If you’ve flown with more than one airline in your lifetime, you’ll know that not all airline seats are built the same. A Spirit flight in economy is very different from a business class seat on Lufthansa. One charges you for an in-flight beverage and the other brings you champagne at your beck and call. That’s why finding honest airline seat reviews is so important.
Seat comfort can make or break a trip so we did the research to figure out which airlines have the best plane seats and which ones have the worst seats. There are a few key factors that can influence seat comfort—and it’s not just the size of the seat. Here are a few of the factors we took into account while making our airline seat reviews list:
Seat width and pitch
Seat width is straight forward and seat pitch, if you haven’t heard of it, is the distance from one row to the next. Airlines are not required to follow any standards for minimum airplane seat pitch, so this can greatly affect your seat comfort, especially if someone reclines their seat back. For the premium seats, we also take into account how far back the seats can recline and if the seats are suites or flat beds that can become completely horizontal.
Power port access and seatback devices
Access to power ports is especially important during long-haul flights. You don’t want your phone to die halfway through a flight and have to charge up at the airport when you land.
In-flight entertainment can be crucial for a comfortable flight as well. The best airlines provide personal video screens on the seat in front of you and are loaded up with all the best new releases in film and television. Though this is a lot more common now, some airlines don’t have any entertainment at all (which seems criminal if you ask me).
WiFi access
Internet connectivity is not important to everyone but if you’re flying for work or taking off on a long-haul flight, you want to be able to connect to a reliable WiFi network. And, because airlines know they are your only choice for WiFi in the sky, they can afford to charge flyers as much as they want. We took into account both the reliability of the service and price when tabulating our airline seat reviews of which airlines have the best plane seats and worst seats.
We are going to be taking a look at economy class seats and premium long-haul seats. It should be noted that we are categorizing long-haul as a flight more than six hours. Let’s dive in, or rather, prepare for takeoff.
The best coach seats
If you’re like me, you mostly fly economy and look for the cheapest flight. However, not all economy seats are built equal. These are some of the best economy seats out there.
Delta’s free WiFi perk
Delta might have messed up this year with some of its rewards changes, but they do provide some of the best economy seats in the game. Their standard Boeing 767 seats have a pitch of 38 inches and all the seats have laptop power and WiFi is free for SkyMiles members, which is free to join.
ANA turns economy seats into business-class luxury
ANA, or All Nippon Airways, might be an airline you’ve only heard of if you’ve visited Asia but the airline has truly impressive economy seats. ANA’s Airbus A380 has the widest economy seat pitch at 62 inches, plus all of the seats have setback TVs, laptop power, and WiFi is available. Perhaps most impressive, however, is that you can convert your seat into a lie-flat seat with the ANA COUCHii that the airlines designed. If that’s not enough, the airline provides gourmet-level meals even in economy.
Singapore Airlines provides world-class service even in economy
It’s no wonder that Singapore Airlines won an award for the best cabin crew in 2024. That combined with their top-rated onboard catering has earned them a spot on our list. Even in economy, the airline provides amenities you’d typically only see in business class like hot towel services, socks, toothbrushes, and eye shades. They also allow passengers in all cabins to order premixed cocktails with their meals. They prove that sometimes service is more important than seat width.
The worst coach seats
If you’re looking for airline seat reviews with the best plane seats, you’ll need to weed out the worst ones. There are a lot of pretty abysmal coach seats out there. Most of the airlines with rough economy seats are ones you’ve likely never heard of since they are small regional carriers, so we will focus on ones you may be more likely to encounter flying within or out of the US. I know most of us will skimp out on comfort to save a buck or two, but here are some seats to actively avoid:
Condor’s tiny seats
Condor’s Boeing 757-300 seats have some of the smallest pitch seats at only 29 inches. They also provide no laptop or phone power, or WiFi. They do have an overhead TV but that doesn’t seem like much of a plus, if you ask me.
Virgin Atlantic’s lackluster economy offering
One I was surprised to see on this airplane seat reviews list was Virgin Atlantic. Similarly to Condor, the Virgin Atlantic Airbus A330-300 has a seat pitch of only 29-30 inches. And, while they do provide WiFi, there’s no seat power, so you might avoid using your phone anyway.
The three horsemen of the flying apocalypse
In my opinion, Wizzair, Frontier, and Spirit all tie for the worst for their 28-inch seat pitch, lack of power, lack of in-flight entertainment or WiFi, and most of all because of their very pesky rules around personal item sizes and carry-on fees. Will I still fly with them sometimes? Yes, but only on a short-haul, direct flight for a short weekend trip.
The best premium seats
Generally, business class and first class seats are far more comfortable than economy seats and they include other amenities like more degrees of recline and additional seat controls like leg rests and lumbar support. They can also include larger personal screens, amenity kits, and premium food and beverages—just to name a few things.
Qatar Airways QSuites: Perfect for privacy
There is little competition when it comes to the best long-haul premium seats. Our airline seat reviews list names Qatar Airways QSuites as the top choice. These are the best plane seats for privacy as they are completely closed suites that provide full privacy. With a seat pitch of 103, you can fully lie down and enjoy total peace and quiet. This includes a bespoke turndown service, quilted mattress, and sleepwear. In the suites, you’ll also enjoy on-demand TV, power ports, and WiFi for only $10. QSuite flyers also receive an exclusive Diptyque amenity kit for the long journey and gourmet dining service.
Singapore Airlines Suites: The ultimate luxury
Singapore Airlines is known for its unreal premium seat offerings. It has won countless best plane seats awards and it is easy to see why. The Airbus A380-800 seats are closed seats with a seat pitch of 81 inches. But, for me, the most impressive things are the lavish amenity kits and the spacious lavatories that look like a spa.
Many have coveted flying in Singapore Airlines’s business class seats and I’m here to tell you it’s not as hard to do as you think. Though the airline doesn’t allow travelers to book premium fares with miles from other airlines, being an Aeroplan member is the exception so make sure you join that program.
And, don’t worry if you don’t fly with Air Canada/Aeroplan frequently. You can still transfer points to your Aeroplan account from cards like this one, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Card, or the Bilt Card.
Turkish Airlines Business Class
Turkish Airlines has to make our airline seat reviews list as one of the best plane seats on the market list, not only for its luxury service but also for the lounge access you get by flying in business class. We’ll be focusing on the Boeing 777-300ER plane that comes with a flatbed seat, on-demand TV, and a 78-inch seat pitch. The amenities are top-notch and the airline has in-flight chefs that prepare your food mid-flight, making it feel like a restaurant in the sky. But, if that’s not enough, business class passengers also get access to the famous Turkish Airlines lounge when they arrive at the airport so that you can fuel up there as well. Take a look at some of their lounges around the world.
The worst premium airplane seats
When I started researching the worst premium seats, I thought it would be difficult to find any premium seat that looked horrible. If you’re paying for a premium seat, even the worst premium seat should be better than the best plane seat in economy. Well, I was wrong. Some airlines get away with naming and pricing some of their seats at a premium when they could hardly pass for economy. Here are some sneaky ones to look out for:
Condor leaves a lot to be desired
Condor’s Premium Economy seats on their Boeing 757-300 planes are largely unimpressive as well. Their seat pitch comes in at 29, which is only one inch wider than the worst economy seats. They don’t provide any power to the seat or WiFi and only offer an overhead TV. It’s almost criminal that they call it a premium economy seat.
You can hardly call these American and Hawaiian Airlines flights “premium”
American and Hawaiian Airlines—more specifically the Airbus A321neo. Both of these flights provide seat power and a portable device for videos but the real issue is the seat pitch. These are considered first class seats but the seat pitch is between 37-39 inches. And, while that’s much larger than most regular economy seats, keep in mind that you’re paying a premium here. And, it’s even more staggering that these two airlines have the smallest seat pitch for a long-haul first class flight, when the next smallest is 51 inches with Japan Airlines.
Turkish Airlines falls short just this once
Turkish Airlines also has an Airbus A330-200 that leaves something to be desired, to say the least. While their suites and other business class offerings are above and beyond, this particular layout is unacceptable for business class. The seats are only 32-33 inches in pitch and there is no entertainment, seat power, or WiFi. Worst of all, it’s a regular recliner seat—no extra wiggle room for you to lay back and relax.
If you’re ever curious to see what your specific aircraft is like onboard, we recommend using a site like Seat Guru to get all the specifics on your seat. Remember, sometimes it’s worth it to pay more for extra comfort or, even better, use your credit card points to splurge on a better flying experience.
