On a Ryanair-configured Boeing 737-800, all seats have the same row spacing and seat width. However, perceived comfort varies greatly depending on the area of the cabin, proximity to the wings, and especially the automatic seat assignment policy applied by the airline. Choosing a seat on a Ryanair flight involves balancing several technical constraints that go beyond the classic window versus aisle debate.
Ryanair Automatic Assignment: The Back Area as an Adjustment Variable
Ryanair has recently changed its policy regarding the placement of families traveling with young children. Parents who agree to be seated at the back of the aircraft can now obtain adjacent seats at no extra cost. This change has a direct consequence for other passengers.
The back rows become the preferred area for automatic assignment of free seats. If you book without selecting a seat, the likelihood of being assigned to this part of the cabin increases. You then find yourself in a potentially noisier environment, near the restrooms and galleys, surrounded by families with young children.
To identify the best seat on a Ryanair flight, it is essential to take this factor into account: the back rows are no longer simply “worse”; they now concentrate a specific passenger profile and noise level. Paying to choose your seat does not buy comfort in the strict sense, but rather the certainty of not being relegated to this area by default.
Ryanair Extra Legroom Seats: Which Ones Offer a Real Space Gain
The “extra legroom” seats on Ryanair are primarily located in the emergency exit rows. They offer a significantly greater legroom than standard rows. These are the only seats in the cabin where the difference in physical comfort is truly measurable.
Some technical details deserve attention:
- The emergency exit seats impose eligibility conditions: physical ability to operate the door, minimum age, and no responsibility for a young child. If you are traveling with an infant, these rows are off-limits to you.
- Some front rows, while not emergency exits, benefit from being positioned behind a partition. The space is slightly greater, but the tray table is integrated into the armrest, which reduces the effective seat width.
- The extra legroom seats near the galleys are subject to noise from onboard service and the comings and goings of the crew, especially on flights longer than two hours.
Thus, the choice of the most relevant extra legroom seat depends on the flight duration. For a short trip, the emergency exit row by the window remains the best compromise between space, relative quiet, and unobstructed view.
Ryanair Window Seat: The Exact Row Changes the View
On a Boeing 737, the position relative to the wing radically alters the window experience. The choice between window and aisle is not enough: the row matters as much as the side.
Rows Located Above the Wing
The central rows of the aircraft (around rows 14 to 19 in most Ryanair configurations) place the window directly at wing level. The view downwards is partially, if not completely, obstructed by the wing. If you choose a window seat to admire the landscape during takeoff or landing, these rows should be avoided.
On the other hand, the seats located above the wing are the least exposed to turbulence. The center of gravity of the aircraft is in this area, which reduces the pitch and roll movements perceived by the passenger. For those sensitive to motion sickness, this criterion weighs more than the view.
Front and Back Rows for the Window
Rows 1 to 10 (sides A and F) offer an unobstructed view forward and down. The rows behind the wing, starting from around the 20th row, provide a rear view of the engine and the passing landscape. The difference may seem trivial, but on a flight to a coastal or mountainous destination, the choice of row transforms the visual experience of the flight.
Front Rows Ryanair: An Advantage Mainly Logistical
The first rows of the cabin are often presented as the most comfortable. In reality, the legroom is identical to that of standard rows, except in cases related to a partition.
Their true advantage is functional: disembarking from the front rows takes a few minutes compared to sometimes a quarter of an hour from the back. On a flight with a tight connection, this time saving can make the difference between catching or missing a second flight.
The front rows also have an advantage for access to cabin luggage. The overhead compartments fill from back to front during boarding by groups. If you board in a late group, the bins above your rear seat will likely already be full. At the front, saturation is less systematic.
Aisle or Window Seat Ryanair: Selection Criteria Based on the Flight
The flight duration and your habits on board are the two variables that allow for a concrete decision:
- On a flight of less than two hours, the window seat (away from the wing area) offers a more pleasant experience: lateral support for sleeping, view, absence of disturbance from neighbors.
- On a flight longer than two hours, the aisle becomes preferable for anyone who needs to get up regularly. Each trip to the restroom requires the neighbors in the window and middle seats to shift.
- The middle seat (letter B or E) offers no measurable advantage. If you are traveling alone and this seat is assigned to you automatically, paying to change remains the best comfort investment on Ryanair.
Choosing a seat on Ryanair boils down to a question of priority: quiet and view, or mobility and quick exit. Automatic assignment pushes non-paying passengers to the back, where families and noise nuisances concentrate. On a short flight as well as on a three-hour trip, spending a few euros on seat selection avoids the back of the cabin and its constraints.