Book early

Most flight carriers allow seats to be reserved from 60 days before departure. The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have about where you'd like to sit.

The downside: You need to know where you want to go two months before you leave. No last minute getaways for you.

Check-in online

Most airlines allow you to check-in online, and several will allow you to choose where you sit when you do. Exactly when you can begin check-in depends on the airline, but it often is 24 hours before departure, Set your alarm and be ready to check-in as soon as it lets you.

Consider bulkhead seats

The bulkheads are basically the dividing walls in a plane. Sitting here means you're facing a wall and not the back of some skanky passenger's head. Not only does that remove the risk of anyone in front reclining without warning and slopping your lunch tray into your lap, it means way more legroom.

The downside: You're liable to be staring at a small child in a 'sky cot' (the fold down table in front of you is for family use, and not just a king sized drinks order.)

Avoid sitting in front of the bulkhead

Just as there are benefits to be seated in front of a bulkhead, backing onto one means your seat will be fixed.

The downside: No recline feature, and no sleep.

Head for the rear

Veteran best-seat-blaggers will tell you that the majority of commercial aircraft have one less seat per row in the last block. This means each seat is a little wider, and roomier. Hoo yeah!

The downside: You'll be last off the plane.

Wait for the exit doors to close

Then move into your preferred vacant seat. It's not a good idea to shift seats beforehand, because the attendants will be checking seating plans and aim to get bums on seats and fast. But once you're up and away, and you're suffering spare-seat envy, just go for it. If you don't, someone else will.

The downside: You risk becoming obsessed about the best seats on the plane.

Ask for an upgrade

It's a mistake to just pay to sit in first class, without first finding out how much space is available. If they're hard pushed to fill those luscious, leatherbound seats, you could find yourself bumped up for next to nothing. Alternatively, turn left as you climb on board and just hope that nobody notices.

The downside: You'll have to ignore the discussions about "gross profit margin" and "future investment opportunities". But that's hardly a major issue: you're sitting in Business. There is no downside.

Updated: 03/02/2009