Sit near an emergency exit: Passengers who are seated within five rows of an emergency exit often have the best chance of surviving a crash that's deemed "survivable.
Choose an aisle seat near an exit: If you are seated in an aisle seat, then you have quicker access to exits.
Avoid sitting in the middle of the plane: If you can choose, definitely avoid sitting in the middle of the plane.
Consider the wing box area: The wing box area is the section over the wing of the plane that is built to be extra resilient to turbulence and in the case of an emergency.
Select flights with safe seats available: If the aforementioned seat options aren't available on the flight you're taking, try and change flights.
Choose a seat in the back third of the plane: In some crashes, data has shown that there is a lower fatality rate in the rear section of the airplane.
Pay attention to the safety demonstration: Even passengers who fly often should always listen to the safety instructions provided by the flight attendants.
Study the evacuation card: Know how to operate exits as well as where they are on the plane in relation to where you're seated.
Familiarize yourself with seatbelt operation: It may seem simple, but understanding how the latch works and consciously remembering it's different than a car seatbelt could make all the difference.
Count the rows to an exit: Always count and memorize how far away you are from exits both in front and behind you.