'Perfect' Plane Seat Pinpointed: Where Do You Prefer to Sit on an Airplane?

These days—unless you’re flying first class—airplane travel is bound to be at least somewhat uncomfortable. But, getting the seat of your choice can make the journey more tolerable. And according to a recent study by Skyscanner, there is one seat in particular that passengers are desperate to claim.

6A, which the travel search site deemed “the perfect seat” on a standard airplane, is located by the window in the front section. (The study excluded seats with extra legroom.) Of those surveyed, 45% said that they prefer to sit in the first six rows and almost 60% said that they prefer to sit by the window.

40% of passengers said that when given the choice they opt for the aisle seat. Less than 1% prefer to sit in the middle seat. (Honestly, we’re shocked that anyone would choose the middle seat willingly!) 62% of respondents prefer an even seat number and 7% said they would choose the back row. Skyscanner proclaimed 31E, a middle seat near the back, to be “the worst seat” on the plane.

The site’s travel editor, Sam Baldwin, gave his thoughts on why individual passengers prefer specific airplane seats. “Anecdotally some passengers seem to opt for the middle section near the wings where they are less likely to feel turbulence while others want to be near the front for ease of getting off the plane, less engine noise or even to get a better choice of food available,” he said.

“The window seems a popular choice for those looking to sleep, especially for long haul flights, while those who take more trips to the toilet prefer to aisle so as not to disturb fellow passengers and the aisle is also popular for tall passengers looking to stretch their legs. Frequent fliers have also reported that the left hand side of the plane is best as the windows are off centre, allowing for wall space to lean on,” added Baldwin.

What about you SodaHeads? Excluding first class and seats with extra legroom, where do you prefer to sit on a standard airplane?