Coach Seat, First-Class Benefits

Jan. 14, 2008 -- If the sky is, indeed, the limit, it seems 2008 will be the year that the Internet finally reaches it. Airlines like JetBlue, American and Virgin America have all announced plans to allow passengers to surf the Net while in flight.

Soon, the Internet will be as ubiquitous in the air as it is on the ground. E-mail addicts and Facebook junkies will no longer have to buckle their compulsions after takeoff, and business workers can set up shop in the sky.

But not quite yet. However, even if you're not lucky enough to get on one of the test flights, you can still up your in-flight productivity with a little planning.

Upgrading to first or business class is the obvious answer. But without spending an extra cent, you can still find a seat with a power jack in coach, wait less time to get through security, and use the Internet for free on your layover. Here's how.

Get to the Gate Faster

When the security line snakes around your patience like a cruel noose, opt for a less frequented checkpoint with a shorter wait time. It's simple.

While you're online at home, printing out your boarding pass, check out the Transportation Security Administration Web site, as well. You'll find complete details of security checkpoints in every U.S. airport, along with average wait times for each hour.

So, if you're leaving from JFK at 5 p.m., you'll know, before you even get to the airport, which security checkpoint averages a 12-minute wait over the last month, and which averages 5 minutes. You may have to double back to your gate, once past security, but you're still likely to save time and settle into a corner chair with your laptop well before boarding.

Choose the Right Seat

While you'll still have to settle for standard (if any) meals and plastic silverware in coach, you can find seats with power jacks and some extra legroom. So, choose your seat wisely.

Sites like www.seatguru.com and www.seatexpert.com allow you to pull up a plan of the aircraft and find which seats are slightly more spacious (bulkhead, exit row), and have access to those precious power outlets. You can also learn which seats to avoid: those next to the bathroom, or ones that don't recline.

But time spent in the air is really only half the battle. How do you maximize the time spent waiting on the ground?

Pick the Right Layover City

When the direct flight is like the crossword in back of your in-flight magazine — already filled — put some thought into where you spend your layover. Given inclement weather and an array of other airline delays, you could be there a while.

Nearly all U.S. airports offer WiFi, but at some — such as Las Vegas, Denver, Philidelphia and Orlando *#151; you can use it for free. Some airports only offer service in certain terminals.

Find the whole list, along with the rates you can expect to pay at other U.S. airports, at www.travelpost.com/airport-wireless-internet.

Slip Into the Airport Lounge

Sometimes, WiFi won't cut it. You need quiet, a comfortable chair, and a fax machine.

So, get yourself into the airport lounge, stocked with free drinks, snacks, fax machines, printers and more. Some even have showers.

Typically, you have to join a particular airline's club to gain access to its lounges — and often, the lounges of its partners, as well. These memberships cost up to $400 (Continental) or $450 (American).

You could also purchase a day pass in the range of $45 (Continental) or $50 (American).

But you don't have to be a member, one-day or otherwise, or flying first class to get in. Instead, open a credit card that guarantees admission as one of its benefits, like Diners Club (www.dinersclub.com), American Express Platinum and Centurion (www.americanexpress.com/cards), or the Morgan Stanley i24 card.

Alternatively, rather than throwing down a few hundred dollars for access to just one airline's lounges, consider Priority Pass (www.prioritypass.com). It gets you into 500 airport lounges worldwide for one annual fee — as low as $99.