Finding more comfort in the air: A guide to purchasing an additional seat for yourself on US airlines

If you missed it, Southwest Airlines' policy on "customer of size and extra seat" gained attention at the end of 2023 after a plus-size travel influencer praised the airline's option for passengers to request a complimentary extra seat.

Southwest is one of the few major airlines that has long permitted travelers to buy a second adjacent seat specifically for "passengers of size" who need more space.

In contrast, most airlines—excluding Southwest, interestingly—offer all passengers the chance to purchase a second seat purely for added comfort.

No matter the reason, whether it's a musician traveling with a large instrument or a passenger desiring more room despite fitting in one seat, the extra-seat policies differ by airline.

Alaska Airlines

All travelers flying with Alaska Airlines can book an extra seat, known as a comfort seat, through a phone call. Standard ticket fees are waived for these comfort seats, and Alaska suggests purchasing it alongside your initial seat, although it can be added anytime before your flight.

Keep in mind that you can apply a companion fare voucher (like the one provided with the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card) or your Alaska Airlines MileagePlan miles to cover the cost of the second seat. However, to use a companion fare certificate, both seats must be booked on the same reservation.

If you pay cash for the comfort seat, you’ll earn redeemable miles for that purchase, although it won't count toward elite-status credit. To claim this credit, reach out to Alaska's Customer Care Center after your travel is complete.

Finally, if you buy the comfort seat as a "passenger of size" and your flights had an empty seat on each departure, you can request a refund for the second seat by contacting Alaska after your trip.

Standard checked baggage fees and exemptions apply to each seat purchased.

American Airlines

American Airlines allows customers seeking extra space to reserve a second seat.

To reserve two seats on American Airlines, customers need to call reservations directly and purchase the second seat at the same fare and within the same fare class as the first. You can redeem AAdvantage miles for the second seat if both seats are booked in the same fare class. However, you won’t earn miles on the additional seat purchase, even if you pay cash. Also, the second seat must be booked for the entire itinerary, not just one leg of the journey.

Delta Air Lines

Similar to American and Alaska, Delta Air Lines requires passengers to contact their reservations line to secure an extra seat for any purpose.

While you can redeem Delta SkyMiles for the second seat, the program does not allow earning miles on tickets purchased to accommodate excess baggage, such as musical instruments and pets, or to create additional space for the primary passenger.

Since Delta Basic Economy fares do not include advance seat assignments, it's best to avoid this type of ticket if you're looking to book two adjacent seats for extra comfort.

Frontier Airlines

Low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines recommends that customers who "cannot lower both armrests and/or occupy any part of an adjacent seat or aisle" book two seats before traveling. Passengers can request this online through the airline's chat feature, which has replaced their customer service phone line.

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines allows guests to reserve extra seats online during the booking process, but these seats are not guaranteed to be next to each other.

To ensure that seats are adjacent, you should purchase an extra seat in the main cabin (excluding basic economy fares) by contacting the reservations team.

You can utilize HawaiianMiles to buy an additional seat, along with the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard eCertificate, which is only valid for travel between North America and Hawaii. Keep in mind that the eCertificate can only be applied to paid bookings, not award flights. If you pay cash for the second seat, it will qualify for earning redeemable miles.

JetBlue

JetBlue allows you to buy an extra seat and finalize the purchase online.

Booking with JetBlue is straightforward—just select the number of adults (or however many you need) for your desired flights. When prompted for the second adult's details, simply choose the option that says, "This is an extra seat for traveler one." It’s that easy. Our attempts to use JetBlue points for both tickets were unsuccessful, indicating that online redemptions might not be possible.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest is well-known for not providing advance seating assignments, meaning there's always a chance you might not have anyone sitting in the middle seat next to you, as long as the flight isn't fully booked.

Unfortunately, unlike other airlines listed here, Southwest's policy "does not permit the purchase of more than one seat for use by a single passenger solely to guarantee additional personal space," according to an airline representative. (So, you can’t simply claim yourself as your own companion with the Companion Pass.)

However, if you need a second seat as a passenger of size or for similar reasons, you can purchase it online or request it for free at the airport before your flight. Travelers who book extra seats in advance can apply for a refund after the flight.

To buy a second seat online, simply choose one additional adult if you want an extra seat. Under "who's flying," enter your name for the first passenger and then use "XS" as the middle name for the second ticket.

If you are purchasing a more expensive Business Select or Anytime Fare for the first seat, you can acquire the second seat at the discounted Child's Fare by calling the airline.

Spirit Airlines

The policies for low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines are quite clear if you're looking to secure a second seat. You can purchase an extra seat by using your name for both tickets and selecting your preferred seat assignments. This is permissible whether you need the additional seat for yourself, desire more space, or for any other reason.

You can use your Spirit miles to book the extra seat, but keep in mind that you won't earn miles from this purchase.

United Airlines

United allows you to reserve a second seat for extra personal space by phone, and you can use United MileagePlus miles to cover the cost of the additional seat while still earning miles if you pay in cash. Keep in mind that the miles earned are redeemable but do not count as elite qualifying miles.

Miles accrued from the extra ticket should show up in the Airline Activity section of your MileagePlus account labeled as "Extra Seat Credit." United also offers a doubled checked baggage allowance when you purchase an extra seat, although a double change fee will apply if you need to modify your plans.

While this is generally true for all airlines, it's important to note that the United website specifies you must actively manage your extra seat, and if needed, you can seek assistance from a crew member.

Bottom line

We all wish for an empty middle seat when boarding a plane. When the doors close and that middle seat stays vacant, it feels like hitting the seatmate jackpot.

However, if you prefer not to leave it to chance, most major U.S. airlines allow you to reserve a second seat to ensure you’re not sharing that armrest with a stranger.

Updated as of 4/18/2024.