Most travelers get excited when they see extra legroom attached to their seat assignment. That was exactly my reaction when I found myself in seat 7F on a red-eye flight from San Francisco to Chicago. It was my first time sitting in a bulkhead row, the section directly behind a cabin divider rather than another row of seats.
At first glance, it seemed like a small upgrade. There was noticeably more space in front of me, no seat reclining into my personal bubble, and the entire row felt more open than standard economy. But as I quickly learned during the flight, a bulkhead seat comes with a few trade-offs that aren’t always obvious when you’re booking.
After spending several hours trying to sleep, work, and stay comfortable on an overnight flight, I walked away with a much better understanding of who these seats are actually best for. Here’s what surprised me most about flying in a bulkhead seat and whether I’d choose one again.
What Exactly Is a Bulkhead Seat?
If you’ve never heard the term before, a bulkhead seat is simply a seat located directly behind a wall or partition rather than another row of seats. Depending on the aircraft, this divider may separate different cabin sections, a galley, or another area of the plane. Because there’s no row directly in front of you, airlines often market these seats as offering extra legroom. In my case, there was a thin divider between business and economy class.
As someone who spends a fair amount of time on airplanes, I was curious to see whether the extra space would actually make a difference.
The First Thing I Noticed
The additional legroom was immediately noticeable.
Normally, my backpack sits beneath the seat in front of me, which means I’m constantly adjusting my feet around it for the duration of the flight. In the bulkhead row, there was nothing directly in front of me except the partition. Stretching my legs felt easier, and the space generally felt less cramped than a typical economy seat.
Another unexpected benefit was not having to worry about the person in front of me reclining their seat. Anyone who has ever tried to work on a laptop or watch a movie in economy knows how quickly personal space can disappear once the seat ahead starts leaning back. In a bulkhead row, that’s one less thing to think about.
The Trade-Offs Nobody Talks About
Of course, the extra space comes with a catch. The biggest inconvenience was the lack of under-seat storage. During takeoff and landing, everything had to go into the overhead bin. That may not sound like a big deal, but it meant I couldn’t easily access my headphones, charger, water bottle, or anything else I normally keep at my feet. So if you choose a bulkhead seat, it’s worth pulling out everything you’ll need before the cabin doors close.
The tray table was also stored inside the armrest rather than mounted on the seat in front. Using felt wobbly and slightly uncomfortable. None of these were necessarily deal-breakers, but they’re worth knowing ahead of time.
How It Felt on a Red-Eye Flight
On an overnight 4 hour flight, comfort matters a lot more than it does on a short daytime hop.
The extra room definitely helped when it came to stretching out and changing positions throughout the flight. I wouldn’t say the seat magically transformed economy into business class, but it did feel less restrictive than a standard row.
If your goal is maximizing sleep, the additional space is a genuine advantage. If your goal is having instant access to all your belongings, the bulkhead experience can feel a little less convenient.
So, Is a Bulkhead Seat Worth It?
For me, the answer is yes.
The extra legroom was noticeable, the cabin felt more open, and not having a reclining seat directly in front of me made the flight more comfortable overall.
At the same time, I wouldn’t call it a travel hack that completely changes the flying experience. The lack of under-seat storage and the fixed armrests are real drawbacks that some travelers may find annoying. But I’d definitely book it again, especially on on longer flights where a little extra room can make several hours in economy feel much more comfortable.
Happy Wandering!