Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 (738) Seat Map

Best seats on the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 (738)

The standout seats on this pre-retrofit, 159-seat layout are the extra-legroom exit-row seats in row 17 (17B, 17C, 17D, 17E) and the front Premium Class row 6. First Class rows 1–3 are the most spacious overall, while the back of economy near row 33 and the non-reclining row 15 are the seats to steer clear of.

First Class (rows 1–3, 2-2)

At 40" pitch and 21" wide, any First seat is comfortable, but the trade-offs differ by row. Row 1 (1A, 1C, 1D, 1F) has no seat reclining in front and possibly extra legroom, but there's no underseat stowage — and no wall or seat pocket either, so glasses, phone and book ride in your lap for takeoff and landing. Row 3 (3A, 3C, 3D, 3F) sits against a curtain rather than a solid bulkhead, which some find bothersome. Row 2 is the cleanest middle-ground pick with none of those flags. IFE streams to your own device, so download content before boarding — there are no seatback screens.

Premium Class (rows 6–10, 3-3)

At 35" pitch, row 6 (6A–6F) is the clear favorite for extra legroom, and reviewers rate it highly. Two caveats: it's a bulkhead with a curtain/partition in front, and tray tables stow in the armrests, trimming effective width by about an inch per side. The forward lav line also tends to form in the aisle between 6C and 6D, so those two get the most passing traffic. Avoid 10A, which is missing a window entirely, and 10F, which has a misaligned window — both bad for anyone who wants a view or wall to lean on (the panel covers an aircraft duct, so it's permanent, not luck of the draw).

Economy (rows 11–33, 3-3)

Best in cabin are the row 17 exit seats — 17B, 17C, 17D, 17E — rated green for extra legroom with a non-reclining seat in front, the only downside being no underseat stowage during takeoff and landing. Row 16 (16A–16F) also has exit-row legroom but the seats themselves don't recline; 16A and 16F additionally may be missing an armrest and have very firm cushions. Row 18 window seats (18A, 18F) offer extra legroom too, though they sit over the wing with a restricted view.

The worst economy trap is row 15 (15A–15F): it doesn't recline because the exit row is directly behind, and multiple reviewers rate it 2/5 for exactly that reason — legroom is normal but you're stuck upright. Over-wing rows 12 and 15–21 all have partially blocked window views, so pick these for legroom, not scenery.

At the very back, avoid the row 32–33 block. 32A, 32B, 32C, 32D all combine limited recline with lavatory proximity, and 31D sits near the lav as well. 33D, 33E, 33F are the worst-rated seats back here — limited recline plus lav noise and traffic, sitting right against the rear galley. Note that 33A, 33B and 33C don't exist on this aircraft, so the last row is a short one.

For comfort, the economy seats are Recaro slimlines cabin-wide, and thin/firm padding is a recurring complaint even outside the exit rows. WiFi is available (satellite, paid), and this type flies overwater routes with center-aisle pull-down life-raft stowage overhead. If you just want to deplane fast, aim for the lowest-numbered economy row you can get; if you want space over speed, the row 17 exit seats are the pick.