Flying 101: the secrets to the best seat

When it comes to flying cattle class, we try to get the best possible seat we can – there’s no luxury in economy! But what if there was a way of knowing the exact best seat to have for your situation? If you’re tall, you want lots of leg room; if you’re travelling with kids, you’ll want to be near a bathroom; and if you’re trying to rest you’ll need, well….how do you get the seat you want?

Dan Air, an aviation expert said that the best seat on an A320 is 1A or 1F – they both have the most legroom, a good view without a wing in the way, plus you get service first. The old downside is that these seats are also the coldest, so make sure you bring a few layers if you get either position.

In the Boeing 777, you’d be hard done by if you get the last back rows…you can’t recline and you’re near the flight attendants’ quarters and the bathrooms, so there’s a low chance of getting any rest.

From a survey of 1000 travellers, 60 per cent wanted extra leg room, 37 per cent preferred a window seat, while only 14 per cent cared about getting served first for food and drinks, and 11 per cent wanted to be the first off in an emergency.

In the same survey, it was revealed that some of us go to great lengths to nab our favoured seat on the plane, either through pushing in, flirting, or faking sickness.

This helpful infographic shows where the best seats are on a plane but if they are a bit too confusing or don’t apply to the type of aircraft you’re flying on your next flight (or if you don’t know), you can use SeatGuru to check the best seats on your flight easily.

What is your favourite seat on a flight? How do you get it? Would you pay more for it? Tell us your tips below.