As you prepare to fly on Air China, you may be wondering what seat you’ll get in your airplane’s cabin. You don’t want to sit near the bathroom or the galley, but at the same time, you want to make sure you have enough leg room so that your knees aren’t crammed into your ears. If you’re not fussy about where you sit and just want an aisle seat on either side of the plane, this trick will help you select your seat on Air China quickly and easily.
Use a Flight Search Engine
When you start looking for flights, one of your first options will be a flight search engine, like Google Flights or Kayak. A flight search engine works similarly to a travel site like TripAdvisor - they use algorithms to analyze data from airliners, consolidators and travel agencies in order to provide you with a list of flights that best meets your needs. However unlike travel sites, search engines don’t actually book any tickets. They simply help find available seats on different routes and allow you to book them directly through an airline or third party site.
Check in online
Check-in time starts 24 hours before departure, and you can check in online or at the airport. If you're checking in at the airport, take your ticket, passport and onward flight information with you as well as your luggage. Once you have checked in, go to your gate and wait there until boarding time. Make sure that you get a seat assignment on Air China and if necessary change it online or by phone before departure.
Use a seat selection tool
If you are browsing for “select my seat on air china” it can be achieved easily because Air China has a seat selection tool that allows you to choose your seat before you book your ticket. With it, you can try out different seats and see which one is best for you. To use this function, go through the steps below:
- Log in to Air China's website
- Select Booking Status from the top menu
- Click Select Seat. You will be shown a list of all available seats
- Choose a seat, then click Purchase
- Fill out your information and proceed with payment
- Take note of your booking number
- Check-in online or at an airport counter with your booking number at least two hours before departure
Choose your seat at check-in
Airlines typically assign seats in advance. This is often done at check-in, so it's important to be proactive and choose your seat then. If you wait until later in the process or even at boarding time, you may find that there are no seats left that meet your needs. In addition, if you're traveling with children who are too young for their own seats, you may need to purchase a seat for them as well. The airline will not allow two adults to share one seat.
Ask the gate agent
Hi, I'm flying with you next week. I was wondering if it would be possible to get a seat assignment in advance? If so, how do I go about doing that?
Waitlist a better seat
The best way to get a better seat assignment on Air China is by waiting for open seats. This is the most fair and practical method because it doesn't cost anything and only a limited number of passengers are eligible for rebooking. While waiting, you can go online and see if there's an available seat at check-in time. If not, then there may be some empty seats before departure which will be assigned after boarding.
If your waitlist request is accepted, your current seat will be automatically cancelled and you'll be assigned a new one before boarding starts. If it's not accepted, then you'll need to board without knowing what your seat will be, but this can still work in your favor if you're traveling with friends or family!
Bump up to first class
The first class cabin is a world of luxury, comfort and amenities. The seats are spacious and plush, with a ton of leg room. You'll have access to an in-flight bar and champagne, a personal seat-back TV screen for your viewing pleasure, and a selection of movie channels at your fingertips. Plus there's live satellite television with over 100 channels available in English!
If you're looking for an upgrade from coach class (or even economy class), it may be worth it to book yourself into first class - after all you will get the best seat assignment on Air China!
FAQs
1) When can I reserve my seat?
You can select your seat from 5-6 days before departure, at least 72 hours before domestic departures and 60 hours for international departures.
2) What if I change my mind about the seats after purchasing them?
No worries, you'll be able to reselect your seats within 72 hours of departure for domestic flights and 60 hours for international flights. For selected business and first class seats, however, once you make your choice you're required to hold onto it or pay a penalty fee of 250 RMB per passenger.
