How to Navigate Costly Airline Seat Selection Fees

Airline add-on fees for seat selection can be pricey, especially for families or anyone booking multiple flights. But you’re never forced to pay for seat selection, and if you do, there are some simple ways to avoid — or at least minimize — the fee.

Don’t pay for a seat at booking

The most straightforward way to avoid paying for a seat is to simply not select one at booking. As long as you purchase a ticket, you guarantee a seat on the plane, which will usually get assigned by the airline at check-in or at the gate. You’ll gamble with being assigned a middle seat, but at least you won’t have to pay for it.

Additionally, many airlines commit to offering fee-free family seating, including Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and JetBlue Airways. This guarantees adjacent seats for children under 13 years of age and an accompanying adult at no additional cost.

» Learn more: How families can get seats together on a plane

Have the right credit card

The right credit card will provide a reimbursement for seat selection fees, or even help you avoid the fee altogether. Some cards may even provide a complimentary seat upgrade.

All Southwest credit cards provide a seat selection perk. For example, if you have the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, you can select a complimentary standard seat within 48 hours of departure. But holders of the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card get the best perks: the ability to select a standard or preferred seat at booking and an extra legroom seat within 48 hours of departure. These seating perks apply to you and up to eight others on your reservation.

Alternatively, you could go with a card that offers travel or airline incidental credits, which reimburse you for qualifying charges, including seat selection fees.

The American Express Platinum Card® offers up to $200 in statement credits every calendar year on qualifying purchases with your selected airline, including seat selection fees, checked bag fees and more. (Enrollment Required; Terms Apply)

Or you could go for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card, which provides up to $300 in reimbursements for travel purchases as a statement credit every year you hold the card.

Hold elite status with the airline

Depending on the airline, having elite status can help you avoid seat selection fees. Some of these benefits even apply when you book on partner airlines.

• American Airlines elites receive complimentary seat selection and complimentary upgrades to Preferred and Main Cabin Extra seats either at booking or check-in, depending on the level of elite status. This benefit applies to up to 8 passengers traveling with you in the same reservation.

• United Airlines elites have complimentary access to preferred seating at check-in or booking, unless you’re traveling on a basic economy fare. Those tickets no longer receive elite member benefits and therefore don’t receive access to seat selection.

• Southwest Airlines A-List and A-List Preferred members get complimentary seat selection. A-List members can book preferred seats at booking while A-List Preferred members can reserve extra-legroom seats at booking. 

• Delta Air Lines Medallion elites receive complimentary access to main cabin preferred seats at the time of booking. They might also receive complimentary upgrades to Delta Comfort seat either before departure or shortly after ticketing, depending on the level of Medallion status.

• Alaska Airlines elite members and qualifying Oneworld elites can select preferred main cabin seats for free at booking, excluding Saver fares.

Some credit cards also offer a fast-track to elite status. For example, the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® credit card offers 1 status point per $2 spent on all transactions, plus 10,000 status points every account anniversary. The anniversary bonus alone gets you halfway to the 20,000 status points required for Atmos Rewards Silver status, which includes complimentary seat selection at booking, potential first and premium class upgrades, preferred boarding and reciprocal Oneworld Ruby elite status.

» Learn more: Why an East Coast Traveler Loves His Alaska Airlines Credit Card

To view rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card®, see this page.