This Is The Best Seat On The Plane, According To Flight Attendants

Key Points

Flight attendants favor exit row window seats for the extra legroom, quiet surroundings, and a better chance at restful travel.

Sitting over the wing, especially in the exit row, offers a smoother ride thanks to added stability during turbulence.

Window seats in the front half of the plane are preferred for quicker boarding and deplaning, while spots near the galley or lavatory are best avoided.

Flight attendants log more air miles in a month than most of us do in a year (or even a lifetime), so it’s safe to say they know a thing or two about flying comfortably.

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When they’re not serving snacks or navigating turbulence, flight attendants are quietly clocking the best places to sit, where the legroom’s actually decent, and which spots you’ll want to avoid if you’re hoping to sleep or deplane quickly.

So we asked current and former flight attendants to spill: Where do they choose to sit when they’re off duty and flying as passengers? Their answers might just change how you book your next trip.

Exit Row Seats Get High Marks

Several former flight attendants named the exit row window seat—often labeled 21A or 21F on narrow-body jets—as their top pick.

“The exit row window is my absolute favorite,” says Miriam Lawson, a former flight attendant based in Atlanta, Georgia. “The extra legroom is heavenly during long flights, and being on the left side of the plane meant I wasn’t in the direct path of beverage service, which typically starts on the right. It’s quieter, and you can rest more easily with the wall beside you.”

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Dionne Mitchell, who flew with Emirates before transitioning to humanitarian work, agrees. “I always liked 6A or 6F—seats just behind business class or in the front of economy—but the exit row is a close second when I need more room to stretch out.”

Nathalie Bennett, a former flight attendant with an international carrier, says passengers often overlook the seat alignment benefits in the exit row. “The seat often lines up in a way where no one can recline into your space, and you can lean against the window without anyone disturbing you,” she explains. “Plus, you get early boarding and access to dedicated overhead bin space.”

Over The Wing Means Less Turbulence

Beyond legroom and quiet corners, there’s another reason flight attendants love sitting in the exit row: It’s typically located over the wing, which offers a smoother ride.

“The wing provides structural support that helps stabilize turbulence,” explains Kaz Marzo, a former flight attendant who now works in aviation operations. “It’s the smoothest ride you’ll get in economy.”

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Kaz also highlights the practical benefits. “Exit row seats are a sweet spot: You board in an earlier group, exit quickly, and avoid the crowds near the galley and lavatory.”

A Few General Rules To Fly By

Across all their answers, a few themes emerged. Flight attendants overwhelmingly prefer window seats for rest, privacy, and a surface to lean against. Seats in the front half of the aircraft win points for faster boarding and deplaning. Exit rows are popular for legroom and turbulence control, while aisle seats near the galley or lavatory were universally avoided.

So if you're wondering where to sit the next time you fly, take it from the pros: row 6 or 21A just might be the sweet spot, and it could make your journey a whole lot more comfortable.

Read the original article on Southern Living