Stuck in the Middle Seat? How to Make Your Next Flight More Comfortable

Squeezed between two strangers for hours? Travel experts share the simple gear and one surprising perk that can make the middle seat far less miserable.

It’s tough to end up in the middle seat on a plane. For many, it feels like a trap between the person sitting by the window and the one by the aisle. Commercial airline pilot Alex Gervash explains that your brain reads this as being confined, keeping your fight-or-flight response quietly switched on for the entire flight.

Sometimes, there’s no escaping the middle seat, and you just have to work around it. You can start by making sure you have all that you need to be more comfortable.

Without a window to lean on, it can be quite a struggle to fall asleep in the middle seat. Jesse Neugarten, founder of Dollar Flight Club, says middle-seat passengers often end up with neck pain. To avoid this, bring a neck pillow.

You can add an eye mask since you have no control over the window shade. It’s also advisable to bring noise-canceling headphones to tune out any chatter or crying babies.

Planes can run hot or cold, so make sure you have a hoodie or light jacket with you. That hoodie can also double as a pillow or seat cushion, by the way.

Bring a reusable water bottle and a few snacks as well, since getting to the galley isn’t easy from the middle.

To make your life easier, you can do what frequent traveler Katharine Nohr does. She has a middle-seat kit that includes two inflatable lumbar pillows, one for her back and one as a footrest, plus a neck pillow, an eye mask, slippers, a scarf that doubles as a blanket, and noise-canceling headphones. It all fits in a thin backpack.

“I’m the most comfortable coach passenger on the plane,” she says.

The next time you find yourself in the middle seat, board the flight prepared. You can also take advantage of one rule of airplane etiquette that gives you an edge by being in the middle. According to etiquette experts, both armrests belong to you. Just be willing to share if your neighbor is clearly squeezed in.