Airlines Offering Least And Most Leg Room

So you've paid for your flight, survived the relentless boredom of airport security, and finally made it onto the plane. You are ready to settle in for the journey, but there's one problem: you can't really move your legs. Airplanes are extremely restricted things, and you can't exactly stop at a gas station and get out to stretch your legs. No matter your height, legroom (or a lack of it) can make or break a flight.

The United States has no shortage of carriers, and each seems to take its own approach to the matter of legroom. A plane's legroom is measured by "pitch," another way of describing the distance from a seat to the one directly behind it. Seat pitch varies by airplane model, but this will be less interesting if you find yourself battling deep vein thrombosis mid-flight. These are the American carriers with the most and least legroom, from the comfortable to the catastrophic.

JetBlue Airways can be pretty hit and miss when it comes to customer satisfaction, with Tripadvisor reviews ranging from "today's flight was amazing" to "JetBlue has the WORST customer service in the world," but one area it excels at its legroom. In many ways, this is more important than amazing flights and terrible customer service. After all, both of those are influenced by human mood and behavior, whereas legroom is eternal.

The pitch width of JetBlue's economy class options is an impressive 32.3 inches. Tripadvisor users back this up, with one review stating that the "legroom was amazing." Tripadvisor reviewers sure do love the word "amazing." Furthermore, JetBlue used to offer a pitch of 34 inches, so it remains to be seen if further reductions will come. Still, if you want to travel with extra room for your legs, JetBlue Airways is the way to go, although a reputation for canceled and delayed flights might influence your decision.

One of America's most popular budget airlines, Southwest Airlines takes home the silver medal for legroom. Its pitches average out at 31.8 inches, just a smidge behind gold medal winner JetBlue. Established in 1967 at Air Southwest, the Fort Worth-Dallas-based company is widely considered to be the world's largest low-cost carrier, so maybe a decent amount of legroom is to be expected. You also get free checked baggage with Southwest, and we're not going to complain about that.

Of course, people do like to complain. Tripadvisor reviews run the gauntlet of positive and negative, covering everything from "just okay as far as legroom and comfort goes" to "the seats were very comfortable and had a lot of legroom," almost as if these things are entirely subjective. If you're looking for an above-average amount of legroom and some of the best customer service in the country (and a free checked bag), fly Southwest. With flights to over 100 destinations in the United States, the Caribbean, and Central America, you have plenty of options.

Of course, there are many airlines that offer so many different routes and planes that getting a good handle on legroom isn't so simple. Delta Air Lines (the oldest operating airline in the United States) is one such company, so seeing it land somewhere in the middle is no great shock. The average pitch on a Delta flight is 31 inches, although some planes offer up to 36 inches in specific rows.

Delta is one of the most consistent airlines in the country, with a good record of time-keeping and the added bonus of a collectible card set for flyers. Who doesn't love a good collectible? However, Tripadvisor reviews vary (as always). One commenter said that the "legroom is the worst I have ever experienced," while another said they were "very impressed with the amount of legroom" they had on a flight from Sydney to Los Angeles. If you are boarding a near-14-hour flight, a little extra legroom could go a long way.

Delta doesn't stand alone in third place on the legroom order of merit. Alaska Airlines also offers an average pitch of 31 inches for passengers traveling to its more than 100 destinations. The Seattle-based airline tends to do well in most rankings of these sorts and has built itself a decent reputation for consistency since it expanded operations following World War II. We can't confidently say what the legroom was like on Linious McGee's unscheduled runs between Anchorage and Bristol Bay in the early 1930s, but we have our assumptions.

But what do the good people of Tripadvisor say? A passenger flying from San Diego to Orlando noted that the "seats were comfortable with plenty of legroom," while a traveler heading to San Diego from New York echoed the sentiment, saying that "the seats in the economy class were pretty decent and comfy with a good amount of legroom." If you are worried about your carbon footprint, Alaska Airlines is also one of the most eco-friendly airlines in the country.

When it comes to the number of passengers and daily flights, no company on the planet can touch American Airlines. The carrier flies to more than 350 destinations and has 10 hubs dotted around the country, making it the largest airline on the planet. Almost 7,000 American Airlines flights take off every single day. No matter how you measure it, this is a big company.

Does that make it better or worse that it only offers a pitch average of 30.2 inches? The standard seems to hover around the average range, with Tripadvisor reviews saying things like "the seats weren't great comfort-wise but also weren't terrible with a solid amount of legroom." American Airlines runs a broad range of planes, so the amount of legroom will always vary, but there is an underlying feeling that it could and should be better. The airline is also adding new and exciting routes all the time, so maybe the squeeze is worth it.

Chicago-based United Airlines is one of the most popular carriers in the United States, with nearly 5,000 daily flights to more than 300 airports across the world. United has the world's largest fleet, and is a major player in international air travel. This is all well and good, but what does it mean for our legs?

The standard pitch of a United Airlines economy flight is 30.1 inches, putting it in the mushy middle of the standings. As with many airlines, United offers passengers the option of paying for extra comfort with its Economy Plus tickets (an average pitch of 37 inches), although this privilege doesn't come cheap. In a time when companies are looking to make every extra dollar possible, that is to be expected, so the amount of legroom you get with United will ultimately come down to your budget and/or willingness to suffer for the journey. No pain, no gain, and all that jazz.

It is difficult to resist the temptation of a low-budget flight. Flying across the country at the cost of a burger meal? Where do we sign? Much like flying itself, we're not entirely sure how airlines offering extremely low prices for flights actually work, but we're not about to spoil the mystery.

Unfortunately, you almost always end up getting what you pay for. Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air is one of the country's most budget-friendly airlines, but the company has also developed an unfortunate reputation for having the most uncomfortable seats in the sky. The average pitch of a seat is somewhat respectable 30 inches, but you'll have to decide whether that makes up for what one Tripadvisor user described as "being smashed in like sardines." Furthermore, Allegiant Air seats don't recline, although that might be a blessing in disguise, considering the controversial takes on airplane seat reclining etiquette.

Now we're getting into the tight squeezes. Budget airline Sun Country offers a standard pitch of between 29 and 30 inches, although it might feel like less as you settle into one of the Twin Cities-based company's flights. A Sanspotter review of a Sun Country flight from Boston to Minneapolis was particularly damning, describing the legroom as "downright torturous." We're pretty sure that isn't a good thing.

Reviewers on Tripadvisor had mixed opinions, with some even saying that the airline offers "a ton more legroom" than similarly-priced competitors. As with other budget airlines, you are paying for what you get, and it is difficult to complain too vociferously about an uncomfortable seat when you are paying next to nothing to get from A to B. This is easier to stomach on a short flight as opposed to one heading to Belize, Honduras, Mexico, or any of the company's other Central American destinations, but the point stands.

On average, Hawaiian Airlines offers up a paltry 29 inches of legroom, although the company does get good reports on its "extra comfort" economy class option. Of course, you'll have to pay for the privilege, but it is definitely the way to go if you are worried about your knees. You also get priority service and other amenities for your money.

Of course, Tripadvisor isn't thrilled about the standard of comfort on Hawaiian Airlines flights. One review of a flight from Sydney to Honolulu called them the "most uncomfortable seats I have ever been in," while a passenger traveling from Honolulu to Las Vegas said there was "no legroom whatsoever." Still, this overlooked airline tends to rate well overall for customer experience, particularly for domestic flights, and the food is considered some of the best in the sky. Pay for extra comfort, and you should be more than happy with your Hawaiian Airlines experience.

Two airlines pick up the wooden spoon for legroom, and it shouldn't be a massive shock for frequent fliers to hear the names. With just 28 inches of legroom on offer as standard, Frontier Airlines is one of the most popular ultra-low-cost carriers in the United States, although the use of "popular" denotes the number of passengers as opposed to the reputation. After all, the airline did rank last for customer satisfaction in 2024, and kicking Khabib Nurmagomedov off a plane isn't a great way to start 2025.

But again, you are paying for what you get. Frontier flies to more than 120 airports across the United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, offering travelers a low-budget way to explore the world. If that comes at the expense of acceptable blood circulation for a couple of hours, then so be it. However, those Tripadvisor reviews are hard to ignore.

Joining Frontier at the bottom of the pile with a 28-inch pitch is fellow low-budget carrier Spirit. The Florida-based carrier is another airline that offers flights at unbelievably low prices, but Spirit takes its penny-pinching to a whole new level. A pitch of just 28 inches is one thing, but the airline doesn't even offer free water or snacks in flight. What is the world coming to?

It doesn't get much more positive over on Tripadvisor. One passenger flying between Charlotte and Los Angeles complained of "no legroom at all," although other reviewers said, "Spirit is not as bad as you think." That that has to be said in the first place probably tells you enough. However, your experience on a Spirit flight will almost certainly come down to your own standards and expectations, not to mention budget and tolerance for discomfort. Those budget flights come at a cost, after all.