Wearing an elegant outfit can open doors in business—and in business travel.
Richard Rheindorf learned this firsthand, when he sported a well-tailored suit while waiting to board a flight from San Francisco to Vancouver.
Even though the coach cabin was not oversold, the ticket agent bumped Rheindorf to first class. "You looked the part," the agent told him.
"It's rare, but it does happen," says George Hobica, president and founder of AirfareWatchdog.com. "If you're standing there in a three-piece suit, they're certainly going to pick you over the guy in gym shorts."
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Also, do the most obvious: Book your seat in advance. There will be plenty of options if you book your seat early.
Cheap seats
All seats are not created equal. There are tremendous differences even among coach seats on the same plane, not to mention other airlines and classes.
"Obviously there are seats that are more comfy than others," says Hobica. "Pinpoint a seat and buy intelligently."
Another tip: know your airlines. Different carriers configure their planes differently; though most offer 32 inches of legroom.
To get even more space, reserve a spot in an exit row. These seats typically offer six inches more legroom than the typical coach seat, and they are often the same price.
"For about $10 more, you can get an exit row seat with 38 inches of legroom--that's more than some airlines' first class," says Hobica. "Personally, I always buy the exit-row seat."
Another tip: Know your airplanes. There are tremendous differences even among the coach seats on a single plane; the disparity between different jets operated by different carriers can be even greater.
"Some airlines on certain seats have power outlets and seatback televisions," says Patrick Evans, spokesman for STA Travel. "That's not always indicated on an airline's website."
Get an upgrade
Another method of escaping coach's doldrums is to obtain an upgrade to business or first class.
Another easy strategy for moving up is to take advantage of frequent-flier programs, all of which are free to join. Once you have opened an account, try to obtain status within the program
Fly one airline and fly it a lot," recommends Hobica. "You'll start getting a lot of upgrades."
