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Most of us long for extra legroom on a flight, yet this can come at an additional cost. However, experts have revealed a simple hack that can help you secure extra space on your next flight, without incurring any additional costs.

When booking flights, passengers often have the option to upgrade their seat to another with extra legroom or perhaps premium economy. This typically involves an extra charge, ranging from £15 to £50, depending on the airline or flight, and is an additional fee that many of us would rather avoid.

That's why passengers often choose their seats 24 hours before departure, when it's available for free with most airlines. Otherwise, some might leave their seat up to the fate of the airlines.

But if you'd rather choose your seat at the same time as securing extra legroom for free, there's a side of the plane you should be aware of. According to experts at Which? choosing a seat on the right-hand side of the plane, with letters D, E, or F, as opposed to the left side with A, B or C, can get you that vital extra space.

Research by Which? found that standard plane seats on the right-hand side on various airlines, including the likes of Ryanair, can offer anything from an extra half-inch to an inch of legroom compared to seats on the left. And we all know how vital this can be during any flight.

This means that when the option to choose your seats for free opens up 24 hours before your departure, opt for a seat on the right rather than the left. Additionally, seats situated in front of a bulkhead, along an exit row or at the tail end of a plane generally provide more space.

To plan ahead and secure a desirable seat, you can use your specific plane model number on AeroLOPA to check your flight's seating plan. This will then allow you to see if this nifty hack works on your flight and identify the best seats to book.

Sky Newsalso found that passengers on board Ryanair's Boeing 737-800s can enjoy 29.5 inches of legroom in seats D, E and F in rows 3-15, compared to 29 inches in the same row on the left-hand side. Additionally, they found that those travelling on an easyJet A321neo can get an extra inch of legroom on the right-hand side.

Seats in D, E and F on rows 3-17 on the right had a generous 29-inch space, while those on the left between rows 30 and 40 had just 28 inches. Sky News also revealed that passengers on an easyJet Airbus A320-214 can get an extra half-inch on the right-hand side in rows 14 to 29.

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