What to Look for in Airline Seat Reviews - NerdWallet (2024)

FAQs

How do I know what seats are best on a plane? ›

JetBlue scores at the top for the best airlines with comfortable economy seats. Passengers will enjoy an above-average seat pitch of 32-34” and a seat size of 17.8 – 18.4”. Not to mention, JetBlue is one of only two domestic airlines in the U.S. that offers free WiFi to passengers.

We've determined that the front of the plane is the best place to sit on a plane to feel less turbulence, and most business class and first class seats are at the front.

Standard seat pitch is 30 to 31 inches in economy class for most carriers, with 32 inches being slightly above average and 29 inches falling slightly below. Keep in mind, though, that different planes have different configurations depending on make, model, and airline.

Much like the best seats for travel sickness are the seats above the coach wheels, the best seats to help lessen the effects of air turbulence is over the aircraft wings. The wings are the point of lift vs gravity so sitting above them ensures a smoother lift off, flight, and landing.

If you're going to sit in economy, you want to be sure you select a Main Cabin Extra seat. These are the best seats you'll find in the rear section of the plane. What makes these seats special is that they have extra pitch — that is, the distance between the seat back of one seat to the seatback of the seat in front.

JetBlue is America's trailblazer when it comes to the most spacious aircraft seats. Although seats vary between different aircraft types, the airline offers up to 38 inches of legroom in their standard economy class.

“The smoothest place to sit is over the wings,” commercial pilot Patrick Smith, host of AskThePilot.com said. These seats are close to the plane's center of lift and gravity. “The roughest spot is usually the far aft. In the rearmost rows, closest to the tail, the knocking and swaying is more pronounced,” Smith added.

Air Asia has the shortest seat pitch in economy, at 29 inches. Forty years ago, seat pitch was 31 to 35 inches. Seat width was approximately 18.5 inches. Today it's 17 to 17.5 inches.

Seats at the back of the plane tend to be bumpier, and sitting towards the back also means you're one of the last passengers to get off the plane after landing. Similarly, the bulkheads at the front of the cabin are where families with babies and young children sit.

Where is the least bumpy seat on a plane? ›

A seat directly over the wings (typically found in rows 10 to 30) is your best option to reduce the sensation of turbulence, says Dr. Quay Snyder, the president of the Aviation Medicine Advisory Service.

Winter has strong winds and blizzards, and summer's hot heat can create unstable air, thunderstorms, and tropical storms. That means flying during the holidays often means more turbulence than other times of the year. So if possible, avoid flying between December and February or June and August for a smoother flight.

Depending on the airline and airplane configuration, bulkhead seats—seats located in the first row after a dividing wall or galley—typically have the most legroom than any other seat on the plane, though be aware you won't have access to underseat storage.

You will be fine, you probably won't even need an extender on your belt. A size 22 won't have difficulty fitting in a airline seat, and doing up the seat belt. Don't worry.

JetBlue was named the most comfortable airline, while the least comfortable was Frontier. “JetBlue is the most comfortable airline because all its flights provide at least 30 inches of legroom in economy class or coach seats and it has entertainment options available.

There is less turbulence towards the front and especially between the wings of the plane, since this area is more stable. For the same reason, if you suffer from motion sickness, it would also be better to be seated close to the wings.

The middle seat in the final seat is your safest bet

The middle rear seats of an aircraft had the lowest fatality rate: 28%, compared to 44% for the middle aisle seats, according to a TIME investigation that examined 35 years' worth of aircraft accident data.

The back of the plane is definitely the worst place to sit for travelers who hate turbulence since it's far from the plane's center of lift and gravity. This section can also be very loud since some planes have engines and auxiliary power units toward the back of the body that make a lot of noise.

Spirit. Like Frontier, Spirit has the skinniest rows of any American airline, with a seat pitch of 28 inches — and they don't recline. Spirit lagged at 8 out of 10 American airlines studied in the in The Points Guys' 2021 report.

How fat is too fat to fly? Even though there are no weight limits for fat passengers, there are normally three basic requirements for flying while overweight: Passengers must be able to sit with both armrests down. Passengers must be able to buckle their seatbelts.

What is the best seat on a plane for a fat person? ›

While some passengers prefer window seats, aisle seats are often better for overweight passengers that are only purchasing one seat. Window seats are often the better option if you purchase an additional seat.

The airlines with the widest seats among US airlines are JetBlue Airways and Silver Airways. 18 inches wide. Spirit Airlines' average economy seat has a width of 17.75 inches. Breeze, Delta, Hawaiian has a seat width of 17.6 inches.

Delta provides a very comfortable experience with a wider seat (with a lovely leather finish) and entertainment, but Southwest beats them on included baggage and fare flexibility. We can't ignore the fact that Southwest offers two free bags for every passenger.

The window seats offer the best views and minimal disruptions from your row mates. Ultimately, you'll be the disruptive one when it's your turn to visit the lavatory, but still, the window seat gives you that undisturbed solitude to make it through your flight without interacting.

According to experts, choosing the seat in front is always a better option. "Our centre of gravity is usually around 28 per cent, and the centre of pressure usually acts around 25 per cent of the mean aerodynamic chord (1/4 of the way down the wing).

Shrinking personal space in the skies is not imaginary: Experts say airline seats shrunk over the years while Americans grew larger. Airlines are balancing passenger demand for cheap airfare and more legroom.

If a customer cannot lower the armrest, they will be required to purchase an extra seat. The airline will sell you the second seat at the lowest available cost. If none are available, the passenger may not be able to fly. Passengers must fit within the 17 inches between armrests or purchase a seat in advance.

Delta is also considered a plus-size friendly airline, offering seats in its Economy Class that range from 17.9 to 19 inches. Delta's seatbelts range in size from 40 to 45 inches.

Seats at the back of the plane tend to be bumpier, and sitting towards the back also means you're one of the last passengers to get off the plane after landing. Similarly, the bulkheads at the front of the cabin are where families with babies and young children sit.

If you want to avoid turbulence, book a flight in the morning. “The heating of the ground later causes bumpier air, and it's much more likely to thunderstorm in the afternoon,” Jerry Johnson, a pilot from Los Angeles, told Reader's Digest.

What airports have the worst turbulence? ›

The Xigazê airport located in the Chinese Tibetan plateau is at an elevation of 3,800 m (12,400 ft), one of the highest in the world. Having the Himalayas range right beside it does not help in terms of turbulence, which actually makes it the most turbulent airport in the world for 2022!

DENVER (CBS4) – Colorado and the Rocky Mountains are among the worst areas for turbulence in the United States. It's a problem that injures dozens of passengers and crew members nationwide every year.

Delta Air Lines claims it has less turbulence than the competition. In 2016, Delta Air Lines launched a Flight Weather Viewer app that gives its pilots a greater understanding of the weather they encounter around the world.

According to a TIME investigation from 2015 that examined 35 years of aircraft accident data, the middle seats at the back of the plane had the lowest fatality rate at 28%. The second-safest option is the aisle seats in the middle of the plane, at 44%.

Preferred seats don't receive any extra legroom, but they are in better locations of the Main Cabin that are closer to the front of the plane, allowing you to access your seat quicker when boarding and exit more quickly when getting off.

Like extra legroom seats, extra space seats are perfect if you want to fly in comfort. Located near to emergency exit doors, behind a bulkhead, or behind a dividing wall, you'll get plenty of leg room, but less choice.

In general, obese passengers on airlines who require a seatbelt extender and/or cannot lower the armrests between seats are asked to pay for a second seat on their flight, unless there are two empty seats together somewhere on the plane.

What is this? Second seat is required if you are greater than 1 inch outside of the armrests and need a seatbelt extender. Second seat is required, with a possibility of a refund. Required to book two seats prior to travel.

Typically, a 5”, 7” or 8” Rigid Extender is the best length due to the rotation of the arms, body, torso and back otherwise required to buckle up that you may not be able to do. If you want to be more precise, sit in the seat and try buckling up.

What are top 3 best Airlines? ›

U.S. travelers report that American Airlines is the most unreliable airline in the world when measured by the total flight problems and reported complaints in 2022. American is also the world's largest airline, so this finding may not surprise frequent flyers. However, the other results are fascinating.

The window seats offer the best views and minimal disruptions from your row mates. Ultimately, you'll be the disruptive one when it's your turn to visit the lavatory, but still, the window seat gives you that undisturbed solitude to make it through your flight without interacting.

Preferred seats are those in the Main Cabin that have more favorable locations, such as closer proximity to the boarding areas for greater ease when boarding or disembarking the plane.

Actually, row 1 isn't the best row on most planes. Especially on short distance flights your legroom will be rather limited. During boarding everyone will look at you and you are not allowed to keep your laptop with you during take-off and landing.

Sit away from the engine.

Seats in the front rows are farthest away from the engine and therefore better for your hearing. However, if you have to sit farther back in the plane, choose an aisle seat as they are several decibels quieter than window seats.

According to experts, choosing the seat in front is always a better option. "Our centre of gravity is usually around 28 per cent, and the centre of pressure usually acts around 25 per cent of the mean aerodynamic chord (1/4 of the way down the wing).

Disadvantages: – climbing over passengers to go to the bathroom, and waking them up, and getting that, can't you control your bladder look. – Can be quite a bit colder if leaning against the side of the aircraft.

In the middle, at the back

Nonetheless, a TIME investigation that looked at 35 years of aircraft accident data found the middle rear seats of an aircraft had the lowest fatality rate: 28%, compared with 44% for the middle aisle seats.

Don't fall for it. You can always skip seat selection and save the money, but do keep a few things in mind: Skipping seat selection doesn't mean you won't get a seat on the flight. You might get stuck in the middle seat if you don't pay for one.

Can you ask for a better seat on a plane? ›

This seat decision usually happens at the time of booking. However, if you didn't get the option you're after then, you can always approach the counter before boarding to see if there are open seats available. Or, try asking the crew upon boarding if you can swap seats during the flight.

OK, so the back row is the single worst place to sit on a plane and you should steer clear of it at all costs. But which other seats should you avoid? All middle seats are unpopular for obvious reasons, and the seats in front of an exit row aren't ideal either.

The best choice would be a seat on the right side as the rising sun will be facing the left side of the plane for most of the flight. The exception might be if you want to capture a sunrise or sunset (and of course all photographers love a good sunrise or sunset!).

The best seats for turbulence are at the front of or at the wings of the plane. The impact of turbulence is felt less at the front of the plane because it's beyond the centre of gravity on the aircraft.

They reduce pressure buildup in your ears and can ease your pain as the pilot takes the plane in for a landing. If you plan on travelling off for a sunny vacation this summer and suffer from ear pain on long flights, your hearing solutions experts in Calgary recommend you use airplane earplugs.