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One of the worst parts of flying is the lack of personal space, often leaving you squeezed shoulder-to-shoulder with a stranger. Extra room can feel impossible to come by, but one frequent flyer says it's more achievable than most travellers think. She claims she almost always ends up with a free empty seat beside her, thanks to just two simple steps she takes before boarding.

The method requires no upgrades and no insider status - just smart planning. Stacey Hamilton, a travel expert at Private Tours England, says: "Airlines haven't made things easier. Ttoday's seats are noticeably narrower than they were thirty years ago, leaving passengers packed together more tightly than ever."

But after years of flying weekly, Stacey has refined a straightforward approach that consistently gives her more breathing room.

The travel expert says one of the easiest ways to score extra space on a flight has nothing to do with upgrades, but it's all about choosing the right day to travel. She said: "People don't realise how predictable travel patterns are. Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays are always the busiest. Those flights fill up fast, so your odds of an empty seat are slim."

If you have flexibility, she recommends shifting your trip slightly. Mid-week flights, especially on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, offer a completely different experience. She boasted, "It sounds too simple, but it genuinely works. I'll always choose a quieter day over gambling on luck."

After booking your flight on non-peak travel days, the expert then suggests speaking to staff when checking in to see if there are aisles with empty seats.

She shared: "When you check in, be friendly and ask whether there are seats with an empty space next to them. The staff can often see a more accurate seating map than what passengers get."

"Being polite genuinely makes a difference. The crew deals with stressed passengers all day, so someone who asks kindly usually gets the best possible help. I've had staff move me to rows I hadn't even noticed were free," Stacey added.

Stacey's second trick is one she uses on nearly every long flight. This is to make the middle seat as undesirable as possible. She said, "Choose a row of three and book both the window and aisle.

"The middle is always the last seat people want, and picking a row farther back lowers the chances of anyone taking it. If someone sees only a middle seat left in a row, they'll usually pick somewhere else."

Even on busy flights, she says this simple move often pays off: "It's about improving the odds and giving yourself a chance. And honestly, more often than not, that middle seat stays empty."