You’re not a fan of turbulence. We get it. The shakes, the rattling, the pitching, the jerking, the dropping: It’s enough to make even seasoned travelers grip their armrests tighter.
While it’s impossible to avoid turbulence entirely—it’s becoming a more frequent problem as the climate changes—you can reduce those stomach-plummeting bumps with a bit of strategic seat selection..
Understanding turbulence
Before diving into the optimal seat choices, it’s helpful to understand what turbulence is—and what it isn’t.
Turbulence is a natural and common phenomenon that occurs when air currents move unpredictably, causing the plane to jostle. It’s similar to driving over a bumpy road. Pilots are trained to navigate these conditions, and while it may feel unsettling, turbulence is rarely dangerous. Planes are designed to handle turbulence, and pilots constantly communicate with air traffic control to ensure they’re flying at the most stable altitudes.
According to the National Center for Atmospheric Research, turbulence occurs during approximately 65,000 flights out of the 16 million the FAA handles annually.
Seat-selection strategy
The intensity of turbulence can vary depending on where you are seated on the aircraft.
“The best seats to experience the least amount of turbulence are close to the wings,” Maria Fagerström, a 737 captain in Europe, told Afar. “This has to do with where the center of gravity is located on the aircraft. The further away from it you are, the more turbulence you feel.”
Think of it like a seesaw. If you’re right in the middle, you won’t feel much movement. If you are on one of the seesaw ends—whee!—you will absolutely feel more movement. On a Boeing 737 or an Airbus A320, two of the most common aircraft for long-haul flights, the Goldilocks zone is typically located in rows 12 through 25. If you’re unsure which seats are on the wing of your plane, one rule of thumb is to choose a seat within a few rows on either side of the overwing emergency exit rows.
Another sweet spot for a smoother ride is closer to the front of the plane. “Sitting at the very front of the cabin is also a great option for less motion and a quieter ride, but it’s generally going to cost extra, either as a seat assignment or business-class ticket,” Daniel Burnham, a an aviation expert at the flight-deal tracking site Going, told Afar.
Burnham added, “You’ll usually experience the most jolts and widest range of motion at the back of the aircraft.” That’s because the tail of the plane tends to experience the most motion, similar to how the back of a bus feels bumpier than the front. Passengers seated in the rear rows will likely notice more bouncing and swaying during turbulent conditions.
Other flight strategies for less turbulence
Another way to minimize the amount of turbulence you may experience is flying on larger aircraft. Smaller airplanes, like an Embraer 175, which only seats around 76 people, weigh less, have shorter wingspan, and fly at lower altitudes. The result? More turbulence. The added weight and structure of larger planes make them less susceptible to bumps in the air. If you have the option to choose between a larger and a smaller plane, go for the larger one if smoothness is your priority. That might mean forgoing short, regional flights that are operated on small planes, like Colorado Springs to Denver or Austin to Dallas. Instead, consider driving or taking public transit to fly out of the larger airport rather than the smaller one.
You might also be vigilant about when during the day you fly. “The air tends to be smoother in the very early morning when it’s cooler and denser, and turbulence is less severe then,” Fagerström said. “So if you’re an anxious flier and dislike bumpy rides, make sure to book your ticket on the earliest flight in the morning.”
