If you're traveling with a group, the best way to avoid a seat selection fee is to book your seats at the same time. If the airline is assigning seats for you, it typically seats people under the same record locator number together.

To sit together without paying "seat selection fees" in 2026, the most effective strategy is checking in the exact second the window opens (usually 24 hours before departure). Most airline algorithms assign seats from the front to the back or in blocks; by being first, you have the highest statistical chance of being assigned adjacent empty seats. If you are separated, another tactic is to wait until you get to the gate and politely ask the agent if any pairs have opened up due to upgrades or cancellations. On the plane itself, you can try the "humanity approach" by asking a fellow passenger to swap, but this works best if you are offering a better or equal seat (e.g., swapping your middle for their middle, or your window for their aisle). Avoid "gate lice" behavior and instead look for passengers traveling alone. Finally, some airlines like Southwest have an open-seating policy, where checking in early guarantees an earlier boarding group, which virtually ensures you can find two seats together near the back of the aircraft.