Looking for a Miami flight with an empty row? Here’s your chance for space on a plane

What’s something travelers crave when squeezing into a cramped plane? An empty seat next to them? Nice. A vacant row? Heaven.

The days of a warm meal onboard or sufficient overhead space for bags are long gone. Airline loyalty programs mean less than they once did.

But whether booking online or last minute at the boarding gate, we still have a chance to get a row to ourselves — or at least a spare adjacent seat.

Getting that space is usually a pleasant surprise once you board a flight. But there is a way to strategically increase your chances.

Luxury Link, a travel site that also conducts research, analyzed flights in the U.S. over a 12-month period and found where travelers would most likely find the extra space they crave. It reviewed data from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ Domestic Airline Consumer Airfare Report, examining the 3,000 most popular flights.

Average empty seats on each flight route was calculated by subtracting the difference in average seats per flight and average passengers per flight, the firm said. Numbers were averaged from Nov. 1, 2023, through Oct. 31, 2024, the most recent 12-month period available.

Here’s what the research found across the country:

▪ Nearly 20% of airline seats aren’t filled.

▪ Shorter flights are more likely to have empty seats: 97 of the 100 routes in the U.S. with the most vacant seats were less than 1,000 miles.

▪ Some long-haul routes did surprise: Chicago O’Hare to West Palm Beach on United Airlines averaged 32.1% empty seats for the 1,444-mile journey.

▪ Overall, Delta, United and American had the lowest rates of empty seats.

▪ Low-cost carriers Avelo Airlines, Breeze Airways and Frontier Airlines had the highest rates.

▪ JetBlue and Spirit were in the middle.

The Feb. 11 report focused on national routes. But the company also shared with the Miami Herald findings that are specific to South Florida. Here they are:

Top 10 routes from Miami

The following are the 10 routes from Miami International Airport MIA with the highest percentage of empty seats:

1. Tallahassee on Envoy Air/American Airlines

▪ Average empty seats per flight: 27.5%

▪ Average total seats per flight: 76

2. Raleigh-Durham on Delta

▪ Average empty seats: 24.7%

▪ Average total seats: 148

3. Pensacola on Envoy Air/American Airlines

▪ Average empty seats: 22.9%

▪ Average total seats: 76

4. Norfolk, Virginia on American Airlines

▪ Average empty seats: 22.1%

▪ Average total seats: 160

5. St. Louis on American Airlines

▪ Average empty seats: 21.5%

▪ Average total seats: 172

6. Philadelphia on Frontier Airlines

▪ Average empty seats: 21.0%

▪ Average total seats: 212

7. New Orleans on American Airlines

▪ Average empty seats: 20.6%

▪ Average total seats: 165

8. San Juan on Frontier Airlines

▪ Average empty seats: 20.5%

▪ Average total seats: 203

9. Portland, Oregon, on American Airlines

▪ Average empty seats: 19.4%

▪ Average total seats: 196

10. Minneapolis on American Airlines

▪ Average empty seats: 19%

▪ Average total seats: 172

Top 10 routes to Miami

The following are the 10 routes to Miami International Airport with the highest percentage of empty seats:

1. Orlando on Delta

▪ Average empty seats per flight: 52.1%

▪ Average total seats per flight: 156

2. Jacksonville on American Airlines

▪ Average empty seats: 32.1%

▪ Average total seats: 150

3. Key West on Envoy/American Airlines

▪ Average empty seats: 30%

▪ Average total seats per flight: 76

4. Charlotte on Spirit

▪ Average empty seats: 29.7 %

▪ Average total seats: 218

5. Birmingham, Alabama on Envoy/American

▪ Average empty seats: 27.2%

▪ Average total seats: 76

6. Cleveland on Frontier

▪ Average empty seats: 26.2 %

▪ Average total seats: 207

7. Cincinnati on Frontier

▪ Average empty seats: 24.9 %

▪ Average total seats: 202

8. Atlanta on Southwest

▪ Average empty seats: 24.5

▪ Average total seats: 162

9. Baltimore on Southwest

▪ Average empty seats: 23%

▪ Average total seats per flight: 156

10. Houston on Southwest

▪ Average empty seats: 22.7%

▪ Average total seats: 163

Top 10 Routes from Fort Lauderdale

The following are the 10 routes from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport with the highest percentage of empty seats:

1. Orlando on Southwest

▪ Average empty seats per flight: 46.7%

▪ Average total seats per flight: 159

2. Jacksonville on JetBlue

▪ Average empty seats: 41.4%

▪ Average total seats: 162

3. Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands, on Spirit

▪ Average empty seats: 40.8%

▪ Average total seats: 215

4. Tampa on Southwest

▪ Average empty seats: 37.5%

▪ Average total seats: 158

5. Tampa on Silver Airways

▪ Average empty seats: 37.4%

▪ Average total seats: 56

6. Charlotte Amalie, U.S Virgin Islands

▪ Average empty seats: 30.6%

▪ Average total seats: 180

7. Myrtle Beach on Spirit

▪ Average empty seats: 30.4%

▪ Average total seats: 190

8. Richmond, Virginia, on JetBlue

▪ Average empty seats: 29.3%

▪ Average total seats: 162

9. New Orleans on Southwest

▪ Average empty seats: 27.9%

▪ Average total seats: 162

10. Orlando on Spirit

▪ Average empty seats per flight: 27.4%

▪ Average total seats: 218

Top 10 routes to Fort Lauderdale

The following are the 10 routes to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport with the highest percentage of empty seats:

1. Charleston on JetBlue

▪ Average empty seats per flight: 34.2%

▪ Average total seats per flight: 163

2. Baltimore on Southwest

▪ Average empty seats: 28%

▪ Average total seats: 158

3. Cleveland on United

▪ Average empty seats: 24.6%

▪ Average total seats: 168

4. Charlotte on Spirit

▪ Average empty seats: 24.5%

▪ Average total seats: 204

5. Atlanta on Southwest

▪ Average empty seats: 22.5%

▪ Average total seats: 161

6. Charleston on Spirit

▪ Average empty seats: 21.9%

▪ Average total seats: 177

7. Atlantic City on Spirit

▪ Average empty seats: 21.2%

▪ Average total seats: 196

8. Dallas on Southwest

▪ Average empty seats: 20.9%

▪ Average total seats: 163

9. Washington, D.C. on JetBlue

▪ Average empty seats:: 19.9%

▪ Average total seats: 162

10. Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, on JetBlue

▪ Average empty seats: 19.5%

▪ Average total seats: 162

How the research was done — and a warning

Flight routes shown are for one-way trips. Average empty seats per flight for each flight route was calculated by subtracting the difference in average seats per flight and average passengers per flight. Numbers were averaged from Nov. 1, 2023, through Oct. 31, 2024, which is the most recent 12-month period available.

Only flights with an average of 50 or more seats, 200 daily passengers one-way, and two flights per week in either direction were included in the analysis. Intrastate flights outside the contiguous United States were excluded.

Some caveats to consider: These findings are based on past performance data. Like investments, there is no guarantee these rankings or numbers will stay the same one year from today. Also, airlines regularly make changes to their routes. They often cut routes that are least full. So, take advantage while you can.

This story was originally published February 15, 2025 at 1:22 PM.