@Dave in Phoenix With NEXUS one avoids the long winding lines of travelers. Many times the machine failed to print a receipt. Then had to see a CBP officer. NEXUS is quick but the problem is you have to wait forever for checked bags.
That is one reason I usually get the window seat about the third row from the rear of the plane for these reasons:
1) Usually the plane moves forward so if it hits something let the front of the plane take the blow. On the negative side, this is usually further from an emergency exit.
2) Being near the rear but not right by the back bathrooms more likely the center seat will not be occupied unless the plane is full. Since not many folks intentionally go near the rear of the plane.
3) More likely to be room in the overhead to stash my laptop bag. I get some form of priority boarding and stand near the front of my boarding number line.
4) Why does everyone jump up as soon as land just to stand in the aisle for 10 minutes when most are going to just have to wait for baggage anyway. I relax finish reading whatever, turn on my phone to get GPS to find me, scan email etc., and wait till mobs ahead of me clear out. Since am always in a window seat and 6-1+ I have to duck and climb out anyway. What is the rush to just wait in baggage claim longer? I don't recall my baggage every beating me when I go the slow snail way off the plane and the long walk to baggage claim on major airports.
Once in a while, I break this seating pattern by selecting a preferred seat and pay more, or depending on the price difference and airline will go, business class. But usually, I am too frugal to pay often twice the amount for business/first than coach, although being tall I enjoy extra legroom. What is odd is often if you look at fares in order of low to high for the economy class often the relative cost of business/first is not the same. Sometimes on a specific date/flight the economy fare may be relatively high but the business/first has a far lower spread. Once in a while I will splurge since I have lots of frequent flier miles on one airline and use for business/first on longer flights (like to Germany)
Since direct flights are often rare to many places were to connect - typically avoid Chicago and Atlanta in favor of sometimes Denver). If the layover is not too long sometimes almost an advantage to break up a long flight (with my long legs cramped in seats) by having to change planes at a connecting airport. Sometimes I save by using late-night red eyes but land with hours to kill before can check in to a hotel... Being the nerd that I am (CPA background) I spend lots of time analyzing trip options when I travel.
