6 Tricks to Get the Perfect Seat for Your Next Flight

What are your priorities when booking a seat on a flight? Choosing a location can be stressful, especially when you’re traveling during the holidays with a tight schedule and limited options. Do you want one by the window or by the aisle? Windows may be better for sleeping on during a long flight, but what happens when you need to get up? Is it really worth the awkward crawl through a line of people to get to the bathroom?

Recently, I had a conversation with a friend who is not a frequent flyer and he wanted to know how to choose the best seat on a flight. i travel a lot: I’ve traveled to every continent (except Antarctica) multiple times. My most recent long haul flight (15 hours) was from Los Angeles to Sydney and this is the flight I took It happened several times before. As I was giving my friend a verbal download and explaining what I did every time I flew, I realized, “Hey, I should write this down.”

So if you’re a million-mile flyer for your favorite airline and you have your frequent flyer number tattooed on your bicep, this isn’t news to you. But if you haven’t flown in a while—or maybe never—this tip might help. Personally, I’m always willing to pay a little more for the privilege of being able to choose my own seat, or flying on an airline where I’m of sufficient status to freely choose my seat. For me, it’s a small price to pay to avoid sitting in the middle seat.

Let’s start with the basics and go from there.

1. By the window or by the aisle?

There are no right or wrong answers here. It all comes down to personal preference. For me, I always choose windows. Even after flying all over the world, you’ll never get tired of watching it all from 35,000 feet. Plus, it gives you something to sleep on, and you don’t have shaky passengers bumping into you every few minutes.

Aisles, on the other hand, are an equally valid option. The biggest reason: you can get up and move around whenever you want. Need to use the bathroom? No need to wake your seat-mates. Want to stretch your legs? Go for it.

That said, if you haven’t been on an airplane in a while, or have never been on an airplane, the feeling of watching the world pass below you at 550 mph is unparalleled.

2. Front or back?

It’s generally best to choose a seat near the front of the plane for a few reasons: it’s usually quieter and you can get on and off faster.

Keep a balance between choosing front/back and windows/walkways. If you want a window seat, is it worth sitting in the back of the plane (if that’s your only option)? Normally, I would say yes. If your layover is short and it takes many minutes for all the rows in front of you to get off the plane, maybe not. In this case, an aisle seat near the front may be a better option.

Also pay attention to the position of the wings. On most aircraft, economy class seats start at the front of the wing. If you can find a seat in front of the wing, do so as it’s quieter and has a better view.

It’s also worth keeping an eye out for bulkhead seating. Bulkhead seats, ones that sit next to one of the vertical bulkheads that separate parts of the airplane, can sometimes be great. If there are no seats in front of you, there is usually more room. However, when taking off and landing, you must store everything in the overhead bin. Additionally, your platoon is more likely to have a baby. On many aircraft, the seats are also narrower because the entertainment screens are mounted on pivoting arms between the seats.

However, avoid seats in front of the bulkhead. These usually have limited or possibly no slope.

It’s also good to avoid being too close to the kitchen or bathroom, especially on long-haul flights. These areas can be noisy, crowded, and may create special irritations.

3. To exit the line or not to exit the line

This is not a choice that is often considered easy. Typically, you cannot store any luggage under the seat in front of you. You also need to be able to speak the airline’s native language (this isn’t a problem if you only fly within your own country). Some aircraft have two exit rows so the first row does not tilt.

Also, the window seat here is not that interesting. Windows are located in emergency exit doors and are usually smaller than elsewhere on the aircraft. I also found these seats to be much cooler than the rest of the plane.

That said, you generally get more legroom.

4. Aircraft type

The above three tips cover almost all aircraft. But what about sometimes you can choose a different aircraft? Many routes are covered by multiple airlines operating different types of aircraft. If you’re not tied to a specific airline, and if you’re reading this I’m guessing you aren’t either, it’s worth digging a little deeper and checking out your options. You don’t need to know every model of every airplane, just two things.

First, if you have the option to fly Boeing 787 or Airbus A350consider those. These aircraft feature a more modern design, Higher cabin pressure and humidity. This allows them to sit more comfortably for hours. It can be the difference between feeling great upon arriving after a 12+ hour flight or feeling wasted. I also find the 787 to be quieter than other airplanes. Best of all, the windows are huge – Significantly larger than those on other aircraft.

Another aspect to consider is the cabin layout. Shorter routes are usually flown on smaller aircraft, often in a 3-3 configuration, such as three seats, an aisle seat and three additional seats. Longer flights, usually using larger “wide body” aircraft, may be operated in a 2-3-2, 3-3-3, or in some cases a 3-4-3. This provides many new options. I like the 2-3-2 seating because you can sit in the window seat with only one person next to you. For larger/dense designs, I’d say edge aisles are better than middle aisles since you’re at least somewhat close to the window. 3-3-3 There is only one aisle in the middle where someone might have to crawl over you to get to the toilet. It’s also better than the middle seat anywhere.

5. Seat Master

My final step before booking is to check seat master. This website rates seats on different planes for most airlines. Why don’t I send you here first? Well, it doesn’t tell you what is “best”, more about what is bad and what could be better. For example, it will say that the seats behind the bulkhead may be good and the seats in front may not be good. However, it will rate window seats near the front of the plane versus seats in the back. It’s a handy tool if you know what you’re looking for. It’s less useful if you’re less familiar, for example if you don’t know which is bigger, the 380, 777 or 787.

The best use of SeatGuru is to know if you have chosen your window seat carefully There is actually a window. Yes, this is one thing that airlines don’t tell you on their websites. However, they are happy to charge you to choose that seat.

6. Do you want to upgrade?

There are several ways to upgrade your seat, either to Economy Class (standard seats, better room) or even to Business Class (bigger seats). Is it worth it? Sometimes, yes. On my recent 15 hour flight to Sydney I used a lot of airline points to fly business class which was a wonderful treat. Lots of food, a seat that converts into a bed, a big TV – it’s pure luxury. Would it be better to get one (or two) flights for free using the same miles? Almost certainly. But this was my first international flight since COVID, so I was treating myself.

My general rule is that I will not consider an upgrade for any flight less than 10 hours. Anything over 12, I will. For example, I’d say cross-country flights in the US are a complete waste of upgrade points unless you have a ton of spare points.

In between is the extra legroom offered by Premium Economy (also known as Premium Economy and other similar names). Many airlines offer this service through points or cash upgrades. I’m just under 6 feet tall and can more or less squeeze into a standard economy seat. If you’re taller, or have particularly long legs, these seats (or exit row seats) are definitely worth considering.

Extra tips

There are a few other things you can do to help ensure the best flight possible.

• Get to the airport early. Check-in and security are always a hassle. Don’t add to the noise the stress of possibly missing your flight. Give yourself some time. Worst case scenario? You have to sit in the terminal for a few extra minutes. I would trade it for a stress-free day any day. It should be done in two hours. Be suspicious of anyone who says less. They probably do this all the time, and may have access to special lanes that allow them to get through security and check-in quickly.
• Yes, it’s annoying to have to “pay extra” for things like food and seat selection, but considering that flight prices are made cheaper just to catch your eye, and the “real” price, and what should be a necessity, It’s actually higher. Anyway, here’s what I did to reduce my worries.
• Many credit cards offer airport and airline benefits such as lounge access, early boarding and free checked bags. Worth checking out.
• If possible, choose direct flights. There is less chance that the airline will lose your luggage or that you will miss your connection.
• Personally, I’d rather pay a little more for a flight with no hassles and good seats than pay more for a flight with annoying hours, layovers, and only middle seats. Of course, this is me as a solo traveler. I completely understand how quickly those small price differences add up if you’re flying with your family.

Looking for more travel tips? Check Essentials for long haul flights There are certain items that I always carry on every flight.

In addition to covering audio and display technologies, Jeff goes on a photography tour Cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarine, aircraft carrier, medieval castleepic 10,000 mile road trip etc.

Also check out Budget travel for dummieshis travel books, and his Best Selling Science Fiction Novels About city-scale submarines. You can follow him Instagram and Youtube.