What It Means If ‘See Agent’ Is Printed on Your Boarding Pass

By Ramsey Qubein

What It Means If ‘See Agent Is Printed on Your Boarding Pass

There’s more information than you think encoded on your airline boarding pass. One of those codes—"see agent" or “seat assigned at gate"—can be especially disconcerting. 

Contrary to popular belief, those words (the verbiage varies by air carrier) do not necessarily mean that you are about to be bumped from your flight. Provided you have a confirmed reservation, there can be several reasons for why it’s on your ticket. Here are a few explanations.

You bought a basic economy fare

Some airlines—like American, Delta, and United—do not assign a free seat for basic economy fares until the ticket counter or the gate. These ultra-restrictive fares are usually the cheapest and come with limitations. If you bought one of these fares and you see a note asking you to see the agent, you'll likely be assigned a seat before boarding. You won’t be able to choose where you sit, but you should have a confirmed seat on the plane. There is no need to even see the agent as many airports may display your seat assignment on the gate information screen allowing you to use the existing boarding pass to board.

If you change your mind, or didn’t mean to purchase this bargain-basement fare, most airlines let you “buy up,” paying either the fare difference or a small fee to upgrade to the next fare offering so that you can select a seat before getting to the airport.

You’re booked on a codeshare flight

Airlines sometimes partner with other carriers to allow them to sell seats on their own planes and vice versa. Airlines must disclose if your flight is operated by another carrier, and on occasion with a codeshare, it is not possible to assign a seat in advance. This could be because the airlines use different computer systems and don’t have access to each other’s seat maps. Or it could be because the airline didn’t receive advance information on the seat you selected. If you find yourself flying another airline than the one from which you bought your ticket, try calling that airline in advance of your flight to make a seat assignment. Typically, they assign one on their end to help you avoid the “luck of the draw” at the gate.

You need to show additional documents

Another reason that your boarding pass may say “see agent” is that certain travel documents need to be verified. If you had not previously selected a seat, some airlines cannot automatically issue a boarding pass with a seat assignment until the documents are checked. These can include everything from COVID vaccination checks to destination entry visas and passport expiration dates . If you have the right documentation, it shouldn’t be an issue to handle it at the gate and get a seat.

Your ticket needs to be re-issued

When you make a change to a reservation or there was a disruption to your travel plans, some tickets may need to be re-issued by the airline. If this is the case, you normally wouldn’t be able to print a boarding pass at all, but online check-in or an airport kiosk may print a document that says to see an agent. It may require some additional keystrokes by a ticketing agent on the phone or at the airport to correct any problems. If you changed voluntarily to a different flight, there may be a difference in fare you owe, but in most cases, it’s just a simple computer glitch that needs addressing.

The airline has blocked seats

Airlines often block seats to assign closer to departure. These are reserved for travelers that require infant bassinets (bulkhead seats), frequent fliers with elite status, are crew rest seats, or those with armrests that can raise for people with reduced mobility or passengers with requirements for additional space. On the day of departure, the airline begins to release these seats.

If you were not able to make an advance seat assignment, keep an eye on the seat map as these seats will begin to open up once check-in begins and then once the gate opens for the flight. If you see a note to see the agent on your boarding pass, you may be in luck. As these “preferred” seats get “unblocked,” you may be able to score one of them. Be friendly (but not pestering) to the gate agent, and you could be at the top of their list.

Another favorite hack of frequent fliers is to use subscription-based websites like Expert Flyer, which allow you to set a seat alert for a notification if a particular seat (window or aisle, for example) opens up before a flight—so you can grab it. If a seat were to become unblocked, the website would send you a notification. The site can also alert you if the aircraft changes or provide details on whether a flight is oversold before you reach the airport.

Your aircraft changed before departure

When airlines change the aircraft type to one with a new configuration, some seat assignments may get kicked out of the system or swapped. You may be automatically assigned a new seat or left with a note to see the agent. Sometimes, when an airline switches to a smaller plane, some passengers will have to be bumped (although the airline will ask for volunteers first). Keep an eye on the seat map of your flight to watch for any changes in advance so you can manage expectations before you reach the airport.

If you booked your ticket more than three months before the flight, it is common for airlines to make minor changes to the times or the aircraft as they tweak their schedule around demand closer to departure. It can pay off to be vigilant and monitor your reservations.

Your flight is oversold

Sometimes, airlines end up with too many passengers for a flight. Overselling flights is an accepted practice since airlines rely on historical data to account for passengers that do not show up for a flight. Still, if you have a note to see the agent on your boarding pass, it could (but does not always) mean there are no more seats to assign. If you are confirmed on the flight, you are entitled to a seat. If the flight is oversold, the airline will ask for volunteers to take another flight first. If no one agrees to do that, those left without a seat assignment could be among the first to be involuntarily bumped, which includes someone with the note “see agent” on their boarding pass. If that happens, you will be awarded compensation in the form of gift cards, airline vouchers, or cash.

While there are a lot of other factors involved, it is prudent to check in as soon as you are able to for a flight. If your boarding pass mentions seeing a gate agent, it does not mean you’re destined for a bump. While there is no reason for alarm, it helps knowing why it may appear and what you can do about it.

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Anyway, as I have always flown on fares that allow advance seat assignment and usually check a bag, I've actually never had to have a seat assigned at the gate. Should she have done something more proactive?

As far as I can see she could have:

1. Gone to the bag drop desk and asked there (bad, as I assume there's a wait).

2. Gone to the same or a different gate with an agent and asked right after she got through security.

3. Gone to the gate right when the gate agent got there to open the flight .

What do you usually do in this situation?

american airlines seat assigned at gate

It seems inappropriate for the gate agent to tell her that, as if she's a charity case.

She had paid for her seat, and had she been denied boarding (considering that she arrived on time) she would have been owed compensation.

"What do you usually do in this situation?"

I wouldn't choose one of these fares, but if I did I would look at the overhead monitor in the gate area to see if there were seats available. I guess I'd then ask the gate agent when I could expect a seat assignment.

american airlines seat assigned at gate

well if one choose an Basic fare then seats are assigned at check in and that is determined by availability so none of that was surprising. And I don't think your daughter could have done anything different. You get a cheaper fare and have to take what comes with it. I agree the agent did not have to tell you that someone gave up their seat. They overbooked. Delta's fault and not your daughter's

I thought the gate agent's comment was inappropriate too, but I wondered if there was some procedure she was supposed to have followed that we didn't know about that might have caused him to say it.

She was there way ahead of time as we've heard so much about the TSA lines, so she got there (ATL) 3 hours early then had precheck and TSA took about 5 minutes, so she had plenty of time to ask someone if that's what she should have done. I've never paid attention to the monitors at the gates saying if there were seats available - when does that show up? When they open the flight ?

american airlines seat assigned at gate

Seat assignments are done *after check in closes* (not at check in). That effectively means they're assigned at the gate and only from the available unassigned seats.

btgm, the only thing your daughter could do to minimize IDB here (apart from not buy the E bucket) is to get elite status, as I'd expect the usual priority for handling oversold flights would be followed. That's ask for VDBs, then assign seats based on elite status, fare bucket and time of check in. A non elite in the E bucket is going to be right at the bottom of that list. Daughter probably got on the plane due to both the VDB and having checked in at T-22.5.

And remember that both United and American are going to be introducing Basic Economy fares soon as well, with likely the same potential consequences.

The thing is, she had a basic economy fare in both directions (at least I think so - they're both fare class E), and she was able to choose a seat at check in on the way there. I just assumed that they had gotten to the point where they turn it over to the airport when the seats are mostly full.

Maybe they open it at check in if the flight isn't overbooked?

USBT, isn't it true though that the daughter would have received compensation if she had been IDB'd?

As for the GA's comment, not sure if I see an issue there, as it seems that the explanation was correct, and also see no need to mention compensation. I have had similar said about me, "Here's your upgrade to GFC sir. That nice gentleman just declined his upgrade, to sit with his wife in BFC." I have gotten smiles, whispered "thank yous," and a few knowing nods - but mention of my decision is usually not made. I am sure that I have been the recipient of similar, though never knew who to thank.

As far as what to do next time, not sure if I know an answer. The newish "Basic Economy fares," probably have several stipulations, and limitations. From what I gather, they have a little similarity to the old "Standby tickets," of yore. If one does OLCI, at T-24 (or whatever time is allowed), that is probably as good, as it gets. Then, it's the luck of the draw, on that particular flight .

While I am not a fan of airlines overbooking, I can certainly see their position. No-shows happen, and for myriad reasons. On an ORD - PHX flight Sunday, there was a long list of standbys, and the plane was showing full. As the boarding time approached, a dozen seats opened up (no-shows?), and all standby pax were seated. There were still about half a dozen vacant seats in E+, and that is something that I have not seen in a very long time. Unfortunately, we were #3 and 4 for FC upgrades, and only #1 and 2 got what was left up front. At least we were in Exit Row, and my RPU's (pledged) will be credited back to my account.

That's one of my little pet peeves with airlines . I've never found a way to go back and look at the T&Cs of a ticket once it's purchased, only when you check that little box when buying. For example, her confirmation says:

"This ticket is non-refundable unless the original ticket was issued at a fully refundable fare. Some fares may not allow changes. If allowed, any change to your itinerary may require payment of a change fee and increased fare. Failure to appear for any flight without notice to Delta will result in cancellation of your remaining reservation."

Shouldn't they just say it's nonrefundable since the ticket is already issued? (That's a side topic though.)

It does also say "/NONREF/NOCHGS/NOPRE RSVDSEAT" but there's nothing to link to the actual T&Cs.

On further research I did find this in the FAQs:

"When Can I Get A Seat Assignment On A Basic Economy Fare?

Your seat will be assigned after you check in for a flight via delta.com, a Delta airport kiosk or with a Gate Agent within 24 hours of departure."

"What If A Seat Is Not Assigned To Me At Time Of Check-In?

A seat request boarding pass will be issued and can be used to clear airport security. Your seat will be automatically assigned at the gate."

So presumably sometimes you get the seat at check in and sometimes you don't.

<<<Here's your upgrade to GFC sir. That nice gentleman just declined his upgrade, to sit with his wife in BFC." >>>

The ticket she purchased said that seat assignment would be made after check in. Not you'll get a seat if you're lucky. 😀

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A beginner’s guide to American Airlines economy seats

JT Genter

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

Main Cabin Extra, Preferred, elite-only seats ... oh my! When you go to select an economy seat on American Airlines, it might seem that every seat has some sort of designation. And if you're selecting a seat close to the departure date, you might be left with having to pay to select a decent seat or choosing a middle seat for a long international flight.

If that's your experience, you're not alone. On several American Airlines aircraft, over 50% of economy seats are designated as Main Cabin Extra or Preferred seats — which require payment to select if you don't have elite status.

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That can leave travelers with atrocious-looking seat maps like this one on AA's Airbus A330-300 from Charlotte (CLT) to London Heathrow (LHR):

american airlines seat assigned at gate

Believe it or not, it gets worse. If you don't have elite status on American Airlines, the airline actually hides some available seats from you as these seats are reserved only for elite members.

Welcome to the crazy world of American Airlines seating.

We'll go through the four main categories of economy seating on American Airlines. Depending on your level of elite status and when you're choosing your seats, it could cost you over $100 to choose — if you're able to choose it at all. Even more confusing, some seats are in two different categories at the same time.

Note: We are focusing on American Airlines' economy seats in this piece. If you're looking for a guide about which first class, business class or premium economy seats you should book, check out TPG's American Airlines premium seats ranked from best to worst .

A 10-hour flight is a lot more snoozable in first class – see how many points away you are from a cozy, 30,000 foot slumber with the free TPG App !

Main Cabin Extra seats

american airlines seat assigned at gate

What is Main Cabin Extra?

Main Cabin Extra (MCE) is what American Airlines calls its extra-legroom economy seats. Many of American Airlines' aircraft have a section of MCE seats at the front of the economy cabin while others — such as former US Airways aircraft and regional jets — may only classify bulkhead and exit row seats as MCE.

For example, the former US Airways A330-300 aircraft only have two rows of Main Cabin Extra: the bulkhead rows of row 8 and row 25. Note, Main Cabin Extra seats are shown in orange on American Airlines' website:

american airlines seat assigned at gate

What are the perks of Main Cabin Extra?

Don't confuse American Airlines' Main Cabin Extra seats for AA's Premium Economy , which features a larger seat and better catering as well as more legroom than economy.

Instead, Main Cabin Extra is the same seat that you'll find in standard economy but with more legroom. Main Cabin Extra seats have between 33 and 43.5 inches of pitch — depending on the aircraft type — versus the 30 to 33 inches you'll find in standard economy seats.

For example, the front row of economy on the American Airlines A321neo is designated as Main Cabin Extra and has 40 inches of pitch. While this is a solid seat — you can even store a carry-on bag under the first-class seat in front of you — the stationary armrests make these seats a bit more narrow than the other economy seats.

american airlines seat assigned at gate

In mid-2018, American Airlines added "complimentary beer, wine and spirits" and "enhanced overhead bin access" as perks of Main Cabin Extra. While that "enhanced" access merely consists of just a placard in the overhead bin, Main Cabin Extra passengers board in Group 5. That's before any other economy passengers, so you should have first dibs on the overhead bins. Note that certain American Airlines card holders also receive priority or preferred boarding — for example, Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® card holders receive Group 4 boarding, while those with the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® board in Group 5.

The information for the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: Choosing the best credit card for American Airlines flyers

What is the cost of Main Cabin Extra?

The cost for Main Cabin Extra is going to depend on the route, the aircraft type, whether the seat is a window/aisle or middle seat and the elite status level of the passenger. For non-elite members flying on long-haul flights, there can be a significant cost to choosing MCE seats. However, the price doesn't necessarily scale with the length of the flight.

For example, from London Heathrow to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) on AA's Boeing 777-200, bulkhead seats cost $118, aisle/window seats cost $113 and middle seats cost $102:

american airlines seat assigned at gate

While on American Airlines' longest flight from Hong Kong (HKG) to Dallas/Fort Worth on AA's Boeing 777-300ER, MCE seats range from $107 to $112:

american airlines seat assigned at gate

On AA's third-shortest by length — and shortest by duration — flight from Charlotte to Greenville/Spartanburg (GSP) on AA's CRJ-700, Main Cabin Extra costs $27:

american airlines seat assigned at gate

While this cost may seem excessive for just some extra legroom, you have to remember that the extra space from these seats adds up. On some planes, AA could fit more rows of seats into the same plane if all of the seats had the standard pitch. This means more tickets could potentially be sold. So, AA charges more to make up for this lost potential revenue.

Who can select a Main Cabin Extra seat for free?

These MCE seats aren't costly for everyone. MCE seats are complimentary for American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum, Platinum Pro and Platinum elite members as well as Oneworld Sapphire and Emerald elites. Each of these elites can also select MCE seats for free for up to eight traveling companions on the same reservation. However, you must purchase a Main Cabin ticket — and not a Basic Economy ticket — to get this benefit.

Related: How to survive basic economy on American Airlines

american airlines seat assigned at gate

AAdvantage Gold and Oneworld Ruby elite members get complimentary access to MCE seats at 24 hours to departure. In the past, AA Gold elites received a 50% discount on purchasing MCE seats before check-in, but this discount was eliminated in September 2018.

So, if you have status, make sure to log into your AAdvantage account or list your Oneworld account with elite status when purchasing flights.

Preferred seats

american airlines seat assigned at gate

What are American Airlines Preferred seats?

The next category of seats are "Preferred" seats — indicated by green on AA seat maps. These seats have no more legroom than standard economy seats (30 to 33 inches of pitch) but are simply located in "preferred" areas of the plane. This could mean seats closer to the front, rows with only two seats or sometimes just random window and aisle seats, as you can see on AA's Boeing 777-300ER:

american airlines seat assigned at gate

Beware if you see exit row seats labeled as Preferred seats rather than Main Cabin Extra. For example on AA's Boeing 767, the exit row seats marked as Preferred don't recline — so AA sells them as Preferred seats rather than MCE seats.

american airlines seat assigned at gate

What are the perks of Preferred seats?

Besides their "preferred" location in the cabin, there are no perks that come with American Airlines Preferred seats.

What is the cost of Preferred seats?

As with Main Cabin Extra seats, the cost of Preferred seats is going to vary based on the route, the aircraft type, whether the seat is an aisle/window or middle seat and the traveler's elite status. Some examples of the cost of Preferred seats found in the screenshots above are:

  • London to Dallas on AA's 777-200: $86 for window/aisle seats or $79 for middle seats
  • Hong Kong to Dallas on AA's 777-300ER: $79 for window/aisle seats or $72 for middle seats
  • Charlotte to Greenville on AA's CRJ-700: $15 for Preferred seats

Who can select a Preferred seat for free?

Preferred seats are free for AAdvantage Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum elite members and up to eight passengers traveling on the same reservation. Also, corporate travelers can select a Preferred seat for free if their company has a contract with American Airlines.

Related: What is American Airlines elite status worth ?

Unfortunately, the only way you're going to get a Preferred seat for free as a general flyer is if you don't have a seat assignment and there are no Standard seats available. AA's system will then assign you a Preferred seat.

Elite-only seats

american airlines seat assigned at gate

What are elite-only seats?

AA sets aside several seats on each aircraft solely for AA elite members. Those with AA elite status will see an asterisk at the top of these seats. If you don't have elite status, these empty seats won't show on the seat map as available:

american airlines seat assigned at gate

Main Cabin Extra, Preferred seats and even standard seats can be set aside for elites only. For example, further back on the seat map for the same flight above, you'll see that seat 33B is a standard seat that's randomly blocked for elite members only:

american airlines seat assigned at gate

The difference between seat maps can be drastic. In my opinion, there's no justification for AA holding so many seats for elite members, except to encourage novice flyers to pay for an MCE or Preferred seat.

The good news is these seats are freed up for all flyers at check-in. So, if you're looking to move to a better seat, you're going to want to set an alarm for 24 hours before your flight to check-in.

Standard economy seats

american airlines seat assigned at gate

What are standard seats on American Airlines?

Standard seats are simply those that aren't labeled as MCE seats or Preferred seats. These are usually located in the middle to back of the plane — unless there's a row with a missing seat, as that row is probably marked Preferred. If you don't have elite status, you're likely going to end up with a standard seat unless you're paying extra.

How to choose the best seat

Now that you know a Main Cabin Extra seat from a Preferred seat, you may be wondering how to figure out which seat you should pick. To help you with this choice, TPG has detailed tours of three American Airlines aircraft complete with empty cabin photos and seat recommendations:

  • A tour of American Airlines' Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
  • A tour of American Airlines' New 777-200 retrofit
  • A tour of American Airlines' retrofit 767-300

For AA's other aircraft types, we recommend using SeatGuru . By entering your AA flight number, SeatGuru will pull up the seat map for your flight and show which seats are recommended. Just note that SeatGuru is still catching up with American Airlines' rapidly-changing fleet. But, it's still a good free starting point to figure out the best available seat.

It's also worth checking back often as the flight nears departure. For domestic flights, upgrades will clear for elite members starting around four days before departure up to the day of departure. So, checking back may score you a better seat.

Related: The ultimate guide to getting upgraded on American Airlines

To save time manually checking for better seats, you can use ExpertFlyer —which is owned by TPG's parent company Red Ventures — to set up seat alerts and get a notification when a window, aisle or a particular seat opens up. Note that free accounts are limited to just one active alert at a time. Additional seat alerts cost $0.99 each or you can pay for a Pro plan to get more seat alerts and tons of additional features.

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How to Navigate Costly Airline Seat Selection Fees

Sam Kemmis

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Airlines always seem to have one more trick up their sleeves for adding fees to the cost of airfare. Anyone who has flown in the past few years knows that some airlines now charge for basics, like carry-on bags and a printed boarding ticket. Yet one sneaky charge is often ignored by even savvy travelers: seat selection fees.

On the surface, there’s nothing complicated about these fees. Some airlines will let you select a specific seat for a markup on the base cost of your ticket. However, the way the fees are presented is often misleading, making it seem like you must select a seat and pay the accompanying fee.

american airlines seat assigned at gate

A seat selection chart from Frontier Airlines.

This approach, in which companies add fees throughout the checkout process, is called “drip pricing” by experts. And research indicates that it's an effective sales tactic, both for confusing customers and driving up overall prices.

But here’s the thing: You almost never have to pay these fees. Here’s how to avoid — or at least minimize — these pesky fees.

Ways to avoid seat selection fees

Skip seat selection altogether.

Though it might sound scary, there's one weird trick airlines don’t want you to know: You don’t have to select a seat. On most airlines, you'll get assigned a seat at check-in or at the gate if you don’t already have one.

Some airlines make it seem like you must (or at least should) select a seat during checkout. Frontier Airlines even has a graphic interstitial page telling you why selecting a seat is such a great option.

american airlines seat assigned at gate

Don’t fall for it. You can always skip seat selection and save the money, but do keep a few things in mind:

Skipping seat selection doesn’t mean you won’t get a seat on the flight.

You might get stuck in the middle seat if you don’t pay for one.

Even if seat selection is free, you might want to skip it if only lousy seats are available (see the "upgrade hack” below).

Pick an airline with lower seat fees

Part of what’s so confusing about these fees is how inconsistently the industry is applying them. Unlike change and cancellation fees, which most U.S. airlines recently abolished, many airlines seem to be increasing the upcharge on selecting seats.

But some are charging much more than others.

According to an analysis of airline fees by NerdWallet, Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines charge the least for seat selection, while Frontier and Spirit Airlines charge the most.

Airlines with modest seat fees (less than $10 each leg):

Airlines with high seat fees ($15-plus each leg):

Southwest Airlines doesn’t technically charge for nor allow seat selection in the same way as other airlines, so it's excluded from this data. But you won’t get charged a seat selection fee on Southwest during checkout, so it’s also a good option.

Roll the dice with an upgrade hack

As a regular, non-frequent flyer, it’s hard to get your seat upgraded these days. Yet skipping seat selection sometimes offers the opportunity to get bumped into premium seating.

Here’s how it works. Airlines now offer a “premium economy” fare or similar. Sometimes, all of the good seats — including the exit rows — are considered premium. The airlines try to charge extra for these seats, but if nobody takes them and the flight is full, they have to assign them to somebody.

Specifically, airlines will assign these empty, better seats to those passengers who haven't selected a seat. So if you put yourself in this pool, you have a chance of scoring an even better seat than those who paid extra for advance seat selection.

Of course, there’s a potential downside: You could very well get stuck in a middle seat in the back of the plane rather than getting upgraded. But if you notice that your flight is full and not many passengers have upgraded to the good main cabin seats, skipping seat selection altogether can be an expert-level travel move.

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

Don’t pay for advance seat selection

Airlines are playing the same game. They want to show the lowest fares possible on search results, then upsell you during checkout. This drip-pricing tactic is a pain for passengers . Charging for seat selection is one way airlines try to make a buck at the last minute.

Know your options and avoid their trickery. Skip seat selection altogether or fly an airline with limited seat fees, like Alaska, Hawaiian or JetBlue. Each charges little or nothing for choosing a seat. Worst case, you’ll end up in the middle seat. Best case, you’ll get a seat with extra legroom.

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Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

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american airlines seat assigned at gate

What happens if I dont select a seat on American airlines?

travel-faq

FAQs about Not Selecting a Seat on American Airlines

1. can i select a seat for free at check-in, 2. will i have to pay for a seat assignment, 3. what happens if the flight is full, 4. can i change my seat assignment, 5. will i be seated with my travel companions, 6. what if i have special seating needs, 7. can i upgrade my seat at check-in, 8. will i have to wait longer at the gate, 9. what if i miss my flight, 10. can i be upgraded to first class, 11. will i have to settle for a middle seat, 12. can i still request a preferred seat at check-in, what happens if i don’t select a seat on american airlines.

If you don’t select a seat on American Airlines, you will be assigned a seat at check-in or at the gate. This means that you may not get the most desirable seat, such as a window or aisle seat, and you could end up sitting in the middle seat. In some cases, if the flight is full, you may even be bumped from the flight if there are not enough seats available. It’s always best to select your seat in advance to ensure that you get the most comfortable and convenient seat for your journey.

Yes, you can still select a seat for free at check-in. However, you may not have as many seat options available, and you may end up with a less desirable seat.

If you don’t select a seat in advance, there is a chance that you may have to pay for a seat assignment at check-in or at the gate. The cost will vary depending on the seat availability and demand.

If the flight is full and you haven’t selected a seat in advance, you may run the risk of being bumped from the flight if there are not enough available seats. It’s best to avoid this situation by selecting your seat in advance.

If you are assigned a seat at check-in or at the gate, you may still have the option to change your seat assignment, but it will depend on the availability of seats on the flight.

If you don’t select a seat in advance, there is no guarantee that you will be seated with your travel companions. This could result in being separated from your group during the flight.

If you have special seating needs, such as extra legroom or accommodation for a disability, it’s important to select your seat in advance to ensure that your needs are met.

If you haven’t selected a seat in advance, you may still have the option to upgrade your seat at check-in, but it will depend on the availability of upgrades and the cost.

If you don’t select a seat in advance, you may have to wait longer at the gate for your seat assignment, which could delay your boarding process.

If you don’t select a seat in advance and the flight is full, there is a chance that you may be bumped from the flight. This could result in missing your flight and having to make alternative travel arrangements.

If you haven’t selected a seat in advance, you may still have the chance to be upgraded to first class at check-in or at the gate, but it will depend on the availability of upgrades and the airline’s policies.

If you don’t select a seat in advance, there is a possibility that you may end up with a middle seat, which is often considered less desirable than window or aisle seats.

If you haven’t selected a seat in advance, you may still have the opportunity to request a preferred seat at check-in, but it will depend on the availability of seats and the airline’s policies.

By selecting your seat in advance, you can avoid the uncertainty and inconvenience of being assigned a less desirable seat. It’s always best to plan ahead to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable flight experience.

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Last minute gate change are a pain: Here's how they work | Cruising Altitude

american airlines seat assigned at gate

To the credit of airlines everywhere, my experiences in travel tell me that last-minute gate changes are fairly rare. I can’t remember the last time I sprinted from gate 1A to gate 237C because my plane decided to park somewhere else.

More often, my complaints have to do with how far the gate is from the terminal door in the first place, but a far away gate – whether you’re going there unexpectedly or just taking a sign from the universe to get your steps in – can be frustrating no matter what.

Gate assignments at most airports are a surprisingly complex ballet. And after a recent trip that had me passing many empty parking spots to my gate, I wanted to learn more about how it all works.

“It’s never as simple as you would like it to be or as straightforward as we would like it to be,” Matthew Cornelius, executive vice president of Airports Council International North America , an industry advocacy group, told me. “It’s a mix of physical and contractual issues.”

How are gates assigned?

Cornelius said one of the key determining factors in gate assignments is the size of the plane operating the flight.

“Gates are designed and built based on aircraft type, so not every gate can take every type of aircraft,” he said.  

Planes are generally classified into narrowbody and widebody. Widebody gates, as the name implies, require more room, and those tend to be further out or at the ends of the concourses because there’s more space for those larger aircraft, Cornelius explained. “There are some gates that swing both ways kind of, but those swing gates, when you put a large aircraft on a swing gate, that may take out the ability to use those gates around it,” he added

The aviation geeks among us have probably noticed markings on the ground that show exactly where different aircraft types have to park at each gate for the jet bridge to align correctly with the door. That’s a good indicator of how versatile your departure gate may be.

Cornelius said airline contracts also play a role in determining where planes can park.

He said airport contracts with airlines are on a spectrum from “exclusive use,” where one airline has more or less sole access to a particular gate, to “common use,” where the airport operator has complete control over the gate’s use and can assign it to any airline as needed.

“In circumstances where the airline has the whole concourse, then it’s really up to the airline what their plan is for the future,” Cornelius said. “Of course, it’s not as simple or easy as maybe it looks to somebody traveling.” 

Airlines typically start planning their gate usage about a year out, when they publish their schedules, and fine-tune it more about 30 days before a flight, with further massaging 72 hours out and then on the day of departure.

“Day of is probably the most important in terms of gating because that’s when they know what aircraft will be available, which flights are actually going, that sort of thing,” Cornelius said.

What leads to last-minute gate changes?

Many factors can lead an airline to swap gate assignments at the last minute, from a change in the aircraft type to mechanical issues on the ground.

“It’s usually a mechanical (issue) or something, or there’s a delay. You’re supposed to go into C39 or something and the aircraft that’s on C39 was supposed to be gone, but it’s not, so the gate planners and the operational controllers make a decision at that point,” Cornelius said. “Depending on how tight and how busy that airport is at that particular time, that may make 10 or 12 changes or just two or three.” 

Cruising Altitude: Tips for getting a drink on your flight

In the event of major disruptions, like a pile of delays and cancellations due to weather or some other emergency that leaves an airplane out of place, Cornelius said airports can sometimes move planes around, even to gates that may be assigned exclusively to a different airline.

“Most contracts with the airlines at an airport have what’s called forced accommodation, so the airport authority can step in and say ‘Hey, American, you’ve got exclusive use of this gate, but we need to offload this aircraft,’ ” he said. 

Cornelius added that airports are increasingly moving to a common-use model for gates, which provides terminal operators more flexibility.

So next time you’re not happy with your gate assignment, just remember there are a lot of moving parts, and it’s nothing personal if you have to walk really far to get to your plane.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected]

View from the Wing

American Airlines May Now Give Away Your Seat When You Run To Make A Connection

by Gary Leff on July 8, 2023

But this tool does so predictively . As American describes it in internal documents,

AURA utilizes a concept called discovered inventory, in which it identifies passengers that are certain to misconnect and utilizes that available inventory for protecting other passengers who may need that space.

They take passengers off of flights who haven’t missed them yet , but where the airline is ‘certain’ they will misconnect, in order to give those seats to other passengers. “PRNG Update” in a reservation means that AURA tool has run:

american airlines seat assigned at gate

As I wrote in May when revealing the plan, people occasionally have flights where it’s ‘obvious’ they cannot make their connection and then something happens at the last minute so that they do.

Now they might find themselves without the connection, even though circumstances lined up so that they could have made it if American hadn’t given their seat to someone else instead. American said this wouldn’t happen but it appears to be happening .

A reader shares their experience this past weekend flying from Portland, Maine to Chicago and on to San Diego in first class.

Their first segment was delayed half an hour, and they share “it looked like I was gonna misconnect, even though the second leg was also delayed.”

They were removed automatically from their connecting flight prior to touchdown at Chicago O’Hare.

He “hustled from [gate] L10 to H16 …and made it there while they were still on Group 4. Of course my [boarding pass] no longer worked so I had to speak to the” gate agents.

He was told,

The passenger noted he’d “paid for first” and asked for his seat back from whomever was upgraded into it. That was declined. He asked for downgrade compensation and was told to contact customer service. At that point he was willing to overnight in Chicago to fly up front to San Diego the next day, and the agent was willing to provide a hotel room.

However another first class passenger, who wasn’t automatically removed from the flight by AURA, misconnected. He was given their seat and, he says, flew on the flight he’d originally intended. But this new tool will mean situations like this happen more and more.

More From View from the Wing

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About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

More articles by Gary Leff »

Always been the policy, it has happened to me a few times.

Seats should only be reassigned after call for boarding.. period.

Ridiculous..

Just flew AA and it a crap show. First off the customer service is low level at best. Two, we’re suppose to land early in Charlotte from Aruba. Which we did. Then they sat us on the runway for 40 min waiting on a gate. We saw 10 to 15 open gates. Instead of an hour layover where we could eat. They started boating our flight back to Florida while we sat on a plane delayed. They also had the nerve to blame the delay on the Airport. We eventually made it home but I will be cutting up the high hawked AA card and going back to Delta.

It seems that the airlines have all the wrights and we the passengers have very few. What ever happened to good customer service? This must change!!!!!!

Sadly AA is now in the credit card business and not really the airline business. They sold me a flight with a close.comnection. Flight was delayed due to mechanical. Yes they gave away my seat even though our flight with 10.passengers made the connection just in time. LGA AA staff horrible.

And how is this not an IDB situation? I think it would get fixed if they actually faced the IDB penalties.

And if they would change their procedures standbys could be boarded just before the doors close. Issue them special boarding passes that can only be used in say the last two minutes before the door closes. At that point they’re called up, if their pass works, good, if the proper passenger boarded the pass is rejected.

Ever since US Air was acquired by American ( and yes I know it was the other way around) and they dumped all of there old regional aircraft into the domestic market. I refuse to fly them, but of course our unqualified Transportation Secretary does nothing to protect the flying public!!!!

On this I agree with you Mr. Engelhardt. I would add most, if not all, Dept. of Transportation heads are “unqualified.” It’s just a place to park political friends in a job with a nice paycheck and perks. The DOT as a whole is not really set up to “help” travelers. It is where complaints go to die…..

Never ever fly AA! Every policy they have is pro company & anti customer! Haven’t flown AA since I was in my 20’s & I’m 64

This happened to us on a Air Canada flight a few months back. There was some 20 people that ran to the gate only to be told that they have our seats away. Meanwhile, they were letting additional staff to board the flight that were deadheading. The next possible flight that they offered us was 32 hrs later. . They would not compensate us for the hotel that we have to purchase or the cab fare. I would rather spend an extra $500 than fly air Canada ever again

I have been bumped several times on AA. THEY ARE THE #1 Airline for doing this. They have bumped me so many times I’m done with them. The last time, I was running to get to my 2nd flight to get home late at night, nope we sold your seat, we can get you on a flight 2 hours later. Which is BS. MY flight was delayed due to another aircraft broke down at the gate my first flight was supposed to leave from. AA didn’t give 2 F’s for jacking me over. Customers don’t mean anything to AA, just income at any cost. I would love a Boycott of AA.

I paid for a first class ticket from Houston Hobby to Cedar Rapids Iowa via the required stop in DFW. Due to immense storms, the flight from Houston was delayed first for an hour on the tarmac before we were brought back to the terminal to wait another 2 hours. Of course I missed my connecting DFW flight, but in the end the connecting flight was delayed several hours. In Houston, when we had to deplane to wait out the storm, all passengers were seated in that waiting area. As I am handicapped (which is why I bought the first class ticket), my seat had been given to someone else. I simply couldn’t believe I had been treated that way. I had been there all the time because, needing a wheelchair and being 80 years old, there was no way I could go for a meal or shopping. After 15 minutes of searching, American did find me a seat in economy. They refunded $54. I couldn’t believe that either. I sure paid more than $54 for a difference between first and economy. I think the airline industry is taking too much advantage of passengers and there needs to be an investigation into how much the airline can manipulate a person who has a full fare ticket and a reservation..

It’s just another form of “involuntary” bumping; but without compensation.

American has been a disaster for us. Booked with them for 6, they were late and gave away 1 of 6 seats making our vacation cancel. No one on their end seemed to care. Then lost 2 suitcases. Sad.

We need to mobilize against AA. 33% of my flights have been delayed or canceled. We need to start a Facebook page, call them every day to use up their employees time, and then send a Huge complaint file to the Dept of Transportation. Scream in unison at the airport. Take their credit card forms on the plane and then throw them away. Use up their drinks. Request 2 cans of pop. Harass the Ceo with letters.

That’s why you should never fly American cuz they don’t give a damn about their customers if they would leave a bunch of handicapped individual stranded with no help no flights no hotels no nothing it shouldn’t surprise you about them giving your flight to somebody else this Airline is just crap

@Sha – really? That is nothing. United customers the last 3 weeks are telling AA passengers to “hold my beer”.

@NEVERflyUnited – so you are now adding AA to your list of airlines to “never fly”. Pretty soon you will be walking wherever you want to go. BTW, all airlines do this with connections and usually enforce the “must be on board 15 minutes before scheduled departure or we can give away your seat” rule. Amazes me that people on here are so clueless about airline operation or self centered that they think it revolves around them. Airlines have a business to run and must make decisions for the greater good and to optimize operations, not to accomodate you.

I’m glad there are other airlines to choose from so I won’t be choosing American.

Delta did that to me in 2019. I was on a Delta flight that ran late, when I arrived at JFK for my connecting flight it was already boarded and sitting on the tarmac when I ran to the gate. Knowing that I’m on a Delta flight u would think they would know I’m running late and not give up my seat. It was for my Uncles funeral and the way Delta handled it was atrocious.

@AC The airlines need to wait until 10 minutes prior to real departure time to release seats of passengers on connections, especially if they are giving the seats to non-revs and other standby pax ahead of customers racing to make their ticketed connection. Even if the theory is that passengers aren’t going to make it, making those decisions far in advance doesn’t allow for lots of things that can happen in the meantime…. crew not available, inbound gets a shorter arrival path, mechanical, whatever. Even if that means more scrambling at T-10, that’s what the legitimate connecting pax deserve.

@Carl — and that is what is supposed to happen. It is so unhospitable to do otherwise and just one more reason the general public distrust airlines probably more than any other industry.

On 7/9/23 I was traveling from Bangor, ME to Dallas, TX through DC (Reagan) on American (2386 and 803) Due to severe weather on the east coast, my flight from Bangor to DC was delayed. American’s auto system rebooked my connection flight for the following day due to the delay interfering with the connection. The only problem was that flight 2386 and flight 803 used the same physical aircraft; it was literally impossible to miss the connection. The stupidity of the situation was mind numbing and very frustrating. I was able to get the problem fixed but American’s customer service situation is awful. “Unexpected high call volume” is no longer a valid excuse.

This tool isn’t doing anything new, it’s just automating aspects that make it easier for gate agents to enforce policies and get flights out on time.

Final boarding call is 15 minutes prior to departure so they can identify what people haven’t shown up and start assigning those seats to standby passengers who missed their connections earlier in the day.

If you show up 10 minutes before departure and the doors are still open you’re still late.

The automation identifies your not going to make it in time and frees up those seats immediately so gate agents don’t have to waist time calling peoples names who aren’t there and get on with loading the standby passengers who are there allowing them to get the flight out on time which helps prevent that flight form being delayed causing those passengers to miss their connections.

It’s a new feature which causes sticky situations. Some passengers still make their flights and others don’t. It comes down to the availability of seats. The passenger has to be checked back in and then they get a seating assignment. If they were 1st class and could not be accommodated, then they are given a number to call to reimburse them for that unused segment. That said, there are a lot of comments on here which may accurately convey frustrations, but abysmally lack knowledge on systems that they are not familiar with but speak s though they do. Tsk, tsk.

@MediaAssassin AA should be required to give IDB compensation if you arrive before the boarding door is closed if you are (were) checked into the flight, they should not have the right to remove you prematurely without a consequence if it was wrongful. Further the notion that you can call for downgrade compensation is useless. The airlines always come up with some totally de minimus amount that is based on the difference to a last minute full coach fare. When you buy your ticket, it’s $500 more than coach, but on the day of the flight, it’s only $50 refund.

@Earl It’s absurd to blame connecting passengers for being late to the boarding gate if it’s due to a late AA inbound flight. If they are not running the tool until 15 minutes prior to departure and it’s based on real time information, that’s reasonable. But if they are runnning it predictively 30 minutes or more before departure and off-loading people at that time, then if the facts change and they show up at the gate before boarding is completed, those passengers should have the right to their seats ahead of cleared standbys.

This happened to me over the weekend flying boston to tampa on 7/23 with a connection in Reagan. I had 2 first class tickets and the weather was fine. The flight from BOS to DCA was delayed due to the plane arriving in boston late followed by a ~45 min mechanical issue. We eventually got on our way and upon arrival to DCA the connecting gate was less than a 1 minute walk. I immediately went to the gate; the connecting flight had just arrived (also late) and was deplaning. I talked to the desk crew and was informed that our 2 first class seats had been reassigned and that they could only fly use home to TPA the following day. Keep in mind – I was bumped out of my seats BEFORE THEY EVEN STARTED BOARDING THE FLIGHT. Customer service has been abysmal (as expected). From an email I got this morning (they have told me the only way to deal with this stuff is via email) they had put ‘miles’ into my account for the inconvenience. Based on my account, it appears that they credited me 2500 miles (or about $25-30). And, this doesn’t take into account that we had 2 seats taken from us. I will keep working at this – and documenting things along the way – but we are extremely frustrated by this. We don’t travel much and usually spend the extra on first class tickets to ensure problems like this do not arise. At this point we will never fly American Airlines again and will be sure to encourage others to do so as well.

Good non-story brú. If you were the person getting the seat you would be happy. If the flight is delayed due to something other than weather or air traffic control (something an airline had control over) you’re still given a hotel voucher. Does it suck sometimes? Yes. Does everyone do it? Also yes.

This happened to me on 8/17/2023 at MIA. I had given myself 2.5 hours of layover time, the incoming flight was a bit delayed, but the connecting flight ended up being delayed by more than 3 hours so there was plenty of time to make the connection — no running through the terminals. The system rebooked me anyway to a flight two days later. I received no notification on the AA app, I found out while I was trying to board.

What’s so frustrating is that it is very easy to program a computer (whether using AI or not) to say “if the connecting flight is also delayed, don’t rebook the passenger”. The existing algorithm is probably capable of making that determination, but the AA app was saying the connecting flight was on-time despite the fact that there was no aircraft at the gate and no flight crew. It just kept saying “0 minutes to board” for hours. So the algorithm was probably being fed incorrect information that the connecting flight was on-time; despite the fact that a quick google search of the flight number showed that the plane wasn’t going to be at the gate anytime soon.

It sucks that this is happening to so many people. I was trying to go see my family on the other side of the country for the holidays. My first flight was delayed and I knew that I would have to run to make the connecting flight once we landed, but I get to the second airport and turns out my second flight had been delayed as well, so I held onto the associated ticket and ignored the rebooked email I got while I was on my first flight. I manage to get on the second plane because they sped up the boarding process by just asking for seat numbers. I go to use the restroom in the plane and when I go back to my assigned seat, I see someone else in it. I ended up having to talk to the agent on the plane about the situation and he gives me another seat on the plane (thank goodness). I was so confused and was trying to figure out why this had happened to me and then I find this article and learn that it’s not just me.

I understand life is not fair, but it was not right to give me a new booking that gets me to my destination two days later when I booked the flight a week in advance and had already paid for it. I want to see my family for the holidays as much as (maybe more) the passenger they gave my seat to might.

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Gary Leff

Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

SimpleFlying

5 Things To Be Aware Of When Booking American Airlines Basic Economy

  • Basic economy tickets on American Airlines come with disadvantages, such as unfavorable boarding positions and limited flexibility.
  • Earning frequent flyer miles and status is less fruitful with basic economy tickets compared to standard economy tickets.
  • Basic economy passengers on American Airlines face high baggage fees and cannot choose their seats without incurring a fee.

Booking a basic economy ticket on American Airlines can be one of the best ways to score a deal on the US-based legacy carrier. However, passengers must be aware of exactly what they are purchasing when they decide on this fare class, as privileges are extremely restricted, and the travel experience is certainly not glamorous.

Nonetheless, American's product is better than some others in the industry, as the carrier offers significantly more benefits in basic economy than fellow legacy carrier United Airlines. When the product first debuted, it was far more skin-and-bones than it is today and currently offers a number of benefits it did not use to.

There are a number of negative aspects that come along with a basic economy ticket, including extremely little flexibility and weak baggage offerings. In this article, we will take a deeper look at five things you need to be aware of before purchasing an American Airlines basic economy ticket.

Unfavorable boarding position

Boarding groups: 8 and 9.

Key disadvantages:

  • Passengers may have to gate-check their baggage
  • Passengers will be unable to settle in early for the flight

It is not surprising that passengers on basic economy tickets will be restricted to the plane's worst boarding groups and will likely be among the last to take their seats. For those traveling with a carry-on bag (which is, yes, something you are allowed to do on an American basic economy ticket), this may require a luggage gate-check, which can significantly slow down the arrival procedure.

Get all the latest aviation news for North America here!

As a result, this restriction immediately identifies two groups of passengers that should attempt to avoid basic economy at all costs. First, those who are traveling on tight timelines should not seek out basic economy due to the potential of having to gate-check a bag.

Second, those who like to settle in for their flight by boarding early will find that basic economy simply does not fulfill their needs. Passengers who fly on this kind of ticket while in possession of an American Airlines Citibank co-branded credit card will be moved up from the final boarding group to group 5, according to Thrifty Traveler .

Earning miles and status

Weaker earnings potential.

One of the biggest drawbacks to flying in basic economy is a lack of accrual potential for both frequent flyer miles, which can be used to book other flights, and for status-earning American Airlines loyalty points. For some passengers, this difference is minimal, but for those who are seeking to upgrade their status by the end of the year, this could prove a major drawback.

Some airlines (most notably Delta) restrict passengers' ability to earn miles at all when flying basic economy, demonstrating another place where American is offering a more competitive product in this fare class. As previously discussed, an American Airlines credit card will certainly help you accrue more miles, even if you do end up choosing to travel in basic economy, according to The Points Guy .

High baggage fees

Free luggage allowance: a personal item and a carry-on bag.

Unlike some other basic economy products, American does allow a traveler to bring a full-sized carry-on with them. As a result, the carrier's most restrictive fare class still offers a far more comfortable travel experience than any ultra-low-cost airline.

However, if you plan on bringing carry-on baggage, it's a good idea to take a long and hard look at American's baggage fees for those on basic economy tickets. While fees are standardized for flights within the US and Canada, many international journeys will have different fee structures .

American Airlines Scores Record Full Year Revenue Of $53 Billion

As always, an American Airlines credit card will greatly improve your basic economy experience. Most American cards will offer a passenger a free first-checked bag, even if the flight was not purchased on the card in question.

No seat selection

Typical seat selection fee: $10.

Basic economy passengers have two options:

  • Purchase seat selection for a fee
  • Allow seats to be assigned randomly at check-in

One of the biggest downsides when it comes to booking a basic economy ticket is the inability to choose one's seat. For a family attempting to sit together, reserving multiple different seats can certainly add up.

In this situation, a credit card alone will not allow you to select a seat for free. However, the airline does offer status-based seat upgrades to those traveling in basic economy.

No flexibility or refunds

Exception: within 24 hours of booking.

A final downside of flying basic economy that passengers should be aware of is the lack of flexibility that accompanies their ticket. The carrier does not offer any flight adjustments and offers no refunds in the event of a cancellation.

While regular economy fares typically include the flexibility to adjust same-day travel times for a fee and destinations just for the difference in fare, basic economy tickets do not offer any of these benefits, according to Upgraded Points . At the end of the day, booking a basic economy ticket offers just a random economy seat, on a single flight, at just one time, and there is virtually no opportunity to change that without paying a significant amount extra.

What are your thoughts? Let us know what you think in the comment section.

5 Things To Be Aware Of When Booking American Airlines Basic Economy

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Watch CBS News

As airlines increase baggage fees, customers up their carry-on game

By Juli McDonald

February 23, 2024 / 11:28 PM EST / CBS Boston

BOSTON - The battle for an overhead bin is about to become more competitive. United is the latest airline, after American and JetBlue, to announce a fee increase for checked bags - meaning the carry-on crowd could have more company.

"It adds up! Half the airlines charge you to pick your seat in advance, too," said one dad, of how expensive family travel can be.

"Everything has a fee, it feels like. Just the world we're living in now," said a college student on his way home.

Starting this weekend, economy-class passengers on domestic United flights will be charged $5 more, to $35, if they pay online at least 24 hours before the flight. Passengers who wait until they get to the airport will pay $40. The price of a second checked bag will also go up $5, to $45 in advance online and $50 at the airport.

As CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg points out, planes can't accommodate carry-ons now

"The game that so many passengers are playing is getting their bags through security and out to the gate and then having the airline say, 'Well, we're going to have to gate check the bag for free,' and they go, 'Oh, OK!'" Greenberg said.

He said it's working for now, and another trend involves stuffing a pillowcase to be counted as a carry-on. If all else fails, you can always layer up.

"There are garment manufacturers now making jackets with up to 35 pockets so that you're literally wearing your bag onto the plane as a coat. I'm not kidding!"

Greenberg adds that even now in what's considered the off-season, planes are full with airfares that are at near-historic highs, making this move about increased margins rather than increased costs.

McDonald-2022.jpg

Juli McDonald is a general assignment reporter for WBZ-TV.

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COMMENTS

  1. Why Does My Plane Ticket Say 'Seat Assigned at Gate'? Explained

    "Seat Assigned at Gate" is a common airline phrase resulting from overbooking, last-minute aircraft changes, and other operational reasons. Overbooking allows airlines to maximize revenue and compensate for anticipated no-show passengers, but can lead to passenger inconveniences.

  2. What It Means If 'See Agent' Is Printed on Your Boarding Pass

    September 8, 2022 Getty There's more information than you think encoded on your airline boarding pass. One of those codes—"see agent" or "seat assigned at gate"—can be especially...

  3. Seat assigned at gate?

    1. Re: Seat assigned at gate? 6 years ago Save You have a ticket and they have stated that they will assign a seat at the gate. This does not necessarily mean that the flight is overbooked. If, for some reason, Delta is in an overbook situation, they will call for volunteers before any involuntary denied boarding.

  4. Boarding process − Travel information − American Airlines

    Most flights start boarding 30 - 50 minutes before scheduled departure, but the exact time depends on your destination and plane. Boarding ends 15 minutes before departure. If you're not on board, we may reassign your seat to another passenger. You will not be allowed to board once the doors close.

  5. "Seat assignment: name called at gate" : r/AlaskaAirlines

    • 3 mo. ago It's very unlikely you'll be removed from the flight. If it's overbooked they'll offer compensation to volunteers at the gate before removing passengers. Saver fares do not get to select their seats which is why you'll be assigned one at the gate (and it won't be first class, very unlikely to be exit row but that's possible).

  6. Traveling with children − Travel information − American Airlines

    Safety seat requirements Seats and restraint devices not approved for use Carry-on and checked bags If you're flying internationally with an infant on your lap, we'll issue the infant a ticket. You may check 1 bag for the infant at the same rate as the adult's first checked bag. Strollers Additional accessories International documents

  7. Seat assigned at gate procedure

    1. Gone to the bag drop desk and asked there (bad, as I assume there's a wait). 2. Gone to the same or a different gate with an agent and asked right after she got through security. 3. Gone to the gate right when the gate agent got there to open the flight. What do you usually do in this situation? Report inappropriate content 1-10 of 33 replies

  8. Main Cabin − Travel information − American Airlines

    Book now Seat selection You can choose your seat for free when you book or buy a Preferred Seat in a more favorable location or a Main Cabin Extra seat with more benefits.* Main Cabin Extra Wi-Fi You can buy Wi-Fi on select aircraft so you never miss a beat while you're on board. Wi-Fi and connectivity Bags

  9. American Airlines Seat Selection: What to Know

    The cost to select a seat on American Airlines ranges from free — for standard seats except when booking basic economy fares — to over $160 for an extra-legroom seat on a long-haul...

  10. A beginner's guide to American Airlines economy seats

    Main Cabin Extra seats have between 33 and 43.5 inches of pitch — depending on the aircraft type — versus the 30 to 33 inches you'll find in standard economy seats. For example, the front row of economy on the American Airlines A321neo is designated as Main Cabin Extra and has 40 inches of pitch. While this is a solid seat — you can even ...

  11. Seat "assigned at gate" : r/delta

    Basic economy seats are assigned usually some point between 30-60 minutes prior to departure. The gate opens around 60 minutes prior which is when the agent will start working on assigning seats. Going to the gate any earlier than that isn't worth your time. The assignment will show in your app and on the gate screens.

  12. How to Navigate Costly Airline Seat Selection Fees

    On most airlines, you'll get assigned a seat at check-in or at the gate if you don't already have one. Some airlines make it seem like you must (or at least should) select a seat during...

  13. What happens if I dont select a seat on American airlines?

    If you don't select a seat on American Airlines, you will be assigned a seat at check-in or at the gate. This means that you may not get the most desirable seat, such as a window or aisle seat, and you could end up sitting in the middle seat. In some cases, if the flight is full, you may even be bumped from the flight if there are not enough ...

  14. When Does American Open Blocked Economy Seats?

    Updated: January 10, 2024 15 Many airlines block some bulkhead economy seat assignments in advance, primarily in the event that those with reduced mobility need to assign these seats. However, a certain amount of time before departure these seats can be bookable by anyone, which can be a great opportunity to snag a good seat. In this post:

  15. Main Cabin seat was sold to someone else/not assigned until I ...

    I got to the gate like 20 min before departure due to the tight connection but never had any seat assigned prior, despite several attempts asking AA reps to assign one. This is unusual for me since seats are usually assigned at check-in at the very latest.

  16. Secrets That Airline Gate Agents Won't Tell You

    RD.COM Travel Airlines. 8 Things Airline Gate Agents Won't Tell You ... Don't panic if you don't have a seat assignment. ... He is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW ...

  17. Basic Economy − Travel information − American Airlines

    For travel to / from Asia, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel for tickets issued on / after June 7, 2023 there are no free checked bags and for tickets issued on / before June 6, 2023 Basic Economy has 1 free checked bag. Your seats You can choose a specific seat at any time for a fee.

  18. How airports, airlines manage gates changes

    Airlines typically start planning their gate usage about a year out, when they publish their schedules, and fine-tune it more about 30 days before a flight, with further massaging 72 hours out and ...

  19. American Airlines Basic Economy: What Are The Restrictions?

    As of now, I'd say it's most common to see a $30 one-way premium for regular economy over basic economy. For example, take the below flight from Miami to Seattle, where the cost is $138 vs. $168. American Airlines basic economy fare. Then take a New York to London flight, where the price difference is $150 roundtrip.

  20. See Gate Agent For Seat Assigment : r/americanairlines

    6 comments Add a Comment [deleted] • 2 yr. ago YMMV25 2 yr. ago Well, you're about 2 hours from departure right now so chances are the current gate agents aren't the ones for your flight. Once your GAs are there go and inquire about your seat. A quick check or EF does show the flight is zeroed out so it's completely full if not oversold.

  21. American Airlines May Now Give Away Your Seat When You Run To Make A

    Last month American Airlines fully rolled out a new tool called AURA, the "AUtomated ReAccommodation" tool to rebook passengers when their flights are cancelled or delayed.. But this tool does so predictively.As American describes it in internal documents, AURA utilizes a concept called discovered inventory, in which it identifies passengers that are certain to misconnect and utilizes that ...

  22. Special assistance − Travel information − American Airlines

    Request special assistance online. When you book or manage your trip online, choose 'Add special assistance' on the passenger details page. There you can: Request individual assistance if you have a hearing, vision, cognitive or developmental disability. State if you're traveling with a service animal. Keep in mind, notice and approval is ...

  23. 5 Things To Be Aware Of When Booking American Airlines Basic Economy

    Unfavorable boarding position Boarding groups: 8 and 9. Key disadvantages: Passengers may have to gate-check their baggage ; Passengers will be unable to settle in early for the flight

  24. Guide to airline family seating policies

    Each airline handles sitting assignments differently. This guide becomes tell them accurate like into get your family's seats together for a flight.

  25. As airlines increase baggage fees, customers up their carry-on game

    Half the airlines charge you to pick your seat in advance, too," said one dad, of how expensive family travel can be. "Everything has a fee, it feels like. Just the world we're living in now ...

  26. Find your trip

    Find your trip on aa.com to check in online, change or cancel your reservation, add special requests, and redeem Trip or Flight Credit.