Austrian Airlines A320 Seat Map & Best Seats (2026)
✈️ Quick Verdict
Aircraft: Airbus A320ceo — three cabin plans in service
Plan A: 174 seats, rows 1–30 — 29 aircraft
Plan B: 180 seats, rows 1–31, extra-legroom rows 11 and 12
Plan C: 180 seats, rows 1–31, extra-legroom rows 12 and 14
Layout: 3-3 throughout (A B C · D E F). Business is Economy with the middle seat blocked
Version lottery: Yes — the extra-legroom rows move, and so does the lavatory damage
Entertainment: None recorded · WiFi: European Aviation Network, fitted
Three plans, and the extra-legroom row moves
Austrian draws its A320 three different ways, and on a booking page they are indistinguishable. The row you want is not the same row on all three.
On two of the three, the overwing exit pair is rows 11 and 12, both measured at about 33 inches against a 28-inch cabin standard. On the third, the pair is rows 12 and 14, because row 13 is skipped and the whole forward cabin sits one row further back.
On every plan the forward row of the pair is locked upright, because the escape path to the aft exit has to stay clear, and the aft row reclines normally. So the seat to book is row 12 on two plans and row 14 on the third.
Find the deepest row on the seat map before you pay. If the extra-legroom pair is 11 and 12, book 12. If it is 12 and 14, book 14.
The back of the cabin is where the plans really differ
Plan B is the one to hope for. Its rear lavatories sit behind row 31, so only the last row is affected and just five seats rate poorly on the whole aircraft. Plans A and C put the lavatories one row further forward, which drags twelve seats into the queue.
Plan B has one compensating flaw. 31A and 31F have no window at all, where the fuselage tapers past the last window position. Neither of the other plans has a windowless seat.
| Plan A — 174 | Plan B — 180 | Plan C — 180 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rows | 1–30 | 1–31 | 1–31 |
| Extra-legroom pair | 11 and 12 | 11 and 12 | 12 and 14 |
| Row to book | 12 | 12 | 14 |
| Fixed-upright rows | 10 and 11 | 10 and 11 | 11 and 12 |
| Rows against the rear lavatories | 29 and 30 | 31 only | 30 and 31 |
| Windowless seats | None | 31A and 31F | None |
| Seats we rate as ones to avoid | 12 | 5 | 12 |
| Aircraft | 29 | Not published | Not published |
The free rows just ahead of the exits
On all three plans the two rows immediately in front of the exit pair are drawn at about 31 inches, three more than the cabin standard, and Austrian does not sell them as an extra-legroom product. That is rows 9 and 10 on Plans A and B.
There is a catch on those two rows, and it is the same catch every time: the forward one of the exit pair is locked upright, and on Plans A and B that is row 11, not row 10. Row 10 keeps its recline and its 31 inches. It is the best free seat on the aircraft.
Business Class: the curtain moves a long way back
Austrian sells short-haul Business as the European product, the same seat with the middle blocked. The dividing curtain runs on a track and its maximum extent is row 8, which is further back than most carriers in the group.
Two consequences. A seat in rows 1 to 8 is not reliably yours; if Business grows, Austrian will move you. And row 1 carries the usual bulkhead penalties, with the tray table in the armrest on all six seats and the forward galley immediately ahead of 1C to 1F. 1C faces a bulkhead covering about 60 per cent of the row and gains a little floor space.
Best seats
- 12A and 12F on Plans A and B, 14A and 14F on Plan C — the aft overwing exit row at about 33 inches, with a working recline.
- 12C and 12D, or 14C and 14D — the same row on the aisle, for a fast exit through the overwing door.
- Row 10 on Plans A and B — about 31 inches, a normal recline and no fee. The best free seat on those aircraft.
- Rows 15 to 21 — the quiet stretch behind the wing, clear of both galleys and well ahead of the lavatory queue.
- Row 9 — about 31 inches, and the first row that is always Economy whatever the curtain does.
Seats to avoid
- Row 11 on Plans A and B, row 12 on Plan C — the legroom trap. About 33 inches, fixed upright, and the same fee as the row behind it.
- Rows 29 and 30 on Plan A, rows 30 and 31 on Plan C — twelve seats against the rear lavatories, with the last row fixed upright and the galley alongside.
- 31A and 31F on Plan B — blank wall instead of a window, in a row that also does not recline.
- Row 1 — no underseat penalty here, but the tray folds out of the armrest and the forward galley sits immediately ahead of C to F.
- 14A, 14F, 17A and 17F on Plan A; 14A, 14F, 22A, 22F, 25A and 25F on Plan B; 15A, 15F, 18A and 18F on Plan C — windows set behind the seat.
Cabin features
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Seat layout | 3-3, A B C · D E F |
| Rows in use | 1 to 30 or 1 to 31, skipping 13 |
| Cabin standard pitch | About 28 inches |
| Best pitch | About 33 inches at the overwing exit pair |
| Free extra pitch | About 31 inches in the two rows ahead of the exits |
| Business Class | Same seat, middle blocked, curtain reaches row 8 at most |
| Lavatories | One forward for Business, two at the rear |
| Entertainment | None recorded for this aircraft |
| WiFi | European Aviation Network, fitted across the fleet |
Quick-pick summary
| Travelling as | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Legroom priority | 12A or 12F, or 14A and 14F on Plan C | The exit row that also reclines |
| Paying nothing | Row 10, or row 9 | About 31 inches with no fee and no restriction |
| Solo, wants quiet | 16A or 18A | Behind the wing, clear of both galleys |
| Couple | A and C in rows 15 to 21 | Window and aisle, middle fills last |
| Family of three | D E F in rows 15 to 21 | A full side to yourselves, ahead of the rear lavatories |
| Working on board | Anything from row 9 to row 21 | EAN WiFi is fitted, and the tray tables are full size |
Comparable guides
- Austrian Airlines 777-200ER — the long-haul flagship
- Austrian 787-9 — the newer widebody
- Lufthansa A320 — the group mainline version of the same aircraft
- SWISS A320neo — another group carrier with the same exit-row trap
- Eurowings A320 — the group low-cost arm
Frequently asked questions
How many versions of the Austrian A320 are there?
Three. A 174-seat plan on twenty-nine aircraft, and two 180-seat plans for which no counts are published. They differ in where the extra-legroom rows sit and in how much of the rear cabin is swallowed by the lavatories.
Which row has the most legroom?
The aft row of the overwing exit pair, at about 33 inches. That is row 12 on two of the three plans and row 14 on the third. The forward row of the pair has the same space and a fixed seat back.
How do I tell which Austrian A320 I am on?
Look at where the deeper rows sit. An extra-legroom pair at 11 and 12 means Plan A or B; at 12 and 14 means Plan C. To separate A from B, check the last row: 30 on Plan A, 31 on Plan B.
Which seats should I avoid?
The forward row of the exit pair, which is fixed upright at an extra-legroom price. At the back, rows 29 and 30 on Plan A and rows 30 and 31 on Plan C, both against the lavatories. On Plan B the rear is much better, but 31A and 31F have no window at all.
Is there free extra legroom anywhere?
Yes. The two rows ahead of the exit pair are drawn at about 31 inches against a 28-inch standard and are not sold as an extra-legroom product. Row 10 on Plans A and B is the pick, because it keeps its recline.
Does the Austrian A320 have WiFi?
Yes, European Aviation Network connectivity is fitted across the fleet. No entertainment system is recorded for the aircraft, so bring a charged device.