Playing Check-In Chicken With Airlines

There's a new flying hack going viral called "check-in chicken" with airlines . . . but unfortunately, it's NOT as delicious as it sound (although you could totally open up a restaurant like this at Metro, right?). Sorry - losing focus.

Here's the concept:  Instead of checking-in for your flight right away, you hold off until the LAST MINUTE.

The thinking is that by waiting until the end, you could receive a premium seat . . . one with extra leg-room, or an aisle or window seat closer to the front . . . without being charged extra.

Many airlines charge more for specific seats, but those are also more likely to be available if the plane doesn't sell out.  But if it DOES, that's a risk.

If the flight is overbooked . . . as airlines tend to do . . . and if you are the last to check in, it's possible that you could be bumped from the flight.

That seems like a significant risk . . . especially since there's no guarantee that your late check-in gambit will even work in the first place.

That's why it's being called "check-in chicken."  It's a sorta-high-risk, sorta high-reward option that could let you take advantage of a loophole. 

For what it's worth, someone who has tried this hack with the airlines says you can mitigate the risk by keeping an eye on the seat map on the airline's app . . . and ONLY waiting until there are premium seats left.  And NOT trying it if it looks totally full.