Exactly When The Airline Will Let You Switch Seats Before A Flight
Whether you are a frequent flyer or rarely get on an airplane, there's no denying that there are some tips everyone should be aware of to make their travel experience optimal and free of any airline shenanigans. If it's your first time ever in the skies, you'll want to avoid these mistakes as a first-time flier, and no matter your experience level, you need to know the things to do immediately if your flight is delayed. Let's face it, more often than not you'll want to switch your seat before a flight — and there is a right time to do that.
In general, certain practices will increase your chances of winding up with a better seat, such as booking a less popular time, joining the airline's frequent flyer program, checking in through the airline's mobile app, or even something as crazy as advertising your special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries. For maximum efficiency, go for that seat change around 100 hours before your flight.
When to check the seat map for changes
There are many reasons for wanting a different seat; it could be fancying a first-class experience or simply sitting next to a friend or a loved one. To increase your chances of changing your seat, avoid the obvious, like asking flight attendants for a flight upgrade; instead, take matters into your own hands.
This is going to differ from airline to airline, but generally around the 100-hour mark before the flight (aka four days), you'll want to check the seat map. American Airlines, for example, begins upgrading its AAdvantage Program members around this time, and continues doing so up until 24 hours before the flight. This means seats will begin opening up, and the sooner you check that seat map, the sooner you'll snag yourself one.
There are other tools that can help you fly in your desired seat, and among them is ExpertFlyer. It lets you put in your flight info, select a desired seat, and toggle an alert, and the moment that seat becomes free, it will notify you immediately — then the seat will be just a few clicks away from being yours.