Paying a few extra bucks can be the difference between stretching out into the aisle versus squeezing into a middle seat, wondering how to wake up a neighbor when you need the bathroom.
Shelling out more for an exit row or bulkhead seat is practically a necessity for some taller people.
However, it's rare that one seat can feel like a new level of luxury. I found that to be the case on the upper deck of an Airbus A380.
Some airlines fill the top floor with business- and first-class seats, but others, like British Airways, leave room for coach too. I paid an extra £79, or around $105, to choose a seat up there on a flight a few months ago — but prices vary.
This seat not only gives you more space but also an extra storage locker, not to mention one less neighbor on your row.
Here's what my experience was like and why I recommend this handy travel tip.
On vacation last year, I flew on a British Airways Airbus A380 from London to Washington, DC.
The British and American capitals are nearly 3,700 miles apart.
Pete Syme/BI
Flying from London usually takes between seven and eight hours. It's faster in the opposite direction thanks to the North Atlantic jet stream.
I took the risk of spending about an extra $100 to choose a roomy economy seat upstairs.
The author sat in seat 72A, on the left hand side of the plane.
British Airways
If I had loyalty status, I could've booked this for free.
For the best experience in economy, you're looking for any window seat on the upper deck.
This seat map also shows how the cabin is arranged in a 2-4-2 format, like premium economy.
Adding to the feeling of luxury, this was the first time I used an airport lounge.
Heathrow Terminal 5's Aspire Lounge was the author's first experience of an airport lounge.
Pete Syme/BI
I had signed up for an American Express Gold Card offer, which included paying no fees for a year. The credit card includes a membership with Priority Pass, which provides access to around 1,700 airport lounges worldwide.
Heathrow's Aspire Lounge was crowded, and I wasn't blown away, but it was certainly easier to relax there than in the concourse.
It wasn't long before I boarded the world's biggest passenger plane.
An Airbus A380, the world's biggest passenger plane, at the gate at London Heathrow.
Pete Syme/BI
The double-decker, four-engined jet typically has room for more than 500 passengers.
Of the 10 airlines that operate them, only half have economy seats on the upper deck.
Simply having one neighbor on my row made the cabin feel more spacious and made me feel more relaxed.
The author's row on the Airbus A380 flight.
Pete Syme/BI
You're more likely to find rows of two economy seats on regional planes like an Airbus A220 or a Bombardier CRJ, which have much smaller cabins. For wide-body planes, it's also common on an Airbus A330.
It was much easier to only have to ask one person instead of two when I needed to get up.
I also had access to my own storage bin under the window, as well as the usual overhead one.
The extra storage helped me make more room to stretch out.
Pete Syme/BI
I found this especially useful for a long-haul flight, where it can be difficult to find a place for amenities like a blanket and headphones when you're not using them.
But the best part was that I could fit my small backpack in there instead of under the seat in front, leaving more space to stretch my legs.
I was surprised by just how much I could stretch out thanks to the plane's huge fuselage.
The silver box wasn't an obstacle, thanks to the extra space to the side.
Pete Syme/BI
The A380's cabin is over 21 feet wide — that's two feet more than a Boeing 777.
While it's a bit narrower upstairs, there was plenty of space on the window side of my seat, so the silver in-flight entertainment box wasn't an obstacle.
The space on the window side of the seat meant I could fully stretch one of my legs.
The author's legroom sitting in the upper-deck window seat.
Pete Syme/BI
This wasn't as ideal as stretching both legs, but you'd only get that by forking out thousands of dollars more for business class.
Of course, the service was the same as a typical economy seat, but I was already in a good mood.
Beverages and snacks were the same as regular economy.
Pete Syme/BI
I was offered pretzels and two drinks at the start of the cabin service. Count me as a fan of British Airways' own beer, in partnership with Brewdog.
