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Spoiler alert: Bulkhead seats and exit rows shouldn’t always be your top choice.
1. Better legroom
If you want to stretch out, youโll have more space to spread in the exit row, which is roomier to allow people to get in and out in case of an emergency. But be careful which one you pickโthe front row doesnโt recline, but the back exit row does, says Richard Laermer, CEO of RLM PR, who travels every week for business. โThey can recline because the person behind them isnโt an exiting person, so they arenโt responsible for the whole airplane,โ he says. Save yourself from a stiff-backed flight by finding an exit seat in the row farthest back. As a bonus, the middle seat will likely be open for grabs right up until check-in, because most fliers avoid middle seats, regardless of the extra legroom an exit row seat could offer, says Lewis Krell, director of business development for Utrip.
2. Sound sleep
Planning to get some shut-eye on your flight? Restful sleep is rare on a plane, but snagging a window seat can up your chances of actually catching some Zs because you can lean against the side of the plane, says Greg Geronemus, the co-CEO of smarTours. โItโs easier than trying to fall asleep on a neck pillow while basically sitting upright,โ he says. โYou can also control your light exposure.โ Avoid the last row of the plane, which usually wonโt recline, and get a seat closer to the middle of the plane instead to avoid disruptive foot traffic to the bathroom, says Krell.
3. More elbow room
If airplane seats make you feel constrained, more room to move your arms might make you more comfortable, says Dan Suski, founder of Seatlink.com. โThe window seat in window exit rows is often missing an armrest, so while the seat cushion is the same width, you have more space to move around,โ he says. On the flip side, because bulkhead seats don’t have a row in front of them, their tray tables are attached to the armrests, meaning you won’t be able to move the armrest down, he says.
4. Baby on board
Sit near the back of the plane if youโve got babies or small children in tow, suggests Corinne McDermott, founder of HaveBabyWillTravel.com. โUsually the restrooms with change tables are located at the back of the plane, and you will be close to the galley if you require hot water or any assistance from the flight attendants,โ she says. Or try snagging a bulkhead seat, which gives you more room to maneuver a car seat, she says, and because it faces a wall instead of seats, the carrier wonโt get in the way of other passengers trying to recline their seats back.
5. Settling down multiple kids
Kids often stay calmer during flights if they arenโt sitting next to other children, says Laermer. โIf you get those kids separated, they tend to just sit there and read or watch TV,โ he says. โThey act like total independent travelers.โ If you have more than one kid, have your partner or an older child sit with one, while you sit with another.