In this article, we unveil the airlines that offer the best legroom in Economy class by aircraft types. Let’s dive into the data and discover the airlines that offer the best legroom in widebody aircraft.
Best Airbus A380 Economy Class Seats
The Airbus A380, known for its spacious interiors, showcases a range of legroom options. Emirates and ANA stand tall, offering 32-34 inches of legroom, providing a spacious haven above the clouds.
Noteworthy is Asiana Airlines with an impressive 18.9 inches of width, ensuring a comfortable journey on the world’s largest passenger aircraft.
| Airbus A380 Economy Class Seats | ||
| Airlines | Legroom (inches) | Width (inches) |
| Emirates | 32-34″ | 18″ |
| ANA | 32-34″ | 18″ |
| Asiana Airlines | 33″ | 18.9″ |
| Korean Air | 32-33″ | 18″ |
| Singapore Airlines | 32″ | 18.5″ |
| Qatar Airways | 31-32″ | 18″-18.5″ |
| Lufthansa | 31-32″ | 17″ |
| Qantas | 31″ | 18″ |
| Etihad Airways | 31″ | 18″ |
| British Airways | 31″ | 17.5″ |
Best Boeing 747 Economy Class Seats
Asiana Airlines and Korean Air reign supreme on the iconic 747, offering 33-34 inches of legroom, elevating your experience on the Queen of the Skies.
Exploring seat width on the Boeing 747, Air China and Rossiya stand out by offering the widest seats at 17.8-21 inches. The broader trend across the 747 series showcases a standard seat width of around 17-18 inches.
| Boeing 747 Economy Class Seats | |||
| Airlines | Legroom (inches) | Width (inches) | Aircraft Type |
| Asiana Airlines | 33-34″ | 17.2″ | 747-400 |
| Korean Air | 33-34″ | 17.2″ | 747-8 |
| Rossiya | 32-38″ | 17.8″ | 747-400 |
| Air China | 31-33″ | 18-18.3″ | 747-400/747-8 |
| Atlas Air | 31-33″ | 17.5″ | 747-400 |
| Lufthansa | 31.5″ | 17″ | 747-400 |
| Lufthansa | 31″ | 17″ | 747-8 |
Best Airbus A350 Economy Class Seats
Japan Airlines takes the lead with 33-34 inches of legroom in its fresh A350-1000, promising a comfortable ride through the skies.
Alongside, ITA Airways offer up to 34 inches of legroom on their A350-900s, showcasing the aircraft’s commitment to a superior in-flight experience.
Shifting our focus to seat width on the Airbus A350, we find that most airlines maintain a consistent offering of 18 inches.
| Airbus A350 Economy Class Seats | |||
| Airlines | Legroom (inches) | Width (inches) | Aircraft Type |
| Japan Airlines | 33-34″ | 18″ | A350-1000 |
| Aeroflot | 32-33″ | 18″ | A350-900 |
| Asiana Airlines | 32-33″ | 18″ | A350-900 |
| Lufthansa | 32-33″ | 18″ | A350-900 |
| ITA Airways | 31-34″ | 18″ | A350-900 |
| Air Mauritius | 31-33″ | 18″ | A350-900 |
| Fiji Airways | 31-33″ | 18″ | A350-900 |
| Cathay Pacific | 32″ | 18″ | A350-900/1000 |
Best Boeing 777 Economy Class Seats
Among Boeing 777 operators, Air India and Thai Airways stands out, providing a generous 34 inches of legroom. Moreover, airlines offer standard seat widths of around 17-18 inches on their triple sevens.
Recent trend shows that airlines are adding newer but tighter and narrower seats in Economy Class seating. Such is the case on the Boeing 777, as airlines like British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Qatar Airways have already transitioned from 9 abreast to 10 abreast seating (3-3-3 to 3-4-3 configuration) in Economy Class.
So, we have also included the seating configuration of different airlines, hoping it would be easier for you to identify which airlines still offer wider 9 abreast seating on their Boeing 777.
| Boeing 777 Economy Class Seats | ||||
| Airlines | Legroom (inches) | Width (inches) | Aircraft Type | Configuration |
| Air India | 34″ | 18″ | Select 777-200LR | 3-3-3 |
| Thai Airways | 34″ | 18″ | Select 777-200/ER | 3-3-3 |
| Asiana Airlines | 33-34″ | 18-18.6″ | 777-200/ER | 3-3-3 |
| Korean Air | 33-34″ | 18.1″ | 777-200/300/ER | 3-3-3 |
| Omni Air | 33-34″ | 17.3″ | 777-200/ER | 3-4-3 |
| Japan Airlines | 33.8″ | 19″ | 777-300/ER | 3-3-3 |
| Air India | 33″ | 18″ | Select 777-300/ER | 3-3-3 |
| Air Peace | 33″ | 17″ | 777-200/ER | 3-4-3 |
| flyGlobal Charter | 33″ | 17″ | 777-300 | 3-4-3 |
| Korean Air | 33″ | 18.1″ | 777-300 | 3-3-3 |
| Asiana Airlines | 32-33″ | 18″ | 777-200/ER | 3-3-3 |
| Emirates | 32-33″ | 17″ | 777-200LR/300ER | 3-4-3 |
| EVA Air | 32-33″ | 18″ | 777-300/ER | 3-3-3 (Select B777) |
| Red Wings Airlines | 32-33″ | 17″ | 777-200/ER | 3-4-3 |
| ANA | 31-33″ | 18″ | 777-300/ER | 2-4-3 (Select B777) |
Best Boeing 787 Economy Class Seats
Air Premia leads the Dreamliner pack with an outstanding 35 inches of legroom on select Boeing 787-9.
Note that only three of the new B787-9s offer 35 inches of legroom. However, two older ones which were initially supposed to be delivered for Norwegian has 30-32 inches of legroom.
Shaping our analysis around the width of seats on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the majority of the carriers offer a standard width of around 17-18 inches, with some even offering wider seats.
Japan Airlines offers the widest Economy Class seats on the Boeing 787, as it offers a 2-4-2 configuration, contrary to the 3-3-3 configuration offered by others.
| Boeing 787 Economy Class Seats | |||
| Airlines | Legroom (inches) | Width (inches) | Aircraft Type |
| Air Premia | 35″ | 17″ | 787-9 (selected) |
| ANA | 34″ | 17″ | 787-9/10 |
| Korean Air | 33-34″ | 17″ | 787-9 |
| Uzbekistan Airways | 33-34″ | 17″ | 787-8 |
| Air India | 33″ | 17″ | 787-8 |
| Japan Airlines | 33″ | 18.9″ | 787-8/9 |
| Royal Brunei Airlines | 33″ | 17″ | 787-8 |
| TUI Airways | 33″ | 17″ | 787-8 |
| Avianca | 32-35″ | 17″ | 787-8 |
| China Southern | 32-33″ | 17″ | Select 787-9 |
| LOT Polish | 32-33″ | 17″ | 787-9 |
| Saudia | 32-33″ | 17″ | 787-9 |
| XiamenAir | 32-33″ | 17″ | 787-9 |
| Air Austral | 32.6″ | 17″ | 787-8 |
Best Airbus A330 Economy Class Seats
Oman Air on the A330-200/300 emerges as the legroom champion with an impressive 34 inches.
Delving into the width of seats on the Airbus A330 across the majority of the carriers, the standard width of 18 inches is maintained.
| Airbus A330 Economy Class Seats | |||
| Airlines | Legroom (inches) | Width (inches) | Aircraft Type |
| Oman Air | 34″ | 18″ | A330-200/300 |
| Garuda Indonesia | 33-34″ | 16.5-18″ | A330-300 |
| Brussels Airlines | 33″ | 17.5″ | A330-300 |
| EVA Air | 33″ | 18″ | A330-200 |
| Kuwait Airways | 33″ | 17.5″ | A330-800neo |
| National Airlines | 33″ | 18″ | A330-200 |
| Aer Lingus | 32-33″ | 18″ | Select A330-300 |
| Asiana Airlines | 32-33″ | 17.7″ | A330-300 |
| Beijing Capital | 32-33″ | 18″ | A330-200 |
| China Eastern | 32-33″ | 17.8″ | Select A330-200 |
| China Southern | 32-33″ | 17-18.1″ | A330-200/300 |
| Hainan Airlines | 32-33″ | 18″ | A330-200 |
| Hong Kong Airlines | 32-33″ | 17.3″ | Select A330-300 |
| Korean Air | 32-33″ | 18.1″ | A330-200/300 |
| Kuwait Airways | 32-33″ | 17.5 | A330-200 |
| Qatar Airways | 32-33″ | 18″ | A330-300 |
Best Boeing 767 Economy Class Seats
Japan Airlines emerges as the legroom champion on the 767-300/ER, offering a spacious 34 inches, ensuring a smooth and comfortable flight.
Across the spectrum, from LATAM Airlines to ANA, the Boeing 767 series ensures a harmonious balance of legroom, catering to both short-haul and long-haul travel needs.
Focusing on seat width in the Boeing 767, Japan Airlines takes the lead again, offering a width of 17.3-20 inches on its Boeing 767-300/ER.
| Boeing 767 Economy Class Seats | |||
| Airlines | Legroom (inches) | Width (inches) | Aircraft Type |
| Japan Airlines | 34″ | 17.3-20″ | 767-300/ER |
| BoA – Boliviana de Aviación | 32″ | 18″ | 767-300 |
| LATAM Airlines | 32″ | 18″ | 767-300/ER |
| LATAM Brasil | 32″ | 18″ | 767-300/ER |
| MIAT Mongolian Airlines | 32″ | 18″ | 767-300/ER |
| ANA | 31-33″ | 18″ | Select 767-300/ER |
| Ethiopian Airlines | 31-33″ | 17-18″ | 767-300/ER |
| Icelandair | 31-33″ | 17.6″ | 767-300/ER |
| LATAM Peru | 31-33″ | 17-19″ | 767-300/ER |
We hope this will help you in navigating through the skies to find the airlines that offer the best legroom in Economy Class, making your journey not just a destination but an experience.
Source: SeatMaps, Airlines Website
How did Saudia not win in the 777 category? Their seats are almost 19 inches wide and have 34 inches of legroom on their 3 class configured 777-300ER.
Another issue to consider is under-seat clutter. A recent Emirates B777 300ER economy class flight in a “D” seat in the centre row was very uncomfortable due to the placing of a box under the seat in front with not quite enough space to put the left foot on one side, so both feet had to fit in a space half the width of the seat. Something I will take into consideration if I fly again.
Ethiopian airlines offers great leg room on their Airbus A350s. At 6,3″ tall, I’ve seen it all, having flown also on the dream liners, 777,767, 747. Ability to stretch my legs under the seat in front of me makes all the difference. The cushions are also great, keeping the bum soft.
It’s all about greed ! A sad state of affairs. Not surprised that none of America’s airlines were even mentioned.
Reminds me of that old routine Lily Tomlin used to do on Laugh-In where she spoofed AT&T. Her famous line was: “We’re the phone company. We’re a monopoly. We don’t have to care !” Sort of sums it all up to me.
Can you please do economy seats for the narrow bodies…
What about much celebrated Qatar Airways?
Unfortunately you have overlooked one vital element in your seating portfolios COMFORT. I have flown nearly all of these aircraft with these seat arrangements and let me tell you 10 hours + on some of these and your bum may never recover. Size isn’t everything.
Totally agree with you. There isn’t an Economy seat on the planet that provides thigh support. The cushions are flat and thin and the seat structures force occupants to “sit on their spines” as I call it. The newer the seat design, the worse it is as so-called dense foam is used to liberate room for more seats and guaranteed bum numbness.
Qantas hardly rates a mention. It will be years before the Leprechaun Legacy will be erased.
You always do a good job and we know you have pride in your product thanks Sam
Very well article nobody questions airlines. How dare they cage people in their plane just because we pick them for whatever reason how dare they cage people like animal. Basically they trap you once you paid for the ticket. Now you belong to them.
Sadly, Air Canada is nowhere in sight..
Air Canada was once a most celebrated airline.
Yet, it has lost its mojo.
Excellence, in business, comes always down from the top.
Thanks Sam, excellent well researched article!
Very disappointed you did not included any North American airlines in this review.
Simply none of the North American carriers have the best Economy leg room!
Delta offers 18 inches on 330’s and United offers 18 as well on 767’s.
thx, not just width but we’re looking at the leg room as well.