Which airline has the best economy seats and how to get more legroom for free

There can be as much as four inches more legroom on some short-haul airlines than others.

Take a trip to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, and you could have a relatively comfortable 32-inch seat-pitch on some planes - that's the best seats you can get in economy class on short-haul. On a Wizz Air flight to the same city, it could be as little as 28 inches.

Loganair is the only other carrier we looked at where you're guaranteed at least 30 inches, according to airline cabin analyst AeroLOPA. 

For long-haul, where you might be more worried about space to stretch your legs, most carriers have a 31-inch seat pitch – and none have less. 

Emirates, Qantas, Singapore and Tui have up to 32 inches – while Etihad is between 31 and 33 inches.

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How wide is your airline seat?

If seat width is important, you might want to consider whether you'll be flying on a Boeing or Airbus, as the latter usually has wider seats. 

AeroLOPA says that, while airlines have a lot of discretion in the seat pitch they give you – width is set by the aircraft manufacturer. Airbus has 18-inch wide seats on its wide-body planes – the ones typically used for long-haul – and only slightly less on the narrow-body planes used for short-haul.

Boeing seats are 17 inches wide on short haul and only a fraction wider than that on long-haul in most cases. The exceptions are some Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner models, as well as older 747s, which may have seats in the 18-inch to 18.5-inch range.

Some airlines, such as American and Tui are exclusively Boeing – so their standard economy seats are mostly 17 inches. Most other airlines, such as British Airways, have a mixture of Boeing and Airbus aeroplanes.

If you think plane seats are shrinking, you're right. AeroLOPA says that, 10 or 15 years ago, widths of 18 inches were standard. A Boeing 777 would have seats nine-abreast, with 18.5-inch wide seats. They're now 10-abreast. The first Boeing 787 Dreamliners were eight-abreast, but most – with the exception of Japan Airlines – have now increased them to nine-abreast, with correspondingly reduced seat width.

Which airline has the smallest seat pitch?

The short-haul carriers in our annual airlines survey with the smallest economy class seat pitch are Jet2, KLM, Lufthansa, Ryanair, SAS, TAP Portugal, Vueling and Wizz Air – all of which have at least some seats with just a 28-inch seat pitch. However, KLM also has economy seats on some planes of up to 32 inches.

BA has a seat pitch of 29-30 inches on its short-haul flights, easyJet 29 inches and Ryanair 28-30 inches.

When thinking about seat pitch, it's worth considering whether you'll need to shove a bag under the seat in front of you, which will considerably reduce your legroom. Airlines that include more cabin luggage in the price – such as BA or Jet2 – may be a better bet than those that don't.

Finally, seat comfort is not just about the seat pitch but also the quality of the seat itself, such as the padding. In our annual airlines survey, no short-haul airlines stood out for seat comfort – but some were better than others. Ryanair got just one star. For long-haul, the best airlines – Emirates, Etihad and Singapore – got four stars for seat comfort, while the worst airlines – such as Aer Lingus and United – got two stars. Turkish also got two stars for its long-haul flights, where its seat pitch for long-haul is similar to that on its shorter hops.

Long-haul airlines' legroom compared 

On long-haul, Etihad has seat pitches of 31-33 inches, although a 31-inch pitch is more commonly found. Some airlines have a 32-inch seat pitch on some flights – Air Canada,  Delta, Emirates, Qantas, Qatar, Singapore and Tui. However, Tui's all-Boeing fleet for long-haul flights has a width that is 17 inches – rather than the 18 inches that's standard on Airbus. 

Ryanair vs easyJet vs short-haul airlines' legroom compared

Don’t assume that a higher fare will always get you more space in economy. There's very little difference between the seat pitch on budget flights and that on more expensive carriers.

See which carrier scored best for seat comfort in our survey of the best and worst airlines.

Does Wizz Air have small seats on long-haul flights?

While Wizz Air is rated as a short-haul airline, it's increasingly launching midrange routes, such as to Saudi Arabia. The flight time from London to Jeddah is six hours 35 minutes. 

That is a very long time to be sitting in a 28-29-inch pitch seat, especially if you have a bag crammed in under the seat in front. 

Is it worth upgrading to premium economy?

One way to get a bit more room on most airlines is to upgrade. However, our research in 2025 found that Premium Economy tickets can be more than twice as expensive than economy – and passengers who paid the extra cost weren't always convinced it was good value.

There are more tips in our how to save money on Premium Economy.

How to get more legroom in economy class for free

Do your research

AeroLOPA lets you compare the seat sizes of hundreds of airlines, from economy to first class. Before booking, check which carrier has the biggest seats and weigh that against the cost of your ticket.

Sit on the right (on some flights)

Some airlines have removed front storage lockers to squeeze in another row of paying passengers on the plane. The result is that seats towards the front of the plane aren't actually the same size, with those on the right (seats D, E and F) often offering between an extra half-inch to an inch of legroom vs those on the left. Many of these seats are standard seats, so you may be randomly assigned them for free – and, if not, they will be the cheapest category of seats to buy. 

Almost all of Ryanair’s planes are Boeing 737s. AeroLOPA’s seat plans show that seats D, E and F in rows 3-15 are the roomiest standard seats on the plane in both possible configurations. Wait to see if you’re randomly assigned these seats for free – and, if not, it costs as little as £10 to pick one. 

If you’re flying with easyJet to the likes of Tenerife and Lanzarote from Gatwick on one of its newer planes - the Airbus A321neo - choose the right-hand seats (D, E and F) near the front (rows 3-13) for a 29-inch seat pitch.

EasyJet told us last year that you’ll get a full inch more than on the left (rows 6-17 ABC) or at the back of the plane (rows 30-40), which both offer a knee-grazing 28 inches.

An increasing number of airlines have asymmetrical aircraft like this. To find out if your flight fits the bill, type your destination and dates into Google Flights to find the model number. Then use seat plan experts AeroLOPA.

Consider a bulkhead

These are the spots directly behind the walls, curtains or screens sectioning off the plane. With no row in front, you won’t have another passenger reclining into your lap, and you may bag some extra legroom, too. Just bear in mind that these seats can be narrower if tray tables are stowed in the armrest. 

Late check-in

Those who don’t pay to pick a seat on budget airlines can check in from 24 hours to two hours before departure. The theory goes that the least desirable middle seats are allocated first because the airlines hope customers will change their minds and pay to upgrade. 

The longer you wait, the more likely it is that aisle and window seats will open up. Plus, any seats still empty are likely to stay that way, meaning you might be able to commandeer a whole row to yourself.

Just don’t cut it so fine that you miss your flight altogether. Remember, some flight check-ins close three hours before departure, such as Wizz Air, plus on any flight, the later you leave it to check in, the more likely you might be put into a standby queue if the flight is full.

If you don't ask, you don't get

If your flight takes off with empty seats, ask a member of staff if you can move. If you have a reason for needing extra space – for example, you’re tall or pregnant – even better. 

Choose the tail end 

Planes taper off towards the rear, which sometimes means fewer seats to the row – and potentially more space (although you might be near the loos and the queue).

For instance, on BA’s most common long-haul plane, the Boeing 777, the back rows are in pairs – perfect for couples. 

But on most configurations of BA’s main short-haul plane, the Airbus A320, tail tapering leads to an inch less legroom at the back. If you can, avoid row 30 and its tight 28-inch seat pitch.

Avoid the middle seat

If you’re travelling in a pair, reserve the aisle and window seats. A solo traveller will only book the dreaded middle seat if they have to, so you could score an empty seat between you. If your plan is foiled, it’s likely the interloper will be only too happy to swap.

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