Avoid Booking The Dreaded Middle Seat On An Airplane With This Savvy Solo Traveler Hack

Every frequent flier has their personal preference of where to sit on a plane. Some will swear by the window seat (for a more comfy sleep and extraordinary aerial views), while others know that the aisle seat is the best choice (for more space and easier access to the bathrooms). However, you'll never hear of any regular traveler that extols the virtues of the middle seat. Getting stuck in this unfortunate spot can certainly ruin your on-board experience, especially if you've been slotted in between an arguing couple, loud snorers, or even a parent and child (yes, it's a controversial practice, but your family could be split up on a flight). Unfortunately, though, if you're a solo traveler, you've likely seen many a middle seat before. In fact, certain budget airlines might intentionally put you there, even if other options are available, and bank on you forking over the extra fee to get out of it. You might have already resigned yourself to just paying the $10 (or more) to guarantee your place. However, don't give up hope — once again, social media comes to the rescue with a unique workaround to help you avoid the dreaded middle seat.

Australian travel creator @jordentually posted about this hack in an Instagram reel in November of 2024, as did American adventure couple @kylecaughtacat in their reel the following year. The process is a bit confusing, but you'll have to get comfortable with playing "check-in chicken" — the ultimate secret for better seat selection. This involves waiting until the very last minute, in the hopes that premium seats will become available for free as the passenger list is finalized. So, with that in mind, let's dive into what exactly this hack is and how it actually works.

While the rules vary from airline to airline, generally online check-in is available until around two hours before departure. Start checking in on your phone close to the deadline. On the airline's app, you'll typically be shown a map with the seats that are currently available. Count the number of middle seats, and then head onto the airline's website on your computer. Now, you'll need to create a new reservation, after ensuring that you're not logged into your account. The number of passengers in this fake reservation should match the number of middle seats you counted — for example, if there were six left, then your reservation should be for six adults. Don't worry about the names and other required details — type in anything, as this isn't a real booking.

Once you've filled in all the information, proceed to the next page, where you can click on the seats you want for each passenger. And here's the trick: Select only middle seats, and hit "next" or "continue" to move onto the next stage of your booking. This will hold these seats and make them unavailable to anyone else for a limited period of time. When you go back onto your phone and refresh the app or webpage, you shouldn't see any middle seats left. Even if you choose to be randomly allocated a spot, you should be assigned a window or aisle seat, as there won't be other options. Finally, you can cancel your fake reservation after you've successfully checked in.

While the creators note that this hack isn't foolproof, it's still worth a try, especially if you're tired of constantly paying extra fees or having to make the most out of a long flight in the middle seat. So, give it a go on your next trip — and good luck!