Seat Selection Fees: When You Pay, When You Don't, and Sitting Together
How seat fees work on the major US carriers, which fares include a seat, how families get seated together without paying, and when to just pick at check-in.
By WarBird Flight editors · Updated September 14, 2026 · 2 min read
What the fee buys
Seat selection fees pay for choosing a specific seat in advance. Standard fares on Delta, United, American, and Alaska include free selection from the standard rows; basic economy fares on those carriers assign a seat at check-in unless you pay. Preferred rows near the front, exit rows, and extra-legroom sections cost extra on every fare. Southwest moved to assigned seating in 2026, with paid selection for its extra-legroom rows.
Families
Alaska, American, Frontier, and JetBlue have committed to seating children 13 and under next to an accompanying adult at no charge when adjacent seats are available at booking, and Delta and United say they do the same in practice. If the seat map shows no adjacent seats, the agent can ask the airline to open blocked seats or move the family to another flight at no cost.
When to skip the fee
On a two-hour flight travelling alone, any seat is fine and the check-in assignment is free. Pay the fee when you are travelling with someone you must sit next to, when you need an aisle for medical reasons, or when the flight is nearly full and the free seats left are middles.
Getting it changed
Seat assignments can be added or changed by phone at any time before check-in. Call (708) 866-8751 with the confirmation code; the agent sees the same seat map the airline does and can explain which rows carry a fee on your fare.
Fare classes by airline
Lowest to highest, with what the lowest bucket gives up. Policy copy last checked September 2026.
| Airline | Fare classes | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | Basic Economy · Main Cabin · Comfort+ · First Class / Delta One | Details |
| United Airlines | Basic Economy · Economy · Economy Plus · Premium Plus / First / Polaris | Details |
| American Airlines | Basic Economy · Main Cabin · Main Cabin Extra · Premium Economy / First / Flagship | Details |
| Southwest Airlines | Basic · Choice / Choice Preferred · Choice Extra | Details |
| Alaska Airlines | Saver · Main · Premium Class · First Class | Details |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Main Cabin Basic · Main Cabin · Extra Comfort · First / Business | Details |
| Air Canada | Basic · Standard · Flex / Comfort / Latitude · Premium Economy / Business (Signature) | Details |
| Lufthansa | Economy Light · Economy Classic · Economy Flex · Premium Economy / Business / First | Details |
| British Airways | Economy Basic · Economy Standard / Plus · World Traveller Plus · Club World / First | Details |
| Air France | Economy Light · Economy Standard / Flex · Premium Economy · Business / La Première | Details |
| KLM | Economy Light · Economy Standard / Flex · Premium Comfort · World Business Class | Details |
| Norwegian | LowFare · LowFare+ · Flex | Details |
| Emirates | Economy Special · Economy Saver / Flex / Flex Plus · Premium Economy · Business / First | Details |
| Qatar Airways | Economy Lite · Economy Classic / Convenience / Comfort · Business (Qsuite) · First | Details |
| Etihad Airways | Economy Basic · Economy Value / Comfort / Deluxe · Business · First | Details |
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