How to Get the Best Coach Seat

All coach sets are not created equal. True, nearly every U.S. airline economy cabin is packed like a sardine can these days, but some are packed tighter than others. You can get closer to comfort by being picky about the models of aircraft you fly and then trying to engineer yourself into the best seat on the particular plane you've selected.

I've been comparing a lot of coach cabins lately, tape measure and seating charts in hand. On a Continental Airlines 737 from Newark to Denver, my seat cushion measured 18.5 inches across. The pitch—the distance from row to row, which is a measurement of legroom—was 31 inches. There was no inflight entertainment, and it took some squeezing to get my garment bag into the overhead compartment. For my flight from Denver back to Newark, I opted for a United Airlines 777 instead. My seat cushion measured 20 inches across, the pitch 32 inches. I had my own personal seatback video screen with a choice of movies and television shows, and there was tons of space in the overhead compartment.

Next came an American Airlines 757 from JFK to Seattle. This time my seat cushion measured 18 inches, the pitch 35 inches. My theory that American must be trying to attract the tall and thin was confirmed on my return flight. I managed to snag an exit-row seat: Although it was only 17 inches wide (thanks to immovable, hip-confining armrests), it afforded an extra 7 inches of legroom.

On only four flights, then, I had experienced seats with cushions anywhere from 17 to 20 inches wide and row-to-row spacing of anywhere from 31 to 42 inches, and I had decided it was high time I investigated how coach travelers with a flexible schedule can land themselves the best possible seats. Here's what I found:

Go for two-aisle plans
Wide bodies, which are typically, which are typically used on long-haul and transcontinental flights, have long been more popular than one-aisle planes. They have roomier seats, more storage space, and a less confining—as long as you don't end up in middle seat in the center section. (For a list of wide-bodies used on domestic routes, and their percentage of middle seats, see "How likely are you to get stuck in a middle seat?")

Go for two-aisle plans
Wide bodies, which are typically, which are typically used on long-haul and transcontinental flights, have long been more popular than one-aisle planes. They have roomier seats, more storage space, and a less confining—as long as you don't end up in middle seat in the center section. (For a list of wide-bodies used on domestic routes, and their percentage of middle seats, see "How likely are you to get stuck in a middle seat?")

Try for a 767
"It's the only plane ever built with passengers in mind," says Stan Plog, founder of the travel consulting firm Plog Research, Inc. "The other planes were built by engineers who were trying to determine how to have the lowest operating costs." Thanks to its 2-3-2 seating arrangement, and the fact that airlines fill middle seats last, a 767 can be 86 percent full before anyone gets a middle seat. To maximize your opportunity for an empty seat next to you, request an aisle seat in the center section. Another good option is a 777 with a 3-3-3 configuration: It must be 67 percent full before any two strangers are seated next to each other. A 777 with 2-5-2 configuration, on the other hand, need be only 44 percent full before strangers end up sitting in adjacent seats.

Choose a flight that's continuing, or returning from, overseas
If you're flying between an airline's hub and its international gateway, try for the domestic leg of an international flight. You'll get a plane that's designed for international service—which means better seats, meals, and amenities. Remember that comfy 777 I flew from Denver to Newark, where I had my own individual video screen and gobs of storage space? That flight was continuing on to London. Although the differences between international and domestic service are much greater in the up-front cabins, they are still noticeable in coach. So let's say you need to fly from Houston to Newark: Try for a Continental plane that is continuing across the Atlantic.

Avoid the new 737s that fly coast to coast
People were more tolerant of 737s back when they were used only for short-haul flights. But the new-generation, highly fuel-efficient 737-700s and 737-800s are being used for transcontinental flights, and I've heard hellish stories about the claustrophobic conditions on board. Most long-distance jets have 18-inch-wide seats, but the typical 737 seat is only 17 inches across—as measured from armrest to armrest, which is how the airlines officially measure seat width. (They don't use the Wendy Perrin seat-cushion-measurement method, which is decidedly less scientific, though in my opinion more telling.) On an American Airlines 737-800, in fact, your seat could be 16.75 inches across; on Continental, 16.2 inches. And while the standard pitch on long-distance aircraft is at least 32 inches, many 737s offer only 31. To add insult to injury, the new 737s have only two lavatories in coach. That's one toilet for every 75 passengers. Compare this with a 767 or a 777, which has one for every 45 people on board.

Keep up-to-date on the legroom wars
The reason I lucked out with extra leg space on my Seattle flight is that I was flying American Airlines, whose plans have been reconfigured with anywhere from three to four extra inches of pitch. United has been adding legroom in coach as well—up to five more inches—although only in the first few rows...which means you're likely to end up there only if you're an elite-level United frequent flier, you've paid full fare, or your travel agent has a good relationship with the airlines' elite frequent-flier desk that handles special seating requests.

Don't forget about Midwest Express
If you don't mind connecting through its Milwaukee hub, Midwest Express offers coach-priced seats with business-class dimensions (a width of 21 inches and pitch of 33 to 34 inches). And—best of all—the 2-2 seating configuration means you'll never end up trapped in a middle seat.

Check out airplane seat maps and dimensions on the Internet
Most major U.S. airlines have now put this information on their Web sites, making it easier to determine if there are drawbacks to the seats you've been assigned. You can find out whether you will be sitting next to a lavatory or a galley, whether your armrest won't move or your seat won't recline, and where the video displays are in relation to you. You can also figure out which rows or seats to shoot for—combined bulkhead/emergency-exit rows, for instance, which provide extra breathing room. (Say you're traveling with a companion on an American 757: Row 9, which is both a bulkhead and an exit row, has had a seat removed on each side of the aisle, yielding a couple of nice two-seat rows.) Some airline Web sites provide much better configuration maps than others. For good seating charts for a range of airlines, check out www.frequentflyer.org and www.seatguru.com.

Email | Bookmark | Link