The Sneaky Way Some Airlines Upcharge Passengers For 'Window' Seats

Airlines hitting passengers with additional fees is nothing new. However, a pair of freshly filed class action lawsuits against Delta and United Airlines allege they've taken the practice of upcharging passengers to a sneaky new level. Adding to the list of reasons that window seats on a plane aren't as great as people think, the airlines are being accused of deceptively selling windowless "window" seats. Both suits allege that each airline sold over 1 million seats that passengers believed were next to a window. In reality, these seats were next to blank walls used to obscure equipment like air conditioning units and wiring. Making matters worse, the lawsuits allege passengers were charged a premium for the viewless spots.

Windowless seats are generally found on certain aircraft, including both Delta and United's Boeing 737, Airbus 321, and Boeing 757. Upgraded window seats on Delta can cost more than $70, while United passengers can pay upwards of $50 on domestic flights, and more than $100 on international flights. One United passenger who is part of the lawsuit purchased three separate window seats for between $45.99 and $169.99. All of them turned out to be windowless.

The lawsuits, filed separately against each airline by law firm Greenbaum Olbrantz LLP, seek a refund for passengers of all extra fees along with punitive damages. Legal action might have been avoided entirely had United and Delta simply disclosed the truth about the seats. American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, for example, both sell windowless seats which they explicitly state during the selection process. "We're seeking to hold United and Delta accountable for charging customers premiums for products that they didn't deliver, and misrepresenting the nature of the products that they did deliver," declared class action attorney Carter Greenbaum (via The New York Times).

Deceptive practices like charging extra for "window" seats that technically don't exist make it utterly challenging for consumers to find effective ways to save money while booking flights. In fact, the whole practice of paying to upgrade seats and baggage allowance is riddled with hidden and skyrocketing costs. A 2024 hearing and subsequent report by a bipartisan U.S. Senate subcommittee found that several airlines, including Delta and United, profited to the tune of $12.4 billion between 2018 and 2023 from "junk fees" they charged for baggage and seating. As if paying more for a window and extra legroom aren't enough, Thrifty Traveler recently made the precarious discovery that airlines could be charging you extra to fly solo. The cost of these upcharges is no joke: United made a staggering $1.3 billion on seating fees in 2023 alone, which is more than it made on baggage fees.

The Senate report slammed the airlines for these costly practices. "Airlines these days view their customers as little more than walking piggy banks to be shaken down for every possible dime," said Senator Richard Blumenthal (via Reuters) at the two-hour, December 2024 hearing. The committee also chided airlines for incentivizing gate attendants to catch passengers with seemingly oversized luggage that they would then have to check in and pay for. Frontier Airlines rewards gate attendants with $10 per bag, which quickly adds up. Together, gate attendants at Frontier and Spirit Airlines' pocketed $26 million in compensation between 2022 and 2023. 

Airlines and their representatives present at the Senate hearing, including Delta and United, insisted that their fees offer passengers pricing flexibility. So far, both airlines have kept mum on the latest windowless "window" seat allegations.