Just think, what if you are carrying a load of luggage and the moment you step onto your British Airways flight, all seats are occupied. The flight attendant ushers you to a seat in the middle of the row with no room to keep your bags. Wouldn’t it be a horrifying thing on your journey, especially if you need to travel for long hours? You could’ve changed this scenario if you went through the British Airways Seat Selection process. Don’t have a clue how to select a seat? No worries, this guide will give you directions to choose a seat for your air travel. Here we go!
British Airways Seating Options
British Airways has a variety of seating options for its passengers. Wondering how? The airline has a wide range of fleet, including a variety of Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer aircraft. If you want a better look at how your experience will be on each of them, you can see the British Airways Seat Map.
British Airways Seat Selection Policy
You can choose a seat of your liking on your flight with British Airways, but there are some conditions that you must keep in mind.
- You may or may not have to pay for seat selection in British Airways, depending on your airfare, cabin class, and many other factors.
- British Airways allows its passengers, except those with a basic Economy ticket with hand luggage, to choose their seat for free when 24 hours remain before the flight departure, when check-in opens.
- British Airways Club Members are eligible to select their seats on British Airways for free. However, some conditions apply.
- With Fully Flexible fares (Y/W/J class) you can choose standard seats for free from the time you booked your ticket, and for Short Haul Plus fares, you can choose standard seats for free from 48 hours before the flight departure.
- While British Airways does its best to sit families and groups together, there is no guarantee. Hence, you should purchase your tickets in advance when booking a family or group trip.
- There are no charges for seats for infants younger than 2 years.
- People with a certain disability can choose their seats for free. If you have any special requirements, let the airline know at least 48 hours before your flight so they can make the arrangements.
- British Airways only accepts credit/debit cards for payments at many airports. You can also use your Avios points for the payment.
British Airways Seat Selection 24 Hours
Every passenger of British Airways (other than basic Economy ones) is allowed by the airline to choose a seat they prefer on their flight for free. The condition being that you must make the selection within 24 hours of your flight departure when the check-in portal opens.
How to Select Seats on British Airways?

Looking for a seat that’s just right for your air journey with British Airways? You can reserve it by following these steps via the airline’s official website:
- In the Manage My Booking section, enter your flight details and surname to log in.
- Select your flight and navigate the Seating option.
- There, click on the “View or Change Seats” option.
- Go through the seat map and choose one from the available seats that you like.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
- Pay any applicable seat selection fee and proceed.
- Confirm your choice.
Once you are done with the seat selection process and your payment, if any, has been processed, you will receive an email for the same.
You can go through the seat selection process when booking your flight, after you have booked through the Manage Booking option, or during check-in for your flight. If you didn’t choose your seat even at the last moment, the airline will assign you a seat on its own.
British Airways Seat Selection Fee
The cost for selecting a seat on your British Airways flight varies depending on various factors, such as your cabin class, membership status, and so on. Hence, you can only find out how much British Airways charges for seat selection fees during the booking process or when selecting your flight through the Manage My Bookings section.
Get British Airways Free Seat Selection
Want to know if you are eligible to select a British Airways seat for free on your flight? If you have any of these qualities, the flight seat you desire is all yours.
- You are a British Airways Club Member.
- You are not an Economy traveler and are choosing your seat before 24 hours of flight departure when the check-in opens.
- Any standard seat you choose if you have a fully flexible Y/W class airfare.
- Standard seat is yours if you have a Short Haul Plus fare and you book after 48 hours of your flight departure.
Conclusion
Wasn’t it easy to navigate your British Airways Seat Selection? This guide must have made the process easier for you. Make sure you have gone through the airline’s rules and regulations for seat selection. It will prevent you from attracting any penalties. If you find any queries that you don’t find in this guide, don’t hesitate to ring the airline’s customer care service. They will surely have all your answers and can even assist you with the seat selection process.
Common Questions
You can select your seat on your British Airways flight while booking your flight, after booking via the online Manage Booking option, or during check-in.
If you are a British Airways Club Member, you have fully flexible airfare, flying on Short Haul Plus fare, or any other eligible travel condition, then the airline will let you select your seat for free.
If you have already booked your air ticket with British Airways without selecting a seat, you can do so later online via their official website through the Manage My Booking section.
If you don’t select a seat of your choice on British Airways beforehand, the airline will allot any random seat while boarding your flight. Keep in mind that it can be any seat as per availability.