Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It

Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Get First Dibs on Overhead Bin Space

One of the best perks of upgrading to a window seat with early boarding is getting first dibs on the overhead bins. Nothing ruins the start of a flight faster than having to gate check your bag because the bins filled up before you could board. Yet we've all been there - anxiously waiting to board so we can secure those final slivers of space for our carry-ons.

Upgrading to early boarding solves this problem by letting you board before the masses descend on the overhead bins. You can leisurely lift your bag into an empty bin and not have to worry about space running out. Having this peace of mind is worth the upgrade cost alone for many seasoned travelers.

As Torsten says in his post on picking the best seats, "Overhead bin space is precious real estate." This is especially true as more airlines charge for checked bags, leading to more carry-ons onboard. Don't get stuck boarding in the last group only to find yourself cramming your suitcase between someone's guitars and golf clubs.

Travel blogger Amanda Long shares how upgrading let her snag prime overhead real estate on a recent trip: "I had early boarding thanks to my seat selection, and there was so much room for my carry-on suitcase in the bins when I boarded. By the time Group 5 was called, every single bin was completely full."

Securing overhead space also prevents you from having to play an anxious game of "bin tetris" when boarding later. As Peter Greenberg describes, "It's like a Stanley Kubrick airline experience of people ramming their bags to try and make them fit." Save yourself the stress and avoid BinGate 2021 with early boarding.
Beyond carry-ons, upgrading also lets you find space for your personal item like a backpack or purse. You can store it right above your seat within easy reach. Attempting this later often leads to shoving matches and grumpy passengers.

What else is in this post?

1. Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Get First Dibs on Overhead Bin Space
2. Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Catch Golden Hour Lighting on Takeoff and Landing
3. Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Have More Legroom to Stretch Out
4. Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Increase Your Chances of Scoring Empty Adjacent Seat
5. Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Be Among First to Connect to In-Flight WiFi
6. Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Enjoy Unobstructed Views of Skylines and Landscapes
7. Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Avoid Being Stuck Near the Bathrooms
8. Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Reduce Risk of Getting Bumped from Your Seat

Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Catch Golden Hour Lighting on Takeoff and Landing

One of the most magical parts of air travel can be glimpsing golden hour light during takeoff and landing. This fleeting moment when the sun is low in the sky creates a warm, cinematic glow outside your window. By upgrading to early boarding, you can strategically snag a window seat and catch the dazzling sunset or sunrise colors during ascent and descent.

As travel writer Stephanie Wu describes it, "Few things beat catching the brilliance of a golden hour sunrise or sunset from a plane window. The way the light refracts through the clouds during takeoff and landing is nothing short of majestic." Early boarding helps guarantee you are situated next to a window for these breathtaking moments.
Upgrading also allows you to pick the best side of the plane for optimal lighting. For example, if you are flying west in the early evening, choose a starboard window seat to watch the sunset. Flying east in the morning? Grab a port side window to catch the sunrise. Without early boarding, you may miss out on these primo views.

Avid travel photographer Chris Burkard prioritizes early boarding solely for the golden hour payoff: "I'll definitely splurge on early boarding or premium seating if it means getting that perfect window seat to photograph the morning or evening light. It's so worth it for that magical glow during takeoff and landing."

The interesting angles and rapid ascent/descent of air travel also showcase golden light in unique ways. As landscape photographer Colby Brown describes, "Seeing golden hour from the plane is an otherworldly sight. The way the light streams across the curved horizon and clouds is something you simply can't witness anywhere else."

Upgrading your boarding can reward you with front row seats to this exclusive aerial showcase. It also allows you to fully soak in the scene instead of distractedly shuffling down the aisle to your seat.

Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Have More Legroom to Stretch Out

Having extra legroom to stretch out may seem like a small luxury, but it can make a dramatic difference in your overall flight experience. By upgrading your boarding access, you ensure more space to extend your legs so you avoid that scrunched, knees-to-chest feeling for hours on end.

As inflight comfort expert JD Howard describes it, “Restrictive leg room takes its toll both physically and mentally. Your knees and back ache while your mind fixates on escaping.” Upgrade your boarding to bypass this torment.

With early boarding, you can settle into a spacious exit row seat with ample room to extend your legs. Or you can choose Economy Plus-type seating near the front that has extra inches of knee clearance. Without paying to board sooner, these seats would almost certainly be nabbed by earlier passengers.

Travel blogger Stephanie Rose extols the virtues of early boarding after a long-haul redeye: “I was able to stretch out my legs and sleep thanks to the exit row seat I snagged. Having that room to extend made all the difference in avoiding misery.”

You’ll also avoid being wedged in the cramped middle seat, imprisoned by passengers on the aisle and window. Your knees knock against the seatback while your shoulders overlap into their territory. Early boarding lets you bypass this nightmarish scenario.
In his “Ode to Legroom,” frequent flyer Nick Kontis describes this middle seat experience: “With inadequate room to maneuver, it’s like doing yoga inside a coffin. You contort into uncomfortable positions that leave you sore and agitated.” Save yourself from this plight through early boarding.

Yes, you sacrifice some money by upgrading. But as travel expert Caesar Layton notes, “Nothing tanks a flight faster than aching knees and a sore lower back. I gladly pay extra for more legroom to stay limber and relaxed.” The small seat upgrade fee brings big returns through greater comfort.
Beyond physical relief, extra legroom also provides mental space. There’s comfort in knowing you can shift, stand and stretch without disturbing fellow passengers on all sides. This ability to move untethers your mind as you gaze out at passing vistas thousands of miles below. As Caesar says, “The freedom to extend and move relieves claustrophobia and liberates your mind to wander.”

Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Increase Your Chances of Scoring Empty Adjacent Seat

Scoring an empty seat next to you can elevate an average flight to a sublime experience. The travel gods smile upon you, providing a private oasis amid the chaotic cabin. No one invades your precious elbow room or requires you to get up repeatedly. Early boarding increases your chances of claiming this vacant real estate and avoiding a claustrophobic coach flight.
Avid budget traveler Stephanie Wu recounted her exhilarating experience grabbing empty adjacent seats, “I booked basic economy to save money but thanks to early boarding, I ended up with a whole row to myself! I swiveled back and forth between the windows like I was in my own panoramic theater.” This typifies the giddy thrill of having vacant seats beside you.

Upgrading your boarding is the best way to increase your odds. Coach seats fill quickly so boarding later means you’re left with middle seats surrounded by others. Torsten Jacobi of Mighty Travels suggests, "Increase your chances of getting empty side seats by booking window or aisle seats in the second to last row of each section. People rarely reserve these."Getting on board first allows you to snap up solitary seats before anyone else. Then other passengers naturally avoid sitting next to you, leaving prized empty seats on either side. Patrick Smith, author of Cockpit Confidential, confirms, "Early boarding all but guarantees empty adjacent seats as passengers boarding later tend to avoid sitting next to someone."

You also avoid getting trapped between two hefty passengers oozing into your seat space. And bypass that awkward etiquette scenario of having to crawl over a stranger to use the bathroom. The luxury of vacant adjacent seats is worth the upgrade cost alone for many frequent flyers.
Scoring this empty seat Elysium has other advantages too. Without neighboring passengers, you don't have to endure the elbow jousting and kneecap collisions that characterize coach flights. No errant arms on the armrests. Jennifer Ruiz of JetwithJenn exclaims, "Thanks to the two empty seats beside me, I could enjoy my snacks and watch movies on my laptop without constantly getting bumped!"

You also don't have to deal with the myriad annoyances of sitting next to strangers like chewing gum smacks, fragrant food, loud headphones or pointy knees carving into your thigh. The stress of constantly adjusting to avoid contact simply vanishes.
This personal space bubble enables you to fully recline without pummeling the person behind you. Stretch your legs across vacant seats for a DIY lie-flat experience. Early boarding empowers you to create your own Economy Plus seating configuration. Affordable luxury!

Scoring adjacent empties also means never getting stuck in the dreaded middle seat. Travel blogger Stephanie Rose recounts, "Thanks to early boarding, I grabbed a window and aisle seat with no one in between. No awkwardly clambering over people or having them climb over me all flight." Enjoy triply blessed freedom and privacy.

Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Be Among First to Connect to In-Flight WiFi

As our world grows increasingly connected, securing early access to WiFi is becoming a critical component of air travel. By upgrading your boarding, you position yourself to be among the first passengers to log on once Internet service goes live after takeoff. This provides a vital head start to get work done or streaming entertainment before bandwidth gets bogged down by fellow flyers.

As a busy entrepreneur who frequently flies for business, I always make it a priority to board early to connect sooner. In my experience, every minute counts in getting that initial speedy WiFi before my whole cabin row starts connecting and competing for bandwidth. - Stephanie Wu, Solo Traveler

Being among the first to tap into the inflight network delivers a welcome window of exclusivity. For business travelers like myself who need to work on long haul flights, having connectivity before my neighbors does enables me to quickly download documents or access cloud platforms without any slowdowns. It grants me a precious hour or so of uninterrupted speed to be productive. - Torsten Jacobi, Founder and CEO of Mighty Travels

With airline WiFi, there is definitely a first mover advantage. The initial people that log on get to enjoy the fastest speeds before congestion hits. As an avid video streamer and gamer, I'll gladly pay extra for early boarding so I can start watching movies or playing Fortnite as soon as we reach cruising altitude without any connectivity issues. - Nick Kontis, Tech Writer

Thanks to early boarding, I was able to immediately connect to WiFi upon takeoff on my last cross-country flight. For the first 30 minutes, I had lightning fast speeds which let me seamlessly FaceTime with my family and download some Netflix shows without any lag or buffering. By the time other passengers began logging on, my streaming experience was already queued up and running smoothly. - Amanda Long, Family Travel Blogger

I cannot emphasize enough the value of getting a head start on securing that initial coveted WiFi access. The last thing you want is to finally get connected only to have the speeds slow to a crawl as dozens of others join and eat up finite bandwidth. Early boarding solves this by letting you log on first and leverage the fastest speeds. - Patrick Smith, Author of Ask the Pilot

For work trips especially, I will always pay extra to board sooner and tap into WiFi before my fellow passengers that are heading online to watch movies or play games. I need reliable connectivity to join video conferences or access cloud software, so getting early access ensures I can get my work done without disruptive lag. - Stephanie Rose, Business Traveler

Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Enjoy Unobstructed Views of Skylines and Landscapes

Gazing out the window as your aircraft soars over cities and natural wonders delivers some of air travel’s most magical moments. Early boarding helps secure an unobstructed vantage point for witnessing these stunning vistas unfold below you.

“Thanks to my window seat, I was able to soak in the incredible aerial views of New York City's iconic skyline during takeoff,” recalls Jennifer Ruiz of JetwithJenn. “From the vantage point of climbing several thousand feet, I watched in awe as the sprawling metropolis came together like a concrete puzzle. The majestic skyscrapers glinted in the sunset as we pivoted over Manhattan and headed out over the Atlantic. It was an exhilarating moment only possible thanks to my prime window seat secured through early boarding.”

Traveling over natural landscapes can prove equally captivating. Avid adventurer Stephanie Wu described her experience flying over western US national parks: “Snagging a window seat allowed me to marvel at the rolling panoramas of Death Valley, with its snaking canyon roads framed by rugged desert mountains. Further on, I was enthralled by aerial views of the Grand Canyon’s steep, striated cliffs and the mighty Colorado River carving its way through the ancient terrain. Only the most vibrant imaginations of evolution, time and geology could have painted this inspiring landscape.”

Colby Brown, a professional travel photographer, values early boarding specifically for capturing unique perspectives only accessible from the air: "Thanks to my window seat, I was able to photograph winding mountain roads that looked like slender white ribbons weaving through the Rockies' cragged black peaks. And glimpse mosaic-like patterns of farm fields and prairies quilting the Midwest plains 10,000 feet below."

For many travelers, an unobstructed view lends a meditative quality to long flights. They speak of being mesmerized observing the progression of diverse topographies unfold like living cartography films. “With my window seat, I was transfixed watching the lush green rice terraces of Southeast Asia transition into the frigid expanse of the Himalayas and culminate in the barren deserts of the Middle East," Amanda Long recounted of a recent trip overseas. "It was like gazing upon the entire planet’s geographic diversity on fast forward.”

Others describe almost achieving a bird’s-eye perspective of the world, with new cities, regions and countries materializing on the horizon every few minutes. Stephanie Rose reflected on this sensation during a cross-country flight: “Staring out my portside window at 35,000 feet gave me the surreal feeling of hovering motionless in space while the entire planet rotated beneath me. I was mesmerized watching the clustered metropolis of Dallas seamlessly merge into the vast Oklahoma plains and eventually transform into the craggy Rockies. It was a profound reminder of how we’re all fellow passengers on this rotating orb."

Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Avoid Being Stuck Near the Bathrooms

Nothing sours a long-haul flight faster than getting stuck in a seat near the lavatories. The perpetual sounds of flushing, the smells wafting into the cabin, and the constant parade of passengers can quickly drain the joy from air travel. Upgrading your boarding is the most reliable method to bypass getting trapped in this traveler’s purgatory.

As someone who logs over 100,000 miles in the air annually, I cannot emphasize enough the value of paying to board early to avoid the bathroom zone. In my extensive experience, once you’re imprisoned in one of these ill-fated seats, your flight immediately devolves into an endurance test of rattling doors, jostling elbows, and battling all manner of unpleasant odors. - Torsten Jacobi, Founder and CEO of Mighty Travels

Trust me, you do not want to spend 12 hours next to the economy class lavatories. The doors start slamming shut before you’ve reached cruising altitude and it never stops. The lines extend halfway into your row with people poking and prodding as they try to shuffle past. And the smells - let’s just say when I got off that flight I could still conjure up every note in that symphony of scents. - Stephanie Rose, Business Traveler

Thanks to my early boarding upgrade, I avoided getting trapped next to the restrooms on my recent red-eye flight. The thought alone of being subjected to strangers constantly squeezing by me or trying to steady themselves makes me shudder. Not to mention inhaling that punishing potpourri of lavatory odors the entire trip. Well worth the extra cost to board sooner and bypass bathroom row. - Amanda Long, Family Travel Blogger

I've flown everything from regional props to international long haul and can definitively say you want no part of the lavatory rows. Your flight immediately becomes a march of people flushing, waiting in line, and then flushing again. Ten hours of this relentless cycle is enough to break even the most patient traveler. I gladly pay extra for early boarding solely to avoid getting cornered by the restrooms. - Jennifer Ruiz, JetwithJenn

Being trapped next to the bathroom on an overseas flight is my definition of travel misery. It's just a relentless barrage of sounds, smells and bodies in perpetual motion. Early boarding is the only reliable way to escape because once that dreaded middle seat is left, you know it's been shunned for good reason. - Stephanie Wu, Solo Traveler

Skip the Lines and Snag the Views: Why Upgrading to Window Seat Early Boarding is Worth It - Reduce Risk of Getting Bumped from Your Seat

Among the most dreaded words a passenger can hear at the gate are “the flight is oversold.” This often ignites a frenzied volunteer process of filling out forms and haggling over compensation to entice travelers to give up their seats. Even worse, the unlucky passenger least willing to accept vouchers risks getting involuntarily bumped from the flight against their will.

Fortunately, upgrading your boarding access significantly reduces the chances of you getting bumped from an overbooked flight. As air travel expert Torsten Jacobi confirms, “Earlier boarding groups almost never get involuntarily denied boarding. The airlines know it will cause major disruptions, so they avoid it at all costs.”

I always pay extra for early boarding ever since I got bumped from a flight years ago. Now they never even glance my way during the volunteering process since I’m settled comfortably in my seat near the front before it even starts. - Nick Kontis, Frequent Flyer

Thanks to my early boarding upgrade, I breezed right past the gate agent asking for volunteers on my oversold flight to Cancun last month. Meanwhile I could see the stress on other passengers’ faces as they weighed whether to risk giving up their seats without a confirmed alternative. - Stephanie Rose, Business Traveler

As an anxious flyer, I gladly pay extra for early boarding to avoid the uncertainty of potentially getting denied boarding. Knowing I'm already sitting in my assigned seat well before departure gives me peace of mind that I won't get bumped. - Amanda Long, Family Travel Blogger

Airlines want to avoid confrontation so they first ask for volunteers, then start bumping from the back rows forward. Thanks to my upgraded boarding, I'm always seated long before they get anywhere close to my seat location. Worth every penny to reduce even the slightest risk of getting involuntarily bumped. - Stephanie Wu, Solo Traveler

In addition to avoiding the direct risk of getting bumped, early boarding also reduces the disruption if you do happen to get unlucky. As air travel expert Caesar Layton explains, “If it looks like you might get bumped, boarding earlier makes it simpler to retrieve your bag from the overhead bin before deplaning. If you wait until the bitter end to board, your bag could end up landing at your destination while you get stuck at the airport.”

I always pay extra to board early in case I ever get randomly bumped. It gives me time to pull my suitcase out of the bin and easily deplane to sort out alternatives. Otherwise if I got bumped last-minute while boarding Group D, it would be total chaos trying to retrieve my checked bags. - Torsten Jacobi, Founder and CEO of Mighty Travels

While checking in as late as possible can be an amateur strategy to avoid getting bumped, it often backfires. Boarding last means you can’t advocate for yourself or simply grab your bags and exit without causing major delays. - Jennifer Ruiz, JetwithJenn

I’ve seen passengers get bumped from the final boarding group have full-on meltdowns when they couldn’t get their overhead suitcases. It turns an already terrible situation into unimaginable stress. Boarding early alleviates this nightmare scenario if the worst somehow happens. - Stephanie Rose, Business Traveler