Brussels Airlines A320 Seat Selection Guide (2026)

The trap: the best seats are not in Business

Brussels Airlines Business Class on the A320 is a European Business cabin, which means it is not a different seat. It is the same 3-3 economy seat with the centre seat left empty and a curtain hung behind it. The curtain is not fixed either: Brussels sizes the cabin to the demand on the day, so rows 1 to 6 are the maximum extent of Business, not a boundary. On a quiet flight the curtain sits further forward and the rows behind it sell as ordinary economy with the middle seat on sale.

What you buy with a Business fare on this aircraft is the empty seat beside you, the service, the baggage allowance and the lounge. What you do not buy is legroom. The Business rows are drawn about an inch further apart than the 29in economy rows — and five inches less than rows 11 and 12.

Rows 11 and 12 are the best seats on the aircraft. The A320 has two pairs of overwing exits, and Brussels puts a full six-seat row level with each pair. The cabin plan marks both rows at about 34 inches, and all twelve seats rate green. There is more space in front of 11E — a middle seat in economy — than in front of 1A.

Both exit rows recline, which is unusual

On most narrowbodies with a double exit, the forward exit row pays for the rear one: it has to keep a clear path to the door behind it and cannot fully recline. That is not what happens here.

The A320’s two exit pairs are close enough together that rows 11 and 12 each sit at their own door, and the recline restriction falls on row 10 instead — the last standard row before the exits. Row 10 has 29 inches, cannot fully recline, and gets nothing in return. It is the one row on this aircraft to actively avoid outside the very back.

If you are picking between the two exit rows, row 12 is marginally the better half: it is one row further from the galley traffic at the forward door, and nothing sits between it and the clean run of cabin behind.

Row 31: the row to keep away from

The last row of this aircraft collects every problem a narrowbody has. None of the six seats reclines — there is a wall directly behind. 31A and 31F have no window at all, just a blank stretch of fuselage. 31C, 31D and 31E sit immediately against the two rear lavatories, and 31D and 31E get the rear galley as well. Five of the six rate red.

Row 30 is one row clear and still catches the galley noise and light. If you are in the back of this cabin by fare, aim for rows 26 to 29.

Windows: four seats where the glass is in the wrong place

17A, 17F, 25A and 25F each have a window that sits behind the seat, so you lean back to see out of it. They are not windowless, but they are not window seats in the way you would expect either.

At the other end, ten seats have the best window alignment on the aircraft: 5A, 5F, 7A, 7F, 18A, 18F, 23A, 23F, 26A and 26F. 5A and 5F sit inside the Business zone on most flights; 7A and 7F are the first pair reliably outside it.

The front row

Row 1 is the bulkhead. The tray tables fold out of the armrests rather than a seatback, which makes the seat itself narrower — the usual bulkhead trade. 1D, 1E and 1F also get the forward galley, with the noise and light of the meal service directly in front of them. 1C has a partial bulkhead with genuine extra foot room on its right side, which is the one real bonus in the row.

Entertainment and Wi-Fi

Neither is fitted. The cabin record shows no seatback entertainment and no Wi-Fi on the Brussels A320. On a two-to-four-hour European sector that is normal for the fleet, but it does mean bringing your own device and your own connectivity plan.

Quick-pick summary

Frequently asked questions

What is the best seat on the Brussels Airlines A320?

Anything in rows 11 or 12. Both are overwing exit rows at about 34 inches of pitch, both recline fully, and all twelve seats rate green. They have more legroom than the Business Class rows at the front.

Is Brussels Airlines Business Class on the A320 a different seat?

No. It is the same 3-3 economy seat with the centre seat left empty and a curtain behind the cabin. The curtain moves according to demand, so rows 1 to 6 are the maximum size of the cabin rather than a fixed boundary. What you get is the free seat beside you, the service and the ground benefits, not extra legroom.

Which row should I avoid on the Brussels A320?

Row 10. It sits in front of the first exit row so it cannot fully recline, and it has standard 29-inch pitch. Row 31 is worse in absolute terms — no recline, no window at 31A and 31F, and the lavatories directly behind — but row 10 is the one people book by mistake because it looks like it is near the exit.

Does the Brussels Airlines A320 have Wi-Fi or seatback screens?

Neither. There is no seatback entertainment system and no Wi-Fi recorded on this aircraft. Bring a charged device with content already downloaded.

Is there a row 13?

No. The cabin runs 1 to 31 with row 13 omitted, so there are 30 rows of seats and 180 seats in total.

Are all 16 Brussels Airlines A320s the same inside?

Yes, in seat count and layout — 180 seats, 3-3, rows 1 to 31. The only thing that varies between flights is where the Business curtain hangs. Brussels also flies eight A320neos, which are a separate aircraft type with their own cabin.