The terms “comfort” and “economy seats” can often seem diametrically opposed, especially when it comes to long-haul routes. The idea of spending a lengthy flight in a cramped seat at the back of the plane is enough to make even the most adventurous traveler rethink their plans.
But not every affordable flight lives up to the bad reputation of stingy legroom, sparse cushioning, and limited recline. In fact, there are economy cabins that offer a decent amount of comfort, if you know where to look. A growing number of airlines are beginning to rethink economy seats on their longest routes to better accommodate fliers with roomier legroom pitch, wider seats, and inventive design features that maximize every square inch of space.
Below are 13 of the most comfortable economy class seats for long-haul flights. We’ve rounded up these specific airlines, planes, and cabins based on metrics like seat dimensions, convenient touch-points, and thoughtful amenities. It’s important to remember that these are still standard economy seats, so they don’t offer some of the more exciting bells and whistles that might be found in premium economy or business class cabins. However, the seats on this list are all respectable options for flying on a multi-hour flight when an upgrade might be out of reach.
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JetBlue is one of the best US carriers when it comes to legroom, even in economy.
Brett Moen/JetBlue
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 and 18 inches of width, and 3 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 3-3 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 A350 plane, which debuted in January 2024, is 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 features 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 most comfortable economy class seats is All Nippon Airways. Its coach cabin 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.
The high ceilings and wide body of the double-decker Airbus A380 jets help to create an airy, spacious feel.
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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 if you keep 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 high passenger capacity. There’s also a padded adjustable headrest, a 13.3-inch entertainment screen, and over-the-ear headphones provided at each seat. 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.
The exterior rows of Hawaiian’s A330 main cabin are ideal for couples hoping to avoid the middle seat, thanks to its 2-4-2 configuration.
Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330
These efficient Airbus jets fly the majority of Hawaiian’s long-haul routes, like its nonstop flights from New York to Honolulu (which may not technically be an international route, but at more than 11 hours each way, it’s one 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. All 192 economy seats also offer seat width between 16.5 to 18 inches and a several inches of 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 Cabins on these old-reliables accommodate 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 sizable entertainment screen make the flight feel smoother, even in the cheapest seats.
The new Swiss Senses economy seats on the Airbus A350 offer an extra inch of knee space, thanks to the seatback’s molded design.
Swiss Airbus A350
Zurich-based carrier Swiss launched a brand new economy cabin concept in March 2025 called Swiss Senses. The new product features seats upholstered in tasteful checked beige material and offer 31 to 33 inches of seat pitch, with an extra inch of knee space, thanks to the seatback’s molded design. The roomy seats are up to 19.5 inches wide with a 6-inch recline. Additional conveniences include a 6-way adjustable headrest, USB charging port, a 13.3-inch entertainment screen with Bluetooth connectivity, and a cupholder. Cabins on the Airbus A350 jets—the first aircraft to receive the new cabins—are configured in a somewhat-cramped 3-4-3 seating layout. But the airline is also retrofitting its A330 jets with the Swiss Senses product, and those cabins feature a more favorable 2-4-2 configuration. The first A350 plane debuted on Swiss’ Zurich-to-Boston route in November 2025, and the carrier is rolling out the cabin to its other long-haul routes throughout the US in phases.
Qantas Boeing 787-9
On its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner jets, Australian carrier Qantas offers an economy cabin with solid design elements to maximize passenger comfort. Each of the 166 seats in the cabin have 32 inches of pitch and are 17.2 inches wide. The cabin is designed in a 3-3-3 seating arrangement, so armrests could become a battle ground. But that drawback is balanced out by other design perks. A shelf for personal electronic devices and a water bottle holder help maximize space, and every passenger has a large 12-inch entertainment screen. The highlight of the economy cabin might be the unique “footnets” located under every seat. This small hammock is essentially a mesh footrest that gives a bit of extra support to fliers’ feet and legs. Combined with the seats’ six-inch recline, passengers have a good chance of getting some meaningful rest on board. As an added bonus, economy passengers have access to a self-service area where they can grab drinks or snacks at any time during the flight. US-based travelers can find the airline’s 787-9 planes on routes from Dallas, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.
Cathay Pacific’s economy class on its Airbus A350-1000 planes feature a dark mode option for watching movies while the cabin lights are dimmed.
Courtesy Cathay
Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000
Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific was awarded the mantle of World’s Best Economy Class in 2025 by Skytrax. Looking at the seats on its Airbus A350-1000 planes, it’s easy to see why. Each seat in the jet’s economy cabin is 18 inches wide and offers 32 inches of legroom pitch with up to six inches of recline. Seats are configured in a 3-3-3 layout with design elements like an adjustable leather headrest, a dedicated shelf for personal devices, cupholder, and personal USB port, making each spot feel more efficient and comfortable. Entertainment screens have also been thoughtfully designed with a dark mode for watching movies while the cabin lights are dimmed (without waking your neighbors). In the US, Cathay operates its A350-1000 out of Dallas, New York, Chicago, and Boston.
For flying between the US and Asia, Korean Air’s superjumbo A380 jets offer roomy economy cabins.
Getty
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