Over the years, I’ve shifted from being someone who always opts for the aisle seat on flights to someone who always picks the window seat. This change has undoubtedly been a slow evolution. Initially, I’d choose aisle seats regardless, then I’d pick window seats only on shorter journeys, followed by selecting window seats exclusively in premium cabins, and now I go for window seats every time.
This preference has even sparked a bit of tension in my relationship. When I first started dating Ford, I thought, “Fantastic, he likes the window seat, that’s perfect.” These days, we occasionally bicker over who gets the window seat (although, to be fair, I usually relent).
What has prompted this shift in my seating choice?
In this post:
Why window seats surpass aisle seats
I’m aware of all the reasons people present for favoring aisle seats. Sure, you can access the restroom whenever you want, without needing to step over others. Plus, there’s arguably a bit more space to adjust your legs and not encroach into the aisle.
Yet, in my opinion, those advantages can’t compete with the perks of a window seat. I believe we can all agree that a seat offering both an aisle and a window is the ultimate scenario, regardless of whether it’s in American Eagle first class or Qatar Airways Qsuites. However, to be fair, many passengers aren’t flying in premium cabins and/or on aircraft featuring these single-seat configurations.
An aisle plus window seat is the ideal situation!
Anyway, without any specific order, let me share why I’ve fully embraced the window seat.
Looking out of airplane windows never loses its charm
Even after traveling countless miles, for me, looking out an airplane window never ceases to amaze. Not even once. Even the most mundane flight has sights worth observing, and it only gets better from there.
No matter how routine air travel becomes, I’ll always appreciate the wonder of flight, and the ability to get a bird’s-eye view of the world while soaring through the sky at 500 miles per hour in a metal tube. This is genuinely about 80% of why I prefer a window seat.
Honestly, there’s just so much to witness while flying, whether it’s a stunning sunrise over Mongolia…
View from a MIAT Mongolian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX
… or a breathtaking sunset over the Pacific…
View from a Philippine Airlines Airbus A350
… or just your standard departure from Hong Kong.
View from a Cathay Pacific Airbus A350
I don’t judge those who don’t gaze out the window while flying… but I do find it baffling.
Window seat travelers manage window shades
In addition to savoring the views, you also want the ability to adjust the window shades. For instance, if you’re on a daytime flight and wish to nap, you can decide whether to lower the shade or leave it open.
Likewise, if you prefer to follow your personal entertainment, you might want to close the shade to minimize glare. The individual seated by the window has authority over the window shades.
Speaking of views, it astounds me how many people opt to keep their window shades shut the entire journey, and being in the window seat guarantees that you can still take in the sights outside.
Control of window shades belongs to the passenger in the window seat
Window seats facilitate work
Personally, I find that I work quite productively on planes, and being in a window seat aids that process. I can tilt my laptop or phone screen away from the individual next to me.
While my preferred focus on a flight is out the window, some people seem to favor watching other passengers’ laptop screens. It makes sense to use one of those privacy filters for your screen, but even those aren’t infallible when packed in tightly.
Some time ago I was sat in an aisle seat, and midway through the flight, the guy diagonally behind me started discussing things I was involved with in my email inbox. Nice. “I don’t mean to intrude, but…” No, sorry, in this case you are intruding.
In a window seat, you can position your screen away from others
In window seats, no one has to navigate over you
A common argument for choosing an aisle seat is the ease of accessing the restroom anytime. The downside is that you might have to let up to two people pass over you to get to the bathroom.
Personally, I would much rather be a window seat passenger than an aisle seat passenger:
I don’t consume much on flights, so I don’t need the restroom often
As a window seat occupant, you enjoy a