A cheap fare can look very different once you reach the seat map. Pick a window seat near the front, and the total may jump by the price of a sandwich, or by the price of a dinner. Choose nothing, and you may end up in a middle seat apart from your travel companions.
The rules vary a lot by airline and by fare type, and several changed in 2026. Here is how American, Delta, United, Southwest, and JetBlue handle seat selection, based on airline announcements and recent fee guides.
American Airlines: Basic Economy Now Costs Extra for Everyone
American changed its Basic Economy rules for tickets bought on or after May 18, 2026. All customers, including those with status, can select a seat for a fee, and they aren’t eligible for complimentary and systemwide upgrades.[1] Before that, elite members had a way around the charge.
The fee itself varies by flight. It typically starts at $10 or $12 for a middle seat, with aisle and window seats costing a few dollars more.[2] One example seat map showed fees ranging from $12 to $41.[2] Main Cabin Extra seats, which have more legroom, generally cost $40 or more each way.[2]
Standard Main Cabin fares are different. AAdvantage status members keep free seat selection on Main Cabin fares.[3] If you skip the fee on Basic Economy, American will automatically assign you a seat for free at check in.[4]
Delta Air Lines: Main Basic Waits Until a Week Before Departure
Delta’s lowest fare, Main Basic, doesn’t offer a free advance seat pick. According to one 2026 fee guide, paid selection opens about seven days before departure.[3] Until then, you simply wait.
Prices depend on the route and the seat. One guide reports that short domestic flights can cost as little as $10, while longer international routes can reach $45 or more for preferred seating.[5] Delta doesn’t publish one flat fee for Basic Economy, so you only see the real number on your own seat map.
Passengers on regular fares have an easier time. Main Cabin and premium fares such as Comfort+, First Class, and Delta One let you choose seats at no seat assignment charge.[6] Comfort+ is the extra legroom product, and it costs extra on most tickets.
United Airlines: Fees Start Low and Rise by Seat Type
United is one of the more straightforward carriers on pricing. For Basic Economy, seat selection typically starts at $15 per flight per person.[7] Seats are assigned at check in if you decline to pay.
Better locations cost more. Preferred Seating starts at $24 per flight per person on standard Economy tickets and $36 on Basic Economy tickets.[7] A 2026 fee table lists Economy Plus from $29.[3]
On regular fares, the picture improves. On a standard economy ticket, United lets you pick a standard seat at booking for free, though the good ones may already be taken.[3] Premier members get a further perk, since MileagePlus Premier members receive complimentary Preferred and Economy Plus seating.[7]
Southwest Airlines: The Biggest Shift of 2026
For decades, Southwest meant open seating and no seat fees. The airline ended that era and moved to assigned seats for travel starting January 27, 2026.[3] What you can pick now depends on the fare bundle you buy.
On the cheapest fare, Southwest assigns a Standard seat at check in.[8] The next tier, Choice, includes a free seat assignment.[9] Choice Preferred adds a Preferred seat at the front half of the plane, and Choice Extra adds extra legroom seats.
Buying a seat separately costs real money. In one Denver to Chicago example, Preferred seats cost $36 for a window or aisle and $33 for a middle, while extra legroom seats cost $71 and $65.[10] Perks help some travelers, since the Rapid Rewards Plus card gives free Standard seat selection starting 48 hours before departure.[11]
JetBlue: Cheap Seats, but Not on Blue Basic
JetBlue’s entry fare works like other basic fares. Blue Basic includes no seat selection, no changes, and the last boarding group.[12] A separate comparison notes that there is a fee for advance seat selection.[13]
The fees can be low. One 2026 comparison lists JetBlue seat selection at $4 and up each way.[14] Sources disagree on typical amounts, though, and extra legroom Even More Space seats cost more, so treat any published range as an estimate.
A step up changes things. Reported pricing says Blue Plus adds one free checked bag and seat selection for $30 to $50 more.[12] Another guide notes that a regular main cabin fare on JetBlue usually includes free advance seat selection.[3]
How to Get a Seat for Free on Any of Them
Every airline here documents the same free route. On any fare, seat selection opens for free at check in, generally 24 hours before departure.[3] The catch is that you take what is left.
That leftover seat may be a middle and may not be next to your group.[3] Families should check each airline’s rules, because Southwest says it will endeavor to seat a child age 12 and under next to an accompanying passenger at no additional cost.[9] Booking a standard fare, rather than Basic, is the other dependable way to avoid the fee.
