Imagine you’re on a plane and all you want to do is relax. But between take-off and the noise coming from other passengers, it’s tough. Even worse, when you try to stretch out your legs, you can hardly do it because the space is too cramped. This sort of thing can put a damper on any in-flight experience, but you can do your best to avoid it next time by booking with an airline that is known for offering ample legroom.
According to a recent analysis by the travel tips site Upgraded Points, JetBlue is your best option. Based on seat pitch, which is the distance between a point on one seat and the same point on the seat in front of it, the airline offers 32.3 inches (a.k.a., the better part of 3 feet) on average, which is more than Delta Air Lines and other competitors provide.
That’s not to say other airlines don’t offer spacious seating accommodations. As part of their research, Upgraded Points took a look at 10 of the most frequented U.S. domestic flight routes from November 2023. By taking data from Legrooms for Google Flights, a Google Chrome extension, and cross-referencing it against information on the airlines’ websites, they were able to narrow down their picks for the airlines offering the roomiest rides, which you can see down below:
Airlines | Inches of Legroom |
|---|---|
JetBlue Airways | 32.3 inches |
Southwest Airlines | 31.8 inches |
Delta Air Lines | 31 inches |
Alaska Airlines | 31 inches |
American Airlines | 30.2 inches |
United Airlines | 30.1 inches |
Hawaiian Airlines | 29 inches |
Frontier Airlines | 28 inches |
Spirit Airlines | 28 inches |
“Legroom is a crucial aspect of passenger comfort, especially during longer flights,” Keri Stooksbury, editor-in-chief at Upgraded Points, said in a press release. “Our goal is to empower travelers with information that helps them make informed decisions while traveling. So, we’re happy to shed some light on which airlines prioritize more space for their passengers.”
Beyond JetBlue, Southwest Airlines came in second with an expansive 31.8 inches of available legroom, based on seat pitch. Meanwhile, both Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines tied for third, as each offers about 31 inches on average.
There were some clear losers when it comes to legroom, though: Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines both tied for bottom place. These budget-friendly airlines each offer an average of just 28 inches between seats, which is more than 10 percent less space than JetBlue offers. This is pretty consistent with the lower-cost model associated with each airline, and researchers speculated that the reduced legroom goes hand-in-hand with their cheaper fares.
Aircraft | Inches of Legroom |
|---|---|
Embraer 190 | 32 inches |
Canadair RJ 900 | 31 inches |
Boeing 787 | 31 inches |
Boeing 777 | 31 inches |
Boeing 767 | 31 inches |
Airbus A350 | 31 inches |
Airbus A330-900neo | 31 inches |
Airbus A220-300 Passenger | 31 inches |
Airbus A220-100 Passenger | 31 inches |
Boeing 737MAX 8 Passenger | 30.9 inches |
While you might not normally think about flights in terms of aircraft, that can be a factor as well. Upgraded Points noticed that the amount of legroom tends to vary by aircraft, with Embraer models generally offering the most legroom and boasting an average seat pitch of around 32 inches. (The Embraer 190, in particular, leads the pack.) Boeing models—specifically the 767, 777, and 787 models—deliver roughly 31 inches of legroom, while Airbus aircrafts seem to provide the least amount of legroom overall, thanks to their 28-inch average seat pitch.
No matter which airline (or aircraft) you go with, it’s important to bear all this in mind the next time you plan a trip, as airline travel is already known to increase stress levels and the chances for dehydration, among other things. The right amount of legroom, along with a perfectly timed nap between take-off and landing, might not change everything, but it could help you feel more comfortable while you fly, and that can make all the difference in the world.
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