In 2022, a new startup airline called Norse Atlantic Airways launched cheap flights between Europe and the US, operating Boeing 787 Dreamliners equipped only with economy and premium economy seats.
02.08.2024 - 20:21 / cntraveler.com
Picking a seat on a plane can often feel like a Goldilocks dilemma to me. That aisle seat that's way up front, so I can get off quickly and not miss my connection, but will likely mean my shoulder gets knocked against each time someone passes by. A window seat that's too far back but is also on the right—and I know I sleep better when I lean in that direction. From the minute I book a flight until the final seconds before boarding, I find myself pulling up the airplane seat map to reassess my options for finding a seat that is “just right.”
But where exactly on an aircraft is that coveted “perfect” seat located? To find out, Austin-based travel research company Upgraded Points surveyed 3,142 US passengers in 44 states from June 14 to 21 of this year, asking them to identify their top seat selection on a Boeing 737-800 airplane seat map with a single aisle 2-2 seat configuration in first class and 3-3 configuration in economy.
“One of the most surprising insights we found is that people like a variety of seats across the plane, with no single seat being overwhelmingly preferred,” Upgraded Points’ founder and CEO Alex Miller tells Condé Nast Traveler. While bulkhead seats (the first row right after a wall), exit rows, and window seats were generally preferred, the biggest takeaway is that personal preferences vary.
Here are some of the most fascinating results from the study, including whether or not fliers think it's rude to recline their seat back.
The top four seats fliers preferred were all bulkhead window seats, with 5.96% of respondents choosing 1A in first class (the first row; window seat on the left). The second and third choices went to the window bulkhead seats in economy—5.68% of respondents chose the right side and 5.63% chose the left. The fourth most-preferred seat was back in first class, with 4.3% selecting the right-side window bulkhead.
Of the top 10 seat choices, 8 went to window seats—and overall, 66.1% of respondents chose those seats with a view. Just under a third of travelers are aisle lovers with 31.7% of respondents selecting aisle seats. And while that middle seat might feel like a punishment to many, it also has its fans, with 1.7% of respondents actually prefering being in the middle.
Like the majority of travelers, I've always been a window seat fan. Not only can I create my own little alcove against the wall, but I love the views. While I have dipped into aisle seating a few times recently, I constantly felt like I was being brushed up against, never able to fully settle in and relax. Oftentimes, aisle seats are believed to have more legroom, but even at 5-foot-6, I somehow always find myself sticking out into the aisle.
As seen in the top four seat choices, fliers want
In 2022, a new startup airline called Norse Atlantic Airways launched cheap flights between Europe and the US, operating Boeing 787 Dreamliners equipped only with economy and premium economy seats.
As the days turn shorter and the world begins to cool, travelers everywhere begin to consider where they should visit next.
Riots have erupted throughout England and Northern Ireland over the past week in the wake of the killing of three children in a small town near Liverpool.A 17-year-old attacked the children with a knife while they attended a dance class. In addition to three dead, eight other kids were wounded in the incident, per media reports.While the alleged perpetrator was born and raised in Britain, rumors had initially circulated on social media that the individual was an immigrant. Since then, more than 400 people have been arrested in connection with violent riots taking place and the U.K.’s National Police Chiefs’ Council has implemented a “united and robust policing response” throughout the country.The riots in the country started in Southport, England, but have since spread to Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Leeds, Belfast, London, and other locations. Media reports have also indicated that the protestors have expressed anti-immigration and Islamophobic sentiments during the riots. Amid these protests, the media has released images of police in riot gear and backdrops of smoke and fire. And now, a flurry of countries have begun issuing travel advisories for the U.K. In an update issued as of August 5, Australia is recommending that its citizens “exercise a high degree of caution” when traveling to the United Kingdom. “Avoid areas where protests are occurring due to the potential for disruption and violence,” says the Australia advisory. “Monitor the media for information and updates. Follow the instructions of local authorities.” Additionally, the UAE, Nigeria, Malaysia, India, and Indonesia have issued new U.K. travel warnings amid the spate of violence.While the United States has not yet released its own updated advisory for the U.K., American travelers may naturally be wondering whether it’s safe to visit at the moment.
You don’t hear about Central Florida very often, and when you do, chances are it has something to do with Walt Disney World. But just over an hour north of the famed resort complex is the mid-sized city of Ocala, a destination bursting with superlatives, including “America’s largest spring” and “horse capital of the world.”
Tom Hatfield, 74, spent the first 60 years of his life living in Louisiana. However, after traveling extensively over the last few years, the retiree has visited all 50 states and is set to visit his last few national parks this year.
Heartland Travel, purveyors of private tours of Scotland, has partnered with Scotland Folk Tours to deliver a one-of-a-kind tour experience.
Fatigue, irritability, dehydration, brain fog: these are just a few of the unpleasant side effects of taking a far-flung trip, though even jumping a couple of time zones within the United States can wreak havoc on energy levels. Purported remedies for jet lag abound, but here are a few tried-and-true methods that can help you feel better faster — without drinking multiple espressos upon landing.
Alaska Airlines was the most on-time carrier in North America in July in a month that saw mass flight delays due to the fallout from the CrowdStrike IT outage.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Charissa Enget, a content creator and cybersecurity architect who gained her graduate degree in Thailand. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Offering business class flights at a fraction of the cost, this airline says it’s creating a new niche in luxury travel.
The next U.S. president is going to preside over the one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and can influence how many travelers from abroad can come to the U.S.
At long last, August’s buzzed-above and powerful interstellar marvel is here. The Perseids, considered one of the brightest meteor showers of the year, could bring dozens upon dozens of shooting stars, and even vibrant fireballs, to our skies mid-month.