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Traditionally, seating space on airlines is measured by “seat pitch”, which is the distance between a point in the headrest on one seat and the same point on the seat in front of it. If an airline has a seat pitch of 81cm in Economy Class, this means that there is a distance of 81cm between the front of one seat and the front of the seat behind it. While seat pitch is not the exact equivalent of “legroom”, it gives a very good approximation of how much seat room you should expect. Seat pitch varies from plane to plane; please treat this as a guide.

Scheduled Airlines:

Airline Economy Premium Economy Business First Class
Air Asia 74cm Flat bed
Air Canada 74-86cm 96.5cm 94-99cm Lie-flat bed
Air Mauritius 79cm 152cm
Air New Zealand 76-86cm 96-104cm Lie-flat bed or 127cm
Alitalia 76-81cm 81-86cm Flat bed
American Airlines 76-81cm Lie-flat seat Flat bed
Austrian Airlines 76-83cm up to 150cm
British Airways 79-86cm 96cm Up to 185cm Fully flat bed
Cathay Pacific Airways 81cm 96cm 114-220cm Fully flat bed
El Al Israel Airlines 81-91cm 112-157cm Bed-seat
Emirates 79-86cm Lie-flat bed Flat-bed seat or private suite
Etihad Airlines 81-86cm Flat bed or 124cm Flat bed
Garuda Up to 79cm Lie-flat seat
Japan Airlines 86cm 97cm Fully flat bed Suite
Jetstar 74-79cm 86cm
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines 76-89cm 160cm
Korean Air 86cm Flat seat or 152-188cm Sleeper seat, flat bed or suite
Malaysia Airlines 81-86cm Lie-flat seat or 114-188cm Flat bed
Olympic Airways 81-88cm
Qantas 79cm 96-106cm Full flat-bed or up to 198cm Fully flat-bed
Qatar Airways 79-84cm 152-203cm Flat bed
Rex Regional Express 76cm
Royal Brunei Airlines 79-81cm Flat bed or 112cm
SAS 76-81cm 96cm Flat bed or 200cm
Singapore Airlines 81-86cm Flat bed or 127-193cm Flat bed
South African Airways 79-85cm 89-185cm
Sri Lankan Airlines 81cm Flat-bed seat or 117-132cm
Thai Airways International 79-86cm 152cm Flat bed
Tiger 76cm
Turkish Airlines 78cm 116cm Flat bed
United Airlines 76-89cm 99cm Flat bed or up to 193cm Flat bed
Virgin Atlantic Airways 79cm 96cm 202cm Flat bed
Virgin Australia 75-81cm 86-102cm 152cm

Featured image by Robert S. Donovan

About the author

Kara SegedinWriter, traveller, Tweeter, blogger and part-time adventurer. A kiwi living in London off to explore the world! I can never travel enough!

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