# When do airlines release unbooked "elite" or "preferred" seats?



## sun starved Gayle (Jan 6, 2016)

The day of the flight, as in midnight ? 24 hours before a flight ? The airline I am dealing with is Alaska. 

Thanks in advance for any insight on this.


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## sjsharkie (Jan 6, 2016)

sun starved Gayle said:


> The day of the flight, as in midnight ? 24 hours before a flight ? The airline I am dealing with is Alaska.
> 
> Thanks in advance for any insight on this.


It depends on the airline.  For AS, seats reserved for elites are typically released when on-line checkin is available -- 24 hours prior to flight time.

On others, they may never make them available for your selection.  The flight will need to be full up in back (or you need to have a kind gate agent) in order for them to assign a premium seat.  United is a good example -- I am elite there and a lot of times it will be full in back but there is space in economy plus.  To be fair, there is a significant pitch difference between econ plus and econ on United (versus Alaska where all the seats are the same pitch except for bulkhead and exit row).

Some airlines will preblock an open seat next to an elite so it will not be booked unless the flight is full and that seat is needed.

In other words, YMMV depending on airline.

-ryan


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## sue1947 (Jan 6, 2016)

With Alaska, it tends to be when they think all of their mega frequent flyers (can't remember the name of the level) have checked in; the ones that routinely have upgrades.  Starting about 24 hours out, keep checking.  I always had good luck at 3 hours out, but it varies.  

Sue


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## GrayFal (Jan 6, 2016)

sue1947 said:


> With Alaska, it tends to be when they think all of their mega frequent flyers (can't remember the name of the level) have checked in; the ones that routinely have upgrades.  Starting about 24 hours out, keep checking.  I always had good luck at 3 hours out, but it varies.
> 
> Sue



I thought once you checked in online, you could not change your seat. (Is this wrong?)
So with Alaska,me neither if you check in you can go back to the website and change your seat?

I usually fly American and Delta


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## Luanne (Jan 6, 2016)

GrayFal said:


> I thought once you checked in online, you could not change your seat. (Is this wrong?)
> So with Alaska,me neither if you check in you can go back to the website and change your seat?
> 
> I usually fly American and Delta



Pat, I've always had the option of changing seats.  I mostly fly United, but I think I've had this option with American also.


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## Passepartout (Jan 6, 2016)

I always (when possible) check in at 24 hours before flight time, but have upgraded to premium seats at the gate desk. It doesn't always work- depending on how many elite status pax they have on that flight, but it works often enough to be worth asking.

Jim


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## sjsharkie (Jan 6, 2016)

sue1947 said:


> With Alaska, it tends to be when they think all of their mega frequent flyers (can't remember the name of the level) have checked in; the ones that routinely have upgrades.  Starting about 24 hours out, keep checking.  I always had good luck at 3 hours out, but it varies.
> 
> Sue


I get what you're saying, but to clearly answer the OP's question, Alaska releases all unbooked elite/premium reserved seats 24 hours prior to flight time.  This will give you the highest probability of snagging any available elite/premium unbooked seats.

Source: http://blog.alaskaair.com/travel-tips/best-airplane-seat/

To be fair, there will always be upgrades, cancellations, reroutings, IRROPS, confirmed same day standby, etc. that will always impact the seating map so it is wise to continue to check periodically if nothing is available at T-24 that suits your needs.  And then, politely asking the gate agent when you get there never hurts as well.

-ryan


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## sun starved Gayle (Jan 6, 2016)

Thank you ! This info was exactly what I was looking for !


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## sun starved Gayle (Jan 7, 2016)

It's exactly 24 hours before check-in on my Alaska flight. This is what I am seeing when I try to change seats.

"Preferred Plus seats available for $50.00+tax"

So it looks like the info on their website about when these seats are available is no longer valid.


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## sjsharkie (Jan 8, 2016)

Did you actually checkin and change seats or are you trying to change seats from your itinerary page?

Sometimes you need to be in the process of checking in for the app to not charge the fee.

Ryan

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk


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## DeniseM (Jan 8, 2016)

When you actually check-in, if upgraded seats are available, they will be offered to you, but there is a fee.  If there aren't any, it doesn't come up.  They are usually gone in seconds.


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## sun starved Gayle (Jan 11, 2016)

sjsharkie said:


> Did you actually checkin and change seats or are you trying to change seats from your itinerary page?
> 
> Sometimes you need to be in the process of checking in for the app to not charge the fee.
> 
> ...



Yes, I was checking in 24 hours ahead of time. That looks like the time when they release the priority seats and make them available to the general public FOR A $50.00 FEE. The exit row seats were going fast, so I bit the bullet and paid $50.00 each plus tax for a window and an aisle seat in the emergency exit row with no one in-between us. Came with priority boarding and a free drink. My tall husband said it was money well spent.


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## DeniseM (Jan 11, 2016)

That is correct - there is a charge for the upgraded seats, at check-in.

My husband is also tall, and those seats are great.  We also like the bulk-head seats.


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