Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 Seat Selection Guide (2026)
Alaska Airlines flies 21 Boeing 737 MAX 8s in two very different builds — and unusually, the split is 20-to-1. This is less a coin flip than a lottery ticket you almost certainly won't win. The common build has 16 First seats, USB-C fast charging, and a single 38" exit row (16). The lone rare jet has 12 First, older USB-A power, but two overwing exit rows — and row 17 reclines, making it the best economy seat on any Alaska MAX 8.
Quick Verdict
| Aircraft | Boeing 737 MAX 8 |
|---|---|
| Fleet size | 21 aircraft — 20 in the 161-seat build, 1 in the 159-seat build |
| Configuration | 16F / 145 Main Cabin (161 total) or 12F / 147 Main Cabin (159 total) |
| Layout | First 2-2 (A·C | D·F); Premium and Main Cabin 3-3 |
| Best seats | 161-seat: 16A / 16F (38" exit), 6A / 6F (front Premium), 18A / 18F 159-seat: 17A / 17C / 17D / 17F (38" and it reclines) |
| Seats to avoid | 161-seat: rows 31–33 (rear lavatories), 9A / 10A / 10F (no window) 159-seat: rows 30–32, row 6 (tight bulkhead), 10A / 11A / 11F (no window) |
| Premium Class | 30 seats on both builds — rows 6–10 |
| IFE | No seatback screens — streamed to your own device |
| Power | 161-seat: 110V AC + USB-C, 60W · 159-seat: 110V AC + USB-A only |
| WiFi | 161-seat: Intelsat 2Ku · 159-seat: Gogo 2Ku. Both mid-tier — fine for browsing, not Starlink. |
The Version Lottery
Alaska flies the MAX 8 in two builds, and unusually the split is 20-to-1. This is less a coin flip than a lottery ticket you almost certainly won't win.
The 161-seat build (20 aircraft — expect this one)
16 First Class seats across rows 1–4, 145 Main Cabin seats in rows 6–33, of which 30 are branded Premium Class. Recaro BL3710 slimline seats in the back at 30" standard pitch. Two USB-C ports per seat, with 60W available in Main Cabin — enough to actually charge a laptop.
The 159-seat build (1 aircraft — the unicorn)
12 First Class seats in rows 1–3, 147 Main Cabin seats in rows 6–32. Fitted with Boeing Sky Interior mood lighting and Space Bins. Recaro BL3530 seats at 31" standard pitch — a genuine inch more than the common version — but USB-A only, which is a meaningful downgrade if you travel with modern kit.
Which is better?
The 161-seat build wins on balance. Four more First Class seats means better upgrade odds, USB-C at 60W beats USB-A, and the front Premium row (row 6) is a proper extra-legroom bulkhead rather than the cramped one on the rare jet.
But the 159-seat jet has the single best economy seat in the fleet. It has two overwing exit rows at 38" pitch, and the rear one — row 17 — reclines. On the 161-seat build there is only one 38" row (row 16) and it doesn't recline at all. If you find yourself on the lone 159-seat frame, row 17 is a genuinely excellent seat.
First Class
Rows 1–4 (161-seat) or rows 1–3 (159-seat), 2-2 layout. Recaro CL4710 recliners throughout — 21" wide, 5" of recline, adjustable headrest, calf and footrest, tray table, tablet holder and a personal air vent. 110V universal AC power at every seat. Pitch is 40" on the 161-seat build, 41" on the 159-seat build.
✅ Best seats: 2A / 2F and 3A / 3F — full pitch, underseat storage, far enough from the boarding door to avoid the queue, far enough forward to be served first. Take 2C / 2D or 3C / 3D if you want the aisle and a fast exit.
🚫 Approach with care: Row 1 (bulkhead) has no underseat storage — everything goes in the bin for taxi, take-off and landing. Row 4 on the 161-seat build is the last First row, backing onto the Main Cabin divider — expect queue traffic and galley activity.
Premium Class
Rows 6–10 on both builds — 30 seats total. Same physical seat as Main Cabin with more legroom, plus priority boarding and complimentary drinks.
| 161-seat build | 159-seat build | |
|---|---|---|
| Pitch | 35" (rows 7–10) | 34" |
| Front row (row 6) | Proper extra legroom — a best pick | Tight bulkhead — wall only 16" ahead |
| Power | 110V AC + two USB-C | 110V AC + USB-A |
✅ Best seats: 6A / 6F on the 161-seat build — front of Premium, nothing in front of you, first to be served. 7A / 7F and 8A / 8F on either build — full pitch, full recline, no compromises.
🚫 Seats to avoid: Row 6 on the 159-seat build is the trap — a bulkhead with the wall only 16" ahead, plus the tray table lives in the armrest (narrowing the seat). Take row 7 or 8 instead. 9A on the 161-seat / 10A on both / 10F on the 161-seat all have no window. All B/E seats are middles.
Main Cabin
3-3, 17" wide, 3" recline, adjustable headrest, seat back device holder. Streamed entertainment to your own device. The 161-seat build runs rows 11 and 15–33 at 30" standard pitch. The 159-seat build runs rows 11, 12 and 15–32 at 31" pitch.
The exit rows — where the builds diverge most
161-seat build:
- Row 15 — 31" pitch and does not recline. Nothing to recommend it.
- Row 16 — 38" pitch, the most legroom in the Main Cabin. Does not recline. Classic trade-off, worth it on a two-hour flight.
- Row 17 — only four seats. A and F are removed entirely for the exit door. B and E sit against the door with no proper window. C and D are decent aisles.
- Row 18 — 18A and 18F pick up extra legroom from the exit gap ahead, and unlike row 16 they recline. Quietly one of the best-value picks on the aircraft.
159-seat build:
- Row 15 — restricted recline, standard 31" pitch.
- Row 16 — 38" pitch, recline restricted by the exit behind.
- Row 17 — 38" pitch and it reclines. Six full seats. This is the best economy row on any Alaska MAX 8.
✅ Best economy seats: 161-seat: 16A / 16F for legroom, 18A / 18F for legroom and recline, 11A / 11F for the front of the standard cabin. 159-seat: 17A / 17C / 17D / 17F — take these if you can.
🚫 Seats to avoid in economy
161-seat build:
- Row 32 (all six seats) — rear lavatory directly behind
- Row 33 D / E / F — last row, no recline, lav and galley behind (A/B/C are lavatory)
- 31A / 31B / 31C — immediately beside the rear lavatory door
- Row 30 A / B / C — lavatory queue forms alongside
159-seat build:
- Row 31 (all six seats) — rear lavatory directly behind
- Row 32 D / E / F — last row, no recline, galley behind
- 30A / 30B / 30C — beside the lavatory door
- 11A and 11F — no window at either position
Quick-Pick Summary
| Travelling as | 161-seat build | 159-seat build |
|---|---|---|
| Solo, legroom priority | 16A or 16F | 17A or 17F |
| Solo, want to recline | 18A or 18F | 17A or 17F |
| Couple | 6A + 6B, or 18A + 18B | 17A + 17B |
| Family of three | Rows 19–22, either side | Rows 18–22, either side |
| Want off first | 1C / 1D First; 6C / 6D Premium | 1C / 1D First; 7C / 7D Premium |
| Working on a laptop | Anywhere — 60W USB-C | Bring a plug adapter; USB-A only |
| Anything but this | Rows 31–33 | Rows 30–32 |
How to Tell Which Version You're On
- Count the First Class rows on the seat map at booking. Four rows (1–4) means the 161-seat build. Three rows (1–3) means you've drawn the rare one.
- Look for row 33. If the map runs to row 33, it's the 161-seat build. If it stops at row 32, it's the 159-seat.
- Check row 17. Four seats (B, C, D, E only) is the 161-seat build. Six seats is the 159-seat.
- The odds. With 20 of 21 aircraft in the 161-seat config, assume that build unless the map tells you otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the best economy seat on Alaska's 737 MAX 8?
On the common 161-seat build it's 16A or 16F — the overwing exit row at 38" pitch, easily the most legroom outside the paid cabins. The catch is that neither seat reclines. If you want legroom and recline, take 18A or 18F, which gain space from the exit gap ahead.
Does Alaska's MAX 8 have seatback screens?
No. There are no in-flight entertainment displays on either build. Content is streamed to your own phone, tablet or laptop, and every seat has a device holder built into the seat back.
How many Premium Class seats are there?
Thirty on both builds, occupying rows 6–10. Pitch is 35" on the 161-seat aircraft and 34" on the 159-seat one, against a 30–31" standard.
Which seats have no window?
On the 161-seat build: 9A, 10A and 10F. On the 159-seat build: 10A, 11A and 11F. If a view matters to you, avoid these — you'll be paying for a window and looking at a panel.
Can I charge a laptop at my seat?
On the 161-seat build, yes — every seat has 110V AC plus USB-C, rated at 60W in the Main Cabin. On the 159-seat aircraft the USB ports are older USB-A, so use the AC outlet for a laptop.
Is the WiFi good enough for video calls?
Not reliably. Both builds run 2Ku satellite in the 10–40 Mbps range — comfortable for messaging, email, browsing and light streaming, but short of the low-latency Starlink service Alaska has been rolling out on other fleet types.
Comparable Guides
- Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 — Bigger sibling, 178 seats
- Alaska Airlines 737-900ER — Workhorse 178-seat narrowbody
- United 737 MAX 8 — Same airframe, different cabin