going the same place and will get there at pretty much the same time.
And/Or buy them a drink. That helps to smooth over awkward situations.
I had an older couple do that in the bulkhead seats of the main cabin. I declined their request to switch my middle seat for them and did them a favor anyways. Those arm rests don’t go up and it was an overnight flight GIG-MIA. They just assumed I was crazy and didn’t protest. They had better seats . If the armrests moved I would’ve switched.
I always try to ruin it for the middle seat booker by booking the aisle or window.
Great tip! Perfect for a more comfortable flight together! ✈️
I book window and aisle seats, right side, almost every time we fly. I have issues being enclosed, so an aisle seat is what’s needed for me to be calm, and my partner has an artificial limb, and prefers to protect his limb by having it against the inside edge, hence the need for a window seat. If that means I need to move 10 times so others can take bathroom breaks, so be it.
I have done 2 aisle seats on a transatlantic flight. I needed a little extra leg room, and Hubby and I alternated who got which seat. Without interfering with the flight attendant and the service carts, we could each extend one leg just a tiny bit more, then swap seats for the other leg. Worked just fine!
I like to book that section where there is only 2 seats in a row. The aisle and window, win win..
I have refused the trade twice and stayed in the middle seat.
1. I will not do the window seat because the medicine I am on(diuretic)means on a four hour flight I will typically need the bathroom 2 – 4 times. And yes it is a bigger hassel motivating two people to get up rather than one.
2. Over the last several years I have noticed a lot of people doing this and since the planes have been more full and their are fewer empty seats this creates a hassle for everyone so I like to punish people behaving selfishly.
It is always fun to watch their reaction when I politely decline. They are dumbfounded. In both cases they tried to explain to me how it made no sense for me to decline their free upgrade offer. I like punishing AHs and it makes the flight in the middle seat enjoyable knowing you runied two smug AHs plan.
I like Gary’s suggestion. That is how you do it without being an AH. You can also do a window seat in one row and the other parter in a window seat in the next row.
Finally if you want to play this game, do it in the back of the plan where the likely empty seats are. That is the honest non-AH way to maximize the chance of getting an empty seat next to you.
Why all the craze about window’s seat anyway? On long international flights the airlines have taken the habit of closing the windows shutters and make you fly in total darkness for the duration of the flight! So…. there is nothing to see!!! Apart from departure airport scenery and arrival airport landscape!
The only advantage I would acknoledge is the fact you can lean on the plane wall and use it as a prop to rest better. BUT on the other end I hate to have to climb or disturb central and aisle passegers to get out of my seat for a walk along the aisle or a toilet visit!
So Aisle seat for me anytime!
We do ther two aisles and I wish you hadn’t broadcast this Gary! Kidding. We are married 54 years. We can handle being three feet apart for 2-3 hours. My worst flight was between a couple (I was in middle with last minute booking). I offered to switch with either one and they said no. But they passed food over me for the entire trip. Ridiculous. And we are going to France on Sunday and each chose a window seat. We like the window and the privacy and, like I said, we will follow up with a full week together!
I agree with AC. What is all this hysteria about having to sit next to each other. It’s healthy to take a break and have some independence. If you like talking to strangers you might meet someone interesting. Of course don’t impose if they aren’t interested. Can’t you occupy yourself for a few hours or two? Then you have all that other lovely together time when you get there. And have some peace of mind on the way back to your life. I would book two windows if they are available, back to back or not.
Jeez. People are so petty these days.
My wife and I always reserve a window and denial. If somebody comes up for the middle my wife asks him if they would like to trade the middle for an aisle, we’ve never had anyone not glad to take the rather than sit in the middle.
I often book us in aisle seats next to each other. I pay to choose our seats so don’t ask me to switch
I like window seats even if the window is shut most of the time like during flights across the Pacific Ocean. I also am happy that a lot of people like aisle seats because it leads to less competition. I only need to go to the bathroom very occasionally, usually twice on a 10+ hour flight and once on a shorter flight. Sometimes I am ok on a 5 to 6 hour flight without using the bathroom. I would prefer to use the one at the airport anyhow. I try to time my getting out to when others in the row have gotten out.
My lovely wife and I like to sit together on long flights because we download whatever show we’re currently streaming onto a 13″ iPad and each have AirPod Pros to watch (an iPad can serve two sets of these). That makes the time pass quickly and wouldn’t work across an aisle or if we wound up separated by a middle seat. I book Premium Economy where there are usually two adjacent seats instead of three by the window and upgrade to business class if the last-minute upgrade is reasonable and the flight is 8 hours or more (that happened recently flying from Buenos Aires to Houston-$699 each and we slept most of the way). We never accumulate enough miles on any single airline to really matter, so this has worked out pretty well.