How To Book the Seat With the Most Legroom Each and Every Time You Fly

I’m 5’2” when I’m lying, and 5’1” when I’m telling the truth. Regardless of whether I’m fibbing or not, legroom on an airplane doesn’t cross my mind. But for taller folks, a few extra inches of space for your lower limbs in cabin can make all of the difference between flying in comfort and feeling cramped. As such, learning how to book a seat with legroom is an important travel skill to have. 

If you fall into this categoy, you should know that some airlines provide more room than others. For example, Spirit comes in at 28 inches, Southwest and JetBlue have stood firm between 32 and 34 inches for their economy passengers, whereas, Delta goes between 30 and 32 inches, while American and United stand at 31 inches. 

There are sites like Seat Guru that allow you to look up specific flights and see the layout and legroom of the aircraft. However, TikToker Zachary Burrabel has found an even easier way to find the seat with the most legroom on your particular flight. 

Using the Chrome extension, Legrooms for Google Flights, he was able to see the legroom for flights from JetBlue, United, and Delta that costs the same price ($153) traveling between Los Angeles to New York. Adding. “It tells you how much legroom you’re going to have,” Burrabel explains in the video. The extension takes it one step further for business class passengers by showing whether you’d be able to lie flat or have to sit upright.

5 other ways for tall people to travel in comfort

1. Score the exit row

Back in the day, scoring the extra row was more of a first-come-first-served situation, but today, these seats are a high commodity and generally come with additional charges. The good news is that many airlines hold a few of these seats until check-in closes. Get to check-in as early as possible and ask the agent if there’s any availability. (Beware, they may still charge you a fee here.)

A better option is to speak to the gate agent, according to TikTok flight attendant, Holden Pattern, who says it’s possible to get a complimentary upgrade this way. Obviously, choose your timing wisely. Asking when they’re dealing with five other frustrated passengers isn’t going to work in your favor. And if that doesn’t work, Holden shares you can also ask a flight attendant on board, but wait until boarding is complete.

2. Choose your flight time and day wisely

The more crowded the plane, the more uncomfortable the flight. Traveling off-season, mid-week, and even mid-day will allow you more room to spread out and not be so cramped. If you’re traveling with another person and the plane doesn’t appear too full, book an aisle and window seat. While not necessarily guaranteed, if all does go to plan, people will avoid booking the middle seat between you—giving you extra room.

3. Use your points to upgrade

Even upgrading to Economy Plus is worth the splurge, as some airlines have an extra four to five inches of legroom in this section. Using points for travel upgrades is a great way to get around paying more out of pocket. If you don’t fly often so don’t get to collect points via travel, consider a travel credit card that will automatically earn you points while you shop for everyday items.