I fly economy about once a week. Here are the best seats to book on a plane, and rows I always avoid.

As a common traveler, I fly nearly all week — sometimes more.

Naturally, I have developed a figure of preferences concerning anywhere I sit on a plane. My favorite location to sit is in an aisle place in endeavor or first class.

However, equal my Premier 1K position on United doesn't continually get me upgraded, so I create certain to be strategic whenever studying the place map for economy.

Here are the seats I try to choose on a aircraft for a comfortable, pleasant flight.

I bask the roominess of an exit row seat

When I can't snag an upgrade, you'll discover me in the aisle place in the roomy exit row.

If my airplane has two exit rows, one rearward the other, which is the case for the Boeing 737 Max airplane on which I frequently travel, I choose the row nearer to the rear of the cabin.

Because of safety regulations, the exit row in forefront of me can't recline into my exit row, which prevents inconsiderate passengers from leaning rear into my individual space.

It's crucial to recall that exit-row seats additionally arrive alongside certain requirements, including the willingness to assistance another passengers in an emergency.

Bulkhead seats have multiple benefits, but one important drawback

I'm additionally known to choose seats in the bulkhead row that's immediately rearward a wall, curtain, or display since they frequently arrive alongside additional legroom. Plus, I can justify there won't be a passenger in forefront of me reclining correct into my lap.

For me, this place has one drawback: There are no seats in forefront of me to shop my bag under, and I can't keep it by my feet for safety reasons.

So if I publish this seat, I try to commission quickly and safe area in a nearby overhead bin so I can admission my belongings throughout the flight.

If I have a connecting escape to catch, I choose an aisle place toward the forefront of the plane

I've been on many trips anywhere the escape attendant gets on the intercom to ask most passengers to remain seated during multiple group alongside tight connections deboard.

Unfortunately, I've frequently seen that petition ignored. So if I have a connecting flight to capture and lone an hr or so to do it, I publish an aisle place as near to the forefront of the division as possible.

Those additional few minutes whenever everyone is fiddling alongside their overhead luggage could average the difference between making or missing my next flight.

When I fly alongside another person, we the two publish aisle seats

When I'm alongside a journey companion and we desire to sit together in a representative three-seat row, one of us volition end up alongside the dreaded center seat.

Since being next to the aisle is basically a nonnegotiable for me, I'll alternatively publish two aisle seats immediately throughout from one another. This way, we're motionless near adequate to conversation and awareness akin we're traveling together, but we motionless have a decent amount of space.

Another (riskier) scheme is to publish the opening and aisle of the identical row — if you're lucky, the center place power remain empty.

If my preferred seats are taken, I try to sit far from a washroom or galley

A place by a washroom isn't preferable for multiple reasons.

For one thing, passengers could be lining up throughout the escape to delay to use it. This method spending a lot of the escape alongside butts near your face.

You're additionally apt to comprehend the toilet flushing frequently, and bad aromas may waft out the entrance — neither of which goes fine alongside your pretzels and ginger ale.

I additionally evade sitting near a galley area, which can additionally have a lot of ft traffic since it's anywhere flight attendants prep the food and beverage service.

This place is convenient if you desire to catch another beverage or get your meal quickly, but it can get noisy and busy. This is particularly crucial to keep in intellect if you're a ray sleeper.

This narrative was initially published on May 12, 2025, and most lately updated on November 5, 2026.