Social media is full of “travel tips” to help you find a cheaper flightor get a upgrade without having to payor even just tips and tools to make your economy seat more comfortable – hammock for feet, anyone?

But here’s the thing: The Internet is also full of lies.

There really isn’t such a thing as a travel hack anymore. Of course, there are some limited ways to find cheap flights, or perhaps pay a little less for a better seat, but nothing is guaranteed. And everything else, especially when it comes to making your flight more comfortable, simply depends on travelers’ preferences. What works for me might not work for you. Here’s what I mean.

Goodbye pricing hacks

If you’ve booked airline tickets recently, you know how granular airline revenue management has become.

Pricing packages? Fees for extras like checked bags and seat selection? An airfare that looks different every time you search for the same flights? These are all examples of how airlines have improved their ability to generate profits.

“Airlines have become much more sophisticated and much smarter in the way they set their base fares and the other products they sell.” Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research, a travel industry analytics firm, told me.

Decades ago, airlines also set flight prices and managed reservations manually. Unsurprisingly, computers now play a much larger role, making the system more difficult to game.

“Revenue management is currently run by computers, formulas and algorithms that run 24/7/365, so you won’t find a weak point to exploit,” Kyle Potter, Editor in chief of the travel and flight website. Thrifty travelertold me.

But, Potter says, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get a good rate.

“Airline revenue management is so sophisticated and so powerful that being flexible about when and where you travel is the most important thing you can do,” he said.

Potter said he recommends people be as flexible as possible about their departure dates and times and use tools like Explore on Google Flights to see what options might be available. But this is not a hack, even if some influencers would have you believe otherwise, it is simply a matter of using an available tool. Travelers who are too fixated on a single day, time, or even destination are less likely to find deals.

“Airlines are determined to squeeze every penny they can out of their flyers,” Potter said.

Harteveldt added that it is also increasingly difficult to compare airline prices these days.

“Airlines are trying to find ways to let you have the air travel you want and can afford with the features and amenities that matter to you,” he said. “Buying plane tickets will become like opening a box of Legos and putting together the building you want.”

So, he says, go with what works for you.

“If you find a time and price that meets your needs, whether it’s a business trip or a vacation, book it. Airlines are like Las Vegas casinos: the house always wins.”

Goodbye free upgrades

I’m tired of reading that if you blink, or smile, or dress up, or ask nicely or give a gift to your flight attendant that you will receive a free upgrade.

Does that ever happen? I’m sure someone, somewhere wins the jackpot every year, but is it reliable enough to be called a “hack”? Absolutely not.

You can pretty much forget about a free upgrade to any kind of nicer seat if you don’t have frequent flyer status with the airline you’re flying — or if you don’t have it. paid for this seat in the first place.

“Over the past 16 years, the airline industry has transformed into a business where, at least in economy class and increasingly in premium cabins, the motto is: you get what you pay for. The less you pay, the less you get, the more you pay, the more pleasant your trip will be,” Harteveldt said. “American, Delta, and United all promise to offer free domestic upgrades to the next class of service, and each intentionally takes steps to make it as difficult as possible to obtain this benefit.”

That’s because airlines have money not giving away the best seats for free. I can’t tell you how many flights I’ve been on where I was able to upgrade as a frequent flyer and saw dozens of people on the list in front of me with no seats left. Before.

For example, the president of Delta Air Lines told investors in November that the airline sells more than 70% of its premium seats, with only 12% on average going to frequent flyer upgrades.

So if you think you’re going to beat all these elites because you’re wearing a suit to the airport, you’re going to be disappointed.

Last week’s cruising altitude: Long live the aqueducts! Are we really more likely to cry on planes?

What counts for comfort?

All the other travel tips on ways to feel more comfortable on a flight really depend on how you like to travel personally.

I use a memory foam neck pillow, but other people prefer inflatable pillows. I like the window seat, but some people feel like they can stretch their legs better from the aisle seat. And again, airlines have gotten very good at charging extra for even slightly better seats. For example, free seats in exit rows are more or less a thing of the past.

However, Potter said being a little more savvy can help you seek out a little comfort when possible.

“Some planes have a much better seating arrangement than others,” he said.

I wrote a whole separate column on how to differentiate seats on your next flights, but even then it comes down to personal preference and to keep an eye on the seat map after booking to see if your preferred seat opens up.

Maybe you’re traveling with a friend or partner and find seats in a two-person section more comfortable than three, or maybe you’re traveling with your whole family and prefer seats in a four-person section . I can’t tell you what makes the most sense, but I can tell you to follow your heart when you fly.

Ultimately, even if you’re not thrilled with where you end up on the plane or how much you paid, you’ll still get to where you’re trying to go before long.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected].

This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Flexibility and Luck Are the Only Flight Tricks | Cruising altitude