Air Europa 787-8 Seat Selection Guide (2026)
✈️ Quick Verdict
Aircraft: Boeing 787-8 — 293 seats: 22 business, 271 economy. Three aircraft have 291 seats and no lie-flat cabin.
Layout: business 2-2-2 (A C | D G | H K), rows 1–4 · economy 3-3-3 (A B C | D F G | H J K), rows 15–50
Version lottery: Yes — the 293-seat main layout, or one of three ex-Norwegian jets with a 2-3-2 recliner cabin in front
Best seats: business 1D, 1G, 2D, 2G, 3D, 3G (the only seats with direct aisle access) · economy 16A, 16K, 46A, 46K
Seats to avoid: business 4A, 4K (no window) · economy 34A, 34K, 48A, 48K (no window), rows 33–34 and 49–50 (lavatories)
Entertainment: Panasonic seatback screens (9in in economy) · Wi-Fi: paid tiers; the messaging tier is free in business
Power: at every seat
Sister guide: Air Europa 787-9 — most 787-9s have 1-2-1 business with direct aisle access for every seat. If business class matters, it is the better aircraft.
The catch: this is not the business class in the pictures
Air Europa’s marketing shows a 1-2-1 business cabin where every seat opens onto the aisle. That is the main 787-9 layout. The 787-8 has an older 2-2-2 cabin: the seats are lie-flat, but a window seat has a neighbour between it and the aisle. Take A or K and you climb over C or H to get out. Only the centre-aisle seats, D and G, step straight out.
Two of those window seats also have no window. 4A and 4K sit beside a windowless stretch of wall, in the last business row. And three of the 787-8s are a different aircraft again: ex-Norwegian jets with no lie-flat seats at all.
Air Europa flies both 787s on its long-haul network from Madrid, including New York JFK and Miami, and the type on a given flight can change. If you are booking business, check the seat map: 22 business seats in four rows is the 787-8; 32 seats in eight rows is the main 787-9.
Business class (rows 1–4)
22 lie-flat seats in 2-2-2 — three full rows of six and a row 4 with only the window pairs, A–C and H–K. A single lavatory at the front serves the cabin.
Best business seats
- 1D, 1G, 2D, 2G, 3D, 3G — the centre pair, each seat on its own aisle. Direct access without climbing over anyone, and the best choice for a couple.
- 2C, 2H, 3C, 3H — aisle seats in the window pairs; your neighbour climbs over you rather than the other way round.
Business seats to avoid
- 4A and 4K — no window. A windowless stretch of wall, and you still climb over 4C or 4H to reach the aisle.
- Any A or K seat if you travel alone — a stranger between you and the aisle all night.
Economy (rows 15–50)
271 seats in 3-3-3 at about 31in and 17in wide, each with a 9in screen. The letters skip E: A B C | D F G | H J K. The cabin is split at door 3; rows 35 to 39 do not exist. Rows 16 and 34 have no centre seats. Lavatories sit at door 2 (ahead of row 15), at door 3 (ahead of row 40) and at the very back (behind row 50).
The extra-legroom rows are the two door rows, 15 and 40. Both have a lavatory directly ahead of the centre seats, and the window seats have the door curving into the legroom.
Best economy seats
- 16A, 16K — window seats in a short row with no centre block, just behind the door 2 exit row.
- 46A, 46K — the best-placed windows in the rear cabin.
- 40B, 40J — door 3 legroom; 40J has open floor ahead. Expect the lavatory queue alongside.
Economy seats to avoid
- 34A, 34K — no usable window (a plugged window section), and lavatories directly behind.
- 48A, 48K — no usable window: the glass sits well behind the seat.
- 15B–15J and 40C–40H — legroom, but a lavatory directly ahead.
- Rows 33–34 and 49–50 — lavatories behind. 50A and 50K tempt with no neighbour on one side, but the lavatories are right behind them.
- 15A, 15K, 40A, 40K — the exit door curves into the legroom.
The three ex-Norwegian 787-8s
Air Europa also flies three 787-8s that came from Norwegian: EC-NVZ, EC-NXA and EC-NZG. They carry 291 seats, and there is no lie-flat cabin. Instead, rows 1–5 are 32 wide recliners in 2-3-2 (A C | D E F | G J), and economy runs from row 6 to row 35 with the usual letters, A B C | D E F | G H J.
Air Europa does not sell premium economy, and it has not published how it sells the front cabin on these three aircraft. If your seat map shows rows 1–5 as recliners in 2-3-2, you are on one of them. A business-class booking on one of these jets does not get a flat bed.
Best seats on the 291-seat 787-8
- Rows 2–4 of the front cabin — clear of the row 1 lavatories and the galley behind row 5.
- 24B, 24H — the door 3 exit row, with open floor ahead.
- 26A, 26J, 29A, 29J — the best-placed economy windows.
Seats to avoid on the 291-seat 787-8
- 24A, 24J — no usable window, and the exit door in the legroom.
- 1A, 1C, 1G, 1J — lavatories directly ahead.
- Rows 22–23 — the mid-cabin lavatories directly behind.
787-8 or 787-9?
| 787-8 (293) | 787-9 (main layout, 339) | |
|---|---|---|
| Business seats | 22, 2-2-2 | 32, 1-2-1 |
| Direct aisle access | Centre seats only | Every seat |
| Windowless business seats | 4A, 4K | None |
| Economy | 271, 3-3-3, about 31in | 307, 3-3-3, about 31in |
| Windowless economy seats | 34A, 34K, 48A, 48K | 34A, 34K |
Quick-pick summary
| Travelling as | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Solo, business | 2D or 2G | Direct aisle access, mid-cabin |
| Couple, business | 2D + 2G or 3D + 3G | Centre pair, both on an aisle |
| Window, economy | 16A, 16K, 46A, 46K | Best-placed glass |
| Legroom, economy | 40B or 40J | Door 3 legroom, lavatory alongside |
| Avoid | 4A, 4K, 34A, 34K, 48A, 48K | No window |
Frequently asked questions
Does Air Europa’s 787-8 have direct aisle access in business?
Only for the centre seats, D and G. The 787-8 has a 2-2-2 cabin, so the window seats, A and K, have a neighbour between them and the aisle. The main 787-9 layout has 1-2-1 with direct access for every seat.
Which Air Europa 787-8 seats have no window?
Business 4A and 4K, and economy 34A, 34K, 48A and 48K. On the ex-Norwegian 787-8s, 24A and 24J.
How do I know if I am on an ex-Norwegian 787-8?
The seat map shows 291 seats with rows 1–5 as recliners in 2-3-2 rather than lie-flat business seats. The registrations are EC-NVZ, EC-NXA and EC-NZG.
Is the business seat on the 787-8 lie-flat?
Yes, on the main 293-seat layout. The three ex-Norwegian aircraft have no lie-flat seats.
What is the economy seat pitch on Air Europa’s 787-8?
About 31in, with seats about 17in wide. The door rows, 15 and 40, have more legroom.
Comparable guides
- Air Europa 787-9 — 1-2-1 business on most aircraft, and three layouts to tell apart
- Iberia A330-200 — Madrid’s other long-haul airline, with 1-2-1 business
- Iberia A330-300 — Iberia’s larger A330
- Avianca 787-8 — another Latin American network on the same aircraft
- LATAM 787-8 — the 787-8 between Europe and South America