Seat guide
Your seat, explained
Practical tips with sources. We don't rank seats by safety or give odds. The simple habits below are what the FAA actually recommends.
Keep your belt on whenever you're seated
The FAA's advice is simple: keep your seat belt fastened whenever you're seated, even when the sign is off. This is the single most effective thing you can do in turbulence.1
Flying with a child under two
The FAA says the safest place for children under two is in a government-approved child seat or device, rather than on a lap.1
Exit rows
US airlines must check that anyone sitting in an exit row is able to help open the exit in an emergency, and they can't seat people under 15 there.2 If you'd rather not take on that role, it's fine to ask for a different seat.
Window, aisle or middle?
- Window: you can see what's happening outside (wings are designed to flex: see our FAQ) and lean against the wall to rest.
- Aisle: easier to stretch or get up when the seat belt sign is off.
- Follow your airline's carry-on rules, which the FAA says helps prevent in-flight injuries.1
- Nervous flyer? Read choosing a seat when you're anxious.
To see your seat map, use your airline's app or website. Want to know your aircraft? Try My Flight or the tail lookup.