I was in Vegas on business and had a 6:30 pm flight back to Chicago booked. I knew the previous day that I really wanted to leave significantly earlier. However, it would have cost around $400 to move up to an anytime fare and that wasn't happening.

Around 7:00am on the day of departure I received a text from SWA that my flight would be delayed 40 minutes. BINGO. I took the noon shuttle to the airport, but was nervous because now the mobile site was showing my 6:30 flight only 15 minutes late. However, the TA checked my bag and gave me a gate pass so I could stand-by.

My name was called and I was the last to board a quite full flight. Walking down the jetway, I was dreading that middle seat for a 3 1/2 hour flight. As I entered the plane I saw 2 middles near the front. 1 of them was a man and woman. Bells went off and I asked to sit between them. Man slides over to the middle and I get the aisle.