Buying seats worth it?
 

Is it worth it to buy a seat assignment? I have a basic economy ticket to NYC tomorrow. I checked in, and there were only added-cost seats available. Is it worth it to buy a seat now to guarantee I have one, or should I just wait and get it for free at the gate? It's AA 3549 PWM-LGA tomorrow morning.

I've always bought seats. but that's because I have preference to where I sit (in front of the wing, in an aisle seat)

I think with a basic economy ticket you are almost guaranteed to have a middle seat. You will have a seat, it will likely be in the middle, and with basic economy you'll be heading onto the plane in group 9 with no carry ons, nor will there be space if you manage to slip by with one.

It's an E145, so there aren't any middle seats. All seats are uncomfortable and it's a terrible plane but the flight is only 50 minutes so I don't care. I'm mostly thinking about "what happens if there aren't any seats left", which would be a bad outcome. But the seat map shows lots of available seats.

If there aren't any seats left, then hold out for the highest maximum voucher and take the next flight. This time of year though, most flights aren't that oversold.

It's doubtful you will be IVB. At worst you're be assigned a seat at the gate. Given this flight I would not pay for a seat.

How is buying a seat assignment going to do anything with regards to how likely you are to get bumped and missing your flight? If the plane is oversold, you are still a ticketed passenger whether your boarding pass has a seat or not. Having that seat assignment is no guarantee when push comes to shove.

I would NOT buy a seat assignment and just get whatever seat at the gate gets assigned to me. If the plane is oversold and they are waiving around nice enough vouchers to appeal to me, I would rather not have sunk some cash into a seat assignment I gave up.

Ehh, I think the E145 is just as comfortable as regular economy in a 737 -- actually, more so since there are no middle seats. Its only real problem is that there is no first class -- so no upgrade opportunities, and no ability to buy first class seats/treatment. Compare that with very similar regional routes but with 2 cabin E175s or CRJs where first class upgrades for elites are abundant, and it definitely feels like ERJ145 routes get screwed.

Its an E140 on an hour and change flight. There are no middle seats and 2/3 of the seats are windows. I would not buy a seat on this route.

Doesn’t paying for a seat kind of negate purchasing Basuck Economy?

This. Besides PWM-LGA is such a short flight.

on an E145 the only seats, IMO, that are any better are exit row or A singles. While they are better and certainly worth picking up for free with status but definitely not worth more $.

I'm not sure of AA's exact procedure, but in an IDB situation the whole problem is that there's more ticketed passengers than seats and most airlines IDB people who don't have seat assignments ahead of those who do.

Wouldn't this put the OP at a higher risk of getting IDB'd in the event the flight is oversold (Unlikely, I know, but last to check in has a disadvantage here IIRC)?

Seat assignment has nothing to do with whether or not you have a confirmed reservation. If you are confirmed, and you don't have a seat now, you'll get a seat before boarding either way.

Those without seat assignments would be subject to an Inv Board, which then I would believe go back last to check in. VB are rare let alone an Inv. More than likely the OP will be told to go to the gate for a BP. My suggestion is to get to the airport early to ensure a seat assignment.