Want to get the free seat close by? Here are strategies to try

The only advantage of flying business class between Naples and Madrid, or from Linate to Catania, is to Embarking/disembarking first and most importantly having the free seat close by.

The rest is the same or almost the same, even with some airlines choosing to do away with basic service by including gourmet items for in-flight meals-sometimes you eat better in economy than in business.

If you want to avoid the battle of the elbows, where the winner gets the supreme right to use the armrest, here are some strategies you can implement to increase your chances.

A single premise. This trick only works if the flight is not full at 100%

Choose to fly on the right plane

The first, and simplest strategy, is to target aircraft that do not have a middle seat. There are many more of them than you might think. There are the smaller planes such as Embraer used by KLM, for example, but also by Iberia and other airlines, such as Aer Nostrum, which also leases them to ITA Airways, that have a configuration of 2 seats per row.

Then there are the A220s, those that have just entered the fleet with ITA Airways., but which are also used by Air France, Swiss, Air Baltic, and many, many other carriers around the world. In this case the left side of the plane has only two seats, while on the right side there are 3.

However, this is not only a prerogative of single-aisle aircraft. Even on the long haul it is possible to catch these configurations.

For example, A330s generally have a 2-4-2 configuration. But there can be similar situations in many other planes as well, so before choosing the seat on board it is always best to check the seat map.

If traveling in pairs, leave the middle seat vacant

The ability to check in online allows you to play with your choice of seat on board. Through the app, or the website, you can while making a reservation or later choose your seat. Checking the map of available seats before checking in helps you understand the chances of keeping your middle seat free.

Of course, the plane doesn't have to be full, and it also often affects how "forward" the row you choose is-the more you are in the back of the plane the better your chances of keeping it free.

Conversely, if we are seated in the front rows, a passenger is more likely to sacrifice in exchange for the idea of being able to disembark earlier. If you are traveling alone, the strategy is the same. You choose a seat in a row with only one occupied seat, and you will be in the same situation.

Pay for more space

During the pandemic, this option arose to give companies the Chance to collect a few more dollars. Today there are many companies that allow you to option the free seat, or even the whole row so you can lie down as if you were in first class.

Of course, the flight does not have to be full, and  there is often no guarantee of success until a few hours before departure, but it's still better than traveling among a school group on a field trip.

In Europe, this option is not very popular, in the U.S. on the other hand, where they try to squeeze every possible profit out of the passenger, it is an option offered by all companies. The motivation is physical, however, given the obesity problem, all companies have a strategy for plus-size passengers, which often means charging them a second ticket at the same price as the first.

Then there are some carriers who for their intercontinental travel have found ways to earn a few extra dollars. The motivation is simple: if the seat will not be occupied by any passenger anyway, always better to earn something rather than leave it empty.

For example, this bid is offered by Emirates, Etihad, Qantas, Air New Zealand, just to name a few. The system is the same as auction upgrades, the only difference being that the bidding is fixed.

A couple of days prior to departure you will receive an email informing you whether the offer has been accepted or not.

As soon as boarding is completed, you change seats

The last chance involves being alert and quick. Once you reach your seat, you must check the situation of the cabin and neighboring rows. If you locate a better seat, simply wait for the crew to announce "Boarding complete," at which point with a feline snap you jump from your seat to the nearest vacant one.