What Happens If You Don't Select Seats on a Flight | App in the Air (2024)

Nobody wants to be stuck in an uncomfortable seat. But there areso manyterrible places to sit. The middle seat. The one right by the bathroom. The last row, where there are no windows, and the seats don’t recline. And what happens if you don’t select seats on a flight? Well, you might end up sitting in one of these undesirable spots.

The trouble is that airlines often charge extra for seat selection, which can be annoying! Alternatively, you might forget to select seats, especially if you’re on a last-minute business trip. Fortunately, we’re full of tips and tricks for travel, whether that’sairport security hacksor mastering seat assignment.

Keep reading as we answer questions like:

• Which airlines let you choose your seat?
• Is it necessary to select a seat in flight?
• Why don’t I have a seat on my flight?

Understanding Airline Policies on Seat Selection

Before we cover the burning question ‘what happens if you don’t select seats on a flight?’, you need some background info.

Depending on the airline you book with, you may be assigned a seat, or you may be allowed to choose one. Airlines often charge an extra fee for passengers who want to choose their seats.

So, if you’re looking at your ticket and wondering, ‘why don’t I have a seat on my flight?’, it’s likely because the seat wasn’t included in the ticket price. As a result, you’re likely going to have to pay extra for seat assignment.

But there are some exceptions to the general rules:

• Some airlines ensure that children and infants are sitting nearby to their parent or guardian.
• Some airlines also prioritize those with disabilities sitting with other members of their party.
• Generally, even when you can choose your seat allocation, you must meet certain requirements to sit in an emergency exit row.

Which Airlines Let You Choose Your Seat?

Some airlines do away with the pesky fees altogether, which means you can select a window seat, aisle seat, or sit by other members of your party without paying anything extra. Hello, extra legroom! So, before we get into what happens if you don’t select seats on a flight? We’ve broken down which airlines let travelers choose their seats, and which airlines guarantee children under 12 will be seated next to an adult from their party.

A small group of other airlines will try to seat children near adults from their booking, but can’t guarantee it. As a result, you’re more likely to get it if you book early.

So what about the costs of an upgrade? If you want to get your preferred seat, you’re looking at the following prices across major American airlines:

Southwest Airlines also charges for seat selection, but their pricing system is different, so it’s excluded from the data.

Is It Necessary to Select a Seat in Flight?

So, what happens if you don’t select seats on a flight? Will you be left standing? No.

You can skip seat selection altogether and you’ll still be given a seat on the airplane. Most airlines do random seat assignment for any traveler who doesn’t pay extra. If you’re willing to take the gamble,one UK studyfound that major airlines are likely to sit people together, anyway.

The upside of this is that you don’t have to pay the seat selection fee. However, this means you might miss out on your preferred seats.

Sure, it’s not the end of the world, but ensuring you get specific seats can make a world of difference on your journey.

So, is it necessary to select a seat in flight? Probably not, but in our opinion, it’s usually worth it to do so.

Think about it–you’ve got all yourkey items for business trips, like a flight pillow and compression socks. But wouldn’t you be much more comfortable with extra leg room?

Why Don’t I Have a Seat on My Flight?

Sometimes, if you don’t pay the seat selection fee, you’re at risk. You might turn up to the flight, only for the gate agent to tell you that it’s overbooked. This is one of the terrible potential consequences of the question “What happens if you don’t select seats on a flight?”

So, if you find yourself standing at the gate wondering, “Why don’t I have a seat on my flight?”, don’t panic. Airlines often overbook flights based on the assumption that some passengers won’t turn up. Those who check in early and reserve a seat receive priority status on an overbooked flight, so if you skipped that part and opted for free seat selection, you might get bumped off the flight.

If this is the position you find yourself in, speak to the gate agent about getting a spot on a new flight. Hopefully, they can throw in a voucher for you. Or, if you need to stick to your scheduled flight, save yourself the hassle and reserve specific seats during the booking process or online check in.

Missed Flight? Next Steps

Methods to Reserve Your Flight Seat

Now that we’ve covered what happens if you don’t select seats on a flight, let’s review how you can make sure you have a seat selected.

1. Reserve Flight Seat Online

The easiest thing to do is reserve a seat online while booking your flights. Many airlines allow you to do this when you book, especially if your ticket includes seat selection. Alternatively, you may be able to do it during online check-in.

Simply access your reservation through the airline’s website, then head to the seat assignments section. You’ll get a seat map where you can select your preferred seat. You may need to pay the fee if there is one.

2. Try to Select a Seat on a Phone Call

Sometimes, you can’t choose a seat online because the airline doesn’t publish all the available options. So, alternatively, you can call the airline.

Be polite and respectful with the customer service representative, and you might be able to secure yourself a seat upgrade, too!

Tips for Corporate Travelers

Corporate travel is all about comfort. You don’t want to be stuck in a middle seat when you’re working on a laptop. App in the Air’s auto check-in feature is available to premium users, like those who have enrolled inApp in the Air for Business, andcan take you a long way in improving your in-flight experience. It allows users to input their seating preferences while the app automatically checks in users the minute the check-in window opens, with no additional cost.

But, before you find out what happens if you don’t select seats on a flight, here are some tips for snagging a free upgrade.

How to Maximize Your Rewards

Business travelers are at an advantage when it comes to travel. If you fly business class, you often get free seats included in your ticket. However, frequent flyers get tons of other perks, too, including miles earned through loyalty programs that entitle them to free upgrades.

We recommend investing in corporate cards and loyalty programs that will help you accrue points or miles. That way, you’re much more likely to get that all-important comfortable airline seat.

App in the Air can organize your loyalty programs in one place, and offers plenty of other perks, too:learn how to save money on your next hotel stay.

Don’t Pay for Advance Seat Selection

We’ve covered some important questions in this guide, like:

• What happens if you don’t select seats on a flight?
• Is it necessary to select a seat in flight?

But the truth is that there are ways to avoid the fees. The easiest way to skip the fee is simply to not pay it and roll the dice with random seat assignments. This is often fine if you’re flying alone.

Truthfully, seat assignment fees are an up-sell tactic that airlines use. So, you can simply not pay for it if you’re not particularly bothered about where you sit.

Pick an Airline with Lower Seat Fees

We’ve also covered which airlines let you choose your seat. So, if you don’t want to gamble, then fly with an airline that allows you to choose your seat at the time of booking. If you can’t, then try to pick an airline with a cheaper policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our most frequently asked questions on what happens if you don’t select seats on a flight.

What Happens If You Forget to Select a Seat in Flight After Booking?

You’ll likely still get a seat even if you skip the seat selection fees or forget to choose your preferred seat. However, you might not get the best seat in the house. Worst case scenario? You might get bumped off your flight if you didn’t check in soon enough and the airline overbooked. Best case scenario? You get extra leg room or a free upgrade into the next class.

Is It Worth Paying for Seat Selection?

Whether or not you pay the seat selection fees is up to you. It’s often worth it for corporate travelers who need to prioritize comfort for their busy business trip ahead, or families who want to sit together. However, if you don’t mind where you sit, there’s no need to pay the fee.

How Can I Avoid Paying for Seat Selection?

Over the past few years, many airlines have tightened their policies on seat selection. The easiest way to avoid the fee is simply to skip it and take the random allocation. However, if you’re concerned about where to sit, you may be able to avoid the fee by calling the airline directly and discussing it with them–this is always a gamble, though!

Key Takeaways

So, what happens if you don’t select seats on a flight?

• Is it necessary to select a seat in flight? You don’t have to select a seat. If you don’t, you will be randomly allocated a seat on the flight.
• Some airlines allow free seat selection, whereas others allow you to pay a small fee. Find out which airlines let you choose your seat in our guide, above.
• If you’re wondering ‘why don’t I have a seat on my flight?’, it may be because the plane is overbooked. You can usually avoid this scenario with early check-in.
• Seat selection can be worth it for corporate travelers prioritizing comfort. If you want to streamline your experience, make sure you check out App in the Air!

Streamline Your Travel with App in the Air

So, now you know what happens if you don’t select seats on a flight. It’s not the end of the world. But we’re passionate about comfortable, efficient travel, and that’s why App in the Air makes the journey as smooth as possible for business travelers.

With amazing booking discounts and in-app features like flight tracking, corporate travel has never been better.

Download Our Travel App Today – Quick, Easy, and Signup is Free!

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