Ah, the joys of flying in business class—a rare treat for my wife Sharon and me. But even with all the perks and luxury, there’s one decision we can’t avoid: where do we sit? Do we both go for window seats for extra privacy and soak up the views? Or should we stick to the middle seats to chat and share the experience? Maybe split the difference with a window and an aisle seat?
It’s a small but surprisingly tricky dilemma, and over the years, we’ve tried every option. Here’s how those choices played out on some of our past flights—including what we decided for our big adventure on Singapore Airlines’ A350-900.
Exploring Different Seating Arrangements
On an American Airlines flight several years ago, I took the middle row, while Sharon chose the window seat.
When we flew on Aer Lingus from Orlando to Dublin, we both chose window seats. The extra privacy and views made the long-haul flight even more enjoyable.
On our first Singapore Airlines flight on an A380 from JFK-FRA, we picked the two middle seats at the bulkhead. The extra legroom made it easy to sleep on the redeye flight.
Our Singapore Airlines A350-900 Experience
For our recent Singapore Airlines A350-900 business class flights between the USA and Singapore, we decided to switch things up.
The Flight to Singapore
On the outbound flight, I reserved two window seats. I figured since the flight was so long, we’d be sleeping, eating, reading, or watching movies for most of it. For the times we wanted to chat, we could meet in the aisle. Here’s Sharon settling in for the 18-hour journey.
The Flight Home
On the way back, I chose two middle seats in the “honeymoon” row, where the seats are closer together. The alternating configuration of the cabin meant we were side-by-side, making it easy to chat and share the experience.
What’s Your Seating Preference?
Personally, I feel that any lie-flat seat in business class is better than sitting anywhere else on the plane. Sure, if you fly up front all the time, you might develop a preference, and there are always a few seats that are marginally better than others.
But what about you? What’s your feeling about where to sit on long-haul flights? Does it matter if you’re traveling alone or with a companion? Do you prefer middle seats, two window seats, or a window/aisle combo? Let us know in the comments—we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
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