How to Get the Best Seats on a Plane

A better seat can make a flight more comfortable, but the best way to secure one depends on the airline and your fare. This guide covers choosing a good seat in the cabin you have booked, the options for moving up a cabin, and how to ask staff for help.

Decide what matters to you

No seat is universally best. It depends on what you value most on that particular flight. As a rough guide:

• Aisle seats make it easier to get up without disturbing anyone.
• Window seats give you something to lean against if you want to rest.
• Seats over the wing are often where movement is less noticeable.
• Seats away from the toilets and galley usually see less passing traffic.
• Seats near the front can help you leave the aircraft sooner after landing.

Before choosing, look at the seat map. Independent seat map sites can flag rows with fixed armrests, restricted recline or a missing or misaligned window. Different versions of the same aircraft can have very different layouts, though, and older maps may be out of date. Check that the map matches the airline's current layout for your flight.

Getting a good seat in your cabin

If your airline offers free seat selection when check-in opens, checking in promptly may give you more choice. Other airlines allocate seats automatically unless you pay, so early check-in does not guarantee a better seat. Find out how your airline handles this before you book.

On a short flight, an allocated seat may be fine. On a long one, a modest fee for an aisle or extra legroom seat can be worth it. Paying for extra legroom in economy normally buys only the seat, not premium economy service or benefits.

Some seats come with conditions or trade-offs:

• Exit rows often have more legroom, but some have restricted recline. You must meet the airline's safety criteria, including being able to understand instructions and operate the exit if required. Minimum ages and other restrictions vary by airline.
• Bulkhead rows can have more legroom, but the tray table is often in the armrest and there is no under-seat storage. Bags generally cannot stay at your feet during take-off and landing, and these rows may include bassinet positions.

Seat reservations are not absolute guarantees. Aircraft substitutions and other operational changes can mean passengers are moved, even after paying for a seat.

If you are travelling with children, CAA guidance says children under 12 should be seated close to an accompanying adult, ideally in the same row and otherwise no more than one row away. This does not guarantee that the whole family will sit together. Check the airline's policy before paying for seats.

If you have a disability or reduced mobility, you are entitled to free special assistance at UK airports. Tell your airline, travel agent or tour operator what assistance you need and describe any seating requirements. Give at least 48 hours' notice where possible. If you give less notice, assistance providers should still make reasonable efforts to help. Free assistance does not automatically entitle you to a particular or extra legroom seat. The CAA and GOV.UK both explain what support to expect.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

Moving up a cabin

Many low-cost airlines have no higher cabin, so your options there are seat location, extra legroom and occasionally an additional seat. Where a higher cabin exists, the most reliable route is to pay for it in money or points. Airlines may offer:

• Paid upgrades after booking. Offers can appear in the airline's app or website in the days before you fly, and may cost less than booking the higher cabin from the start.
• Bid upgrades. Some airlines let you make an offer for a higher cabin seat. If your bid is accepted, you move up. If not, you pay nothing.
• Points upgrades. British Airways Club members can use Avios to upgrade eligible bookings, while Virgin Atlantic Flying Club members can use Virgin Points. Availability, eligible fares and any additional charges vary, and having enough points does not mean a seat will be available.
• Upgrades at the desk or gate. Some airlines sell remaining premium seats at check-in or the gate.

Free upgrades are not something you can reliably secure by asking. When they happen, it is usually for an operational reason, such as an overbooked economy cabin. Airline status and ticket type may influence who is selected, but policies vary and membership alone is no guarantee. Travelling alone may help, since a single seat is easier to fill than two together. Treat a free upgrade as a bonus rather than something to plan around.

Upgrade rules change, so check the airline's own website for current terms.

Asking at the airport and on board

At check-in, you can ask whether any better seats are available, such as an exit row or a seat next to an empty one, and whether there is a charge. Arrive in good time and meet the airline's check-in and boarding deadlines. Turning up late is not a useful way to find a better seat.

On board, get permission from the crew before changing any seat. Wait until boarding has finished before asking. Seating may be restricted for weight and balance reasons, and a seat that looks empty may be reserved or out of use. Moving to a higher cabin without permission is not allowed, and extra legroom seats may carry a fee even if empty.

Be polite, keep your request simple and accept the answer. It will usually depend on how full the flight is and the airline's rules.

If you lose a seat feature you paid for, complain to the airline first. Whether you are owed a refund depends on what you bought, what you received instead and the airline's terms. If the airline does not resolve it, the next step may be its approved alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider. Where no relevant ADR scheme applies, the CAA's Passenger Advice and Complaints Team may be able to help, though it cannot issue binding decisions.