Hot take: the aisle seat is the right choice for almost everyone on a flight longer than two hours, and window lovers are mostly buying scenery they stop looking at after twenty minutes. I'll defend that, but I know it will annoy half of you.
The window versus aisle argument misses the bigger picture. Where you sit along the length of the plane matters at least as much as which side of the row you pick.
| Seat | Good | Bad |
|---|---|---|
| Window | Wall to lean on, view, nobody climbs over you | Trapped when neighbours sleep; can't reach bags easily |
| Middle | Cheapest, sometimes empty | Both armrests contested; no wall; no aisle |
| Aisle | Easy exit, stretch your legs | Bumped by trolleys and passers-by; interrupted sleep |
| Exit row | Extra legroom | Colder, sometimes fixed armrests; restrictions apply |
| Bulkhead (first row of a section) | Open space ahead | No under-seat storage; trays in the armrests |
| Back rows | Often emptier; quick access to toilets | Noisier engines, lines, slower to leave |
Details the map leaves out
Seats over the wing tend to feel the smoothest. They sit near the plane's centre of balance, where movement during turbulence is smaller. They're also close to the engines on many aircraft, so you hear more of the roar, but the ride is gentler.
The rear of the plane moves more in turbulence and is usually louder. It's also where the toilets and galley are, with their queues and noise. Some people like it because those rows are quieter on boarding and tend to have spare seats.
Legroom is measured as seat pitch, the distance from a point on one seat to the same point on the next one. In economy it ranges from roughly 28 inches on some budget carriers to 32 or more on others, and the same aircraft model can be configured differently by different airlines. The seat map rarely mentions it, but a couple of inches changes a long flight more than which side of the row you pick.
Check the seat itself. On some aircraft, a seat near an exit has no window, or the window is misaligned with the seat. A few rows have reduced recline or a seat that's blocked by a wall. Websites that collect seat reviews for each aircraft type are useful here, and they often flag rows with these problems.
The exit row question
Extra legroom is a real advantage, and airlines charge for it. There are conditions. You must be able to help in an emergency, be old enough, and be willing to read the safety instructions. Some of these seats have a fixed armrest or a table that comes out of the arm, which makes the seat narrower than a regular one.
Many exit rows also don't allow bags on the floor at takeoff. They need to be stowed overhead, so check where you'll put your things.
Whom I'd advise to sit where
Tall passengers: exit row or bulkhead, if the airline doesn't charge too much. Anxious flyers: over the wing, near the front. Sleepers: window, with a jacket as a pillow, if they don't mind asking neighbours to move. Families with small children: the aisle on a short flight, a block of seats together on a long one.
Recline is a small social negotiation. If you recline, do it slowly, and not during meals. If you're behind someone who reclines fully, a polite word works better than kicking the seat. Honestly, on a short flight I tend to leave mine upright, because the gain is a couple of degrees and the cost is somebody's laptop.
Free seat selection is worth using. Choose at check-in if you can, and check the map again a day before the flight, because seats get released.
My own habit is an aisle in the front third on a short trip and a window on an overnight one. It's not a rule. Once you've tried each position on a few flights, you'll know which suits you.
