Seat Selection Fees: The 100 Dollar Choice That Either Fixes Your Flight or Does Nothing

When you book a flight,
this always appears.

Seat selection.
20 dollars, 40 dollars extra.

Most people hesitate.

Do I really need to pay for this?

But with this one choice,
the flight can become comfortable
or make no difference at all.

This is not a convenience issue.
It is about whether the outcome changes.

Q. Isn’t seat selection just optional? You don’t really have to pay, right?
A.
At first, that’s how it feels. It’s the same flight anyway, so paying extra for a seat seems unnecessary. I used to always skip it.

Once, I didn’t select a seat on a long-haul flight. At the airport, I was assigned a middle seat. People on both sides, hard to move, and I barely slept.

My condition at arrival was completely different. I felt heavy and couldn’t focus.
I had plans right after arrival, and the whole flow was disrupted from the start.

What I realized was simple.
This was not a seat issue. It was an arrival condition issue.

So this is what I do.
If the flight is long, I don’t skip seat selection.

Q. Then when does seat selection actually have value?
A.
When the flight is long.

Especially over 8 hours or on overnight flights, the difference is significant.
I once selected an aisle seat and could stand up and move during the flight.

That difference was bigger than expected.
My condition at arrival was much better.

So this is what I do.
For long-haul flights, I don’t treat seat selection as just a cost.

Q. What about short flights?
A.
There is almost no difference.

On a 2–3 hour flight, seat position doesn’t affect much.
I once paid for seat selection on a domestic flight and barely noticed any difference.

What I realized was this.
This was not a necessity. It was preference.

So this is what I do.
For short flights, I don’t pay for seat selection.

Q. Is it different when traveling with family or a group?
A.
Completely different.

Without seat selection, you are often assigned separately.
I once traveled with family and didn’t select seats, and we were all split up.

Movement was inconvenient, conversation was limited, and the overall experience changed.

So this is what I do.
If traveling with others, I secure seats in advance.

Q. Doesn’t the cost add up quickly?
A.
It adds up more than expected.

For example, 30 dollars per segment
means 60 dollars round trip.

For a family of four, that is 240 dollars.

I once selected seats without thinking and was surprised by the total.

That’s when I set a rule.

This is not something to do every time.
It should be used when needed.

So this is what I do.
I calculate based on total cost before deciding.

Q. What is the most common mistake people make?
A.
Choosing the default recommendation.

When “recommended seat” appears, people just select it.
I used to do the same.

But later, it wasn’t always necessary.

So this is what I do.
I don’t choose just because it is recommended.

Q. Then how do you summarize the conclusion?
A.
It’s simple.

Long flight → select a seat
Short flight → skip it

Multiple people → select in advance
Solo → may not be needed

This is not a convenience issue.
It is an outcome issue.

So this is what I do.
I choose seats based on flight length and situation.

Situation	Seat Selection	Real Impact
Long-haul flight	Select seat	Condition maintained, fatigue reduced
Short flight	No selection	No meaningful difference
Family / group travel	Select seats	Stay together ensured
Default recommendation	Always select	Cost increases without real benefit