There are a few different options for couples when booking seats on domestic flights, and our preferences have recently changed. Previously, we took a sometimes polarizing approach—booking an aisle and window seat, leaving the middle seat empty in hopes of having extra space. If someone was assigned the middle seat, we often offered them the window. But on one morning flight, I wanted to keep the window seat so I could nap comfortably. So we kept our aisle and middle seats, which meant a stranger sat between us.
However, we’ve since changed to booking adjacent aisle seats.
Maximizing Comfort on Full Flights
With flights frequently operating at full capacity, the chances of scoring an empty middle seat have become slim. This has led us to adjust our seat selection strategy. For seats that require payment, such as JetBlue’s Even More seats, we’ll sometimes opt for an aisle and a middle seat.
Our Seat Selection Strategy for Different Situations
That said, there are times when we don’t book two aisle seats—such as when the middle seat is significantly cheaper. Paying extra for two aisle seats doesn’t make sense.
On long flights, we prefer aisle and middle seats or adjacent aisles for easier restroom access (assuming there isn’t a snack cart blocking the aisle).
Do You Always Sit Together? We Don’t!
We’ve already mentioned that we’re comfortable traveling separately, so it shouldn’t be surprising that we don’t always need to sit together on a plane. Typically, I wear noise-canceling headphones while Sharon catches a nap, so we rarely engage in conversation during the flight. We’re just as likely to text each other if free messaging is available rather than talk over the background noise.
What’s Your Preferred Seating Strategy?
What’s your preference when picking seats on narrowbody flights as a couple? Do you prioritize sitting together, or do you value comfort over closeness?
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