Which airlines offer plenty of legroom in economy class: ranking

When we travel by plane, it is important to feel comfortable, especially in economy class. Are there planes where you can stretch your legs and enjoy a pleasant flight despite the limited budget seat? Thrillist told which airlines offer more legroom and how to choose the most comfortable option for travel.

Since people started traveling again after the pandemic began, passengers have faced various challenges. Public, recorded dramatic breakdowns for any reason, from the tilt of the chair to the very purpose of the seat.

Conflict resolution expert and professor at the University of Southern California Peter Kim spoke about the increased frequency of angry outbursts during flights. Kim cited small spaces as part of the problem. “The space in economy class has shrunk a lot from what it used to be when I was young,” Kim said.

And while we don't have exact data on how much passenger space has shrunk over the past decade, the company Upgraded Points has published a new study on which airlines have the most legroom.

Who's better?

To determine the rating, Upgraded Points used data from Google Chrome Legroom for Google Flights to determine the average legroom (via average seat pitch) for each major airline's economy class seats.

On the subject: Airfare prices will never be the same: what has led to a sharp jump in travel costs

“Leegroom is a critical aspect of passenger comfort, especially on long flights,” Keri Stooksbury, editor-in-chief of Upgraded Points, said in a statement. “Our goal is to provide travelers with information that will help them make informed decisions when traveling. Therefore, we are pleased to shed light on which airlines are prioritizing more space for the comfort of their passengers.”

Airlines with the most legroom, according to the study:

JetBlue ranks first in this analysis, with an average of 82cm of legroom. Southwest is in second place with 80 cm. Alaska Airlines и Delta occupy third place with 78 cm of space. U United и American there's just over 76cm of space, and budget airlines remain true to their low-cost nature, with Spirit and Frontier each offering 71cm of legroom.