While no airline can guarantee it in 2026's high-load-factor environment, savvy travelers use several "pro-hacks" to increase their chances of an empty middle seat. First, check the airline app exactly 24 hours before departure during check-in and again at the gate; many "Preferred" seats or seats near the back open up as elite members are upgraded. Second, if traveling as a pair, book the window and aisle in a three-seat row; solo travelers rarely choose a middle seat unless the flight is 100% full. Third, choose seats in the far back of the plane, as gate agents typically fill the cabin from front to back. Lastly, you can use the "Poor Man's First Class" strategy on wide-body planes by choosing the middle section of a 3-4-3 layout; the two center seats in a row of four are often the very last to be occupied by solo fliers.