EgyptAir 787-9 Seat Selection Guide (2026)
EgyptAir's Boeing 787-9 is the best long-haul cabin the airline flies. All seven aircraft are configured identically at 309 seats — 30 Business, 279 Economy — so there's no version lottery within the type. Every Business seat has direct aisle access, and there is no row 13.
✈️ Quick Verdict
In Business, book 16A or 16K — the two-seat rear mini-row with perfect window alignment. In Economy, 42A and 42K are the only two seats with the window exactly where it should be. Avoid 49A and 49K: no window at all.
Quick Verdict
| Aircraft | Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner |
| Fleet size | 7 aircraft, one configuration |
| Configuration | 309 seats — 30 Business / 279 Economy |
| Business layout | 1-2-1 reverse herringbone, Collins Super Diamond (no privacy doors) |
| Economy layout | 3-3-3, Collins Pinnacle, 31" pitch, 17.1" wide |
| Premium Economy | None |
| Version lottery | No — all 7 aircraft share one layout |
| Best Business seats | 16A / 16K (two-seat rear mini-row), then 8A / 8K |
| Best Business for couples | 11D/11G or 15D/15G centre pairs |
| Best Economy seats | 42A / 42K — the only perfect window alignment in Economy |
| Best Economy legroom | 38C, 38H, 38K — door-3 bulkhead with no lavatory next door |
| Seats to avoid | 12A/12K, 14A/14K in Business; 49A/49K, rows 35–37 and 50–52 in Economy |
| IFE | Panasonic eX3 — 18" screens in Business, 12" in Economy |
| Power | Business: 110V AC + USB-A. Economy: USB-A only, no AC |
| WiFi | Panasonic Ku-band, roughly 10–40 Mbps, fitted fleet-wide |
No Row 13 — And No Privacy Doors
There is no row 13. Business runs 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16. If you've been told to book "13A", that seat does not exist on this aircraft.
The Super Diamond seats here do not have privacy doors. Collins ships this seat in doored and undoored versions, and EgyptAir's 787-9 uses the undoored one. You still get a high shell and an angled, away-from-the-aisle position, but there is no sliding door to close.
Version Lottery: Not Within the Type, But Watch the Metal
All seven 787-9s are identical. The real lottery is which wide-body shows up on your route — Cairo long-haul is flown by four very different types.
| Aircraft | Fleet | Config | Business product |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 787-9 | 7 | 30J / 279Y | Collins Super Diamond, 1-2-1, flat, all direct aisle access |
| Airbus A350-900 | 3 | 30J / 310Y | Newest long-haul cabin in the fleet |
| Boeing 777-300ER | 6 | 49J / 297Y | Older wide-body Business cabin |
| Airbus A330-300 | 4 | 36J / 265Y | Older wide-body Business cabin |
| Airbus A330-200 | 2 | 24J / 244Y | Oldest wide-body Business cabin |
A 777-300ER or A330 substitution on the same route is a genuine downgrade. Equipment swaps happen, so re-check the aircraft type at online check-in as well as at booking.
Business Class — 30 seats, rows 8 to 16
A single 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone section using the Collins Aerospace Super Diamond. Every seat gets 46" pitch, 21" width, 180° recline into a 6'7" flat bed, an 18" Panasonic eX3 touchscreen, 110V AC plus USB-A, and direct aisle access — all 30 seats, no exceptions. What it lacks: privacy doors, Bluetooth pairing, wireless charging and gasper vents.
Rows 8 through 15 are full four-seat rows (A / D-G / K). Row 16 has only 16A and 16K — a two-seat mini-row at the back of the cabin with no centre pair alongside.
✅ Best Business seats
- 16A / 16K — Two-seat rear mini-row, perfect window alignment, the most isolated position on board.
- 8A / 8K — Front row, also perfect window alignment, first served.
- 11D/11G, 15D/15G — Best centre pairs for couples: mid-cabin, away from the forward galley and the rear break.
- 9A/K, 10A/K, 11A/K, 15A/K — Solid mid-cabin windows with average alignment.
🚫 Business seats to avoid
- 12A / 12K — Window sits behind the seat; you lean back to see out.
- 14A / 14K — Same alignment problem.
That's the entire avoid list. The centre pairs in those rows (12D/12G, 14D/14G) are unaffected — the issue is specific to the A and K positions.
Economy — 279 seats, rows 20 to 52
One large 3-3-3 cabin on Collins Pinnacle seats, split into a forward section (rows 20–36) and a rear section (rows 37–52) by a mid-cabin lavatory block. Seat letters run A-B-C | D-E-G | H-J-K — the centre block uses G, not F.
Every seat gets 31" pitch, 17.1" width, 6" of recline, a 12" Panasonic eX3 screen and a four-way headrest. Power is USB-A only — there is no AC outlet in Economy. At 31" and 17.1" this is a tight long-haul Economy, so if you're over 6' the bulkhead and door-3 rows are worth paying for.
Three rows are centre-only three-seat rows: 20, 37 and 52. There is no 20A, 37A or 52A — and the same on the K side, because the doors occupy those positions.
✅ Best Economy seats
- 42A / 42K — The only two Economy seats with perfect window alignment, well clear of every lavatory.
- 38C / 38H — Door-3 bulkhead aisles: extra legroom, no lavatory next door, nobody reclining into you.
- 38K — Same bulkhead benefits. Pick 38K over 38A; the L3 door curves into 38A's footwell.
- Rows 23–24, 26–31, 33–34 — Best standard block: forward section, no lavatory adjacency, no alignment problems.
- Rows 39–40, 43, 45–47 — Clean rear-section rows if the forward cabin is gone.
🚫 Economy seats to avoid
- 49A / 49K — No window at all, just wall. The worst window seats on the aircraft.
- Row 36 (all nine) — Mid-cabin lavatory block immediately behind. The worst row in Economy.
- Row 35 A/B/C and H/J/K — Immediately ahead of the same lavatory block.
- Row 37 (D/E/G) and 20D / 20G — Bulkhead legroom, but the lavatory is directly in front and there's no under-seat storage.
- Row 21 A/B/C and H/J/K — Excellent bulkhead legroom, lavatory immediately ahead.
- Rows 50 and 51 side blocks, row 52 (D/E/G) — Rear lavatories and the slowest deplaning on board.
- 22A/K, 25A/K, 32A/K, 41A/K, 44A/K, 48A/K — Window set behind the seat, restricted view.
- All B, E and J seats — Middle seats in a 31" 3-3-3 cabin.
Cabin Features Compared
| Feature | Business | Economy |
|---|---|---|
| Seats | 30 | 279 |
| Rows | 8–16 (no row 13) | 20–52 |
| Layout | 1-2-1 reverse herringbone | 3-3-3 |
| Seat | Collins Super Diamond | Collins Pinnacle |
| Pitch / width | 46" / 21" | 31" / 17.1" |
| Recline | 180° — 6'7" flat bed | 6" |
| Direct aisle access | 100% of seats | None |
| Screen | 18" HD touchscreen | 12" HD touchscreen |
| AC power | 110V universal | None |
| Privacy doors | No | — |
Quick-Pick Summary by Traveller
| Traveller | Business pick | Economy pick |
|---|---|---|
| Solo, wants quiet | 16A or 16K | 42A or 42K |
| Solo, front of cabin | 8A or 8K | Rows 23–24 (A or K) |
| Couple | 11D/11G or 15D/15G | Rows 26–31, A+B or J+K |
| Family of three | — | Any full side block, rows 26–34 |
| Tall (6'+) | Any seat — 6'7" flat bed | 38C, 38H or 38K |
| Travelling with an infant | — | Row 20 (D/E/G) or row 21 — confirm bassinet position at booking |
| Best value | — | Rows 39–40, 43, 45–47 (A or K) |
How to Confirm You're on the 787-9
- Seat count. 309 seats — 30 Business, 279 Economy. No other EgyptAir wide-body matches that number.
- Business layout. 1-2-1 with every seat angled away from the aisle. A 2-2-2 or 2-3-2 map means different metal.
- Row numbering. Business starts at row 8 and skips row 13; Economy runs 20 to 52.
- Three centre-only rows. Rows 20, 37 and 52 have only D/E/G.
- No Premium Economy. The 787-9 has exactly two cabins.
EgyptAir Service Notes
- EgyptAir is a dry airline. No alcohol is served on board, on any route, in any cabin.
- Economy has no AC power. Bring a USB-A cable, or a USB-A adapter for a USB-C device — don't count on plugging in a laptop charger.
- WiFi is Panasonic Ku-band at roughly 10–40 Mbps: fine for messaging and browsing, workable for light streaming.
FAQ
Do EgyptAir's 787-9 Business seats have doors?
No. The Collins Super Diamond seats fitted to EgyptAir's 787-9 are the undoored version. You get a high shell and an angled position away from the aisle, but no sliding door.
Why is there no row 13?
EgyptAir skips it. Business Class runs 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 — there is no 13A or 13K on this aircraft.
What are the best seats on the EgyptAir 787-9?
16A and 16K in Business — a two-seat rear mini-row with perfect window alignment. In Economy, 42A and 42K for the view, or 38C/38H/38K for legroom without a lavatory next door.
Which seats should I avoid?
49A and 49K have no window at all. Rows 35, 36 and 37 sit around the mid-cabin lavatory block, rows 50–52 around the rear lavatories, and 12A/12K and 14A/14K in Business have the window set behind the seat.
Is there power in Economy?
USB-A only. There is no AC outlet anywhere in the Economy cabin, so a laptop charger is no use unless you bring a USB-A power bank.
Related Guides
- EgyptAir A321neo Seat Selection Guide (2026) — the regional fleet, 16C/166Y with recliner Business