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Ready to book your next flight on China Airlines and wondering what it costs to pick your seat assignments? While selecting seats is free for general economy seating, choosing certain preferred seats or guaranteeing a spot in premium cabins will come with fees. This guide covers everything you need to know about china airlines seat selection price, including costs for economy, premium economy, and business class seats.
Is Regular Economy Seat Selection Free?The good news is that selecting a standard economy class seat on China Airlines flights is generally free of charge. When booking your flight, all the standard seats without extra legroom or amenities will be available to pick from without any additional fee during the booking process.
This also goes for making changes later on – you can freely change, swap, or upgrade your selected seats after purchase without penalty within the basic economy cabin. Exit rows, bulkheads and other “preferred seats” cannot be pre-selected without potential fees, but regular economy aisle, window or centers are all no charge.
The only basic economy seats that do sometimes have minor fees are the forward economy seats that have earlier boarding. But those are generally only around $15-$30 if chargeable, making economy seat selection still very affordable.
What About Preferred Economy Seats?While standard economy seats are free to select on China Airlines, the airline does charge extra one-way fees for booking some preferred economy class seats in advance, such as:
The range in pricing depends on the route, aircraft, and demand, but EXIT seats almost always cost the most, given their ample legroom and lack of a seat reclining in front. Premier frequent flyer elite members can sometimes select these preferred seats for free depending on their status tier.
Just because preferred seats cost extra though doesn’t mean you won’t have a shot at them day-of! China Airlines doesn’t guarantee reserved preferred seats until check-in. So early airport check-in is vital for grabbing newly opened exits, bulkheads or extra legroom economy seats at no charge if available. But advance selection guarantees them for the fees listed.
How Much is Premium Economy Seat Selection?Unlike economy, selecting seats in China Airlines’ premium economy cabin ahead of time usually means paying an additional upgrade fee ranging $150-$600+ each way depending on the route. You are essentially buying upgraded seating rather than just picking an open seat.
On most aircraft, premium economy is China Airlines’ Elite Class – a 2-4-2 staggered seating cabin with wider seats, extra pitch, leg rests and priority services. Selecting these seats requires paying the difference in fare upfront. Prices vary greatly but expect fees around:
Of course demand impacts this too. Snapping up premium economy seats for the cheapest fare buckets early is key. Last minute purchases for busy flights often doubles the fees.
Again elite frequent flyers can sometimes obtain complimentary upgrades into premium economy at time of booking, as well as opponents and bid for discounted upgrade fares through bids. But general customers should expect premium seat selection to cost extra.
What About China Airlines Business Class?Scoring a business class seat on China Airlines always requires paying a pricy upgrade fare. Whether you book a business fare upfront or request an upgrade at booking or airport check-in, expect to pay a hefty fee.
On widebody jets, China Airlines business class is their Royal Laurel or Executive cabins featuring lie-flat suites or pods. Selecting these seats upfront can cost anywhere from $1,000-$5,000+ extra per flight segment for a roundtrip. Yes, it really is that expensive!
Trying your luck at a discounted upgrade bid or applying a business class award ticket are other ways to end up in this ultra-premium cabin. But general cabin seat selection won’t cut it. Expect to pay big bucks for the privilege of these fully flat posh seats!
The Takeaway on China Airlines Seat Selection PricingThe good news is that picking standard economy seats on China Airlines flights is free, allowing you to tailor your location without extra cost. But snagging extra legroom, early boarding access or upgrading to premium economy or business does come with fees – sometimes very high charges!
Yet whatever you pay, selecting seats in advance is still worthwhile to personalize your flight experience aboard China Airlines. As long as you understand the pricing parameters for each cabin and row, you can make the best choice on whether premium seating is worth the cost for your trip.