Delta Boeing 737-800 Seat Selection Guide (2026)
Delta's Boeing 737-800 is a domestic and short-haul workhorse flying from hubs across the network. It carries 160 seats in a single, consistent three-cabin layout: 16 First Class recliners, 36 Delta Comfort+ seats, and 108 Main Cabin seats. Because the whole 737-800 fleet shares one configuration, there's no "version lottery" to worry about here — what you see on the seat map is what you'll fly.
Quick Verdict
| Aircraft | Boeing 737-800 |
| Fleet size | 74 aircraft |
| Total seats | 160 |
| Configuration | 16 First · 36 Comfort+ · 108 Main Cabin |
| Layout | First 2-2 (A-B / C-D) · Economy 3-3 (A-B-C / D-E-F) |
| Version lottery | No — single fleet-wide configuration |
| Best seats | First: 2A, 2D, 3A, 3D · Comfort+: 11A, 11F · Legroom: 18A, 18F |
| Seats to avoid | Row 32, Row 33 (rear lav/galley) · Row 16 (no recline) · Row 1 (bulkhead) |
| IFE | Seatback touchscreen (on-demand AVOD) + streaming to your device |
| Power | 110V AC outlet + USB-A at every seat |
| Wi-Fi | Viasat Ka-band satellite |
Cabin Layout at a Glance
| Cabin | Seats | Rows | Layout | Pitch | Width | Recline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Class | 16 | 1–4 | 2-2 | 38" | 20.9" | 7" |
| Delta Comfort+ | 36 | 10–15 | 3-3 | 34" | 17" | 4" |
| Main Cabin | 108 | 16–33 | 3-3 | 31" | 17" | 3" |
First Class (Rows 1–4)
Sixteen recliner seats in a 2-2 layout across four rows, with 38" of pitch and a generous 20.9" width. Every seat has a 110V AC outlet, a USB-A port, a personal air vent, and a seatback touchscreen with on-demand entertainment. In a 2-2 cabin the window seats are A and D; the aisle seats are B and C — there are no middle seats.
✅ Best seats
- 2A, 2D — Mid-cabin windows. You clear the bulkhead restrictions of row 1 and sit ahead of the row-4 boundary with Comfort+. The best balance of quiet and service timing.
- 3A, 3D — Same mid-cabin advantage, one row back.
🚫 Seats to be aware of
- 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D — Bulkhead row. A wall in front limits legroom, and there's no under-seat storage for takeoff and landing. Overhead bins here may be partly reserved for emergency equipment.
- 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D — Last First row, directly ahead of Comfort+ with no hard cabin wall behind. Under-seat storage is tighter and you're closest to boarding traffic from the main cabin.
Delta Comfort+ (Rows 10–15)
Comfort+ occupies the first six rows of the main cabin at 34" pitch — a noticeable 3" more than standard Main Cabin — plus complimentary premium snacks, beer, wine and spirits, and priority boarding. Row 10 is the bulkhead row; rows 11–15 are standard Comfort+.
✅ Best seats
- 11A, 11F — First standard Comfort+ row, right behind the bulkhead. Full recline, extra pitch, and window views. The sweet spot of the cabin.
- 12A/F through 14A/F — Mid-cabin Comfort+ windows. Consistent legroom with no bulkhead trade-offs.
⚠️ Seats to be aware of
- 10A, 10F — Bulkhead windows. Extra legroom, but no under-seat storage during taxi/takeoff/landing, and the bulkhead cuts into foot space at the sides so they can feel cramped. The tray table lives in the armrest, which narrows the seat and fixes the armrests in place.
- 10C, 10D — Bulkhead aisles. More usable foot space than the windows, but you'll get bumped by passing passengers and crew.
- 15A–15F — Last Comfort+ row; recline can be slightly reduced.
Main Cabin & Exit Rows (Rows 16–33)
Standard Delta economy at 31" pitch — tight but typical for domestic — in a 3-3 layout with seatback touchscreens throughout. The 737-800 has two overwing emergency exits, which shapes the best (and worst) economy seats in the front half of this cabin.
The exit-row structure (rows 16–18)
This is the part most guides get wrong. There are two exit doors, one behind row 16 and one behind row 17:
- Row 16 — Standard legroom, but the window and middle seats (16A, 16B, 16E, 16F) do not recline because the exit door sits directly behind them. The aisle seats, 16C and 16D, recline normally.
- Row 17 — First exit row: extra legroom. But with the second door behind it, the window and middle seats (17A, 17B, 17E, 17F) have limited recline. The aisle seats, 17C and 17D, get the extra legroom and still recline — the quiet winners of this row.
- Row 18 — Second exit row: maximum legroom and full recline, with no door immediately behind. The best economy seats on the aircraft.
✅ Best economy picks
- 18A, 18F — Maximum legroom with full recline. Top choice if legroom is your priority.
- 18C, 18D — Same legroom and recline on the aisle.
- 17C, 17D — Extra legroom aisle seats that still recline.
- 19A, 19F — First row behind the exits: no one reclines into you, and you're well forward of the rear galley.
🚫 Seats to avoid
- Row 32 (32A–32F) — Second-to-last row, immediately ahead of the rear lavatories. Expect noise, odors and queuing traffic.
- Row 33 (33A–33F) — Last row. No recline, lavatory and galley noise, and the longest wait to deplane.
Middle seats (B and E) are the weakest choice in any row — even the extra-legroom exit rows — so avoid them where you can.
Quick-Pick Summary
| Traveller | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Solo, legroom priority | 18A or 18F | Max legroom + full recline |
| Solo, wants to recline in an exit row | 17C or 17D | Extra legroom aisle that still reclines |
| Couple, First Class | 2A + 2B or 3C + 3D | Mid-cabin window + aisle pair |
| Couple, Comfort+ | 11A + 11B / 11E + 11F | First standard row, extra pitch |
| Family in Main Cabin | Rows 19–25 windows + aisles | Forward, away from rear-lav traffic |
| Budget, best of Main Cabin | 19A, 19F | Front of economy, nobody reclining into you |
IFE & Connectivity
Every seat has a seatback touchscreen with on-demand audio-visual content, plus the option to stream to your own device. Wi-Fi is Viasat Ka-band satellite — reliable enough for browsing and light streaming. Power is consistent across the aircraft: a 110V AC outlet and a USB-A port at every seat, in all three cabins.
How It Compares: 737-800 vs 737-900ER
Delta flies both 737 variants on similar routes.
| Feature | 737-800 | 737-900ER |
|---|---|---|
| Total seats | 160 | 180 |
| First Class | 16 | 20 |
| Fleet size | 74 | ~160 |
| Length | Shorter | Longer (more Main Cabin) |
The shorter 737-800 carries proportionally more Comfort+ seating, which can make Comfort+ upgrades a little easier to come by than on the higher-density 737-900ER.
Comparable Guides
- Delta Boeing 737-900ER — longer fuselage, similar product
- Delta Airbus A321neo — Delta's newer narrowbody
- American Airlines 737-800 — competitor on similar domestic routes
- United 737 MAX 8 — comparable domestic experience
FAQ
Is Comfort+ worth it on the 737-800?
For flights over about two hours, yes. The 34" pitch (vs 31" in Main Cabin), free drinks and premium snacks make a real difference. Row 11 windows are the sweet spot.
Which is the best exit row — 16, 17 or 18?
Row 18 wins: maximum legroom and full recline. Row 17 has extra legroom but limited recline at the window and middle seats — though 17C and 17D (aisles) get legroom and recline. Row 16 has no extra legroom and its window/middle seats don't recline at all, so skip it.
Do all First Class seats have the same view?
In the 2-2 layout, A and D are windows and B and C are aisles — no middle seats. Rows 2 and 3 are the best all-round picks; row 1 (bulkhead) and row 4 (borders Comfort+) come with trade-offs.
Which seats should families avoid?
Rows 32 and 33 at the very back — lavatory and galley noise, and the slowest deplaning. Aim for the forward Main Cabin rows (19–25) instead.
Is there power at every seat?
Yes — a 110V AC outlet plus a USB-A port at every seat, across First Class, Comfort+ and Main Cabin.