Legroom can make or break a flight for me. I'm not the tallest person but I have long legs and don't like being cramped. Whether I'm flying for a few hours or across an ocean, a few extra inches of legroom can make all the difference between feeling cramped or comfortable.
One way to ensure you get the space you need is to fly with the airlines with the most legroom. You could also monitor the type of plan a prospective flight is scheduled to use. The specific aircraft used on your flight plays a pivotal role in determining the amount of space you will have to stretch your legs.
A study by travel site Upgraded Points revealed the best airlines and planes to fly in when legroom matters. How did the site crunch the numbers? To calculate the average legroom for each airline, Upgraded Points analyzed planes across the 10 busiest domestic flight routes, focusing on economy seats on the listed flights. The analysis looked at the seat pitch, the distance between a point on one seat and the same point on the seat in front of it, and calculated the average across each airline.
What is seat pitch?
Seat Pitch is the distance between a row of seats — the measurement from the same position on two seats, one behind the other — it is not the legroom area. However, It’s a key determinant of the legroom available to passengers, influencing your overall comfort during a flight.
The measurement is typically expressed in inches, and a higher seat pitch generally implies more legroom and space you’ll have between your seat and the one in front of you, offering a more roomy and relaxed travel experience.
American, Delta, Southwest, and United have lost anywhere from 2 inches to 5 inches in legroom pitch, and 2 inches in seat width since the 1980s, according to Conde Nast Traveler. The average legroom pitch today clocks in at about 31 inches; keep that in mind when you see how much legroom is offered by the nine airlines included in the survey.
Legroom by airline
1. JetBlue leads the pack in legroom with an average seat pitch of 32.3 inches. The abundant legroom is owed to their more modern fleet that includes spacious Airbus A320 and A321 models. JetBlue's expanded European itineraries means more legroom on transatlantic flights.
2. Southwest Airlines is a close second with 31.8 inches. This economy airline has many traveler-friendly perks. Southwest offers free checked bags and no change fees in addition to more legroom than most other airlines.
3. Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Line tied for third in the rankings. Both airlines provide 31 inches of space between you and the passenger sitting ahead of you.
Alaska Airlines is the fifth-largest airline in North America and operates a route network primarily focused on connecting cities along the West Coast.
Delta has a lot to brag about. It was the most on-time North American airline in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and Kiplinger readers recently voted the Delta SkyMiles credit card program outstanding for customer service.
4. American Airlines offers seats that offer a seat pitch of 30.2 inches; this is slightly below the industry standard of 31 inches. American has a diverse fleet that includes Boeing and Airbus aircraft. To get the most space on an American flight, check the type of aircraft being used and choose a flight with the larger planes — you're likely to enjoy bigger seat pitch. Take note that the airline has raised checked bag fees for the first time since 2018 and cost varies by destination.
5. United Airlines isn't far behind American Airlines in offering 30.1 inches of room. They may not have most legroom but they are trying to improve the boarding process. United implemented the window-middle-aisle (WILMA) boarding method last October. Using the WILMA method passengers in United’s economy boarding Group 4 with window seats will board first, followed by those with middle seats to be followed by passengers with aisle seats.
6. Hawaiian Airlines seating pitch is only 29.0 inches. The below standard legroom might be forgivable when your destination is south pacific paradise. To it's credit Hawaiian Airlines is the airline least prone to holiday flight delays during the winter holiday season.
7. Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines both come in last with 28.0 inches of room. Both of these ultra-low cost airlines cater to the budget-conscious traveler who may be more impressed by the low price of a fare than temporary comfort. Spirit Airlines has the distinction of being the first U.S. airline to charge passengers for carry-on bags.
In 2023, Frontier eliminated its customer service phone line completely. Customers looking for information or help must now utilize an online chatbot, social media, or WhatsApp. Those wishing to speak with a live agent can use the carrier's 24/7 chat tool.
Bottom line
Travelers keen on optimizing their air travel experience should consider seat pitch measurement when making flight choices. Airlines often publish standard seat pitch information on their websites but if you want something more specific, SeatGuru is a great resource for researching a specific plane’s layout.
You can generally assume that low-cost airlines will offer the least amount of pitch. Though economy class offerings have made a public transportation mode that used to be reserved only for the wealthy and business travelers more accessible, it's a ticket class that comes with some downsides.
