Best. Flight. Ever.

Here's a tip for those of you who like to get away now and then. If you fly US Air, they save the window and aisle seats in the first few rows of the Coach cabin for their 'club' members. (I don't know what ridiculous phrase they use for their flyer club.) If you're a member, when you book a flight you can select one of these seats— or one of the wing exit row seats. If you're not a member, you can't select one of these seats when you make your reservation. (However, in the 24-hour confirmation period before the flight takes off, you can upgrade to one of these seats for $15 or so.)

Here's the thing. Because these seats are first reserved for club members and then sold off for a slight premium, they are not always sold, even on 'full' flights. The middle seats— and I think we can all agree the middle seats are generally undesirable— the middle seats in these rows are not premium.

Can you see where I'm headed?

On my flight today, I booked seat 5E— a middle seat— for both legs, Ontario to Phoenix and Phoenix to Tampa. On both flights one of the seats to my side remained unsold, and I got to move into it as soon as everyone had boarded. I grabbed the window to Phoenix and the aisle to Tampa. There is no better way to fly Coach! I was even able to stow my bag under the vacant middle seat on each leg of the trip, giving me full room for my legs.

Best flight ever!

See you next time!

"Big ol' jet airliner, don't carry me too far away. / Big ol' jet airliner, 'cause it's here that I've got to stay."— Jet Airliner by the Steve Miller Band