How to Tell What Kind of Premium Seat You’re Getting on a Plane

Booking what you think is a lie-flat business class seat on a brand-new aircraft and ending up with an angled recliner on an old plane can be dismaying, especially when you’ve worked hard to save up those points, miles, or cash to book it. I still remember years back when I was finally able to use AAdvantage miles I’d saved for years to fly Qatar’s new Qsuites. A sudden aircraft change meant that I wouldn’t be closing the door to my own suite that day. Instead, I’d be sitting in a 2-2-2 business class seat with no direct aisle access — no doors, no privacy. 

Of course, I survived my Qatar flight and lived to tell the story of my sudden champagne problem, but I was disappointed. Booking a premium seat of one type and receiving another, or not fully knowing what type of seat you’ll get, isn’t ideal, especially if you’ve worked hard to save for a specific, coveted experience. 

This article will help you figure out what type of first-class or business-class seat you’ll have and how to troubleshoot if you don’t end up flying in the seat you booked.

Familiarize yourself with the classes the airline offers 

Start by understanding the cabin classes the airline you plan to fly offers. Research the aircraft and seating options via the airline’s website. Most provide photos and information on what their first, business, premium economy, and economy cabins include, as well as which aircraft feature each type of seat.

For example, the new premium economy experience on Cathay Pacific’s revamped Boeing 777-300ER feels decadent, with wider seats that have a solid recline, comfy headrest, and supportive footrest. In some ways, it’s a more comfortable seat than flying domestic business classes in the United States. However, premium economy on other airlines might not feel as nice or may be more akin to a regular economy seat with just a bit more legroom, or the aircraft you’re flying may not even have a premium economy cabin.

Find out which aircraft your flight is on 

When you’re booking a flight, the aircraft should be listed on the website, which means you can look up the seat map to see what kind of seat you’re booking. You can also Google this information or see it on Google Flights. 

Googling and researching your flight route and airline is a reliable way to get more information. For example, years ago, I realized through some online searching that Iberia usually operates its flights between Madrid (MAD) and London (LHR) on a narrow-body A320. However, Iberia operates one flight each day between these two European hubs on its wide-body A350. 

This means that if I booked business class on the wide-body aircraft, I could fly in a lie-flat seat on this short-haul flight, and usually for the same price. Since I frequently flew between the two cities during this period of my life, I always opted for the A350 flight for a better experience. Even if I was flying in economy and not business, being on a larger plane felt smoother, less turbulent, and all-around better. 

Compare seats and aircraft

Many airline websites clearly indicate if certain seats are only available on certain planes, and knowing this ahead of time can help manage expectations. Some blogs and websites also detail which seats you can book on which aircraft, along with specific cabin features. 

For example, if you want to take an onboard shower, Emirates states on its A380 first class page that there’s a shower available, but there’s no shower information on its 777 first class info page. Meanwhile, American Airlines clarifies which of its planes offer premium economy cabins. 

Check out the seat map for more details

Seat maps provide the most clarity because you can see exactly which seat you’ll get. For example, these Qatar seat maps of the airline’s entire fleet clarify the two different seating layouts you’ll have on the Boeing 777-200LR, which include options for the Qsuite business class and the non-Qsuite business class. 

The important part of seat maps is making sure that you’re looking at the right seat map for your flight to avoid disappointment or issues.

Aeroopa, SeatGuru (although it isn’t always updated), and FlightAware are other sites where you can check your aircraft and seat based on your flight number or route. 

Monitor aircraft swaps

Having scored a premium plane seat, you may be feeling pretty good about your iconic points redemption or low-priced fare. But you shouldn’t celebrate until you’re actually sitting in the seat, because aircraft swaps are fairly common and can completely change the kind of seat you get. This is especially true when it comes to premium cabins, such as premium economy, business, or first class. 

This is important if you’re flying an aircraft that offers a lie-flat transcontinental experience in business class. If there’s a sudden aircraft swap, you may be stuck in a recliner seat for six hours or end up in a 2-2-2 situation when you thought you’d have direct aisle access. Monitoring your flight, starting from a few months to a few days and even minutes before takeoff, ensures you’ll be on top of the news if there’s an aircraft change.

What to do if your aircraft changes

If you notice an aircraft swap, contact the airline to determine your options. If you have flexible travel plans, switching the time, date, or flight route (perhaps adding a layover or changing the origin or destination airport) might ensure you get the type of seat you want on the aircraft you originally booked. If you have elite status with the airline, you may have access to a dedicated customer service line, meaning your issues get solved faster.

However, if the aircraft swap is at the very last minute, which it often is, you might be out of luck. Technically, the airline doesn’t have to provide you with compensation for an aircraft change, unless it resulted in a fully downgraded class — for example, if you booked a seat in premium economy and got downgraded to economy class because the new plane doesn’t have a premium economy cabin.. 

Still, if an aircraft swap results in a downgraded seat in the same cabin, you should always try to change your flight or ask for compensation, like a flight credit or miles. There’s no guarantee, but you can try. If you’re having trouble getting answers, ask to speak to a supervisor. Staying calm and being kind are techniques that could work in your favor. 

Are aircraft guarantees real?

There’s one possible way you might have recourse, and that’s with the somewhat mythical QSuites guarantee. Although there’s no hard and fast evidence of this on their website, we’ve heard reports of some passengers who booked QSuites getting emails offering the opportunity to switch to a different flight that offers QSuites, if there has been an aircraft change. Flyers who booked Qsuites on points or in cash can swap to a Qsuite flight on the same route within 21 days of the original departure, even if the flight doesn’t have award availability. 

This does come with some further caveats and is based on offer-only (for example, I sadly wasn’t offered this when my Qsuites aircraft was swapped out). However, we love that some flyers may have a way to resolve the dreaded aircraft swap, at least when it comes to Qatar’s coveted Qsuites product. We only wish other airlines would take note and do the same.

Summary 

When it comes to getting the best type of airline seat out there, it’s easy if you do your research. Digging into the aircraft type, seat maps, and looking at photos can help you book the premium seat you want. And if things go south and the aircraft changes, politely troubleshooting with airline staff might work in your favor. And you never know – an aircraft change could always benefit you. You might suddenly end up with a better seat or a newer plane.