Treating Yo’self to a Flight Upgrade

I showed up at the airport three hours before my flight, and when I checked in my ticket said I was seated in the back of the plane and in a middle seat (I had requested an aisle seat). The self check-in machine said there were no other seats available, but for $61 I could upgrade to a exit row seat with extra legroom.

I did not want to give up $61 for an upgrade, so I clicked, “no thanks” and printed my ticket. I regretted it almost immediately.

For the next hour I ran a cost-benefit analysis in my head:

• The middle seat isn’t great when you’re sitting next to people you don’t know (I don’t mind the middle seat when I do).

• For a four-hour flight, that’s about $15 an hour to not have to sit in a middle seat. That’s not terrible?

• You are planning on working on your laptop on the plane and doing that in the middle seat is not ideal. Working better during the flight will make the $61 worth it, right?

• Good lord, just treat yo’self for once.

When the monitor indicated the gate number for my flight, I immediately went to the desk.

“Habla inglés?”

“Yes, of course. How may I help you?”

“I was wondering if I can still upgrade my seat to one on the aisle or maybe a window?”

“Let me see … yes, there is a seat available. Aisle seat in the exit row. Extra legroom.”

“Great, how much is it?”

“Oh, it’s free.”

“It’s free?”

“Yes, here’s your new ticket. Enjoy your flight!”

And I did.

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