British Airways A320 - best seat rows for windows?

[Peter Mugridge]

I have to make some activity on my Avios account asap or I will lose my entire accumulation... I am therefore looking at a quick spin from Heathrow to Edinburgh and back and allowing time for a bit of tram bashing, including getting the new extension in.

Looking at the BA timetable, this is feasible... and I'll have to do it on a Saturday, likely in early September, when the flights appear to be all A320 operated.

Would anyone be able to tell me, please, which are the best seat rows near the back of the aircraft ( so the wing isn't in the way of the view ) for getting a full window view? I'm aware that on some aircraft the very back row has no window at all... but I'm not sure about the spacing for the other rows.

Yes, I will be paying extra for the specific seat selection when I book...

Another consideration: There aren't any Saturday engineering works planned that would close the trams are there...?

 

[RJ]

Just a note that you don't have to fly to keep the balance alive - any points activity will do. You could buy the minimum amount of Avios for instance and that would reset the clock.

Seat Guru is a really good website, put in your flight number and it'll come up with the type of aircraft allocated and which seats are known to be bad for window views - https://www.seatguru.com/

 

[Peter Mugridge]

True - but it does seem a good excuse to slip in a short trip while still leaving me with a substantial points balance.

I've looked at Seat Guru this morning but it seems to be three years since it was last updated - even the user comments don't seem to be any more recent than 2020 for any BA fleet type.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Seat guru is terrible these days. Try Aerolopa.com.

It also depends which specific type of A320, as some of them have been “densified” with Recaro seats instead of the Pinnacle from about row 13 backwards. You can get the aircraft code when you’re booking.

 

[Mojo]

If you look on the Flyertalk forum, someone has drawn a cross-section which shows seat positioning in relation to windows, for the three types of A320s that they fly

Seating guide: Airbus A320 - FlyerTalk Forums

British Airways | Executive Club - Seating guide: Airbus A320 - For all your questions (and answers) regarding the best, worst, noisiest, quietest A320 seats in Club Europe and Euro Traveller. MMB code 32N (A320 neo, formerly 32P) The A320 neo (new engine option), introduced into service in...

www.flyertalk.com

They also have the same for other types of planes BA fly. Looking at the BA website for Sat 9th Sept, it could be A319, A320 or A321Neo depending on the time. I'd also advise checking nearer the time as BA can, and will, change the schedule.

As the poster above points out, if you are on a A320Neo then from row 13 and backward they have a different type of seats. Whilst less comfortable, this is probably not a major issue on a short flight like Edinburgh.

 

[AlterEgo]

Don’t use Seatguru, it is worse than no information at all.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

If you look on the Flyertalk forum, someone has drawn a cross-section which shows seat positioning in relation to windows, for the three types of A320s that they fly

Seating guide: Airbus A320 - FlyerTalk Forums

British Airways | Executive Club - Seating guide: Airbus A320 - For all your questions (and answers) regarding the best, worst, noisiest, quietest A320 seats in Club Europe and Euro Traveller. MMB code 32N (A320 neo, formerly 32P) The A320 neo (new engine option), introduced into service in...

www.flyertalk.com

They also have the same for other types of planes BA fly. Looking at the BA website for Sat 9th Sept, it could be A319, A320 or A321Neo depending on the time. I'd also advise checking nearer the time as BA can, and will, change the schedule.

As the poster above points out, if you are on a A320Neo then from row 13 and backward they have a different type of seats. Whilst less comfortable, this is probably not a major issue on a short flight like Edinburgh.

Thank you; I just saved that page to favourites to refer to at the time of booking.

Looks like as long as I avoid the rear two rows there won't be too much of an issue, but seeing the particular exact window positions will definitely help greatly.

 

[route101]

The flights may be listed as all A320s but may be A319s or A321s.

 

[Fred43123]

Use Expert Flyer also, this tells you what seats are available and if anyone is sat next to you or not. Simply make an account, you get a few searches a day for free but is about £7-8 a month for unlimited use. There is a phone app too but is known for crashing so I just use the website.

In my opinion, the exit row seats 11 and 12 usually on an A320 (12 and 13 on G-GATx) are the best seats, extra leg room too.

If you look on the Flyertalk forum, someone has drawn a cross-section which shows seat positioning in relation to windows, for the three types of A320s that they fly

Seating guide: Airbus A320 - FlyerTalk Forums

British Airways | Executive Club - Seating guide: Airbus A320 - For all your questions (and answers) regarding the best, worst, noisiest, quietest A320 seats in Club Europe and Euro Traveller. MMB code 32N (A320 neo, formerly 32P) The A320 neo (new engine option), introduced into service in...

www.flyertalk.com

They also have the same for other types of planes BA fly. Looking at the BA website for Sat 9th Sept, it could be A319, A320 or A321Neo depending on the time. I'd also advise checking nearer the time as BA can, and will, change the schedule.

As the poster above points out, if you are on a A320Neo then from row 13 and backward they have a different type of seats. Whilst less comfortable, this is probably not a major issue on a short flight like Edinburgh.

Same with Row 13 onwards on A320ceos that are G-MIDx, A321neos from Rows 15 and aft are fitted with utilitarian non-reclining Recaro SL3510 slimline seats.

 

[cactustwirly]

True - but it does seem a good excuse to slip in a short trip while still leaving me with a substantial points balance.

I've looked at Seat Guru this morning but it seems to be three years since it was last updated - even the user comments don't seem to be any more recent than 2020 for any BA fleet type.

Don't use Seatguru it is out of date.
Aerolopa is your friend.
Unless it's a CY177 Gatwick based A320, avoid the last two rows as these are where the toilets should be, there are no windows and it is where the fuselage tapers in so it's cramped

 

[Peter Mugridge]

@cactustwirly Thank you; it'll be from Heathrow but I'll avoid selecting the last two rows anyway just in case. I was under the impression the entire BA fleet of the A320 family were having the same re-arrangement installed?

@Fred43123 - usually when I book, I can see what's available on the BA website and do my specific seat choice there and then. I wouldn't be going for an exit row actually - I'm more interested in the view out than the legroom...

 

[cactustwirly]

@cactustwirly Thank you; it'll be from Heathrow but I'll avoid selecting the last two rows anyway just in case. I was under the impression the entire BA fleet of the A320 family were having the same re-arrangement installed?

@Fred43123 - usually when I book, I can see what's available on the BA website and do my specific seat choice there and then. I wouldn't be going for an exit row actually - I'm more interested in the view out than the legroom...

The 10 G-GAT A320s were densified by removing some cupboards at the rear allowing the extra seats to be installed, there is no plan to add the space flex cabin on these planes.
They have 177 seats because 1D-F are missing

The other A320s have the space flex cabin with a smaller rear galley and the toilets are in the back wall

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Abandoning this - I'm going to simply buy additional Avios instead.

For a reasonably timed day trip on a Saturday, I was getting quotes from the website like 39,000 Avios + £89 or 52,000 Avios + £106... that more Avios than it took for four return tickets to Hamburg in autumn 2019, and that was with only a nominal £1 for the flights...!!

 

[Watershed]

That doesn't sound right at all. Were you searching for one passenger in economy?

For off-peak dates (you can see the peak/off-peak calendar here), a one-way BA flight of up to 650 miles can be redeemed for the following combinations of points and cash:

9250 Avios + £ 0.50
8500 Avios + £ 4.50
7250 Avios + £ 9.00
4750 Avios + £ 17.50
3700 Avios + £ 32.50
2950 Avios + £ 42.50

Given that an Avios is worth approximately 1p, the cash equivalent total of those prices is:

£93
£89.50
£81.50
£65
£69.50
£72.50

So as you can see, the 4750 Avios + £17.50 option in the middle is the sweet spot, costing £65 one-way. Of course, if you're desperate to get rid of your points, you could choose one of the options that require more points.

But it might be better value to transfer your points out to Nectar, to redeem them as Sainsbury's vouchers instead (you get the equivalent of 0.67p per Avios).

You don't even have to buy Avios to extend the validity. It's enough to earn even one Avios - which you could do by using BA Shopping to buy something. Even a pack of screws at B&Q, or some train tickets with TfW, will do!

For many retailers, including B&Q, this also works for purchases done in person if you link a Visa or MasterCard to BA Shopping (essentially it allows them to see the purchases you've made on the card - sounds a bit dystopian but it saves a lot of hassle).

 

[Peter Mugridge]

No, I was looking for specific times on Saturdays that would allow a day trip with a few hours there and the flights were mostly already completely full - on several of the dates I first looked at there was not even any northbound Avios availability until early afternoon. I didn't bother looking beyond October because of the liklihood of bad weather and Christmas demand.

 

[bangor-toad]

Hi,
How about a cheap day trip to Belfast? There's generally good choice for cheap flights for a day trip. Looking at Saturdays across September and October it seems you can get a Heathrow to Belfast trip on BA for £87 (plus any seat booking costs)

OK, we haven't got any trams but travelling around NI on the Translink trains for the day is pleasant.
Cheers,
Mr Toad