These Are The Airlines With The World's Longest Legroom In Economy In 2026

The average economy seat pitch has fallen from roughly 35 inches (89 cm) in the 1970s to around 30 today, and no regulator sets a minimum anywhere. The FAA requires that an aircraft be evacuated within 90 seconds, which caps total seat count, but the rules say nothing about how far apart those seats sit. Most long-haul economy cabins now run 31 to 32 inches, and ultra-low-cost carriers go as low as 28.