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
