Ask the gate agent for help. To begin, Rawls suggests starting at the gate. If your flight isn't completely full, the gate agent may be able to make last-minute adjustments to the seating chart to allow you and your companion to sit next to one another.

Asking to change seats on a plane in 2026 requires a "gold standard" approach to etiquette to avoid social friction. The most supportive method is to wait until after boarding is complete and then approach the other passenger politely before they settle in. A grounded rule is to only ask for an equivalent or better swap; for example, asking someone to trade an aisle for an aisle is reasonable, but asking someone to trade their window for your middle seat is often a "hard-fail." Start with a friendly opening: "Pardon me, I was wondering if you’d be open to switching seats so I can sit with my companion? I have an [aisle/window] seat just two rows back." If the other passenger says no, accept the answer graciously without badgering them, as they may have paid extra for that specific spot. A supportive peer tip: if the swap is complex, involve a flight attendant only after you’ve had a polite initial conversation, as they can sometimes identify empty rows that solve the problem for everyone.