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Airline with the smallest seats named and it’s not easyJet or Ryanair

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Airlines seats are getting more expensive and smaller as carriers push to drive profits. Thankfully, the consumer champion Which? has confirmed which airline’s economy seat is really the smallest

Passengers on seat during flight with man walking in aisle in a very cramped and tiny airplane
Airplane economy seats have become increasingly smaller over the years to maximise profits(Image: Getty Images)

Not all economy seats are created equal, especially with airlines shrinking them to increase profits.

But for those who want comfort without the high price tag, there is now a definitive list of which airlines provide the best seats on a budget. And most importantly, which airlines you can expect to be seated in more cramped conditions. The UK’s consumer champion, Which?, has pulled out the measuring tape to confirm which airlines flying from the UK have the smallest economy seats. And no, it’s not easyJet.

When it comes to long-haul flights, Virgin Atlantic came in at the bottom on Which?’s list of 15 air carriers. Virgin Atlantic’s economy seat pitch measured in at 30-31 inches while seat width measured in at 17.5 inches.

To clarify, seat pitch is the distance from your headrest to the one in front of you. According to Which?, seat pitch is the best indicator of how much legroom you will have. Seat width is the measured distance between the armrests of a single seat

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Interior of airplane with people sitting on seats and talking across the aisle
Most airlines charge an additional fee for seat selection. Opting out of this means you will like be allocated a seat at random(Image: Getty Images)

American Airlines topped the list with a seat pitch of 31-32 inches and a seat width of 17 inches. According to Which? “British Airways or a US carrier will give you more room travelling transatlantic than Virgin Atlantic, while Emirates, Qatar and Singapore Airlines are the best bet for more space.”

Full list of airlines and their seat pitches

  • Aer Lingus: 31-32 inches
  • Air Canada: 30-34 inches
  • American Airlines: 31-32 inches
  • British Airways: 31 inches
  • Delta: 31-32 inches
  • Emirates: 32-34 inches
  • Etihad: 31-33 inches
  • KLM: 31 inches
  • Lufthansa: 31-32 inches
  • Qantas: 31 inches
  • Qatar: 31-33 inches
  • Singapore Airlines: 32-34 inches
  • TUI Airways: 33 inches
  • United: 31-34 inches
  • Virgin Atlantic: 30-31 inches

Which? also clarified what airline might be the worst and smartest choices for short-haul flights. According to the data, Wizz Airlines and TAP Portugal had the worst seats. Wizz Airlines had a seat pitch of only 28 inches and a seat width of 18 inches. TAP Portugal had seat pitches ranging from 28-31 inches and a seat width of 18 inches.

Mature man sitting in airplane seat near window. Business man flying by plane.
Which? confirms that higher seat prices don’t necessarily equate to better seats(Image: Getty Images)

Topping the list for best was Aer Lingus. While the airline’s seat width only measured in at 17 inches, the seat pitch ranged from 31-32 inches.

This is the full list of airlines and their respective seat pitch:

  • Aer Lingus: 31-32 inches
  • British Airways: 29-31 inches
  • easyJet: 29 inches
  • Jet2: 28-31 inches
  • KLM 29-33 inches
  • Lufthansa: 30-32 inches
  • Norwegian: 29-31 inches
  • Ryanair: 30 inches
  • TAP Portugal: 28-31 inches
  • TUI: 28 inches
  • Vueling: 29-30 inches
  • Wizz Air: 28 inches

One main takeaway from this analysis according to Which? Is that you should not assume that a higher fare guarantees you more space onboard.

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