How to Pick the Best Seat on a Plane
Choosing the best seat on a plane involves far more than deciding between window and aisle. Even within the same economy cabin, two seats sold for exactly the same fare can provide surprisingly different experiences. One might have more legroom, another might have a badly positioned window, while another could put you beside a toilet where passengers gather throughout the flight.
The problem is that the seat map you see while booking doesn’t always tell you very much. It will show which seats are available and may identify exit rows, extra-legroom seats or preferred seats, but it doesn’t necessarily show how the windows line up with each row, where the wing obstructs the view or whether a particular seat has an unusual amount of space.
Even paying extra doesn’t automatically solve the problem. A seat marketed as “preferred” might simply be nearer the front of the aircraft. A bulkhead seat may appear to offer more room but have fixed armrests because the tray table is stored inside them. An exit-row seat can provide excellent legroom but introduce other restrictions that make it less attractive for some passengers.
The best approach is to investigate the actual aircraft scheduled to operate your flight before choosing. Once you know the aircraft type and, ideally, the particular cabin configuration, you can use a detailed seat plan to understand what you’re really selecting.
We use AeroLOPA for this because its aircraft plans can reveal details that aren’t obvious from many airline seat selectors. Combined with information from Google Flights and your airline, it allows you to make a much more informed choice rather than simply guessing from a grid of available seats.
There still isn’t one seat that’s universally best. A tall passenger looking for maximum legroom has different priorities from someone who wants to sleep, photograph the view or get off the aircraft quickly after landing. The aim of this guide is therefore to help you identify the best seat for your priorities on your particular flight.
First, Find Out Which Aircraft Is Operating Your Flight
Before comparing individual seats, you need to establish which aircraft is scheduled to operate your flight.
Your flight number and departure date are important here. It’s not enough to know that you’re flying from London to Singapore with a particular airline because the airline could operate different aircraft on different departures. Even two flights leaving for the same destination on the same day can use completely different aircraft.
Start with the exact flight number and date you’re travelling. You’re looking for an aircraft designation such as an Airbus A320neo, Airbus A350-900, Boeing 777-300ER or Boeing 787-9.
That information immediately makes your seat research more accurate. However, the aircraft model is only the beginning.
Airlines decide how their aircraft are configured internally, which means the same aircraft type can have substantially different seating depending on the airline operating it. More importantly, an individual airline can have several configurations of the same aircraft.
An airline might therefore operate one version of the Boeing 777-300ER with one cabin arrangement and another version with different numbers of Business, Premium Economy and Economy seats. Row numbers, toilets, galleys and seat pitch can all change with the configuration.
Aircraft can also be changed for operational reasons. The aircraft shown several months before departure is therefore the aircraft currently scheduled, rather than an absolute guarantee of what will eventually arrive at the gate.
That doesn’t make researching it pointless. It simply means we’ll check it again closer to departure.
Search accommodation
Browse hotels and accommodation for your journey.
View staysPrefer your own space?
Explore holiday homes and apartments for your trip.
See holiday homesSee who has the better rate
Compare hotel prices across multiple booking sites.
Compare ratesHow to Find Your Aircraft Type and Configuration
Google Flights is one of the easiest places to start. Search for your journey using the date you’re actually travelling and locate your specific flight rather than simply looking at other services operating the same route.
Open the flight details and look for the aircraft information. Google Flights will often identify the aircraft scheduled for the service, giving you the starting point you need for your seat research.
It’s worth comparing this with the information provided by the airline itself. Depending on the airline, the aircraft type may appear within your booking, flight information or seat-selection area. The airline’s seat map can also become useful later because its row numbering helps you work out which configuration you’re looking at.
Flight-tracking services can provide another clue, particularly when you’re researching a regularly operated flight. Looking at the aircraft that has actually operated the same flight number recently can help you understand whether the airline normally uses one particular aircraft type or frequently swaps between several.
Don’t stop when you discover something like Boeing 787-9, though. That’s not necessarily enough information to choose a seat intelligently.
What we’re ultimately trying to identify is the airline, aircraft model and specific cabin configuration.
If your airline has two versions of its 787-9, for example, compare the row numbering and cabin layout shown during seat selection with the detailed aircraft plans we’ll look at next. You may be able to distinguish between the configurations by something as simple as where Premium Economy ends, where Economy begins or how many rows appear in a particular cabin.
This extra step matters because searching the internet for a generic “787-9 seat map” can easily lead you to a completely irrelevant aircraft layout.
Why the Exact Aircraft Configuration Matters
Aircraft type and aircraft configuration are not the same thing.
Boeing and Airbus build the aircraft, but airlines have considerable control over how their cabins are arranged. That is why flying on the same aircraft model with two different airlines can feel noticeably different.
The differences can extend much further than whether one airline has a newer Business Class seat. Economy seat pitch can differ, Premium Economy cabins can occupy different areas, toilets and galleys can move, row numbering can change and the number of seats fitted across the aircraft can vary.
Things become even more complicated when one airline operates several versions of the same aircraft.
Cabin refurbishments are a common reason. An airline might be gradually installing new seats across a fleet, leaving both the old and new configurations operating simultaneously. Aircraft acquired from another airline can introduce further variations.
This is also why individual seat recommendations found online need to be treated carefully. Someone may confidently recommend 42A on a particular aircraft, but their flight could have used an older cabin configuration that no longer matches yours.
The difference can sometimes be surprisingly small on paper but important in practice. A toilet might have moved by a few rows, a bulkhead could be in a different position or the seat pitch might change partway through the cabin.
For this reason, we’re not trying to find the supposed best seat on an Airbus A350 or Boeing 787.
We’re trying to find the best seat on the particular configuration of the aircraft scheduled to operate your flight.
Use AeroLOPA to Find the Actual Seat Layout
Once you’ve identified the airline, aircraft type and likely configuration, the next step is to look at a detailed cabin plan rather than relying entirely on the simplified seat selector provided by the airline.
This is where AeroLOPA becomes particularly useful.
AeroLOPA provides detailed seating plans for aircraft operated by a large number of airlines. You can create a free account, select your airline and then find the aircraft type scheduled to operate your flight.
Where an airline has more than one configuration of the same aircraft, you’ll need to establish which plan most closely matches your flight. The airline’s own seat-selection screen can help here. Compare row numbers, cabin boundaries, exit locations and the number of seats in each section until you’ve identified the most likely match.
The important difference with AeroLOPA is the level of detail in its diagrams. Instead of treating the cabin as little more than rows of numbered boxes, the plans show the position of seats in relation to windows, doors, bulkheads, toilets, galleys and other parts of the aircraft.
This can reveal problems that aren’t obvious when you’re selecting a seat directly from the airline.
A seat sold as a window seat may have a poorly aligned or restricted window. An apparently ordinary row may sit immediately beside a toilet. A seat with extra space in front might have its tray table housed in a fixed armrest. Another seat may look no different from its neighbours on the airline’s map but have a noticeably different pitch.
This is why we wouldn’t open AeroLOPA and simply look for somebody else’s recommendation for the “best” seat. Use the plan to investigate the seats you’re actually considering.
How to Read an AeroLOPA Seat Map
A detailed aircraft plan can look complicated at first, but you don’t need to understand every technical feature shown on it.
Start by finding your cabin and the rows available to you. If you’re flying Economy, there’s little value spending time analysing the Business Class cabin unless its location helps you understand where your section begins.
Next, look beyond the individual seat symbols.
One of the first things to examine is what is directly in front of and behind each row. A row at the back of a cabin may have a bulkhead, toilet or galley immediately behind it. A row at the front of a section may have substantially more open space ahead, but that doesn’t automatically mean it’s the better choice.
Then look sideways.
AeroLOPA’s plans can show how the aircraft windows line up with individual rows. This matters because aircraft windows are positioned according to the structure of the fuselage, not according to where an airline subsequently decides to install its seats.
As a result, two neighbouring window seats can provide very different views. One might have a window perfectly positioned beside you, while the next row could place it awkwardly behind your shoulder.
Also locate the wings, exit doors, toilets and galleys. These aren’t automatically places to avoid, but they all affect the experience of particular seats.
The trick is to stop thinking of the seat as an isolated object.
You’re choosing a small area of the aircraft that you’ll potentially occupy for eight, ten or twelve hours, so look at everything surrounding it before paying to reserve it.
Check Seat Pitch and Legroom
Seat pitch is one of the most useful measurements to understand when comparing Economy seats, but it is frequently confused with legroom.
Seat pitch measures the distance from a point on one seat to the same point on the seat immediately in front. If the pitch is 31 inches, for example, that doesn’t mean you have 31 inches of empty space in front of your knees.
The thickness and design of the seats themselves affect how much usable space you actually get.
Nevertheless, pitch provides an extremely useful way of comparing different sections of a cabin. If one area has a noticeably greater seat pitch than another, there’s a good chance you’ll appreciate the difference, particularly on a long flight.
Don’t assume every standard Economy seat on the aircraft has identical pitch.
Airlines can alter the spacing between rows in different sections of the cabin, and the physical shape of the aircraft can create some particularly interesting variations.
In certain configurations, you may even find different pitch on opposite sides of the same cabin. The rows can gradually become offset from one another, meaning a seat on one side may offer slightly different spacing from the corresponding row across the aisle.
That’s the sort of detail that can be completely invisible on a conventional airline seat-selection screen.
It also demonstrates why simply paying for a seat towards the front isn’t necessarily the smartest choice. If your priority is comfort, we’d rather know the actual spacing around the seat than whether the airline has labelled it “preferred”.
Exit rows and bulkheads require slightly different consideration because conventional pitch measurements don’t always describe the usable space particularly well. We’ll come to those shortly.
For ordinary rows, though, compare the pitch before choosing between otherwise similar seats. A small difference might sound insignificant when you’re looking at measurements on a screen, but it can become much more noticeable several hours into a long-haul flight.
Is It Really a Good Window Seat?
If you’re paying specifically for a window seat, check that you’re actually getting a useful window.
The letter beside your seat isn’t enough.
Aircraft windows are built into the fuselage at fixed positions, while airlines decide where the rows of seats will be installed. Those two things don’t always line up neatly.
This can produce some surprisingly poor “window” seats.
You might find the window positioned directly beside you, slightly forward, behind your shoulder or largely missing from the row altogether. In some cases, structural features within the aircraft can also result in a restricted or absent window.
AeroLOPA is particularly useful here because its detailed plans allow you to examine the relationship between the seat rows and the windows along the fuselage.
If enjoying the view matters to you, we’d look for a window positioned naturally beside the seat rather than simply choosing the first available A or K.
Then consider what’s outside it.
A seat over the wing can still have a perfectly good window, but a large proportion of your downward view may consist of wing rather than landscape. Sit further forward and you’ll generally have a clearer view ahead of the wing; sit sufficiently far behind it and the view opens up again.
Engine position matters too. On many aircraft the engines are mounted beneath the wings, and their position can affect both the view and the amount of engine noise you experience.
None of this means you should automatically avoid the wing. Some passengers actually enjoy watching the wing, flaps and spoilers operate during take-off and landing, and the area around the wing has other advantages we’ll discuss later.
But if you’re paying extra because you specifically want to watch the Alps, photograph the coastline or simply spend the flight looking outside, don’t leave it to chance.
Check that your window seat has a properly positioned window and then check what that window is actually likely to look out over.
Stay for less
Compare hostels and budget-friendly places to stay.
Browse hostelsProtect your flights
Get fast compensation payouts, eligible lounge benefits and expert help when flights go wrong.
See AirHelp+ benefitsDrop your bags and keep exploring
Use convenient luggage storage between arrival, check-in and departure.
Check storageWatch for Tray Tables and Screens in the Armrest
A seat with extra space in front can look like an obvious upgrade, but check where the tray table and entertainment screen are stored before choosing it.
In a normal Economy seat, the tray table is usually attached to the back of the seat in front. If there isn’t a seat directly ahead of you, as can happen in bulkhead and some exit-row positions, the airline needs somewhere else to put it.
That often means storing the tray table inside the armrest.
The same can apply to the entertainment screen. Instead of being mounted on the seat in front, it may need to swing upwards from beside your seat.
This matters because the armrests containing this equipment are generally fixed rather than movable. Depending on the seat design, they can also make the space between the armrests feel more restrictive than an ordinary seat elsewhere in the cabin.
For some passengers, the trade-off is absolutely worthwhile. More space in front can be far more valuable than movable armrests, particularly if you’re tall.
But don’t look at an empty area in front of a seat and automatically conclude that you’ve found the best seat on the aircraft.
Check the whole arrangement first. Extra legroom and extra personal space aren’t necessarily the same thing.
Bulkhead Seats: More Space Isn’t Always Better
A bulkhead is a partition separating different parts of the aircraft cabin. Seats immediately behind one can be attractive because there isn’t a conventional row of passengers directly in front of you.
Depending on the aircraft and configuration, that can create more open space around your knees and remove one of the frustrations of Economy: somebody reclining their seat towards you.
However, bulkhead seats come with compromises.
Because there is no seat directly ahead, you’ll commonly find the tray table stored in the armrest, and the entertainment screen may also need to be mounted differently. As we’ve just covered, that can mean fixed armrests.
Storage is another consideration. You normally won’t have a conventional seat in front under which you can place your personal bag. During take-off and landing, cabin baggage may therefore need to go in the overhead locker rather than remaining at your feet.
Some bulkhead positions are also used for infant bassinets. That’s extremely useful when you’re travelling with a baby, but potentially less attractive if your main objective is finding the quietest possible place to sleep.
Most importantly, don’t assume the word bulkhead automatically means huge amounts of legroom.
The amount of usable space depends on how far the seat is positioned from the partition and on the shape of the bulkhead itself. On one aircraft it can be excellent; on another you might find that although nothing reclines towards you, you can’t stretch your legs forward as naturally as you expected.
This is another situation where the detailed aircraft layout matters more than a generic rule.
A good bulkhead seat can be excellent. Just make sure you’re choosing it because you’ve examined that particular bulkhead, rather than because you’ve read that bulkhead seats are always better.
Exit Row Seats: The Extra Legroom Trade-Off
If legroom is your main priority, exit rows are often among the first seats worth investigating.
Aircraft exits need sufficient space around them for an emergency evacuation, and this can result in considerably more room between your seat and the row ahead. For a tall passenger on a long flight, that additional space can transform the journey.
But once again, not every exit-row seat is equally good.
Some aircraft have multiple rows around an emergency exit. One row might provide excellent legroom while another has restrictions on recline because it must not obstruct the exit behind it.
Seats beside an exit door can also have a different physical environment from ordinary cabin seats. The shape of the door or surrounding structure may affect where you can place your legs, and the sidewall can feel different from a normal window position.
There are also safety requirements. Passengers seated at emergency exits must be able and willing to assist in an evacuation, and airlines impose eligibility restrictions. These vary, so check the rules of the airline you’re actually flying rather than assuming you’re eligible.
Cabin baggage is another consideration. Items generally cannot be left where they could obstruct an emergency exit, meaning your bag may have to be stored in the overhead locker during take-off and landing.
Tray tables and entertainment screens may again be located in the armrests, depending on the configuration.
None of those disadvantages necessarily outweigh the benefit. If you’re tall and facing a ten-hour flight, a well-chosen exit-row seat can be one of the best seats in Economy.
The important words are well chosen. Use the detailed seat plan to distinguish between the different exit-row positions rather than treating the entire area as equally desirable.
Check Whether Your Seat Reclines
Finding extra legroom isn’t much consolation if you discover after take-off that your seat doesn’t recline.
The most obvious seats to investigate are those immediately in front of an emergency exit. Airlines may restrict their recline so that the seat cannot move backwards and obstruct the evacuation space behind it.
The final row of a cabin can present a similar problem. If the seat backs directly onto a bulkhead, toilet, galley or other fixed structure, there may be less room available for the backrest to move.
That doesn’t mean every last-row seat has restricted recline. Modern seat mechanisms and aircraft configurations vary considerably, which is precisely why generic rules can be misleading.
There are also passengers who actively prefer a non-reclining position if the seat provides another advantage. On a short flight, for example, extra legroom might matter far more than recline.
On an overnight long-haul flight, we’d give it considerably more thought.
If sleeping is important, check the space both in front of and behind your proposed seat. A seat that looks excellent because nobody is immediately behind you may turn out to have limited movement precisely because of whatever occupies that space.
This is another reason to inspect the aircraft layout as a whole. The empty space around a seat can sometimes be the reason the seat has a restriction, rather than an advantage.
Check the Toilets Before Choosing Your Seat
Being close to the toilets sounds convenient until you’re several hours into a long-haul flight and discover that your seat has become the unofficial waiting area for half the cabin.
The problem isn’t necessarily the toilet itself. It’s the constant movement around it.
On a busy flight, passengers can form a queue beside nearby seats. People may lean against seat backs while waiting, talk to travelling companions or stand in the aisle stretching their legs. Every time the door opens and closes there can also be light, noise and additional activity around the area.
This becomes particularly noticeable on an overnight flight. While most of the cabin is dark and passengers are trying to sleep, the area around the toilets can remain active throughout the journey.
The very last rows of Economy deserve particular attention because toilets are frequently positioned behind them. A seat that looks attractive because nobody is sitting directly behind you might actually place you beside one of the busiest areas of the aircraft.
However, don’t automatically reject every seat near a toilet.
If you regularly need to use the facilities, being relatively close can be useful. What we’d avoid where possible is sitting immediately beside the entrance or directly where a queue is likely to form, particularly on a long overnight flight.
Look at the AeroLOPA plan and consider how passengers are likely to move through that section of the cabin. A few rows of separation can make a substantial difference.
Check the Galley Location
Galleys are another feature that can look fairly insignificant on a seat map but have a big effect on the seats immediately around them.
This is where cabin crew prepare drinks and meals, organise service equipment and store many of the items required throughout the flight. As a result, activity around a galley doesn’t stop simply because the main meal service has finished.
You may hear carts being moved, cupboards opening and closing, crew conversations and equipment being prepared. Lighting can also be more noticeable around galley areas when the main cabin lights have been dimmed.
On a daytime short-haul flight, none of this may bother you at all.
On an overnight long-haul flight when you’re trying to sleep, it can make a much bigger difference.
The effect isn’t limited to the seats immediately beside the galley either. Passengers sometimes use the open space around larger galleys to stand and stretch during long flights, creating additional movement around nearby rows.
There can be advantages. Sitting near the area from which the service begins may mean being served relatively early, although service direction varies between airlines, cabins and flights, so we wouldn’t choose a seat based on that assumption alone.
If quiet is your priority, we’d generally look for a seat with several rows separating you from both the galley and toilets rather than simply choosing the front or back of the cabin.
Where Are the Wings and Engines?
The position of the wings matters for more than the view from your window.
If you’re sitting directly over the wing, a significant proportion of the scenery below may be obscured. That’s worth considering if you’ve deliberately chosen a window seat because you want clear views of the landscape during the flight.
Moving ahead of the wing generally gives you a less obstructed view, while seats sufficiently far behind it can also provide excellent views once you’re clear of the trailing edge.
The engines deserve attention too.
On most modern passenger jets, they’re mounted beneath the wings, although their exact position relative to individual rows varies between aircraft. Engine and airflow noise can therefore differ depending on where you’re sitting.
You shouldn’t expect one part of an aircraft cabin to be silent. There is airflow, mechanical and cabin noise throughout a flight, and aircraft types themselves vary significantly. But if reducing noise is important to you, the relationship between your seat, wing and engines is another factor worth considering.
There is also a reason you might deliberately choose the wing area.
Seats closer to the aircraft’s centre of gravity generally experience less pronounced pitching movement than seats much further forward or aft. If you’re particularly sensitive to aircraft movement, that can make the area around the wings worth investigating.
So the wing isn’t inherently something to avoid. It depends on your priorities. For an unobstructed photograph, you may want to be well away from it. For someone more concerned about aircraft movement than the view, sitting around the wing can actually be attractive.
Which Side of the Plane Should You Choose?
Once you’ve narrowed your options down to a good window row, there’s another question worth asking: which side of the aircraft should you sit on?
For many flights it won’t make much difference. For certain routes, however, choosing the right side can produce spectacular views.
Mountains, coastlines, islands and major cities may be more likely to appear on one side of a particular route. You can sometimes investigate the typical flight path and work out which side gives you the better chance of seeing them.
The position of the sun matters too.
On a daytime flight, sitting on the side facing away from strong sunlight can make the journey more comfortable, particularly if you want to look outside without keeping the blind closed. Conversely, deliberately choosing the appropriate side can give you the chance of seeing a sunrise or sunset from the aircraft.
Approaches into some airports are famous for their views, and it’s tempting to choose your seat based on them. Just don’t treat those views as guaranteed.
The runway an aircraft uses depends heavily on wind direction, air traffic and airport operations. The approach you watched in somebody else’s video may be completely different on the day you arrive.
Flight paths can change for similar reasons.
We’d therefore treat choosing the correct side as a way of improving your chances of a particular view, rather than something worth sacrificing an otherwise much better seat for.
If AeroLOPA shows an excellent properly aligned window on one side and a poor or missing window in the corresponding row on the other, we’d take the better physical seat first and worry about the potential scenery second.
Don’t Assume a Paid or ‘Preferred’ Seat Is Better
Airlines use labels such as Preferred Seat, Choice Seat, Standard Plus or Priority Seat, and it’s very easy to assume that paying more means you’re getting a physically better seat.
That isn’t necessarily the case.
Sometimes the additional charge genuinely buys something useful, such as increased seat pitch or an exit-row position. In other cases, the seat itself can be virtually identical to a standard seat a few rows behind.
What you’re paying for may simply be its location within the cabin.
An airline might designate the first several rows of Economy as preferred because passengers sitting there can leave the aircraft sooner. The seat width, pitch and recline could be exactly the same as seats further back that cost less to reserve.
This is where checking the detailed cabin layout before paying becomes valuable. If AeroLOPA shows that a paid preferred seat has the same pitch and basic layout as a free or cheaper seat several rows behind, you can decide whether getting off the aircraft slightly earlier is really worth the difference.
Conversely, don’t automatically dismiss every paid seat as an airline upsell. If the additional charge gets you meaningfully greater pitch, a properly aligned window or an excellent exit-row position, it might be some of the best money you spend on a long flight.
The important thing is knowing what you’re actually paying for.
Choosing the Best Seat for Your Priorities
There isn’t one best seat on a plane because passengers don’t all want the same thing from their seat.
Someone with a tight connection may value being near the front far more than having a perfect window. A tall passenger might happily accept a less attractive view for several extra inches of legroom, while somebody taking a daytime scenic flight may prioritise the window above everything else.
Use this as a starting point before examining your particular aircraft:
| What Matters Most? | Where to Start Looking | What to Check Before Selecting |
|---|---|---|
| A quieter flight | Forward cabin and away from service areas | Engines, toilets and galleys |
| Sleeping | Window seat away from busy areas | Recline, window position, toilets and galley |
| Getting off quickly | Forward rows, particularly an aisle | Which aircraft doors are normally used |
| Less noticeable movement | Around the wing area | Aircraft layout and available seats |
| Maximum legroom | Exit rows, bulkheads and increased-pitch rows | Actual space, fixed armrests and restrictions |
| Tall passengers | Seats with the greatest usable legroom | Pitch, bulkheads, exit doors and seat structure |
| Travelling with children | Depends on age and aircraft | Bassinets, toilets, fixed armrests and airline rules |
| Best window view | Ahead of or sufficiently behind the wing | Window alignment, wing and engine position |
| Working onboard | Aisle or suitable window seat | Tray table, power, recline and usable seat width |
| Avoiding disturbance | Middle of a cabin section | Distance from toilets, galleys and passenger traffic |
The key word in that table is starting. None of these positions is automatically the correct choice.
If you want to sleep, for example, a window seat means you can lean towards the sidewall and won’t have other passengers asking you to move when they want to leave the row. But if AeroLOPA shows that the available window seat is immediately beside a toilet, a good aisle seat several rows away may actually give you a better night’s sleep.
Tall passengers should be equally careful about chasing the words “extra legroom”. An exit-row seat can be excellent, but a protruding exit door or fixed armrest can change how usable that additional space actually is.
For families, being reasonably close to a toilet may be an advantage rather than something to avoid. Parents travelling with an infant may specifically want a bulkhead position where the airline can provide a bassinet, even though another passenger might avoid the same row for precisely that reason.
Getting off quickly is another situation where the aircraft layout matters. Sitting near the front normally helps, but some flights disembark using both front and rear doors, particularly when passengers walk across the apron rather than using an airbridge.
Think about what will make the biggest difference to your particular journey, then use the aircraft plan to find the seat that best satisfies those priorities.
Couples: Look for Two-Seat Rows
Couples travelling in Economy should look carefully at the rear section of widebody aircraft before automatically paying for two seats in a conventional row of three.
The fuselage of an aircraft narrows towards the tail. On some configurations, there eventually isn’t enough width to continue the same seating arrangement used through the main part of the Economy cabin.
This can create pairs of two seats beside the windows instead of three.
For a couple, these can be particularly attractive because you get the entire block to yourselves. There’s no stranger occupying the third seat and nobody needs to climb past someone they don’t know to reach the aisle.
The arrangement can make a long flight feel considerably more private, even though you’re still travelling in standard Economy.
There can also be additional space between the window seat and the aircraft sidewall as the cabin begins to taper, although the exact arrangement varies considerably by aircraft and configuration.
The disadvantage is location. These rows are usually towards the back of the aircraft, potentially placing you closer to rear toilets and galleys and meaning you’ll be among the later passengers to disembark.
The taper can also affect how seats and windows align, so once again, inspect the actual plan rather than assuming every pair at the back is desirable.
If the layout works, though, a good two-seat row can be one of the best Economy choices for a couple without paying for a different cabin.
Solo Travellers: Window or Aisle?
For a solo traveller, the classic decision usually comes down to window versus aisle.
The window gives you control over the blind, somewhere to lean when sleeping and, if you’ve done the research properly, potentially an excellent view. You also won’t be disturbed by passengers asking you to stand up so they can leave the row.
The trade-off is that you become the passenger asking other people to move whenever you want to visit the toilet or stretch your legs.
The aisle gives you considerably more freedom. You can stand up whenever you want and access the overhead locker more easily, which can be particularly valuable on a long-haul flight.
But you’re also the person who may need to move whenever the passengers beside you want to get out. Your shoulder or elbow can be exposed to passengers walking along the aisle and service carts moving through the cabin.
For a short daytime flight, we’d largely treat this as personal preference.
On a long-haul flight, think about how you actually behave onboard. If you normally sleep for most of the journey, a carefully chosen window seat can be excellent. If you get restless, drink plenty of water and regularly stand up, the aisle is probably going to make your journey considerably easier.
And whichever you choose, don’t stop at the letter on the seat map. A good aisle or window position still needs the same checks for pitch, recline, toilets, galleys and surrounding cabin layout.
Check Before Paying for Seat Selection
Once you’ve found a seat that looks good, don’t immediately pay for it. Take a moment to work out exactly what the airline is charging you for and whether the difference will actually matter on your flight.
Seat-selection prices can vary enormously. A standard window seat might carry a relatively small charge, while preferred, extra-legroom, bulkhead or exit-row seats can cost considerably more. On a return journey, particularly when two people are travelling, those individual charges quickly add up.
Go back to the detailed aircraft plan and compare the seat you’re considering with the cheaper alternatives.
If you’re paying more for extra legroom, check whether you’re actually receiving additional seat pitch or genuinely usable space. If you’re paying for a window, make sure the window is properly aligned. If you’re paying for a preferred seat, establish whether the only real advantage is being a few rows closer to the front.
The length of the flight should influence the decision as well.
Paying a substantial amount for a slightly better seat on a 60-minute flight may offer very little value. The same improvement on a 12-hour overnight flight could make a much bigger difference.
It’s also worth considering what happens if you don’t select a seat. Airline policies differ, and passengers travelling together aren’t always guaranteed seats beside one another simply because they’re on the same booking. If sitting together is important, paying for selection may provide certainty rather than additional comfort.
The objective isn’t to avoid seat-selection fees at all costs. It’s to make sure that when you do pay one, you understand exactly what you’re buying.
Aircraft Changes Can Undo Your Seat Research
You can investigate your aircraft carefully, find an excellent seat and still discover that the airline has changed everything.
Aircraft swaps happen.
An aircraft can become unavailable because of maintenance, operational requirements, scheduling changes or disruption elsewhere in the airline’s network. The replacement may be the same aircraft model with a different configuration, or it could be a completely different type.
This can affect your seat assignment.
Suppose you’ve deliberately selected a window seat with excellent alignment on one version of an aircraft. If the airline substitutes another configuration, the same seat number might occupy a different position.
More substantial aircraft changes can require the airline’s reservation system to reseat passengers completely.
This is particularly relevant if you’ve paid extra for a particular seat. Don’t assume that because you selected 27A six months ago, 27A will necessarily represent exactly the same physical seat when you fly.
Your airline’s terms determine what happens when a paid seat cannot be provided, so check its policy if you’re moved from a seat you’ve specifically purchased.
There’s no practical way to eliminate the possibility of an aircraft swap. The answer is simply not to treat your initial aircraft research as a one-time exercise.
Check Your Aircraft Again Before You Fly
If you’ve selected your seat several months in advance, check the flight again as departure approaches.
Start by looking at your booking with the airline. Make sure your seat assignment is still present and look at the current seat map for any obvious changes.
Then check the aircraft type again.
If Google Flights or the airline is now showing a different aircraft from the one you originally researched, return to AeroLOPA and examine the new configuration.
Even if the aircraft model hasn’t changed, compare the airline’s current seating chart with the AeroLOPA configurations again. A change in row numbers, cabin size or seat arrangement could indicate that a different version of the aircraft is now planned.
The closer you get to departure, the more useful recent operating history can become as well. If the same flight number has repeatedly been operated by a particular aircraft type over the previous few days, that gives you additional information about what the airline is currently using on the route.
It still isn’t a guarantee. An aircraft can be swapped at very short notice, including on the day you’re travelling.
But checking again gives you the opportunity to react while other seats may still be available.
This is especially worthwhile when you’ve paid for a particular feature. If you’ve deliberately selected a seat because of its pitch, window alignment, two-seat configuration or position away from the toilets, we’d spend a few minutes confirming that the aircraft still looks the way it did when you made your original choice.
Our Step-by-Step Plane Seat Checklist
The entire process sounds complicated when each consideration is examined separately, but in practice you can research a flight surprisingly quickly once you know what you’re looking for.
Start with your flight number and exact travel date and use Google Flights, your airline or another reliable flight-information source to identify the aircraft currently scheduled to operate it.
Next, establish whether the airline has more than one configuration of that aircraft. Compare the row numbering and cabin layout shown by the airline with the available plans on AeroLOPA until you’ve identified the most likely version.
Then look at the seats you’re actually able to select.
Start with seat pitch and usable legroom, particularly if comfort is your main priority. After that, examine the physical position of the seat. If it’s beside the fuselage, check that the window actually aligns properly and whether the wing or engine will dominate the view.
Look immediately in front of and behind the seat. Check for bulkheads, emergency exits and possible recline restrictions, and consider whether a tray table or entertainment screen may be housed in a fixed armrest.
Then look further around the cabin. Find the nearest toilets and galleys and think about how passengers and crew are likely to move through that area during the flight.
Only then compare the price.
A more expensive seat may turn out to offer exactly what you want. Equally, your research might reveal that a cheaper seat several rows away has the same pitch, a better window and less passenger traffic around it.
Finally, check everything again before departure. Aircraft assignments can change, and a seat choice that made perfect sense when you booked may no longer be the best option on the aircraft now scheduled.
The most important habit is simply to look beyond the airline’s seat-selection screen. Once you know the aircraft, understand the configuration and examine the actual cabin layout, choosing a good plane seat becomes much less of a gamble.
Rupert’s Handy Travel Tips
Choosing your seat before your next flight? Here are a few useful tips to help you find a better one:
- Find the aircraft first: Don’t start by choosing a seat from the airline’s basic map. Use your flight number and travel date to find the aircraft currently scheduled to operate your flight, then investigate that aircraft’s cabin configuration.
- Check the actual window position: A seat labelled as a window seat doesn’t guarantee a perfectly positioned window. Use AeroLOPA to see how the windows line up with the individual rows before paying to select one.
- Compare pitch, not just seat labels: Seats sold in the same Economy cabin don’t necessarily have identical spacing. Check the seat pitch and surrounding layout, particularly when deciding whether a more expensive seat is worth paying for.
- Look beyond extra legroom: Bulkhead and exit-row seats can be excellent, but check for fixed armrests, tray tables stored beside the seat, recline restrictions and baggage rules before assuming they’re automatically better.
- Check what’s around you: A perfectly good seat can become considerably less appealing when it’s immediately beside a toilet or galley. This is particularly important if you’re hoping to sleep on an overnight flight.
- Check again before departure: Airlines can change aircraft and cabin configurations after you’ve selected your seat. Recheck the aircraft type, seat map and your seat assignment as your flight gets closer.
Want to meet the reindeer behind our travel tips? Find out more in our page Who is Rupert?.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find the best seat on my flight?
Start by finding the aircraft scheduled to operate your exact flight, using the flight number and travel date. Then identify the airline’s configuration of that aircraft and use a detailed seat map such as AeroLOPA to compare seat pitch, window alignment, toilets, galleys, exits and other features before choosing.
How can I find out which aircraft will operate my flight?
Google Flights can show the aircraft type currently scheduled for many flights. Your airline’s website or app may also provide the aircraft type within the flight details, Manage Booking or seat-selection area. Remember that aircraft assignments can change, so check again closer to departure.
What is AeroLOPA?
AeroLOPA provides detailed aircraft cabin and seating plans for many airlines and aircraft configurations. Its diagrams can be particularly useful for examining window alignment, seat positioning, cabin facilities and the relationship between individual rows and the aircraft itself.
What is seat pitch?
Seat pitch is the distance between a point on one seat and the same point on the seat directly in front or behind it. It isn’t a direct measurement of empty legroom, because the design and thickness of the seats also affect the amount of usable space available.
Can seat pitch vary on the same plane?
Yes. Seat pitch can vary between different sections and rows of the same cabin, depending on how the airline has configured the aircraft. This is one reason it’s worth checking the detailed layout rather than assuming every standard Economy seat is identical.
Do all window seats actually have a window?
No. A seat can be sold as a window position even when the window is poorly aligned, partly obstructed or effectively missing beside that particular row. If the view matters to you, check how the windows line up with the seats before paying for one.
Are exit-row seats always the best for legroom?
Exit rows frequently provide considerably more legroom, but they aren’t automatically the best seats. There may be fixed armrests, restrictions on baggage during take-off and landing, eligibility requirements or limitations on recline. The exit door itself can also affect the usable space around some seats.
Are bulkhead seats better than normal seats?
Sometimes. A bulkhead means there isn’t a conventional seat directly in front of you, but the amount of usable space varies considerably between aircraft. You may also have fixed armrests, no under-seat storage during take-off and landing and a bassinet position nearby.
Why do some plane seats have fixed armrests?
Seats without another seat immediately in front often need somewhere to store the tray table or entertainment screen. These can be housed inside the armrest, preventing it from being raised and potentially affecting the usable width of the seating area.
Is it better to sit at the front or back of a plane?
Neither is automatically better. Sitting towards the front can help you leave the aircraft more quickly and may move you further from rear galleys and toilets. Seats towards the rear can sometimes offer interesting layouts, including pairs of seats where a widebody fuselage begins to narrow.
Where should I sit if I don’t like turbulence?
Seats around the wing area and closer to the aircraft’s centre of gravity generally experience less pronounced pitching movement than positions much further forward or aft. You can still experience turbulence anywhere on the aircraft.
Where is the best place to sit if I want to sleep?
A window seat away from toilets and galleys is a good place to start because you can lean towards the sidewall and other passengers don’t need you to move when leaving the row. Check that the seat reclines normally before selecting it.
Should I avoid seats near the toilets?
For a long or overnight flight, we’d generally avoid sitting immediately beside a toilet where possible. Doors, lights and passengers queuing or standing nearby can create considerably more disturbance than a few rows further away.
Are preferred seats worth paying for?
It depends on what the airline is actually selling. A preferred seat may simply be closer to the front while having exactly the same pitch and width as a cheaper standard seat. Compare the actual seat before paying the additional charge.
Can an airline change my aircraft after I’ve selected a seat?
Yes. Airlines can make aircraft or configuration changes for operational reasons, sometimes at short notice. This can alter the cabin layout or result in passengers being reassigned to different seats, which is why it’s worth checking your booking again before departure.
Further Reading & Related Guides
If you’re spending time choosing the right seat, it’s worth looking at the rest of your flight planning too. Our How to Use Google Flights guide explains how to search for flights, compare different dates and routes and use Google Flights to investigate the services you’re considering before booking.
Long-haul travellers should also read our Airline Stopover Programmes guide. Some airlines allow you to turn a connection into a longer stop in their home city, sometimes with additional benefits or discounted accommodation, giving you the opportunity to add another destination to the same trip.
For something a little different, our Unusual Flight Routes guide looks at some of the more interesting and unexpected scheduled air links around the world. It’s a useful reminder that the most obvious connection isn’t always the only way to reach your destination.
Trying to avoid checked baggage? Our Packing Light for Hand Luggage Only Holidays guide covers how to reduce what you take while staying within airline cabin baggage restrictions. It’s particularly useful when you’re travelling on fares where adding a checked bag significantly increases the ticket price.
It’s also worth knowing what to do when things go wrong. Our Missed Flight & Check-In guide explains what can happen if you’re late for check-in, miss boarding or fail to make your flight, including why the circumstances surrounding a missed connection can make a considerable difference.
Finally, if you’ve experienced a serious flight delay or cancellation, read our AirHelp Review. We look at how the service works, when you might be entitled to compensation and the trade-off between using a claims company and pursuing an eligible claim yourself.
