I recently booked a business class flight from Vancouver to Toronto and asked about the aircraft type before purchasing the ticket. The Air Canada representative paused, looked at the screen, and advised me to take the A321. Thank you, but I'll decline. The A321's small business class cabin has 2×2 seats with a 5-inch (12.7 cm) recline. I asked the agent to find an alternative flight on the same day. She found the plane departing on a Boeing 777 30 minutes later. The business class cabin on this aircraft had pods with fully reclining seats and was similarly priced. It was an easy choice.
Are you curious? How to get the best seat on a plane When you or your travel agent book a flight? Here are some tools to help you find the best seat on your flight:
know your plane
To get the best seat on a plane, it helps to know your specific aircraft's equipment. If you don't know this information yourself, check the airline's website for information about the aircraft and associated seat maps. If possible, the seat map should provide the airplane size and configuration, including number of classes, seat details (width, recline, pitch), lavatories, galleys, etc.
Use SeatGuru
SeatGuru, owned by TripAdvisor, is a comprehensive website with airline seat maps by date and flight number, details about each seat, and seat reviews submitted by passengers. Even if you're familiar with what your airline offers, check SeatGuru's seat map before making your choice. The SeatGuru website is my favorite tool for figuring out how to get the best seat on a plane. Avoid window seats with no windows, seats with limited backrest adjustment, and seats with limited legroom.
You can also use SeatGuru comparison charts to research seat comfort and amenities on different airlines before booking your tickets.
Reserve your desired seat
When booking a flight, be sure to request the seat you want or select it directly on the airline's website. Please select your seat as soon as possible. If your preferred seat is not available, please check with your airline regularly before your flight and upon arrival at the airport. Seat assignments are flexible and availability may change prior to travel.
Some airlines charge passengers a fee for seat selection. I always consider the length of the trip and the number of passengers before deciding whether to pay this additional fee. If it's a short flight with a reasonable number of empty seats, you pay next to nothing. But if it's a long, busy flight, you'll often pay a little more for your preferred seat. You can get an idea of how busy a flight will be by checking the seat maps on the airline's website.
Even if you have reserved a specific seat, the airline has the right to reassign your seat, so please double-check your seat assignment when checking in for your flight.
Do you have any tips to add to this article about how to get the best seats on a plane?
You might also like to read about the differences between the Lufthansa A330 and 747-8i first class cabins here.