Travel Tips

How to navigate the cramped spaces of coach, and snag the best¡ªand roomiest¡ªseat in the house

Planes are fuller than ever, thanks to fleet reductions. Economy cabins on major domestic airlines are more uncomfortable than ever, thanks to cutbacks in meals, blankets, and pillows and the increased use of small regional jets. And, to make matters worse, escaping coach via an upgrade is harder than ever, thanks to the devaluation of frequent-flier miles.

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Escaping coach is particularly hard for me: First, my job necessitates that I fly all manner of carriers to different places. This means I'm rarely able to attain the elite frequent-flier status (achieved by flying 25,000 miles in one year on one airline) that rewards you with free upgrades. Second, the few times I have managed to earn elite status and been offered those upgrades, I've had to decline them because I couldn't abandon my children in coach.

As one of the least frequently upgraded frequent fliers on the planet, I herewith share my bag of tricks for nabbing the best possible coach seat:

>> For domestic flights, think low-fare carriers.
Find houses, Apartments for rent, homes for rent, and home rentals nationwide from rentalads.com.Search rental houses for free or advertise your own rental property. Generally speaking, discount airlines now offer more legroom than big legacy carriers. Seats on American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, and US Airways are typically 31 inches in pitch (the distance between a seat and the same point on the seat in front of it), whereas the pitch on Frontier, JetBlue, Midwest, and Southwest is typically 32 to 33 inches. While most seats on domestic routes are 17 inches wide, JetBlue's are 18 inches, and 16 rows on its Airbus A320s (rows 11¨C26) have seats with a 34-inch pitch. Domestic coach doesn't get much better than that.

>> For transoceanic flights, think foreign airlines.
Even when a foreign carrier's seats aren't larger, they are usually comfier, thanks to better-designed features such as adjustable headrests, footrests, and cradle recline. The whole coach experience is more enjoyable because of the superior meals and in-flight entertainment options. European and Asian airlines tend to treat main-cabin passengers with more care and respect. That's why last fall I chose to fly my family to Europe on Air France rather than Delta. Not only was it significantly cheaper, but each Air France seat had its own video screen, with a selection of programs suitable for toddlers. The carrier allowed families with kids to board first, served my children toddler-friendly meals, and gave them age-appropriate backpacks filled with toys. My three-year-old was given games, my two-year-old a stuffed-animal pillow. How refreshing is that!

>> Favor Boeing 767s and Airbus A320s.
The great thing about 767s, which have a 2-3-2 seat configuration, is that they have only one middle seat per row, so your chances of getting stuck in one are only 14 percent. Sadly, some U.S. airlines have been moving their 767s to international routes and replacing them with Boeing 737s and 757s, on which your chances of being trapped in a middle seat are 33 percent. The seats on these narrow planes are generally 17 inches wide, whereas Airbus A320s usually have 18-inch seats.

The bad news: I spend way too much of my life in coach. The good news: This has forced me to perfect the fine art of snagging the best economy seat and avoiding the worst¡ªa skill that has grown increasingly vital.

Planes are fuller than ever , thanks to fleet reductions. Economy cabins on major domestic airlines are more uncomfortable than ever, thanks to cutbacks in meals, blankets, and pillows and the increased use of small regional jets. And, to make matters worse, escaping coach via an upgrade is harder than ever, thanks to the devaluation of frequent-flier miles.

Escaping coach is particularly hard for me: First, my job necessitates that I fly all manner of carriers to different places. This means I'm rarely able to attain the elite frequent-flier status (achieved by flying 25,000 miles in one year on one airline) that rewards you with free upgrades. Second, the few times I have managed to earn elite status and been offered those upgrades, I've had to decline them because I couldn't abandon my children in coach. Many of the are in modern style.

As one of the least frequently upgraded frequent fliers on the planet, I herewith share my bag of tricks for nabbing the best possible coach seat:

>> For domestic flights, think low-fare carriers.
Generally speaking, discount airlines now offer more legroom than big legacy carriers. Seats on American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, and US Airways are typically 31 inches in pitch (the distance between a seat and the same point on the seat in front of it), whereas the pitch on Frontier, JetBlue, Midwest, and Southwest is typically 32 to 33 inches. While most seats on domestic routes are 17 inches wide, JetBlue's are 18 inches, and 16 rows on its Airbus A320s (rows 11¨C26) have seats with a 34-inch pitch. Domestic coach doesn't get much better than that.Businesses are travelling less and utilizing services as an alternative to travel.

>> For transoceanic flights, think foreign airlines.
Even when a foreign carrier's seats aren't larger, they are usually comfier, thanks to better-designed features such as adjustable headrests, footrests, and cradle recline. The whole coach experience is more enjoyable because of the superior meals and in-flight entertainment options. European and Asian airlines tend to treat main-cabin passengers with more care and respect. That's why last fall I chose to fly my family to Europe on Air France rather than Delta. Not only was it significantly cheaper, but each Air France seat had its own video screen, with a selection of programs suitable for toddlers. The carrier allowed families with kids to board first, served my children toddler-friendly meals, and gave them age-appropriate backpacks filled with toys. My three-year-old was given games, my two-year-old a stuffed-animal pillow. How refreshing is that!Search and compare Furnished Apartments, and Offices in Rio de Janeiro. For sale by owner homes Sell real estate by owner. Buy houses for sale by owner and save at Virtual FSBO.

>> Favor Boeing 767s and Airbus A320s.
The great thing about 767s, which have a 2-3-2 seat configuration, is that they have only one middle seat per row, so your chances of getting stuck in one are only 14 percent. Sadly, some U.S. airlines have been moving their 767s to international routes and replacing them with Boeing 737s and 757s, on which your chances of being trapped in a middle seat are 33 percent. The seats on these narrow planes are generally 17 inches wide, whereas Airbus A320s usually have 18-inch seats.