maile - If you book far in advance, it's crucial to check your itinerary once in a while. Mainly to check if they're drastically change the schedule (or make some connections very short/long). And check the seat assignments too.

I don't know what airlines you fly, but I hardly have any equipment change.

We often fly the same airline, so I have a list I have compiled of each of their plane configurations, and which seats I want to seek, and which I want to avoid.

When I check the reservation, I look at what seats are available, and if better ones than we have are open, I grab them. Most often, I change seats the day before the flight (at on-line check in, if available), when the senior frequent flyers have been upgraded, and their old seats are available. If I was stuck with really bad seats, I would ask the gate agent to move us if they have anything open.

I don't pick an aisle and window seat anymore; the planes are so crowded now that almost certainly someone who won't fit will be assigned to the middle seat. Since my wife likes a window seat, I pick and window and middle seat, then move the armrest out of the way so we have the equivalent of a small love seat.