Your seat has a lot to do with how you arrive. On a two-hour flight it hardly matters. On a long-haul flight it makes a big difference whether you can sleep by the window or sit next to the toilets, which are busy all night. A few rules help you find the seat that suits you.
Window, aisle or middle?
The first question is simple. Do you want to sleep and look out, or be able to get up at any time?
| Seat | Good for | Less good for |
|---|---|---|
| Window | Sleeping with your head against the side, the view, quiet | Getting up often |
| Aisle | Long legs, getting up without asking, getting off quickly | Light sleepers, as others need to get past |
| Middle | Families and couples who want to sit together | Almost everyone else |
On long-haul flights many aircraft have three blocks of seats. Travelling as a couple, the rows with two seats at the sides are often the most comfortable choice. No stranger sits between you.
Front, middle or back?
The front section is quieter because the engines are behind you. You get off first and reach passport control sooner. Meals usually arrive here first, with more choice.
Over the wings you feel turbulence least, because the aircraft’s centre of gravity is here. For nervous flyers this is the best area. The view down, though, is partly blocked by the wing.
The rear section is louder, and movements are more noticeable. On flights that are not full, however, this is where seats are most likely to stay free. With a little luck you get a whole row to yourself.
More legroom: exit rows and front rows
Rows by the emergency exits offer much more legroom. Special rules apply. You must be able to help in an emergency and understand the crew’s language, and you may not keep your hand luggage in front of you. In some rows just in front of an exit, the seat back does not recline.
The first row of a cabin section has a wall in front instead of a seat. The armrests are fixed because the tray table is stored inside them. There is no space under a seat in front, so your bag goes in the overhead locker for take-off. On long-haul flights the baby cots are fitted here. That is ideal for parents. For everyone else it sometimes means a restless night.
Seats to avoid
The last row has a catch. There is often a wall behind it, so the seat back barely reclines, if at all. Toilets and galley are right next to it, and it is rarely quiet.
Seats right by the toilets and by galleys in the middle of the plane are also more restless. The light keeps going on, and people wait in the aisle. And some window seats really do have no window. A look at the seat map before booking helps you spot such seats.
What choosing a seat costs
With many airlines, choosing a seat is not included in the cheapest fares. For a standard seat you then pay a few euros, and much more for an exit row or front row. On long-haul flights it quickly runs into double figures per flight. It adds up.
There is a simple way to save this. At online check-in, 24 to 48 hours before departure depending on the airline, you can usually choose for free from the seats still free. By then, though, the popular seats are often gone. If you really want a particular seat, reserve it straight away.
Families: sitting together
If you travel with children, reserve seats when you book if you can. Many airlines seat children next to an adult anyway, but you should not rely on it. Especially on night flights it is much more relaxed for everyone if the child sits right next to a parent, rather than between two strangers who would like to sleep. With a baby, ask early for a front-row seat with a cot. There are only a few of them.
Tips for a good seat
- Look at the seat map: before choosing, check the seat map for your aircraft type. It shows where windows are missing or seats do not recline.
- Check in early: set a reminder for when online check-in opens.
- Ask at the airport: at the desk there are sometimes still free exit-row seats that have not been assigned.
- Move after take-off: if the plane is not full, you can often move to a free seat after take-off. Ask the crew first.
flug-123.de editorial team, updated 10 November 2026. We review our guides regularly. Rules can change. If in doubt, the details in your booking apply.
