Where to Sit: Choosing Your Seat as a Nervous Flyer

Choose for Comfort, Not Safety

Many nervous flyers ask, "Which seat is safest?" The honest answer is that it doesn't really matter. Flying is so safe that where you sit makes no meaningful difference. The US aviation regulator, the FAA, has said there is no safest seat.

People have tried to rank seats, but serious events are so rare that the numbers are far too small to show a real difference. So pick the seat that helps you feel calm.

For a Smoother Ride: Over the Wings

In bumpy air, a plane moves a little like a seesaw, pivoting around its balance point near the wings. The closer you sit to that point, the less movement you feel. Seats over the wings, or just in front of them, usually feel steadiest. The back of the plane tends to feel the most motion.

If You Feel Shut In: an Aisle Seat

An aisle seat means you can stand up and stretch without asking anyone to move. Rows near the front feel more open, and you'll be off the plane sooner. Read more about feeling trapped on a plane.

If a View Helps: a Window Seat

A window gives you the horizon to look at and a wall to lean against. You can open or close the blind to suit you. Some nervous flyers find watching the wings reassuring, while others prefer not to look. Both are fine.

For Less Noise: Towards the Front

On most airliners the engines hang under the wings, so seats in front of them are quieter. Seats at the back are closer to the engine roar, the galley and the toilets.

A Note on Exit Rows

Exit rows have extra legroom, but they come with a job. You must be willing and able to help open the exit if the crew ever asked, and you'll be asked to confirm this. If that thought would worry you, simply choose a different row.

Quick Guide

• Smoothest: over the wings
• Least shut in: an aisle seat near the front
• Best view: a window seat
• Quietest: in front of the wings
• Most legroom: an exit row, if you're happy with the responsibility

Sources

• Refinery29 (2017), Where is the safest place to sit on an airplane? — the FAA's statement that "there is no safest seat": https://www.refinery29.com/2017/04/152025/safest-place-to-sit-on-airplane
• AFAR, Is there a safest seat on an airplane? — why the numbers are too small to rank seats: https://www.afar.com/magazine/what-are-the-safest-seats-on-airplanes
• AFAR, I hate turbulence. Where should I sit on the plane? — a 737 captain on the seats nearest the wings: https://afar.com/magazine/how-to-minimize-turbulence-best-seats-and-flight-tips
• FAA, 14 CFR 121.585 — Exit seating: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/section-121.585