Flying in economy class on a long-haul route is often a necessary sacrifice travellers make in order to afford a far-flung trip. But just thinking about spending hours in economy – with the cramped legroom, lack of recline, and crowded seating arrangements – is enough to send a shiver down any flier’s spine.
Fortunately, there are a handful of airlines that still offer decent space and comfortable seats on long-haul routes, even in their regular no-frills economy classes. Here, we’ve rounded up seven of the most comfortable economy seats available for long-haul flights, based on criteria like legroom pitch, recline depth, seat width, and the overall seating configuration of the economy cabin.
As these seats are still in regular economy, they don’t offer as much space as the more upscale products in premium economy cabins. The below selections may just have a few extra inches of space or recline over their competitors – but even an inch or two can make a world of difference on an hours-long flight, especially if you’re trying to sleep.
If you must fly coach on your next long-haul journey, these are the best economy seats on international flights. (Or, check out these affordable business-class cabins that won't break the bank.)
JetBlue Airbus A321
The New York-based carrier is one of the top US airlines in terms of legroom. Its Airbus A321 long-range planes, used for its transatlantic routes to Europe, are no exception. In regular economy, called “Core” on JetBlue, expect to see 32 inches of pitch, 18 inches of width, and three inches of recline at your seat. You’ll also find a headrest with adjustable wings and power outlets (though not enough for every passenger to have their own charging port). On planes that also feature Mint business class, the Core cabin has 102 seats in a three-by-three layout, so the one drawback is a potential lack of elbow room as the A321 is just a single-aisle plane.
Japan Airlines Airbus A350-1000
Much of the attention on board JAL’s new A350 plane, which debuted in January 2024, has been focused on its luxurious first and business class suites. But even the back of the plane offers fliers a respectable amount of comfort. In the regular economy cabin, seats offer about 34 inches of legroom pitch and more than 18 inches of seat width, making them one of the roomiest long-haul economy options on the market. Plus, in the fully upright position, the seats sit back at a deeper angle than standard economy seats – before you even engage the recline function, which also offers several more inches of tilt. Extra bells and whistles include a large 13-inch 4K entertainment screen, water bottle pouch and separate cupholder, power outlet and USB-A and -C charging ports. The only downside to the cabin is that the 155 seats in regular economy are laid out in a 3-3-3 configuration, which means more dreaded middle seats. But the rows are spaced far enough apart that economy passengers shouldn’t feel too cramped. You’ll find these jets operating nonstop routes from New York JFK and Dallas Fort Worth to Tokyo Haneda.
All Nippon Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners
Another Japanese carrier that offers one of the best economy seats on international flights is All Nippon Airways. Its coach cabin, especially aboard its Boeing 797-9 Dreamliners that fly between Tokyo and Los Angeles, offers relatively spacious seats with 34 inches of legroom pitch and 17.3 inches of width. The seats also come with a built-in footrest – a rarity outside of premium economy – plus several inches of standard recline. Instead of the seat simply tilting back, however, the seat pan also slides forward so as not to intrude too much on the passenger behind, giving each flier a bit more space. The seats are in a 3-3-3 layout, so avoiding the tight middle seat could be tough; though extra features like universal PC power ports and USB ports at every seat, thick cushioning, and a headrest that adjusts up and down, should help ease the pain.
Emirates Airbus A380
Emirates’ double-decker Airbus A380 jets are the stuff of aviation legend – even on the lower level in plain old economy. The cabin class offers seats with 34 inches of pitch, 18 inches of width, and a solid four inches of recline. With a total of 399 standard economy seats configured in a 3-4-3 layout, the cabin sounds like a crunch. But keeping in mind what an enormous, superjumbo jet the A380 actually is, with higher ceilings and a wider footprint than most jets, those numbers start to sound a lot less stress-inducing. In fact, fliers who’ve experienced the A380 in economy consistently say that the cabin has an airy and spacious feel, despite its massive passenger capacity. There’s also a padded adjustable headrest, a 13.3-inch entertainment screen, and over-the-ear headphones provided at each spot. From the US, you can catch Emirates A380s flying from Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York JFK, and Washington Dulles to Dubai, and also on special fifth freedom routes, like between New York JFK and Milan.
Singapore Airlines Airbus A380
Singapore’s economy class aboard its Airbus A380 planes is another spacious cabin, even if you’re riding all the way at the back of the superjumbo jet. The pitch in regular economy is a respectable 32 inches, and seats are a roomy 19 inches wide. When it’s time to relax after meal service, you’ll find the seatback able to recline six inches, which is quite a deep angle rarely found outside of premium economy class. (But don’t worry, the seatback entertainment screens have adjustable angles so you can keep watching even if the person in front of you fully tilts back.) Just like aboard Emirates’ A380, Singapore’s economy class on this double-decker plane is laid out in a 3-4-3 seating chart, but with the A380’s wider body and higher ceilings, it shouldn’t feel too crowded. Extra touch points at the seats adding to the convenience and comfort include a cup holder to free up the tray table space, phone storage, and a soft six-way headrest. You can find the A380 on the airline's long-haul routes from Singapore to Hong Kong, London, Tokyo, and Melbourne, as well as its fifth freedom flights between New York and Frankfurt, among other destinations.
Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330
These efficient Airbus jets fly the majority of Hawaiian’s long-haul routes, like its nonstop flights from New York and Boston to Honolulu (which may not technically be international flights, but at more than 11 hours each they are two of the longest domestic flights in the US). Seats in the A330’s Main Cabin offer 31 inches of pitch, which is quite a bit tighter than what other airlines offer on this list. But if you can score a seat on the edges of the cabin, your spot is likely to feel a bit more spacious. That’s because the rows are laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration, making the seats nearest the windows on either side a prime pick for couples or other travel duos for a comfortable ride to and from the islands. All 192 economy seats also offer 17.6 inches of seat width and a four-inch recline. If you’re worried about legroom, you could spring for one of the 68 Extra Comfort seats, which offer 36 inches of pitch, but those usually cost a couple hundred dollars extra on the airline’s longer routes.
Delta Boeing 767-400ER
With an average age clocking in at more than 23 years old, Delta’s Boeing 767-400ERs are certainly older planes. But when it comes to comfort in economy class, don’t count out these workhorse jets that fly many of Delta’s transatlantic routes out of Atlanta and New York JFK, among other long hauls. The Main Cabin on these old reliables accommodates 156 seats that each offer 31 to 32 inches of legroom pitch, 18 inches of seat width, and three to four inches of recline. What’s more, the seating chart is configured in a 2-3-2 layout, eliminating middle seats on the edges of the cabin for more breathing space near the windows. Additional features like an adjustable headrest, USB ports, and a sizeable entertainment screen make the flight feel smoother, even from the cheapest seats.