Traveling the world is a beautiful thing; you get to explore the diverse landscape beyond your backyard, meet new people, try new cuisine, and discover the finer parts of the world just waiting for your arrival. For most people, travel is the highlight of their life. But there’s one problem… the airplane, especially when flying while fat.
You should feel good while flying, but for those of us who are overweight, flying on an airplane can be a nightmarish experience. You never know what to expect when flying while fat—from booking guidelines to actually flying and everything in between. That is, until now.
In this guide to navigating flying while fat, you won’t have to look at your travel as an obstacle; instead, it morphs into just another part of the excitement of travel. It’s time to revolutionize the way that you fly, once and for all.
Picking an airline
First things first, you have to pick an airline. You might want to go with the airline offering the cheapest deals, but for anyone looking for comfort while flying as a plus-sized person, comparing prices should come later. For now, you have to look at a few different aspects of airlines in order to ensure that you’re comfortably accommodated during travel.
Understanding how they accommodate for fat passengers
All airlines offer some baseline level of accommodation, but this can often exclude us fat people from the experience. It’s important to specifically look for accommodations for plus-sized passengers. As an American, I’ve gathered a few insights about airlines Americans can travel through pertaining to plus-sized accommodations.
For example, Delta airlines doesn’t specifically require that larger passengers purchase an additional seat—something that’s quite relieving for those of us who are fat but not quite in need of an extra seat. But that doesn’t mean that an additional seat is off the table; not only does Delta offer double seat booking, but they are also known to offer seating arrangements for overweight travelers so that you can sit next to an empty seat if one isn't occupied by other passengers, regardless of if you necessarily booked that additional seat. This is a breath of fresh air, offered by one of the U.S.’s top airlines.
Then, there’s JetBlue. In the U.S., JetBlue planes have larger than average seat width, so you may not need two whole seats if you’re on the smaller side of plus. They also have premium economy tickets, which are both affordable and a major upgrade for overweight fliers. Through JetBlue premium economy class, not only do you get priority boarding, but the pitch for the plane seats—the total seat space plus legroom of a seat—is 38-inches. Oh, and a second seat is optional for us! What a win from JetBlue.
There are plenty of other airlines that similarly accommodate fat passengers, either accidentally or with the explicit intention of making flying more comfortable for you as an overweight person. It’s always wise to look up your airline of choice—whether thats Delta, JetBlue, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, or another option—before booking, comparing their accommodations to some of the other airlines available to you. Beyond that, make sure that any accommodations you find are available airline-wide; otherwise, you might end up surprised to find something unavailable on the day of your flight.
Check seat sizes
Before clicking that “purchase” button on the tickets for your next dream vacation, make sure you take a look at the airline seat sizes. This will be a big help when it comes to knowing whether you need one seat or two. And while it may be common sense to check the seat width, be sure to check the size from front to back as well. Spending long haul flights in a seat that’s too shallow can be a pain on the legs and a damper on the trip—prevented by doing your research ahead of time. This will be a big help in choosing the perfect airline for you.
Look at what others say
The last thing that you need to do before settling on the perfect flight is to check what others have said about their experience. Flying while fat is something thousands of people do, so you’re bound to find reviews of airlines on YouTube, Reddit, and other sites. Personally, my experiences with Delta were delightful, but it might not be the same for you if you have different needs than I do! Be sure to check what others have said about their experiences with different airlines as an overweight person.
Then, there’s booking
So, you’ve finally decided on an airline—great! But now the booking process presents some entirely new obstacles. Do you need one seat or two? How do you access pre-boarding options? Do you need to let someone know about your weight ahead of time? Take a deep breath—all of this and more are about to be demystified.
One Seat or Two?
Let’s tackle that big question first—do you need to book a single seat or two seats for your flight? On a lot of airlines, booking a second seat is entirely optional; at the same time, that second seat can provide a lot of comfort for those of us flying while fat. As it turns out, the answer to “should I book a second seat?” isn’t always cut-and-dry either.
You can almost always book a second seat if you want it—which I recommend doing over the phone, as sometimes they’ll waive certain fees or will ensure that your seats are side-by-side once they know your situation. But for many of us, buying an extra plane seat can be quite costly. In these cases, it’s important to know what certain airlines enforce.
Many airlines have specific policies regarding whether you have to buy a second ticket if flying while fat. And because a lot of airlines don’t list these policies online, it can feel like there is a lot of smoke and mirrors in the way of a comfortable, cost-effective flight. To see whether you have to pay double, I’d recommend looking at the experiences and recommendations of others, as well as directly calling the airline. Don’t feel embarrassed—you have the right to a comfortable and secure flight!
With that said, if you look up the seat size for your airline and see that it’s not going to be sufficient, you might want to go ahead and book a second seat. Not only will this give you more personal space during your flight, but there will be more space between you and a potential neighboring passenger, helping you both feel more comfortable. Many airlines also let you specifically book an aisle seat, middle seat, window seat, or other configuration, so booking ahead can open up your options significantly.
Other Booking Concerns
If you’re concerned about the booking process, most—if not all—airlines have a number for passengers to call. You can talk to an agent and ask any questions that you may have. Before the day of your flight, you’ll want to know of any accommodations available, as well as special privileges of your ticket—like early boarding, which can make the journey more comfortable.
The Day of the Flight
At last, it’s the big day—the flight to your dreamy travel destination! There are a few more considerations to keep in mind before takeoff. For example, make sure to use the restroom before boarding. Airplane restrooms are always tiny—even for some of the smaller passengers who fly—so using the airport’s bathroom will prevent you from having to uncomfortably traverse the narrow aisle of your airplane.
You should also make sure that you know what you’re doing if your ticket comes with pre-boarding. Pre-boarding or priority boarding allows you to board the plane before most fellow passengers. For plus-sized fliers, this can be a relief; you don’t have to push past people to get to your seat(s), nor do you have to deal with people taking your space on the plane. Because each airline does pre-boarding a bit differently, get to the airport early—yes, even earlier than you already would. Once you’re there, make a pit stop by the ticket counter to talk to a customer service agent. They will be able to tell you about pre-boarding policies.
On the Plane: Seatbelts
Once you’re on the plane, the majority of the battle is over. You just sit back, relax, buckle your seat belt, and… oh wait… the seat belt! Most airlines don’t have seat belts that by default accommodate bigger bodies. Still, buckling up during certain parts of the flight—if not the whole thing—is important for your safety. Fortunately, there are a few solutions for those dastardly, ill-fitting airline seat belts.
One option that you have is asking the flight attendant for a seat belt extender. Your flight attendant will know where they’re kept and can bring you one, and can even explain how to use it if you’re confused. The flight attendants aren't as scary at they seem! If you’re wary of asking for an extender—I totally understand—then your next best option is buying and bringing your own extender to the flight.
The seat belt is the biggest obstacle an overweight passenger may face on the flight, but with the right preparation, it can be handled in seconds.
On the Plane: Unboarding
Unboarding as a plus-sized passenger isn’t a big deal at all. Some airlines will unboard you in order of your airline seats, while others opt to unboard by allowing passengers to leave in whatever chaotic order they choose. Simply follow whatever your airline uses as policy. But a tip from me to you: waiting until the plane is mostly empty to unboard, when possible, is the most comfortable option for us plus-sized fliers.
Conclusion
You deserve to enjoy the world. Air travel is our gateway to seeing everything the world has to offer in full, and weight shouldn’t pose a challenge to observing the world’s beauty. I’ve been fortunate enough to see some of the finer parts of the U.S. thanks to understanding how to fly while fat, and now you can too. Whether it’s a second seat booking, a seat belt extender, or simply choosing the right airline, you now have the tools to empower your travel and find delight wherever you go.
