Traveler Shares Her Hack That Works Every Time To Get The Best Seats On A Plane For $0

Unless you’re lucky enough to be flying business class and above, modern air travel can seriously suck. Getting through security is low-key traumatic, airline food is barely edible, and seats seem to shrink with every flight, so any hack to improve the experience is worth its weight in gold.

One self-proclaimed travel expert has gone viral for sharing her seemingly simple travel trick to get you the best seat on the plane and save you cash at the same time. In her video, she tells the online community it all comes down to timing. 

More info: Instagram

Economy air travel leaves a lot to be desired, but this travel expert’s one simple trick promises to improve the situation for frequent flyers

Smiling woman and friends seated in the first rows of a Ryanair flight demonstrating the best plane seat timing tip.

Image credits: travelainewithme

According to the expert, budget airlines make most of their money from charging you extra for choosing your seat

Self-proclaimed travel expert and London-based content creator Elaine Poon, who shares her travel hacks on Instagram, recently took to the platform to post a travel hack that’s so simple you might wonder why you’d never thought of it before. The video, which has garnered 2.2 million views and counting, breaks it all down.

Says Poon in an interview with Luxury Travel Daily, “With budget airlines such as Ryanair and EasyJet, they make their money mostly from charging extra for choosing your seat.” The frequent flyer tells viewers that the best seats on a Ryanair flight are the front rows, far-back rows, and emergency aisle seats for extra legroom.

Travel expert sharing her top tip for getting the best plane seat on Ryanair by focusing on perfect timing.

Image credits: travelainewithme

The airlines automatically fill the least desirable seats first, leaving prime real estate like aisles, emergency rows, and the back of the plane free

Poon goes on to add that the rear section is best because people can enter and exit through the back, which is just as quick as sitting in the front rows. So, what’s her secret? “Check in online as late as possible,” she writes. “That’s it.”

In her caption, Poon elaborates, “Ryanair fills up the plane starting with the ‘worst’ seats so that travelers have to pay extra to change them.” She adds that the airline will “intentionally split people up within the same booking.”

Travel expert explaining best plane seat choices including front rows, far back rows, emergency exit rows, and avoiding middle seats.

Image credits: travelainewithme

“And as people check in, they fill up the seats, and what’s left are the best ones – either far front or far back,” Poon says. “Almost always either a window or aisle seat, too.” 

The seasoned traveler asserts that the later you check in to your Ryanair flight, the better the chances are of getting the seats that the airline hasn’t assigned yet, “which are usually the more expensive seats located either in the front, far back, or emergency exit rows.”

Travel expert explaining the best plane seat selection strategy based on timing with seat map and pricing details visible.

Image credits: travelainewithme

The trick basically involves checking in as late as you can to get one of the coveted seats the airline hasn’t assigned yet

Poon says she refuses to pay an additional fee on airlines like Ryanair or EasyJet “when the whole point of flying budget is so that we can fly to another country for as cheap as possible.” According to her, you shouldn’t check in too late, and you should always check what the cut-off time is because each flight can be different.

Travel expert wearing pink sweater and winter hat takes selfie in snowy forest sharing her top tip for best plane seat timing.

Image credits: travelainewithme

The travel expert’s hack brings back memories of last year’s viral “check-in chicken” trend, which saw passengers intentionally delaying their online check-in to the dying minutes in the hopes of landing a comfier seat. It might not be new, but netizens are loving it.

We’d say anything that makes modern air travel cheaper, more bearable, and gets you extra legroom (for free) is a win. Have you got any travel hacks you think everyone should know about? Share them in the comments, and let’s see what goes viral!

The London-based content creator swears by this travel trick, saying that it’s worked for her every time, and her video has netizens talking

Screenshot of a social media comment discussing plane seating arrangements and timing for the best plane seat.

Comment from a travel expert sharing a top tip about timing check-in to get the best plane seat and avoid middle seats.

Comment on social media about Ryanair seats, discussing travel expert tips for getting the best plane seat based on timing.

Screenshot of Instagram comment about ending up in standby after an airline oversells, related to best plane seat timing tips.

Comment about paying for seat allocation on Ryanair, highlighting opinions on plane seat and travel timing.

Social media comment suggesting to pay 2 euros, related to travel expert tips for getting the best plane seat timing.

Comment from a traveler sharing a tip about Ryanair, related to getting the best plane seat timing advice from a travel expert.

Comment from adam_wangzp about finding a travel expert’s tip for getting the best plane seat by timing.

Screenshot of a social media comment discussing solo travel and challenges of getting the best plane seat.

Screenshot of a social media comment explaining a travel expert’s top tip for getting the best plane seat involves timing.

Screenshot of a social media comment from user julie.dupriez reacting to a travel tip about getting the best plane seat timing.

Comment on social media post discussing best plane seat tips, mentioning there are no best seats on a Ryanair flight.

Comment about a travel expert's top tip for getting the best plane seat, emphasizing the importance of timing.

Social media comment warning about timing risks when trying to get the best plane seat from a travel expert’s tip.

Screenshot of a social media comment about airline choice related to travel expert tips for getting the best plane seat timing.

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