Airline Seating Tips - Best Plane Seats on Your Flight
Here are a few basic tips for getting the best seat on your airline flight. After booking your flight, you should find out which type of plane you will be flying on. Get to know the configuration of your carrier's aircraft. Most airlines have seating plans available on their websites which will give you a rough overview of the layout. |
Your next stop should be to consult one of the specialist (independent) frequent flyer seating websites like SeatGuru and SeatExpert. These tools provide superb interactive seat maps for the frequent flyer which illustrate clearly the pros and cons of each seat. Using these will give you a better feel for finding the best seating in economy, business and first class. They include many of the world's major airlines and are indispensable to frequent flyers around the world.
Deciding where to sit is a personal choice, but you should always do your homework rather than leaving it to chance, especially if you are flying economy class. Try to pre-book your favoured seat. Always confirm at check-in.
Seating Basics: Front, Middle or Rear of the Plane?
If you want to get off quickly at your destination then sit as near to the front of the plane as possible. The front of the airplane is usually quieter and suffers from less turbulence than the back - that is one reason why they house the first class and business class cabins there.
Sitting over the wing in the middle is thought to be the strongest part of the plane structure. You will also be near the over-wing emergency exits. However the fuel tanks are located directly below, so there is always a risk of fire in an emergency. Also, if sitting at the window-exit seat your view out will be impaired by the wing.
Sitting at the rear is noisier and you will feel more turbulence. However some people feel more comfortable sitting right at the back and you will be nearer the rear exits.
Seating Basics: Aisle, Middle or Window?
This is always a dilemma in air travel seating choice. Do you take the window seat to enjoy the view, have something to lean against and remain undisturbed? Or do you choose the aisle seat for more leg and elbow room and easy access getting up.
Nearly everyone agrees that sitting in the middle seat is the worst of both worlds and is only bearable if you are in a group. It is a good seat to 'lock-in' a child though.
Some downsides to the window seat: You may have less personal space due to the curvature of the fuselage, especially at the back of the aircraft. It can also feel a little colder. And you will have to ask your neighbour(s) to let you out.
Likewise, sitting in the aisle seat you may be disturbed by your neighbour asking to get out and by people walking past you.
Seating Basics: Left or Right?
Facing forward, seat A is always on the left side.
Sitting left or right is not really an issue except when flying north-south where you may want to avoid the direct sunlight. Some people however actually prefer to sit and see the sun rise or set.
Seating Basics: Bulkhead Row Seats
The bulkhead is the (front) seat row behind the partitions that split the cabin from the galley and/or toilet areas. Legroom here is variable - there usually is more but sometimes this is not the case and you will not be able to stretch your legs fully - this can be very uncomfortable. The bulkhead is usually reserved for passengers with babies or small children which can cause some disturbance.
Seating Basics: Exit Rows
Probably the best seats in economy class with extra legroom (sometimes equivalent to business class legroom.)
You will lose storage space as the row must be kept clear during take-off and landing. Sitting in the exit row is a privilege and you should take the responsibility seriously by reading the safety card (something all passengers should familiarise themselves with). Note, airlines will not allow children or disabled passengers to sit in an exit row.
Seating Basics: Bad Seats
Check the seat maps to avoid sitting in bad seats, such as those with limited recline, or 'window' seats which actually have no window.
For superior seating you will need to book a business class or first class seat. If you want some great insider strategies for getting into the business class cabin on a budget, maximising your upgrade chances and reducing your airfare massively then see our Ultimate Airfares & Upgrades Guide.
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