Does 'check-in chicken' really help you score a better airline seat?

What is the best way to guarantee a preferred seat on a flight?

How do airlines use seat assignment as a revenue strategy?

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Cruising Altitude is a weekly column about air travel. Have a suggestion for a future topic? Fill out the form or email me at the address at the bottom of this page.

Ever heard of check-in chicken? It’s the idea that if you wait until the last minute to check in for your flight, you have a better chance of getting a good seat – if you haven’t already paid for a seat assignment. 

And sure, maybe it’ll work out. However, the longer I’ve written about flying, and the more I’ve flown, the less I believe in any hack.  

You might get lucky, but you’re just as likely to get stuck in a back-row middle seat if you wait to check in on a basic economy ticket. 

The only real hack to getting what you want on a flight these days is to pay for it. If you decide to play the odds with your seat assignment, here’s what you need to know.  

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How do airlines decide on seat assignments? 

Airlines tend to be secretive about their operations, everything from how they price flights to how they assign seats. In general, the trend seems to be that once check-in opens, passengers without seat assignments are given open seats back to front. Airlines are betting that some passengers will be willing to pay a little extra just before departure for a seat closer to the front. 

“You’re playing a game of odds,” Katy Nastro, a travel expert and spokesperson for Going, a company that tracks airfare deals, told me. “They want to keep that option open for people who are willing to pay. That’s ancillary revenue they can get right up to the last minute.” 

Travelers who have status with the airline are also likely to be assigned better seats if they’re getting to the flight without one already selected. 

Does it matter when you check in? 

Maybe. The best way to be sure you’re going to wind up in a seat you’re happy with is to pay for a seat assignment in advance If you do decide to wait, the time you check in is just one factor in determining the seat you ultimately end up with. 

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“There is no foolproof method,” Nastro said. “There is no exact tactic and exact timing.” 

Still, Nadia Henry, a travel adviser who goes by Sparkle professionally, told me that she has had some luck in playing the waiting game – especially when she’s flying ultra-low cost carriers. 

“My strategy is always to wait to check in to get my seat assignment,” she said. “I don’t know if that’s good or that’s bad, but it’s been working in my favor. If I wait (until) two or three hours to check in before my flight, I’m always put in a favorable seat.” 

Last week's Cruising Altitude: Are airlines making a mistake with their big push for premium travelers?

Sparkle acknowledged, though, that waiting can come with its own risks. 

“I’ve also heard of you not checking in, and they can give your seat up,” she said. “I never wait until the last, last minute to check in, and I always make sure I check in at least two hours before that window.” 

Even for elite frequent flyers, it pays to have a strategy as well, because an early check-in can help with upgrades. 

“If you’re checking in early, you’re bettering your odds at getting a higher place on that upgrade list,” Nastro said. 

But that, too, comes with obscure caveats. Upgrade priority is determined by a variety of factors including status level; whether or not you hold a co-branded credit card; how many miles you’ve accrued; how much you’ve spent with the airline in the status year and more. Check-in time is just one of those many elements. 

What can you do if you don’t like the seat you’re assigned? 

Nastro said the best thing to do is to be nice and speak to an airline representative in person. 

“I’ve had this work more often than not, where if I choose not to pay for a better seat and flying on an airline I don’t typically fly, I will always go up to the gate agent,” she said. “They often are able to assist me.” 

Don’t take it personally if they can’t help you, though. The flight might be full, or there could be other reasons they’re unable to move you to your seat, including safety. If a flight isn’t fully loaded, weight and balance become an issue, and passengers may have to be in specific seats to make sure the aircraft can take off and land safely. 

That’s also why you shouldn’t just move your seat before checking with the crew. 

“When you’re on a flight that’s not full, you’ll often see people asking (to move). I would always suggest people ask, not just move your seat,” Nastro said. 

If you’re still not happy and the flight isn’t completely full, try throwing money at the problem and treating yourself to an upgrade. 

Your knees will thank you.