How to Select the Best Economy Seats on American Airlines

If one wants to travel on a low budget, the best economy classes can be found on board American company.

American Airlines divides its economy cabin into two sectors: Main Cabin and Main Cabin Extra. The difference is simply the distance from the seat in the front. Main Cabin Extra has a bit more room which can make a difference in your trip, especially for tall people who tend to travel with their knees glued to the front seat.

You can select seats in the Main Cabin Extra section in advance, but at a fairly high cost. Having Gold Aadvantage status (or the Ruby equivalent of any OneWorld program), you can travel in these seats at no additional cost, choosing them when checking in for a flight with American Airlines.

First on the space offered to passengers and the possible tilt of the seat, the more you can lie down, the better. No question of traveling for 12 hours or more with the knees going up to the chin. But economy class also means services included: regular meals, drinks, entertainment such as films on individual screens, as well as blankets and pillows to be able to rest during the flight. Certain services available, but in extra, also contribute to propel the airlines in this envied ranking, in particular the WI-FI.

Additional seats in the main cabin

American Airlines offers the Main Cabin Extra section on almost all of its flights, both domestic in the United States and internationally.

This section has the particularity of offering more space with the front seat. American also classifies the extra main cabin seats in its emergency rows in some of its aircraft, in the first rows, or in seats that for some reason have more space than the traditional main cabin.

How to choose these seats free of charge?

The US carrier allows its elite members to select additional seats in the main cabin at no additional cost Gold members can do this 24 hours before the flight, while Platinum members can do it anytime from the time of purchasing the ticket.

The good news is that American is extending this benefit to all OneWorld members. So, as Aadvantage Gold members, you can select an American Main Cabin Extra seat at check-in at no additional cost.
The only restriction is when you purchase a Basic Economy ticket, which is the cheapest US fare, and which is only available on certain routes. In this case, you will not be able to choose a seat in the additional main cabin for free, regardless of your elite status.

When checking in, you see the seating plan again?

What happens is that since there is less than 24 hours left for the flight, you will now go all orange seats (Main Cabin Extra, at no extra cost. You just select one and you see you can confirm it free of charge.

Other benefits for travelers

One advantage of being able to select the additional seats in the main cabin is that, because they are expensive, they are usually the last to be occupied.

As mentioned above, only OneWorld Sapphire members can select Main Cabin Extra seats more than 24 hours before the flight at no cost. Thus, most of the seats in this section will still not be allocated when check-in opens.

The advantage this brings is that if the flight is not very full, there is a good chance that you will have a free seat next to you.

Inside the American company economy cabin, the Main Cabin Extra section offers more space with the front seat, which adds comfort to those who want to stretch their legs a bit or work on their laptop. Being able to access these seats at no additional cost is one of the perks of Elite Status and other Oneworld airlines.

Traveling in comfort in American Airlines economy class? It’s possible!
Too narrow a seat, mediocre meal, poor quality ear cups … flying is not always a pleasure. However, you can remedy it. Here are 10 tips for a pleasant flight.

Everyone loves to travel by plane and even less when it is a long flight. However, there is a way to pass the time on board in a pleasant way.

Choose the right seat

Many passengers associate the plane with a narrow seat. But this is not necessarily the case with all airlines. On a long-haul flight you usually have more room than a low cost seat or a short charter flight.

Long-haul flights are usually done by a regular airline, which implies a larger aircraft and therefore more comfort compared to the traditional Boeing 737.

Did you know that you can usually choose your seat online? If you check in online, you will in most cases be able to choose your seat. Please note, this is not always free.

To find out which seats are good or bad, just enter your flight number on aa.com. You will find, among other things, the plan of your device. Useful, for example, to know if your window seat has one or two neighboring seats. You will therefore know, if you are traveling as a couple, whether you will have the company of a stranger or not. And suddenly, you will also know where you can settle if you are traveling in four or more. The American Airlines website also lists less comfortable seats. For example, the seats in the last row do not recline backwards.

Take your meal

It is well known that dining on board an economy class is far from a great culinary experience. It depends of course on the airline company but to avoid unpleasant surprises, take your picnic.
You don’t necessarily have to make your toast at home before departure. Take a walk through the stalls at the airport. Gourmets will certainly find something to delight their taste buds.

Why not enjoy a platter of sushi? Or little chocolates that will accompany your coffee, the choice is substantial. Be careful, however, because drinks purchased in duty-free stores cannot be consumed on board.

Entertainment on your tablet

Long-haul aircraft often offer their own entertainment systems. But not everyone likes to navigate menus which are not always the most convenient and the offer also depends on the company in question.
Our computers and tablets allow us to entertain ourselves according to our personal desires. Save your favorite movies and series there and watch them whenever and wherever you want. If you have a Netflix subscription, don’t forget to install the app and make sure your movies and series have been downloaded correctly in advance.

An external battery

Quite a few planes have USB connections in the armrests of the seats to allow you to charge your devices. However, some older aircraft do not offer this option.

If you’re addicted to your smartphone, don’t forget to bring an external battery. This will prevent you from having to stare at a black screen for most of your flight.