One Airline Wants You to Buy an EMPTY Seat for as Low as $20

For every person who loves to fly, there’s someone who REALLY doesn’t like it.

Flying isn’t fun for everyone

Whether it’s the stress of traveling or the cramped seating arrangements on the plane, flying isn’t exactly relaxing. That said, one airline is solving the tiny seat problem with a creative solution — but it’ll cost you.

Yahoo Finance reported that Australian airline Qantas is now offering customers the opportunity to purchase the empty seat next to them for as low as $20 (in U.S. Dollars). This trial is known as the “Neighbor Free” program and it’s currently only offered on domestic flights in Australia. Qantas also flies to Orlando International Airport for customers using Qantas points — so this could potentially become a perk for the airline in the United States too!

©Daniel Gorun/Airways Magazine

So how does it work? Basically, anyone who has booked a flight that doesn’t end up full will receive an email about 48 hours before their departure, and they can choose to upgrade and purchase the empty seat for between $20 to $45 (or $30 to $65 in Australian Dollars). The extra seat isn’t guaranteed, however, until departure, and if the plane ends up at capacity customers will get a refund.

Air travel isn’t easy these days.

Other airlines also offer this upgrade, including Etihad and Emirates, and Air New Zealand also offers an option to upgrade seats to a couch-like figuration known as a “Skycouch.” If the empty seat upgrade program is successful for Qantas, they will consider offering it on more domestic flights later in 2022.

Would you purchase an empty seat?

Qantas notes that the majority of their aircraft feature armrests that can’t fully raise, and you don’t get an additional checked baggage allowance for your extra seat. If you’re a Qantas Frequent Flyer, you can earn Qantas points for each seat you purchase (remember, you can use points for flights to Orlando!).

Basic airplane seat

If you’re planning a flight to Orlando Airport soon, we recommend checking out the following links for all the information you need for your trip:

We’ll be watching out for more airlines to offer this empty seat program so stay tuned to DFB for more news and updates!

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Would you purchase an empty seat? Tell us in the comments!