Why Airplane Seats Are Getting Bigger And Fancier Again

Airlines have been spending big to add more space and comfort to seats on board planes. According to AeroDynamic advisory, airplane seats were a $2.6 billion dollar market globally in 2022, almost half of $6.2 aircraft interiors market. U.S. airlines like American, Delta and United have been adding more premium seats to their fleets. Delta estimates its premium revenue will be 35% of total revenue this year compared to 24% in 2014. CNBC spoke to RECARO Aircraft Seating, Collins Aerospace and Delta about the trends in airplane seats and why airline are adding more premium options to their cabins.

Correction at 4:55: A previous version of this piece misstated the leader in airplane seat manufacturing

Chapters:
00:00 — Introduction
02:03 — Evolution of seats
04:42 — Demand for seats
07:01 — Design
11:29 — What's next

Produced, Shot and Edited by: Erin Black
Animations by: Christina Locopo
Supervising Producer: Jeniece Pettitt
Editorial Support: Leslie Josephs
Additional Camera by: Shawn Baldwin, Alexander Klein

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Why Airplane Seats Are Getting Bigger And Fancier Again

[cthamax]

What I hear is they successfully lowered the standard so much that what was once considered normal is now a “premium” experience they can charge more for.

[WyoMedic]

They’ve made the “standard” seating so unbearable that people will pay extra to avoid it. For economy class passengers, you’d be more comfortable on Greyhound!

[raminjafari]

I remember a few years ago with a regular plane ticket you would get a comfortable seat, free checked-in bags with more weight limit, free carry-on bags, free seat selection option, free food onboard. Now you have to PAY for everything. Airline industry is the most aggressive corporate in taking advantage of consumers in recent years.

[alcubierrevj]

The title should be: "Why Premium Airplane Seats are Getting Bigger and Fancier Again"

[rafaelm.]

More comfortable seating solutions are available but airlines won't buy them. The key is to not make passengers too comfortable because it will cut into sales of business and first class.

[Jacku]

Making passengers pay for checked bags leads to full overhead carry-ons. As a result, the personal bags must go under the seat in front of you instead of overhead. The end result is less leg room making premium economy a little more worthwhile.

[jstephens]

The air would be less congested if high speed rail was available for shorter routes. Trains are easier to access and more comfortable overall.

[BigMikeECV]

I'm a large man, and I recall a flight I took about 35 years ago. As I was checking in, the airline offered me a seat with extra legroom for $40. I accepted their offer and paid the fee. When I got to my seat, it was the middle of three seats, and the two other seats were occupied by men just as large as me. We all looked at each other with resignation, and spent our 5 hour flight negotiating shoulder shifts since there wasn't enough room for the three of us to sit straight across.

[NaNslx]

Thank you for pointing out that the seats are made for people who are 5'10 and 180lbs.

The discomfort makes more sense to us who are over 6 ft tall

[silvermica]

It's almost like airplane seats have mirrored the growing wealth gap.

[vondahe]

There was one significant understatement in the video: Business can cost up to four times an economy seat.

The truth is that it can easily cost 10x more and I doubt that is the limit.

[MikeLi]

$100, 000 for a seat!? Damn they need some competition.

[Keepitkind]

Just make roomy-enough seats and forget about class. We're all people and I'm over the class differences

[noblehazards]

I hate flying. I’m 6’4 and I hate the entire process of being crammed into those little seats like sardines. I wish Congress would step in and regulate airlines.

[nospamallowed]

Most airlines are missing the boat on a critical element. Width is important for some of course, but most airlines have gone to a seat design that makes your rear end hurt. Yes, hurt. You see it constantly with people twisting and turning, and bumping into their neighbors with their knees to try to minimize the pain. This is unforgivable, discomfort is one thing, but actual pain is horrible. That is why I no longer fly on American, Jet Blue, and Copa... and I minimize my flying on LATAM to those routes when there is not other good option. Delta is among the least painful ones but even they are going for thinner padding.

[renegadeoffunk]

I'm all for the growth of premium economy but it sucks that it feels like the economy passenger is getting increasingly squeezed for no uptick in service. The cost of flying is still high and yet you don't get bags, in some cases no meals, seat pitches are getting smaller, etc.

[englishteacherdon]

There is a huge difference between flying an Asian airline and flying the US airlines. The US airlines have no shame in trying to make a buck in the short term. The seats on ANA and Korean are superior at every level to their American counterparts.

[Sacto]

I can foresee that within the next several years, airlines will have planes that are essentially Business and Premium Economy class only, primarily aimed for much longer flights than now. With intercontinental flights exceeding 16 hours on 777-8/9, 787 and A350 models, better seating quality is a *MUST*, especially to counteract the issue of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Even Economy class seating for such very long flights could improve, due to potentially new ICAO regulations requiring roomier seats on flights over six hours long.

[gibbygibbs]

Airline seats need to start getting bigger, they are way too uncomfortable even for smaller people.

[ewdmjqj]

I once flew from Los Angeles to South Africa and back on economy. 20 hours there and 20 hours back. A 40 hour round trip. There was a two hour stop in London, but it was brutal. Half way through each leg, I got up and went to the back of the plane and stretched. That was rough on the body.