Ah, the joys of flying in business class — a rare treat for my wife Sharon and me. The lie-flat seat. The better food. The ability to sleep like a functional human.
But even with all that, there’s one decision we can’t avoid every single time we book: where do we sit?
Do we both pick window seats for extra privacy (and the occasional view)?
Do we book the two middle seats so we can chat and share the flight?
Or do we split the difference with a window + aisle… and pretend we’re being strategic?
It sounds like a small thing, but with how many business class seats are designed today — angled pods, alternating layouts, high walls, privacy dividers, “honeymoon” pairs, and seats that are technically “next to” each other but don’t really feel like it — the choice matters more than it used to.
Over the years, we’ve tried pretty much every option. Here’s how those choices played out on a few flights… including what we decided for our long-haul flights 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.
This was one of those “we’ll still see each other during the flight” situations — but it also reminded us of something we keep re-learning: on some planes, being in the same cabin doesn’t always mean it’s easy to casually interact.
When we flew on Aer Lingus from Orlando to Dublin, we both chose window seats.
This was a great example of the upside of two windows: privacy, less foot traffic, and no need to do the little “sorry… excuse me…” routine when the person next to you wants out.
If the flight is mostly going to be movies + sleep anyway, window seats can feel like the “easy button.”
On our first Singapore Airlines flight on an A380 from JFK-FRA, we picked the two middle seats at the bulkhead.
This worked because the bulkhead setup gave us extra space — and on a redeye, that matters. When the priority is “sleep first, talk later,” the seat that helps you sleep wins.
Our Singapore Airlines A350-900 Experience
For our more recent Singapore Airlines A350-900 business class flights between the USA and Singapore, we decided to experiment — because if you’re going to test seating strategy, you might as well do it on an 18-hour flight.
The Flight to Singapore
On the outbound flight, I booked two window seats.
My thinking was simple: on a flight that long, we’d be sleeping, eating, reading, and watching movies most of the time. For the moments we actually wanted to chat, we could always meet in the aisle, or sync up during meal service.
Here’s Sharon settling in for the journey:
The Flight Home
On the way back, I picked the two middle seats in a “honeymoon” row, where the seats are closer together.
In some business class cabins, the middle seats are basically “together in theory, separated in practice.” On this flight, we were much more side-by-side — which made it easier to talk, share the moment, and not feel like we were communicating through a maze of seat walls.
What Readers Said (And Why There’s No One Right Answer)
When I first wrote about this, the comments proved two things pretty quickly:
- People have strong opinions about business class seating.
- Couples do not all fly the same way — and that’s probably the point.
Here were a few recurring themes from readers:
1) “Always sit together.”
Some readers said the answer is simple: book the two middle seats so you can talk, share the experience, and stay connected — especially if you’re traveling with family (like putting a child in a window seat while the adults take the middle seats).
2) “Always take the windows.”
Others were just as firm in the opposite direction: the whole reason to book business class is the privacy. If you’re mostly sleeping, watching movies, or reading, two window seats can feel like the best possible use of the product.
And yes, a few people went a step further and basically said: “After years of marriage, we can handle not sitting next to each other for a flight.”
3) “The best setup might be window + aisle across from each other.”
This one came up specifically from people who’ve flown cabins where the center pair is more separated than you’d expect. Sitting across the aisle lets you interact without having to lean around partitions or do the awkward “meet in the aisle” dance.
4) “Don’t forget the practical stuff.”
One reader made a great point: being on the same aisle can make it easier to help with overhead bags (especially during boarding, when everyone is trying to pretend they don’t have a roller bag the size of a refrigerator).
5) “Do you consider the stranger who might end up next to you?”
This is where the comment section got spicy.
One reader said couples taking two window seats can sometimes force a solo traveler into a middle seat next to a stranger — and that it’s worth being mindful of that.
Others pushed back hard and basically said: in business class, people can usually choose seats, there are partitions, and it’s not the same as being “stuck” next to someone in economy. (Also: nobody is booking lie-flat seats for forced social interaction.)
Honestly? I get both sides. I also think this is one of those moments where the answer depends on the cabin, the airline, the flight length… and how you like to travel.
Our 2026 Rule of Thumb
At this point, we’ve landed on a simple approach:
- If it’s a super long flight and we expect to sleep a lot: two window seats are hard to beat.
- If the cabin has a true “honeymoon” pair (or we really want to talk/share): we’ll sit together in the middle.
- If the middle seats are heavily divided: we’ll seriously consider the “across the aisle” setup.
And of course, there’s the wildcard: sometimes you don’t pick the “best” option — you pick the best option that’s still available when you book (or when seat assignments open up, or when the airline decides to play musical chairs with the aircraft).
What’s Your Seating Preference?
Personally, I still feel that any lie-flat seat in business class is better than sitting anywhere else on the plane.
But I’m curious: what’s your go-to setup? Does it depend on the airline or the seat design? Do you always sit together, always take the windows, or go with something like window + aisle across from each other?
Let us know in the comments — and if you’ve got a “this seat layout changes everything” example, I’d love to hear it.
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