‘I check in late for flights and board last – it’s stressful but there’s big benefit’

A travel expert has revealed why she bides her time before approaching the check-in desk – while this can be effective, her methods are pretty controversial

Anyone who has flown with a budget carrier knows the drill. You either cough up a hefty fee to sit with your friends, or you resign yourself to being shoved into a dreaded middle seat at the back of the cabin.

Budget airlines have been accused of deliberately allocating their least desirable spots first, banking on the fact that frustrated holidaymakers will eventually snap and pay for an upgrade.

But a seasoned travel expert has shared a brilliant workaround to help you secure a premium seat for absolutely nothing – all you have to do is hold your nerve.

Chelsea, a budget travel creator with over 5.5 million likes on TikTok, claims that procrastination is the key to beating the airline’s algorithm.

Dubbing her method ‘check-in chicken’, she advises passengers to hold off on checking in until the absolute last minute.

Because the system fills the worst seats early on, the only spots left as the check-in window closes are usually the pricier ones at the front of the aircraft or those with extra legroom.

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Sharing a recent success story with Wizz Air, Chelsea explained that she waited until just five hours before departure to hit the button.

“I have not checked in yet, as essentially what they do is palm off middle seats or the back of the plane in the hope that you will then pay to change your seat,” she told her followers.

The gamble was a massive success, with the creator automatically landing two highly sought-after extra legroom seats for free. Frequent flyers claim the exact same trick works for Ryanair journeys, too.

But there’s a catch

While it sounds like a foolproof way to save money, playing check-in chicken comes with some serious risks. If flights are overbooked, you run the very real risk of being bumped from the flight entirely.

To lower the risk, Chelsea recommends actively monitoring the live seating plan on the airline’s app throughout the day, and checking in the moment only premium seats are left.

You also need to consider your luggage. Checking in late guarantees you will be in the final boarding group.

By the time you step onto the plane, the overhead lockers will be completely jammed, meaning staff will likely confiscate your hand luggage at the gate and put it in the hold—leaving you with an annoying wait at the baggage carousel when you land.

Despite the downsides, the controversial tactic sparked a fierce debate online, with savvy tourists begging Chelsea to keep the hack quiet.

“Stop telling everyone,” one user pleaded, while another boasted: “No don’t wreck this hack – I got 29E on Sunday by checking in an hour before it shut.”

However, others warned that the algorithm is entirely unpredictable. One lucky traveller revealed: “I had the exact opposite experience, checked in the minute the flight opened and they put me in the exit row for free.”

Meanwhile, another issued a stark warning for anyone feeling brave: “Definitely not worth it. I know someone who tried this and was left with no seat and had to wait until the next flight the next day.”