Aisle vs window (long overnight flight)

For speed of getting off the plane, generally the row you are in (closer to the front) matters more than the specific seat in that row. Most people let everyone in the row ahead of them go before their own row.

On my upcoming long haul flight I've chosen an aisle in the middle section of seats. I won't sleep anyway, and I'd like the ability to get up and down without bothering anyone else.

I switched to aisle seats many flights ago and it works for me--I don't seem able to get any significant sleep no matter which seat I am in, and what is truly important for my health and happiness once I land is staying hydrated. I don't want to be trapped in the window seat and hope my fellow seatmates get up nearly as often as I need to, and I hate to be pesky about it--some people amazingly go an entire 10 hour flight without getting up, whereas I might get up 7 times. If you are worried about connection time the best choice is as close to the exit as possible, and/or the ability to move swiftly once in the airport.

As others have mentioned, you’re better off getting in a row further up in the plane rather than aisle versus window.

I’m a fan of the window seat because I like to proverbially see where we are and where we’re going. But on my upcoming trip I am debating if I want to try the aisle instead on the way over. I usually don’t sleep and the idea of being able to get up at will is appealing.

The worst overnight flight I ever had was when I was on the aisle. As soon as the lights dimmed, the person in front of me shoved their seat back as far as it could go without warning. The seat back was probably about 2 inches from my face. I felt squashed like a person in a cartoon. The people on the other on the other side of the aisle from me were shocked. I had to get the person’s attention and ask them to please move their seat up. Which they begrudgingly did by about an inch. It made for a very long flight.

You don't sound at all like you are complaining. I would be very sad to have my direct flight cancelled. I am the same and would have no chance of sleep on the aisle, and I prefer the isolation of the window. Personally, I would still pick the window here, in the hopes for some rest to help me cope with the singing cartoons!

I think you are flying home from Warsaw? Or you had TWO non-stop cancellation mess ups by the airline? (That would be totally rotten luck!)

If flying from Warsaw, the flight to Zurich will be fairly short and I would take the closest to the exit and not worry about sleep. You will just want off fast.

If it’s your long haul flight on the way TO Europe, I think I would take the window but get it as close to the exit as possible. At that point you will already be in Europe - just make sure you have scoped out the next departing flight so you have some idea of scheduling in case you miss your connection.

As a fellow main cabin dweller which us aisle and window folk must be, I am a committed aisler. Even if this leaves much of my physical body at risk in numerous ways; from swaying backpacks/clothing/hair (ugh) unfortunately if briefly in my personal space, service carts that can do a real number on poorly positioned limbs and the errant dropping of hardshell case bag from overhead bin from the row behind that struck the back of my unsuspecting noggin. Not the recommended way to snag a seat in business class gratis, let me tell you. Still, I more appreciate the 'openness' of aisle seating and the ease of getting in and out of my row. On purchasing a transatlantic ticket, I prioritize a multi-aisle jet with 2-4-2 configuration and want/could/would pay extra for a seat in the 2-seat row. On the aisle, naturally. And as mentioned upthread, I also prefer being within the first 25 rows of my sardine class existence. Hope you have excellent travels and smooth airport sailing!

Thank you, awesome fellow travelers.

@TexasTravelMom - to answer your question, this is a question for a trip on the way over to Europe. They didn't exactly cancel my direct flight to Warsaw, but they did cancel (change to another day) return flights from Budapest - would have had to have been one day earlier or two days later, and work schedule would not allow. It was too confusing to try to keep both tickets, and more money on LOT and other airline to buy just one-way trip. Anyway thank you for your kind humor (sleep to deal with singing cartoons :lol:). I've been reading closely some of your posts and trip reports from Poland <3. Thank you as always for your posts and your insights.

My husband likes the window and I like the aisle seat. He has short legs and I have long legs. He only perhaps gets up once, I am up every 2 hours or so to use the bathroom (I drink lots of water) or I need to stretch my legs, so I spend time at the back of the plane working out the cramps. I think it all depends. I'm also an economy flyer.

Beloved spouse and I have been experimenting with getting aisle seats with the aisle between us, (rather than adjacent window/middle, middle/ aisle or having a stranger in the middle between us). So far, so good.

Sending sympathy. I just had to re-work my return from Budapest for Oct. with a cancelled flight. Must be in the air! Ha! Seriously, though, my cancelled flight was still flying - so after a lot of work, I was able to rebook my original flights. Don’t ask me…..

It’s been a while since I was in Poland, but it was a good trip! I hope you enjoy it!

My wife and I travel a lot and wife likes the window seat and I like the aisle. Even when the plane's configuration is three seats on the side, we book a window and aisle with someone in the middle.
The aisle seat allows more flexibility with getting up to go to the toilet, also you have more leg room.

Beloved spouse and I have been experimenting with getting aisle seats
with the aisle between us

We did that on a flight from Germany to the US a number of years ago and it worked really well. Neither of us can really sleep on a plane so it wasn't any problem to get up for others needing to get out for the bathroom. For short flights of just a couple of hours, I do like a window.

An aisle doesn’t get you out of the plane faster. It is the proximity of your row to the exit door that does that. FWIW, I made a connection in Zurich that ended up being under an hour due to a delay.

I can’t sleep on planes, so I go with an aisle so I don’t have to climb over anyone to get out. I also prefer an aisle in the center section when the side sections have 3 seats. If you are more comfortable in a window seat, go for it.

I always choose the bulkhead seat (first row of economy or economy plus) on long flights as there's no one in front of me to lower the seat, and it also has more legroom. I like the aisle so I can get up easily and stretch my legs. On short flights, I choose an aisle seat as far forward as possible so I can get off faster.

Since we generally aim for direct flights, position in the plane forward is less important on overnight flights than access to the aisle, to stretching, and the bathrooms. Then it comes down to the best options to make it so we're not getting interrupted by someone needing to get past us on our row, so sometimes we've got the option for a window, but often, an aisle and a non-window seat in the center of the cabin works best. My wife can use me as her "prop" for sleeping instead of the window/side of the plane, and no one is waking us up at 3am to get to the bathroom.

But the aisle and the ability to easily get up and move about the cabin is usually top priority of all considerations nowadays. Easy to get to the bathroom, easy to get up for a leg stretch, easy to access the overhead bins, easier (but never easy) to sleep undisturbed, easy to go chat with a flight attendant, easier to deplane, etc..

Well, sitting for long periods of time has been proven to be unhealthy, so I prefer the aisle seat. I like to get up every hour or two and stretch my legs. Harvard Health recommends getting up every 1-2 hours along with the hazards of DVT. A colleague died from DVT on a marathon flight from the west coast to New Zealand, but then again she was quite overweight and not exactly the picture of health.

If the flight is an overnight flight with a morning arrival, I prefer to be in the window seat as I am able to sleep and there is a place to rest my head against the plane. I can also relax without the worry of all the folks walking up and down the aisle bumping into me (including the cart). On the way back with an afternoon arrival, it makes no difference as I tend to watch movies the whole time, so I can pretty much sit anywhere. With that said, on the most recent overnight flight, my family sat in the the row of three and I sat by myself across from them in the aisle and slept the best I ever had (even with the serving of a curry dinner at midnight EST).

My trans-Atlantic flight is always overnight dep. sometime between 2-4 PM from SFO and it's long, 11 hrs non-stop. I prefer the aisle. The two flights no such luck since I was assigned in Basic Economy the middle seat or one away from the aisle.

I used to always choose a window seat as I like to look out the window, but now I choose the aisle so I can get up and go to the WC without waking anyone. I don't ever sleep on a flight anyway. For flights to and from Iceland and the West Coast, I will choose a window seat just in case we get to see the Northern Lights. So far, no luck there, but you never know.

I am an aisle guy. Agree completely that the further forward you are the better. If the aircraft has two aisles, I think that deplaning via the left aisle is a bit faster than the right.

Good luck

One of the joys of Delta's old 767's and travelilng as a couple. Book window/aisle on either side of the plane and closest to the front available. The 2-3-2 seating works well for passengers. Almost as good as Economy Comfort (sshhh - don't tell Delta).