Another way to get the best seat on a plane, often for free, is simply asking the staff if you can move to the first row of the economy class cabin or to the exit row. Be nice and ask them politely – if there are free seats, you can get one for $10 or even for free.
Buy your ticket early and select the seat when you book
The earlier you book the ticket, the cheaper it will be and your chances to get the best seat on a plane will be stronger. And most seats will be available, so you will be able to pick the most comfortable one. You can also select the seat during check-in, so if it’s not available online, arrive early at the airport. You will have time to see if there are free seats you can upgrade to – ask the agent for a specific seat, instead of an exit row or a “good seat”. To do that, you’ll have to know what to look for.
Know what to look for
Generally, the front of the economy cabin is the quietest and you will be closer to the staff, which means you can get the full menu before it runs out. Of course, when given a choice between the aisle, middle, or window seat, no one would ever pick the middle seat for very obvious reasons. Most people prefer the window seat, where noise and turbulence is less and you can lean on to the glass. If you will go to the bathroom frequently, need to be closer to your luggage or you are simply afraid of flying, you can choose the aisle seat – but you’ll have to prepare to sit up and down for your fellow passengers and to deal with the knocks and bumps at people walk by. Many people prefer the exit rows or the bulkhead seats, and although they are more spacious, they also come with certain downsides. You may not be allowed to keep any items, including books, of hand-luggage and you will probably have no PTV entertainment screen (not always) in the exit rows, while bulkhead seats are generally provided for families with children, so they can be very noisy.
Here are the top 10 airlines that offer the most comfortable seats in terms of seat pitch, according to Skytrax:
Qatar Airways – 34 inch pitch seat- Kingfisher Airlines – 34 inch
- Thai Airways – 34 inch
- Asiana Airlines – 34 inch
- Malaysia Airlines – 34 inch
- Saudi Arabian Airlines – 34 inch
- Arik Air – 34 inch
- Air China – 33-34 inch
- Garuda Indonesia – 33-34 inch
- Korean Air – 33-34 inch
