Airline: Air Asia
Aircraft: Airbus A320
Seat: 14C
Class: Economy Premium “Hot Seat”
Book (support modhop):Orbitz

 

AirAsia's "Hot Seats" provide extra legroom and early boarding.

The Seat: While not far and above most exit row seats in it’s class, this one is pretty good.   You get a few extra inches of legroom and no worries that Sir sleeeps-a-lot in front of you will recline into your kneecaps, as his seat has zero recline (poor guy). There’s also a feeling of added comfort when the interior is nearly brand new and still has that “new plane smell”. Air Asia’s A320 fleet is just up to a few years old. There’s no extra width to these seats so I was lucky to be next to an empty middle seat this time. Good seats can always be ruined by the wrong neighbor (See: Sir smells-a-lot and Sir hogs-the-armrest).

Service: Speedy. The flight crew worked quickly to dispense the various food-for-purchase items and complimentary garlic peanuts (seems like an odd choice for such a tight space). Everyone was courteous enough but this was standard budget airline service…with a smile.

Notes: Different sites report varying widths for these premium seats. On this aircraft ALL seats were a standard economy width.. but “hot” seats all had at least some added legroom

Summary: Air Asia provides a great way to hop around Southeast Asia on a dime. The option to pay what (at the time) was a pretty reasonable up-charge for some added legroom and priority boarding is a good one.

Rating: 4 hops (of 5).

Strategy: Book at AirAsia.com and choose one of these premium seats during the ticketing process. Row 14 is the only exit row seat you’ll likely want as row 12 (they skip 13) doesn’t recline.

How I got it: Purchased “Hot Seat” upgrade at AirAsia.com. This was part of a larger itinerary, partially put together for me by CrankyConcierge. Cranky takes some of the legwork out of finding these kinds of premiums and can be very helpful if anything goes wrong during your trip. Check it out!

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400 v.2 (744)
Seat: 49C- Exit Row
Class: Economy (“Preferred” Seat – Fee)
Book (support modhop):Orbitz

Window ("A") seat in row 49 (Exit). Singapore 747-400.

The Seat: On this flight I thought it would be a solid move to take the “slight upgrade” by paying a few extra dollars for this exit row “preferred” seat. After all, I figured an exit row on a 5-star carrier would be as close to business class as I’ll get for under several thousand dollars. What I didn’t know is that I had also scored  front row seats to  a 20 hour flight attendant display of various spills from yogurt  to full trays (the resulting yogurt splatter washed right out). You see, Row 49 is right beside the middle galley which can get pretty busy…and noisy. Light sleepers may want to consider a normal economy seat. The aisle and middle seats in this row are the best bet for anyone who needs extra legroom. Avoid the window seats in all exit rows (which aren’t “preferred seats”) as the exit door is very close and will keep you from stretching out…or being at all happy. You’ll sacrifice the usual amount of seat width for the built-in tray table but these seats are about a half inch wider than many airlines (but not AS wide as economy seats on Singapore’s 777-300, which are very generous), so you end up with an average amount of room. The TV screen folds up from underneath and while it’s a little small for viewing, the size made it easy to tuck away when I wanted to get up and “move about the cabin”. The seat is reasonably comfortable despite reports of less padding in exit rows. Also, this row DOES have a window unlike row 33, which is also (in part) sold as “preferred”.

Service: Awesome.  Keeping in mind that this is economy and the flight attendants are keeping up with a ton of meals, special requests, duty free and more, the crew kept smiles on their faces and a pleasant demeanor…Even AFTER they spilled stuff.

Notes: Free deck of cards! (Just ask your flight attendant.)

Summary: As Singapore Airlines’ fleet continues to grow I suspect you’ll stand a better chance of scoring a flight on one of their A380′s or other aircraft giving you better entertainment and seating options, but if you’re faced with a toss up between Singapore’s 747 service and say…United’s 747? Singapore wins by a mile…no…several thousands of miles.

Rating: 3.5 hops (of 5).

Strategy: It’s best to reserve these seats upon booking if you really want the legroom. At the time of our purchase the fee was $50 per segment. If you’re super tall it’s a no-brainer particularly if you’re traveling between the US and Asia.

How I got it: Off-peak travel got me the lowest fare overall, leaving a little extra cash to spring for this mini-upgrade.

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400 v.2 (744)
Seat: 43H
Class: Economy
Book (support modhop):Orbitz

The Seat: The Mystique of flying Singapore Airlines,  one of the worlds few 5-star carriers had me thinking that I’d be in long-haul heaven on this flight. Turns out I was in coach. The seats are at best slightly wider (maybe 0.5″) than a typical economy seat and a typical amount of legroom. The cushioning seemed adequate and the larger pillow helps with lumbar support if you need it.

Service: Good. We weren’t too demanding but flight attendants were very courteous and kept smiling as if they just found out they had won a small prize in the lottery.

Notes: Amenities are plentiful by economy standards. Toothbrushes and combs are complimentary in the restrooms and get this… If you ask nicely, they’ll give you a deck of playing cards! I made a point to actually use them on the flight. I happily sat there looking old-timey trying to fit an entire set of solitaire on my tray table while everyone else smartly played games on their laptops. The amenity kit handed out pre-flight came with flight socks and a toothbrush. Not much but more than You’ll get from most airlines.

Summary: As Singapore Airlines’ fleet continues to grow I suspect you’ll stand a better chance of scoring a flight on one of their A380′s or other aircraft giving you better entertainment and seating options but if you’re faced with a toss up between Singapore’s 747 service and say…United’s 747? Singapore wins by a mile…no…several miles.

Rating: 3.5 hops (of 5).

Strategy: There’s no strategy in finding basic economy seats. We did ourselves a big favor, though by placing my wife in the window seat and myself on the aisle when we originally booked the flight, leaving only the dreaded middle seat for prospective neighbors. Luckily for us, no one claimed it.

How I got it: Purchased off-peak between NYC and Singapore. If you’re traveling beyond Singapore (perhaps to Bali), the airline also occasionally offers a Singapore stopover deal with discounts on hotels and activities.

Airline: KLM
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400 Combi (74M)
Seat: 9C – Exit Row
Class: Economy Comfort

The Seat: With everyone abuzz about Delta Airlines introduction of new Economy Comfort service aboard long-haul flights, I thought it might be a good idea to check out their partner KLM’s version of this slightly “less annoying than coach” offering. What I ended up with was a very normal exit row seat with even more legroom than the others in this section.  In regards to seat width, this is most certainly economy sans comfort as your tray table and personal TV eat up valuable side-body real estate. Keeping yourself entertained is easy with  personal televisions at each seat, but the lack of in-seat power may keep you dependent upon KLM’s selection of movies and a couple of “30 Rock” re-runs that you’ve already seen on other flights.

Service: Eh. Not fantastic. Food was delivered, drinks were served. No one complained.

Notes: I noticed the gentleman in the row behind us had all 3 seats to himself. More than one of us attempted to steal his aisle seat but it turns out that he purchased the entire row. Not something you’re able to do on most airlines (to the best of my knowledge) but a brilliant move if you can.

Summary: Each seat in economy comfort has up to 4 inches of additional legroom, and even more if you can grab 9B, 9C or 11D, 11E. The seats in these rows aren’t the best if you require  extra width, but ideal for stretching out. The normal (non-exit) seats in this elevated economy offer a little of both and provide a good compromise.

Rating: 2.5 hops (of 5).

Strategy: Seats in economy comfort cost between 60 and 150 EUR. SkyTeam Elite Plus members (Delta Airlines Gold & up)  receive 50% off. Members of the Flying Blue Program receive discounts as follows: Silver – 25%, Gold 50%, Platinum- Complimentary.

How I got it: Purchased after reservation was made at KLM.com.

Airline: United Airlines
Aircraft: Airbus 319
Seat: 6D – Bulkhead
Class: Economy Plus

The Seat: The crew at SeatExpert tells us that some might prefer this seat over first class. I just HAD to see for myself. So I quickly got over my lack of status with United Airlines…then bought some (I’ll explain later) and put myself in this allegedly roomy seat. What I found is very similar to the bulkheads in similar short-haul Airbus and Boeing planes (eg: Delta A320 or this Alaska Airlines 737-800) in the bulkhead behind first class with one difference…The wall. While that may sound constricting, it’s really not at all. Because this seat is also in the Economy Plus portion of the main cabin, they’ve given a few more inches than a typical bulkhead row and a good sized cutout that you can stretch your legs under and into first class.

Service: I must have been wearing my nice sweater because the flight attendant in first class leaned into economy and handed me an orange juice after declines from her premium passengers. I loved it but I think I heard my jealous neighbor grumble a little. Service otherwise was standard if not a little friendlier than normal. Service on the phone, on the other hand… was atrocious. I had blundered a date when booking my itinerary online and upon calling was met with unintelligible telephone agents with little or no knowledge of how to handle the situation. I’m sure I’ve had better with United. Perhaps I just got them on a bad night. Lesson learned: Triple check my reservation information before clicking “Buy”.

Notes: No wi-fi? Really United?

Summary: Great row of seats on either side of the aisle. Your tray table will be in the armrest so you have slightly less width but if you’re taller, these are most likely the best seats on the plane. United and JetBlue rule the extra legroom market in the US right now and charge modest amounts for these premium seats (particularly when compared to the seemingly over-hyped, over-priced “Main Cabin Select” option on Virgin America).

Rating: 4.5 hops (of 5).

Strategy: You can either earn elite status with United…or  you can just buy it. United offers their “Premiere Travel” option for individual itineraries that gives you access to premium seating and other perks like early boarding, premiere security lanes (where available) and up to 2 checked bags …or you could just opt to purchase an Economy Plus upgrade (they start at $9 for their shortest flights). Yearly options are also available.

How I got it: Purchased Premiere Status ($80 for our flight from New York to Minneapolis with a connection in Chicago).

Airline: Delta
Aircraft: MD-90
Seat: 28C
Class: Economy – Exit Row

The Seat: I ‘ll agree with seatguru.com on this one. It’s well deserving of their “green” rating for this aircraft with extra legroom and a full recline. The only real drawback is it’s distance from the boarding door. While you may be allowed to board earlier, you’ll be waiting a while longer to get to your next flight. You may want to avoid it if you’ve got a tight connection.  The normal exit row cautions: Because of the exit doors these get cold during flight and if you’re not willing, able to help in an emergency… or under 15, You can’t sit here.

Service: Got a great crew on this flight. The flight attendant kept referring to their oddly shaped snack boxes as a “fez” (or some other type of hat). Short flight with friendly attentive service. Above average.

Notes: These aircraft were some of the first outfitted with in-flight wi-fi. Worked well and kept me entertained.

Summary: Where premium economy seats are concerned, there’s not much to choose from on the MD-90. Also, be very careful when choosing exit seating as there is no recline in the 3 rows in front of this one (25, 26 and exit row 27). And again, if you have a tight connection choose something closer to the front if it’s available. [Not yet reviewed by modhop: Seat 10C looks promising if you can get it.]

Rating: 3.0 hops (of 5).

Strategy: Delta Medallion (elite) members have first access to these seats but they can be requested at the gate. The only other seat we cautiously reccomend on this aircraft other than seats in row 28 is seat 10C which is a bulkhead seat and must be requested at the gate. (but only 10C! the other seats in this row are standard seats with reduced width). SkyTeam Elite members and elite members of other specific airlines (such as Alaska Airlines) also have first crack at these premium seats.

How I got it: Delta Medallion Status.

Airline: Delta
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400
Seat: 36A
Class: Economy

The Seat: This seat is rated as a premium seat on most seat-map sites like seatguru.com. Being a skeptic, I was anxious to see how much space I would find between the seat and the exit row slide…You see, I’ve been burned before. In fact, the video seat reviews that we regularly obsess over were inspired by the time I found myself stuck in 19F on this Delta 757.   I was happy to find that  this seat was NOT close enough to the exit slide to be a nuisance, although it might be of slightly lesser value to someone much over 6′.  There’s a small gap between the exit slide and row 35 so if you can do so without bothering the person in 35B, You’ll have all the advantages of an aisle seat as well as a window seat. Speaking of the window, You’ll have to turn your head just slightly further to see outside but not difficult. Movies aren’t easy to view from this seat. There’s a projection screen on the bulkhead wall to your right that you can see at an angle, but it’s difficult to sit in that position for any amount of time. Until Delta makes improvements to the in-flight entertainment we recommend bringing your own entertainment.

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Service: Meals were served and help was provided in a friendly and timely manner. Nothing more or less than I could have hoped for.

Notes: At the time of this post Delta has begun re-fitting these aircraft with new slimline seats that will provide slightly more legroom in economy the new design. The new seats will be upholstered in Delta’s signature blue leather and fitted with personal TV/Entertainment systems with movies, games, maps and audio. Until the installation is complete you’ll experience the older Northwest Airlines era cloth seats with limited audio and shared movies overhead.

Summary: It appears that row 35 in seats B,C,H & J are superior seats with added legroom and easy aisle access and might be a better first choice. That said, 36A is a very good economy seat and the room around it gives it sort of an exclusive feel (and by that we’re not implying it’s anything like being in Business Class). It should also be noted that this and it’s opposite, 36K are the only seats in this row with extra legroom so if you’re traveling with (and sitting next to) a companion, one of you will be in a normal economy seat.

Rating: 3.5 hops (of 5).

Strategy: Delta Medallion (elite) members have first access to these seats but they can be requested at the gate. If you’re not a medallion level member try getting to the gate early and requesting something in row 35 (Seats B, C, H or J only) , then 36A and/or K if those aren’t available. SkyTeam Elite members and elite members of other specific airlines (such as Alaska Airlines) also have first crack at these premium seats.

How I got it: Delta Medallion Status.

Airline: Delta
Aircraft: Airbus 330-300 (A330-300)
Seat: 10A
Class: Economy

The Seat: The allure of this seat is that it’s in an exit row with tons of legroom and away from odor and foot-traffic prone lavatories. Exit row, check. Legroom, almost. The emergency exit slide encasement extends into your leg space so that you’ll have to angle both legs to the right if you want to extend them. Not comfortable for the long haul. Being away from the lavatory is nice but you’ll be right next to the main galley which seems to be even noisier at times with flight attendants working throughout the flight. Sleep can be difficult here. Personal TVs with a reasonable number of movies and TV options is attached to the seat. With the tray table and personal TV  in the armrests, seat width is slightly sacrificed.

Service: Being the very first row in economy,  you’ll get your meal straight from the warmer. Also, being so close to the galley, you can walk your tray right back when you’re done without having to wait for flight attendants. Standard service for a US carrier. We had no  complaints but there was nothing extraordinary about service from attendants. And like most US carriers, there were no “extras” like eye shades or ear plugs in economy.

Notes: 10B (neighboring seat on the aisle) has tons of legroom but is even closer to the high-traffic galley. Seats 10G (aisle) and 10H (window) are the mirroring seats on the other side of the galley.

Summary: It’s great to be served first but galley noise and protruding exit slide make this a less than perfect seat for long haul comfort.

Rating: 1.5 hops (of 5).

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Strategy: Delta Medallion (elite) members have first access to these seats but they can be requested at the gate. This particular seat, because of the legroom restriction isn’t as popular as others so you may find it available more often than others. Our official advice  is to arrive early to the gate and ask for seats 29A,B,G and/or H which also offer a greater amount of legroom and a less obtrusive exit slide at seats A and H. These seats get slightly higher marks for legroom but are also closer to the lavatory so you’ll potentially have odor and passenger traffic issues here.

How I got it: Delta Medallion Status.

Bonus: Delta Airlines | Airbus A330-300 | Economy Seat 10A -Exit Row

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Airline: Delta
Aircraft:757-200 (Transcon)
Seat: 9C
Class: Economy (premium / elite seating)

Notes:Delta has an ever-growing collection of 757 configurations. With at least 4 different seatmaps and more with the addition of Northwest Airlines 757s, picking a seat can be a little confusing. For easier reference, this particular layout is referred to as “transcon – 75X” at seatguru.com. For legroom, 9C  is your best bet in this group of seats (9 A-B-C) as the exit door protrudes into the space of the window seat (9A). However, you’ll have to deal with people loitering in the area in front of you waiting for the lavatory no matter what seat you’re in. Another drawback is that you may find yourself gazing  into the first class cabin longing for free mojitos and a hot meal. On the plus side, you can always just pay for a mojito and buy a sandwich…not such a bad deal. The Delta EATS menu offers a great selection of food items for the trip. Breakfast is available for morning flights while sandwiches, salads and snacks are offered all day. These seats are reported to have less padding in the seat cushion; I didn’t notice at all. Also, because it’s an exit row, seat width is naturally reduced due to the placement of the tray table and video screen within the seat itself. Despite the drawbacks this still rates as a premium seat to me. If you love to be first off the aircraft after the 5+ hour coast to coast hop like me, it’s just about perfect. Deltas inflight entertainment for transcons is great too. Several options are available with their touch screen system including movies and HBO offerings for sale and free live TV, flight map and games. In this particular row of seats, I like having the TV screen IN the seat instead of the seatback in front (less reaching).

Summary:Great seat for legroom junkies or anyone who likes being the first out the door.   Worth paying a little extra for if you’re given the choice. Delta’s transcons in general are a great alternative to the other legacy carriers and rival (at least) some of the coach amenities of Virgin America and Jet Blue.

Rating:4 hops (of 5).

How I got it: Delta Medallion Status. Alternately you could ask at the gate for exit row seating, or this seat in particular on the day of your flight.