How to pick a great air line seat

How to pick a great airline seat Don't get stuck in a middle seat near bathroom on your next flight With a little time and effort You could be sitting pretty you will need Priorities a website with airplane seating diagrams and an early booking Optional a seat upgrade membership Step 1 There is no single best seat on an airplane All have their pros and cons so decide what's important to you leg room? peace and quiet? a quick exit? a smooth ride? Step 2 don't assume anything about a seat without checking it out some bulkhead seats don't offer extra leg room some window seats are between windows and therefore offer a little view and many exist seats while providing more leg room are narrower than other seats find out what kind of plane you'll be on and then visit seatexpert.com or seatguru.com click on any seat to see its pros and cons Step 3 pay a small fee to ensure you'll get a seat with the most leg room Many airlines now identify their best seat on their websites and charge for them accordingly Step 4 take reclining into account if you like to seat back avoid the last row in any section if you hate people leaning into your lap try to snag an exit seat the seats in front of these rows usually don't recline exit row seats are often not assigned until check-in to snag one, get to the airport early Step 5 Consider the pitch of the seat which is the distance between your seat and the one in front of you you'll find this information on airline seat websites Step 6 Take turbulence into account if you are a white knuckle flyer sit over the front of the wing that's where you'll least likely to fell turbulence avoid the back where you'll feel every bump Step 7 if you need peace and quiet avoid siting in the back where the engines are the loudest and steer clear the bulkhead where the family with babies are usually seated Step 8 when you buy your ticket be sure to book your specific seat either online or by calling the airline directly Increase your odds of siting beside an empty middle seat by requesting a back row where either the aisle or window seat is already booked the middle seats in back rows fill up last Step 9 check back 24 hours before your flight this is when prime seating often is released plus, airline occasionally switch planes possibly turning your chosen seat into an undesirable one Step 10 if you are a frequent flyer consider joining an airline program that guarantees a good seat for an annual fee Did you know? The average airline seat in coach is just 17.2 inches wide.