What is Overbooking?

Overbooking is the deliberate sale of more seats than the aircraft has, because airlines plan for a predictable number of no-shows.

Also called: Overselling.

How it works#

The practice is lawful and commercially intended: an empty seat is revenue that cannot be recovered later. When more passengers show up than expected, the regulated denied boarding process applies. Passengers who check in late, travel without an assigned seat, or hold a cheap fare without status are selected first.

Not to be confused with#

Overbooking is not the same as denied boarding: overbooking is the selling practice, denied boarding is its consequence for an individual passenger.

In German#

The German term is Überbuchung. German version of this term

Related terms#

• Denied boarding: Denied boarding is the refusal to carry a passenger who holds a valid booking and arrived on time, typically because the flight is oversold.
• Load factor: Load factor is the share of available seats that have been sold, measuring how full a flight or a network is.
• Revenue management: Revenue management is the process by which an airline distributes seats across price levels in order to maximise total revenue on a flight.

Articles that use this term#

• What are you owed when you’re denied boarding?
• When is the best time to book a flight?
• Do you have to accept a voucher instead of cash?
• How do cabin upgrades actually work?