What Is ‘Check-In Chicken’?

The social media sphere abounds with travel hacks and trends, from “hush trips” to the “333 method.” One that made waves in 2024 was “check-in chicken.”

This risky travel strategy comes with potentially big benefits, but some in the industry have questioned whether it’s a good idea. To shed light on check-in chicken, we asked travel experts to break down the pros and cons.

“Playing chicken is waiting until the very last second before making a move that could pay off,” said Laura Lindsay, a global travel trends expert at the company Skyscanner.

Some travelers might do this when booking a flight in the hope that the price will drop closer to the time of departure. But check-in chicken is a little different.

This hack is about waiting until the last minute to check in on departure day for a flight you’ve already booked. It’s a move for budget-conscious travelers who don’t have a seat assignment because they booked a cheaper fare, or for those who otherwise want to take a gamble on the seating assigned by an airline.

“This strategy comes from the early days of online check-in when seat assignments were more flexible,” said travel blogger Esther Susag. “Travelers wait until the last possible moment to check in, banking on airlines assigning better seats or empty rows as they finalize the passenger manifest.”

The idea is that delaying check-in might result in a more desirable seat assignment ― perhaps one with extra legroom, whether in an exit row or near the bulkhead ― without having to pay extra.

“Airlines typically assign seats starting with the ‘less desirable,’ hoping someone still will pay for a last-minute better seat option,” said Katy Nastro, a travel expert and spokesperson for the Going travel app.

Passengers who check in earlier and receive an undesirable assignment might shell out extra money to upgrade their seat, or they could just stick with the original bad option ― potentially allowing those who play check-in chicken to get those superior unassigned seats.

“This sort of hilarious term gamifies the check-in process for air travelers by trying to hit big on grabbing a better seat without the added cost,” Nastro added. “Checking in a few hours before take off, when a flight has mostly some better seats left, is a tactic cost-conscious travelers use to give themselves better odds at being assigned a better seat.”

Although this is by no means a new practice, the TikTokification of travel hacks has made more people aware of check-in chicken ― as quippy branding tends to do.

“It’s pretty common for people to default and select a seat or check in immediately, as if on autopilot,” Nastro said. “Anytime you buy a ticket, you are guaranteed a seat ― even bumping to another flight still means you get a seat. But you aren’t guaranteed a ‘nicer’ seat, as in there is no guarantee you will get a bulkhead seat if you don’t pay for it.”

“If I’ve had success with check-in chicken, it’s been on the budget airlines in Europe,” Susag said. “Now I think it’s only going to get harder, as airlines are prioritizing paid seat selections more and most carriers fill empty [seats] … with standby passengers.”

With high numbers of travelers passing through Transportation Security Administration airport screenings, it seems increasingly unlikely that you’d wind up in a better seat by waiting to check in.

“U.S. airlines have better seating tech than European budget carriers where this trick was first used, and so you might find less chances for this to work,” Nastro said. “By timing your check-in to just a few hours before, you hold out to see if people avoid coughing up extra for the better seats, leaving you with only those options. But be warned, you might end up with whatever seats are left ― and a middle seat in the back may just be that.”

Susag noted that you might have more luck with check-in chicken as a solo traveler versus traveling with a group on one reservation.

“Even then, I wouldn’t wait until the absolute last minute, but perhaps check on it throughout the day to see what seats are left,” she said.

Indeed, you should probably monitor the seat map in the days leading up to your trip before deciding whether to wait to check in on departure day. That way you’ll at least have a sense of whether it’s worth trying the hack, based on how full the flight is and which seats are still available.

If you’re on a strict itinerary, you probably don’t want to wait until the very last minute to check in for a flight that appears to be overbooked, as you risk getting bumped to a later one.

“You never have to select a seat in advance, and I often wait to play a sort of Tetris game with other passengers who change flights, give up seats, cancel, etc., to get then myself a better seat,” Nastro said. “It can work in certain scenarios to score a ‘nicer’ seat for sure, but it shouldn’t be considered a 100 percent guarantee. The only way to guarantee you get the exact seat you want is to choose it from the get-go and paying its fee ― if there is one.”

Keep in mind that the strategy does have another cost: your time and effort. If you’re preparing for a big trip, you would probably prefer to focus on packing, finalizing your itinerary and starting off the adventure on a positive note. Check-in chicken can result in added stress.

“Because you are rolling the dice, you are potentially giving up a perfectly fine seat option in hopes you’ll win big,” Nastro said. “Additionally, as more people hear about this practice, you are then left with a lot of people waiting until the right moment making the stakes even higher.”

For these reasons, Susag believes the risks outweigh the potential benefits.

“You might end up with the worst available seat, limited overhead bin space or even get bumped from an overbooked flight,” she said. “It’s basically gambling with your travel comfort.”

If you want a chance at a decent airplane seat without paying extra, there are other ways to achieve this goal.

“Take the red-eye,” Lindsay suggested. “These flights tend to be less desirable and thus less expensive and less crowded. That means you’re likely to score a deal and be able to stretch out comfortably across empty seats.”

If you choose a less expensive flight, you also might feel there’s room in your budget to pay for that seat upgrade. Consider travel hacks like flying out of or into a different airport and booking separate one-way tickets to mix and match airlines and maximize savings.

“Get on the phone,” Lindsay added. “Some package vacation companies sell off last-minute trips at huge discounts when customers cancel. It’s worth calling and asking if they have any same-day deals.”