The method has has been praised by some but others say it’s a really bad idea
Maria Ortega and Robert Rowlands Deputy editor, Money and lifestyle hub
14:21, 09 Jan 2026
A technique is being shared over how to get the seat you want when flying – but not everyone is keen on it
A controversial technique to avoid getting a seat you do not want has been criticised by a number of passengers. Many airlines charge more for seat selection on the plane – or automatically put you in a middle seat.
However, according to one travel specialist, there is a method that can stop the system from giving you a middle seat. And they say it comes without paying anything on top.
Jorden Tually explained the technique in a video on his TikTok account (@jordentually). He said low-cost airlines often automatically assign middle seats to those who select “random seat allocation”.
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He says that this encourages passengers to pay for a window or aisle seat. Yet he argues that there is a technique that can help here – although it has been criticised by some online.
He says the method stops the airline’s system from automatically assigning you a middle seat. First up, he said he looks at how many seats of this type are still available on the flight when checking in.
In a test of the method, he said he found a total of 10 middle seats available on a flight. He said the next step is to simulate the purchase of that number of tickets.
“I go straight to the website and pretend to buy 10 more middle seats,” he said. He said when doing this, he enters the name of each made-up passenger.
You can just put in ‘a bunch of letters in there,’ he said. Then, in the seat assignment, he selects all the middle seats or those he wants to avoid and clicks ‘continue’.
He said ‘the system is going to hold those seats for about 10 to 15 minutes.’ This is the amount of time users will have to actually check in and get a better seat.
When passengers select ‘random seat allocation,’ the system will not be able to assign the seats it has previously blocked. He said: ‘It only took me two minutes, and now I have a window seat. It has never failed me and is 100% successful when done correctly.”
He advises completing the process from a computer and says it is more effective if done as close to the check-in date as possible, as there are fewer seats available.
But while some praised the technique, others pointed out the obvious consequences it would have. One commenter online said: “OMG, the self-entitled brigade again. If this does work, everyone will now try it, freezing up loads of seats and could stop genuine people wanting to book that flight, all because you think you deserve a better seat than those who have paid.”
Others criticised the idea and said it would lead to prices going up where dynamic pricing is used, which sees prices fluctuate according to demand. One person commented on the YouTube post put up late last month to say: “Don’t you know about airlines’ dynamic pricing??” Yet another echoed this, saying: “Damn, that will spike up cost by 10-20%”
Another person said: “Now you delayed your flight 10 minutes while they wait for the computer queue to clear so other passengers can select their seats.” A further commenter agreed, saying: “This is not a good hack, cause your ticket costs more when the system thinks it’s fully booked.”
Another added: “Congrats. Due to dynamic pricing, you’ve just raised the price of your ticket by 50%”
Boarding pass rules for TUI, BA, and easyJet in 2026 as Ryanair makes huge change – The Mirror
Need to know
Many of us use a smartphone to download a boarding pass when we fly, but some people still like the reassurance that comes with a printed boarding pass. However, with Ryanair insisting passengers switch to digital, here are some of the major UK airlines policies’ that holidaymakers will need to know.
Boarding pass rules vary between airlines(Image: Joseph Raynor/ Nottingham Post)
Ryanair passengers can no longer use paper passes and must have a digital boarding pass on their phone. Those who fail to check in online could face a £55 fee at the airport, although Ryanair say in the case of lost phones or a dead battery, staff will print a boarding pass for free if someone was already checked in online
British Airways still accepts digital and printed boarding passes and has an app that can be used on your phone or Apple Watch. Some of its routes still require a printed boarding pass for security reasons, but if you don’t have a printer at home, you can print it for free at one of their kiosks at check-in in
EasyJet is encouraging passengers to make the switch to digital, saying that using its app reduces paper waste and is an easier way to get flight updates. However, the airline still accepts paper copies
Some easyJet destinations require a printed boarding pass, including major airports in Egypt, Morocco, and Turkey. If you don’t have a printer and are travelling on one of these routes, easyJet will print a pass for you
If you’ve booked a package holiday with TUI, check whether you’re flying with them or a different airline. Some of their packages use different carriers, such as Ryanair and easyJet, so you’ll need to follow their rules
TUI flights start with TOM or BY, and on these routes, both digital and printed boarding passes are accepted. TUI advises that if you choose to print your pass, it should be on A4 plain paper, have no rips or tears, and be clear enough for the barcode to be scanned
Always check your airline’s policies on their official website before you leave. Rules around boarding passes often change, and ensuring you follow the correct procedure can save you a lot of money and potential hassle at the airport
Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
THE January sales are about to land and now is an excellent time to bag yourself a bargain, whether it’s a summer holiday, homeware or that set of golf clubs you’ve had your eye on for months.
But don’t just spend your cash willy-nilly. I’m going to let you in on my top travel hack that will help you score big in the sales – bagging yourself a free holiday, just by doing your ordinary shopping.
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Sophie has a nifty tip that means you can bag yourself a free holidayCredit: Sophie SwietochowskiSophie has nearly enough Avios points to fly to New York City in business classCredit: Getty
I can truthfully say, there is no catch. The more you spend, the greater your getaway.
So, what’s the secret? Avios. But not in the way you know it.
You’ll likely have heard of the flight rewards system, whereby travel spend is converted into points that can be redeemed against flights, hotels, shopping and more.
The chances are, however, you’re not using the system properly. And by that, I mean reaping mega benefits every time you spend.
I’m not just talking about flight spend. You can earn points every time you catch the train to work, fill up your car with fuel, or do your weekly grocery shop.
Say hello to the Avios portal. I believe it to be the BEST points-benefits system out there for travellers – and I’m an avid subscriber to rewards schemes (special nod to my Boots card and the MyWaitrose account).
Right now, I am just shy of enough points to fly to New York City in business class with British Airways (I have 80,000 to be exact).
A business class seat would cost me 88,000 points flying at an off-peak time. Although I would still have to pay a £199.50 flat fee, a nominal charge that covers taxes, carrier fees and a fixed Avios amount.
That cost is small, though, when you consider the fact that the absolute cheapest business class flight you can currently book to NYC with British Airways is £1,832 – and that’s in the January sale, meaning I would have saved a minimum of £1,600 by using points.
To put this into a wider perspective, I could also fly to Sydney in Australia (55,000 points) or Tokyo and back again (38,500 points each way) or even to Amsterdam and back again up to FOUR times (10,000 points each way).
Short-haul trips to the likes of Amsterdam require less pointsCredit: Alamy
Flat fees are tiny on short-haul flights too, with costs to destinations like Amsterdam, Corfu and Gran Canaria capped at just £1 as opposed to the near £200 for my fancy NYC business class seat.
My high points score has nothing to do with me being a travel editor, either. In fact, I earn very little from my adventures through work and barely anything from flights alone.
Instead, it’s my regular, everyday spending that helps me earn big with Avios.
My commute to work, my trips to the BP for fuel and my incessant fashion purchases on ASOS are what stacks those points up.
Better still, if you’re doing a big splurge in the January sales, you can rake them in thick and fast.
So, how does it work and where can you earn?
Thousands of retailers have partnerships with the Avios store. You can earn when you spend on hotels, homeware, sports, fashion, toys, attractions and entertainment from Argos and TravelZoo to Boots and Alton Towers.
You can earn points on a trip to Alton Towers tooCredit: Alamy
The number of points you earn varies per retailer, for example when you purchase from M&S Flowers & Hampers you will earn up to 24 Avios per £1 spent, whereas booking a rail journey through Trainline will earn you 1 Avios per £1 spent.
Many retailers have bonus offers for January, including Booking.com where you can bag 8 Avios per £1 until January 31, up from 4Aviosper £1 and Viator which has a 12 Avios per £1 offer until February 7, 2026.
My rule of thumb whenever I shop for something (big or small) is: check whether the retailer I want to buy from is on the Avios shop, and if not, can I buy the product I want from another retailer that will earn me points?
To collect points on in-store purchases, you simply have to link your card – any card – to your account and spend on this card in Avios-linked stores.
To make online purchases, you have to register your visit to the retailers website by first going through the Avios shop website (avios.com).
Simply log on, click on ‘collect avios’ and search for the retailer in the ‘search for brands’ box.
Once you’ve found the retailer, click on ‘shop now’ to register your visit and carry out your online shopping as you would normally. It really is that simple.
If, like me, you do a lot of shopping on your phone, I’d recommend downloading the Avios app, which makes things a little easier and keeps you logged in.
Your Avios is then redeemable with certain airlines, which includes OneWorld Alliance partners like British Airways and Qatar Airways as well as Aer Lingus and Vueling.
Avios points can be used with certain airlines – like British AirwaysCredit: Boarding1Now
You can also book holiday packages, including flights and hotels, through British Airways Holidays.
So, how long does it take before you earn yourself enough for a free flight or holiday? Well, that’s difficult to answer.
Last time I wrote about Avios was in April 2025 and back then I had 57,000 points. Now I have 80,000 – so I’ve earned myself 23,000 points in 8 months, the equivalent of a return flight to Brussels, Paris or Turin in Italy.
But I’m single and in the process of buying my first home, so my spending is frugal.
If you use this hack to do your January sale shopping, however, you’ll certainly be one step closer to bagging yourself a free getaway.
Here’s some useful tips for shopping through the Avios Shop….
Having an Amex Express card will further boost your Avios pointsCredit: Alamy Stock Photo
Get yourself an Amex
First things first, get yourself an American Express (AMEX) credit card, if you don’t already have one. Yes, you don’t technically need one in order to collect points, but it’s an easy way to boost your earnings. I have the free British Airways Amex.
Just make sure you pay it off in full every month. And if you don’t trust yourself to do all of your spending on that card, start by committing to a small and regular spend, like the weekly food shop.
If you’re successfully approved for a British Airways free Amex, you’ll be given a bonus 5,000 Avios if you spend £2,000 in the first three months of having the card.
It’s an incentive – and credit card companies are hoping that you forget to pay them back, so just make sure you have enough money in your current account to pay off the spend and don’t get caught out.
Link your accounts
Accounts that you use regularly like Uber are a great way of boosting your points. You can link certain regular accounts you use to your Avios account.
For example, I have my BPme Rewards and Uber account both linked to my Avios one, which means I don’t need to log on and register my visit as explained above, with normal online shopping.
Everything is done automatically and I’m earning points without lifting a finger.
I book my train to work through Uber every time and it earns me a steady and regular number of points every month.
Look for deals
Right now you can bag a bonus 50 per cent Avios with certain retailers.
There are so many deals at various times of the year. There’s also special offers on certain deals such as The Wine Flyer, whereby you earn a promises amount of points if you spend over a certain figure on bottles.
Most recently, over the Christmas period, if you spent over £150 on wine through the Avios shop, you’d bag 5,000 bonus Avios on top of the usual 5 Avios per £1 spent,
But my rule is never to spend unless you really need it. The whole point of a free holiday or flight is that you’re only spending on what you would normally.
Sign up your parent/partner/pal
You’ll bag a bonus 500 Avios if you refer a friend – a simple referral code does the trick.
You’ll also notice certain offers, such as a bonus 9,000 Avios if you order a second Amex linked to your account for a partner or child to spend on.
You’ll then be responsible for paying off their spend, however. But there’s nothing stopping you from ordering a second card and not passing it over to that person, though.
That way you’ll bag the bonus points without the panic. Just keep your eyes peeled for those offers in your inbox.
With 2026 marking the centenary of America’s Route 66 and the World Cup kicking off, there are return flights from £411 to Los Angeles, £427 to San Francisco and £439 to Miami.
BA are offering deals on some of the most-searched holiday destinations this year
Flights to Dubai start from £449 and Cancun from £482.
British Airways Holidays has seven-night packages to European destinations including Malaga, the Algarve, Malta and Majorca from £299pp.
And for a cheeky city break, there are deals in hot spots including Barcelona, Nice and Venice from £199pp.
There are also discounted holidays to the US, with Florida and Los Angeles from £599pp.
Deals include seven nights’ room-only at the 4H Pestana Alvor Beach Villas in Alvor, Portugal, from £299pp including Gatwick flights on dates in March and 23kg luggage.
Or seven nights’ room-only at 3.5H The STRAT Hotel, Casino and Tower in Las Vegas from £649pp including Heathrow flights on select dates in November.
THERE are savings of up to £120 per couple and £210 for a family of four on Virgin Holidays packages to the Caribbean, Orlando and Tampa with a low deposit of just £75pp.
Deals include 14 nights’ room-only at the Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando from £908pp including Virgin Atlantic flights from Heathrow on March 4, 2026.
In Virgin Atlantic’s sale there are great offers on NYC trips
There are also holidays to new route Cancun in Mexico, with seven nights’ B&B at The Fives Downtown Hotel from £1,086pp including Virgin flights from Heathrow on September 19, 2026.
In Virgin Atlantic’s sale there are return flights to New York from £373 on select dates in February 2026, as well as return fares to Phuket in Thailand from £648pp on selected departure dates in October 2026.
You can also get return flights to Cape Town, South Africa, from £729pp on selected dates in January and February 2026.
TOUR giant TUI is touting its biggest sale ever with up to £500 off holidays, zero deposits with direct debits to spread the cost and thousands of free kids’ places in the school holidays.
There are flexible departures from more than 20 local airports and hundreds of free room upgrades.
Tui are offering flexible departures from more than 20 local airports
The sale offers savings of ten per cent with the code SALE up to a maximum saving of £500 as long as you download the TUI app and create an account.
As well as land-based holidays, there is up to £300 off TUI River Cruises when you spend over £3,500, or £200 off if you spend over £2,500 on sailings departing between March 2026 and the end of October 2027.
The deal is valid on sailings of five nights or longer on Europe’s River Rhine, Douro or Danube and River Nile in Egypt.
Or you can head long- haul to the Caribbean with seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 5H Riu Negril in Jamaica.
It costs from £1,420pp including flights from Gatwick on June 16, 20kg hold luggage and transfers.
THE UK’s largest tour operator is sharing the love with £100 off ALL holidays booked in its sale, with a low deposit of just £25 needed to lock in a great deal.
The sale, running until January 12, also includes 20 per cent off all flight-only bookings on jet2.com, including on one-way flights.
Jet2 is the UK’s largest tour operator
All package holiday deals include 22kg luggage, 10kg hand luggage, under-seat bag, return transfers, plus ABTA and ATOL protection.
There are millions of free child places, as well as pay monthly plans to spread the cost.
Deals are available on more than 75 destinations across Europe, the Med, North Africa and the Canary Islands.
Offers include seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 3H Club Mac Alcudia Resort and Waterpark in Majorca from £579pp with flights from Leeds Bradford on April 18.
And seven nights’ B&B at the 3H Hotel La Barracuda, Costa del Sol, from £389pp including flights from Stansted on February 27.
THE Big Orange Sale from easyJet holidays is promising up to £400 off city breaks and beach escapes.
Holidaymakers can get £50 off a minimum spend of £500, £100 off an £800 minimum, £150 off a minimum of £1,500, £300 off a £3,000 minimum spend and £400 off a £4,000 spend with the code BIGSALE.
The Big Orange Sale from easyJet holidays is promising up to £400 off city breaks and beach escapes
The deal is valid on 8,000 hand-picked hotels in more than 100 destinations in Europe and North Africa, from popular cities including Amsterdam and Prague, and beach spots from the Canaries to Cape Verde.
All holidays include flights and hotels, and beach packages also come with a 23kg luggage allowance and transfers.
Deals include four nights’ room-only at the 3H Espresso City Centre in Amsterdam from £227pp including flights from Southend on February 1.
And seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 4H Valeria Dar Atlas Resort in Marrakech from £435pp including flights from Liverpool on February 5, with 23kg luggage and transfers.
