✈️ Where to sit on a plane: choosing a seat before and after check-in

A window or aisle seat determines how your flight goes. But on popular routes, the good seats are taken long before departure, and many airlines charge a separate fee for seat selection.

With Lufthansa, you can select a seat for free only during online check-in, which opens 23 hours before departure (as of: 09/2026, official Lufthansa website). Before that, a seat is assigned for a fee, and without selection, the system places the passenger wherever seats remain available.

We have put together three methods that work before and after check-in. You can influence seat selection at every stage: when booking, at the airport, and already in the cabin.

How to get the best seat on a plane: three methods

💡 In short:

Join the airline's loyalty program: members are more often given free seat selection
Check the seat map when booking or wait for free selection during online check-in
If no good seats are left, ask for a swap at the check-in desk or with the cabin crew
Seat selection rules: 09/2026, verified on the Lufthansa website

The methods can be combined. Save the request to swap seats as a last resort.

Method one: the airline's loyalty program

Loyalty program members get access to free seat selection and upgrades earlier than others. Carriers hold back a few seats for frequent flyers, so you have a better chance of getting a window seat or an upgrade to premium class.

Joining the program is free and takes a few minutes on the airline's website. You add your membership number when booking, and the system immediately shows your privileges. Check whether your status applies with alliance partners, for example Miles & More with Lufthansa and Star Alliance.

Some carriers give members free seat selection even in economy class. It is best to check the terms of a specific program before buying a ticket.

What this gives you in practice:

free or discounted seat selection
priority for cabin class upgrades
seats with extra legroom on some flights

Passengers relaxing in the Heathrow Airport business lounge

Method two: the seat map and booking

Before buying a ticket, open the cabin layout for your chosen flight. The map shows which seats are still available and how much selecting them costs.

Many services show not only the row and letter, but also the seat width, the distance to the seat in front, and the location of power outlets. This way you can see in advance the difference between regular economy class and seats with extra legroom.

Rules vary: some carriers let you select a seat for free right at booking, while others charge a separate fee for a specific seat. The exact terms are always stated in the fare, and they are worth checking before buying a ticket.

If you do not want to pay, wait for online check-in to open. Available seats will be shown for free, but the best seats are often already taken by then. That is why paid selection is more convenient to make at the time of booking. If you are flying with family or a large group, it is better to lock in adjacent seats right away.

Method three: asking at check-in and in the cabin

You can change your seat already at the airport. Ask the agent at the check-in desk: their screen shows the entire flight map, including seats that have become free.

The request works better at the start of check-in, when the choice is still wide. A polite phrasing helps: "Could you seat me by the window if there is a free seat?"

Seat selection is part of the contract of carriage, not one of the mandatory passenger rights (as of: 09/2026, IATA). So a refusal is possible, and it is not worth pressuring the staff.

Airport check-in area with counters and queues

If you did not get a seat before boarding, ask the crew once you are in the cabin. Flight attendants know which seats are free and often help passengers move after takeoff.

Which seat to choose for your trip

The best seat depends on where and why you are flying. The same seat does not suit every passenger.

Overnight flight

On overnight flights, many people want to sleep rather than look out the window. Take a window seat: you will be woken less often by people walking down the aisle to the bathroom. A blanket and headphones will help, and cabin light is more disruptive than the view of the clouds.

Business trip

If you are rushing to a meeting, take an aisle seat in the front of the cabin. That way you will be among the first off the plane and will not have to wait for the whole line. The catch is that passengers and drink carts constantly pass by you.

Traveling with children

Parents with small children do well in a bulkhead row: there is more space in front of the seat, and the child has room to stand. Bassinets for infants are attached to the bulkhead, so this seat should be booked in advance.

Under UK CAA rules, children under 12 are generally seated in the same row as an adult or no more than one row away (as of: 09/2026, UK CAA). This is a recommendation, not a hard guarantee, so adjacent seats sometimes have to be paid for in advance.

Long-haul flight

On long-haul flights, take a seat in the first third of the cabin and away from the bathrooms. In the last row, seats often do not recline fully, and passengers constantly gather nearby. An exit row seat gives more legroom, but your carry-on will have to go in the overhead bin.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

Can I select a seat for free?

Yes, if you wait for online check-in. With Lufthansa, available seats are shown at no extra charge during online check-in (as of: 09/2026, airline website). You only pay to reserve a specific seat in advance or for a seat with extra legroom.

What if the window seats are taken?

Ask at the check-in desk or with the crew. Staff can see seats that have become free and often help passengers move if the flight is not completely full. A polite request sometimes works, but no one gives guarantees.

Which is better, window or aisle?

It depends on the purpose of your trip. By the window, it is easier to sleep, and passing passengers do not bump into you. By the aisle, it is easier to get up and faster to exit after landing. For a short flight, take the aisle; for an overnight flight, take the window.

Can a child be seated separately from their parents?

That is possible, because the rule for children is advisory in nature (as of: 09/2026, UK CAA). It is more reliable to pay for adjacent seats in advance.

Is it worth paying for a seat with extra legroom?

On long-haul flights, the extra charge is often justified. These seats are in the first rows or at emergency exits, and there is noticeably more space in front of the seat. The catch is that at the bulkhead there is no space under the seat for carry-on luggage.

In short: what is worth booking

The best seat goes to the person who started choosing earlier than everyone else. Join the loyalty program, check the seat map when booking, and keep a request at check-in as a backup.

The selection matrix is simple. If you have an overnight flight: take the window. If it is a business trip: take the aisle up front. If you are flying with a child: ask for a bulkhead row. If the flight is short and you are in a hurry: any aisle seat will do.

Check the seat map right after online check-in opens and grab the best seat while it is still available.

The best seat on a plane: how to choose a seat and what to do without a reservation