Alaska Airlines Boeing 717-200 Seat Selection Guide (2026)
Most seat guides open with the amenities. On Alaska's Boeing 717-200 there are none to describe: no seatback screens, no streaming, no WiFi, no power outlets, and in the Main Cabin no recline at all. What is left is legroom, and the gap between the good rows and the standard ones is unusually wide — 39" against 29". Ten inches, for one seat-selection click.
These aircraft came to Alaska with the Hawaiian merger and have sold under Alaska's AS flight numbers since April 2026. The cabin is unchanged — same seats, same layout, same row numbers as when they flew as Hawaiian. If your booking says Hawaiian, or the aircraft still wears Hawaiian colours, this guide still applies.
Flying one of the short hops these aircraft actually operate? See the Hawaiian inter-island LIH–OGG seat guide.
✈️ Quick Verdict
Aircraft: Boeing 717-200 (717-22A), 18 aircraft — the inter-island workhorse, now under Alaska Air Group
Configuration: 8F / 120Y = 128 seats — First 2-2, Main Cabin 2-3
Version lottery: No. One configuration across all 18 aircraft
Best seats: row 18, all five (Extra Comfort, 39" — but an exit row) · 17D · 1A and 2A in First
Best non-exit legroom: 4A, 4B and 4F — the 39" bulkhead row
Avoid: 27A and 27F (no window) · 26D, 26E, 26F, 27B, 27D, 27E (lavatory door)
IFE, power and WiFi: none of the three, anywhere on the aircraft
What You Are Actually Buying
The 120 Acro Series 3 slimlines have fixed backs, non-adjustable headrests and a small fold-down tray with a tablet ledge. That is a defensible product for the short inter-island hops these aircraft mostly fly. It also means the only variable worth optimising is legroom, and on this airframe legroom is not evenly spread.
Two structural quirks before you read the map: row 3 does not exist, and there is no seat lettered C anywhere on the aircraft. First Class runs A B | E F. The Main Cabin runs A B | D E F.
First Class — Rows 1 to 2, 2-2
Eight B/E Aerospace Millennium leather recliners at 37" pitch, 18.5" wide, with a genuine 11" of recline — by far the most reclining seat on the aircraft.
- 1A and 2A are the picks. Both are rated well and both have good window alignment. 1A adds the bulkhead — it leads the cabin, with extra room ahead.
- The rest of row 1 is compromised. 1B, 1E and 1F all sit next to the forward galley and carry the noise-and-bright-light flag. 1B gets a partial bulkhead (about 80% coverage) with some extra room on the right, which softens it slightly.
- Row 2 is the quieter row. 2A is the pick of the cabin, and 2B, 2E and 2F are all unflagged.
- Couples: 1A/1B or 2A/2B on the port side; 2E/2F on the starboard side, away from the galley.
Main Cabin — Rows 4 to 27, 2-3
The A/B side is a pair, the D/E/F side is a triple. If you are travelling as a couple, always take A and B — you get a window and an aisle with nobody to climb over, and no middle seat to negotiate. Standard pitch is 29" with no recline. Everything below is about escaping that.
Extra Comfort — rows 4-5 and 17-18
Seventeen seats, sold at extra cost or given as an elite benefit. The four rows are not equal, and this is where the guide earns its keep.
Rows 17 and 18 are the overwing exit rows. The exits sit behind row 16 and behind row 17, which is why rows 16 and 17 carry the restricted-recline flag and why 17 and 18 get 39" of pitch. Booking either one means the usual exit-row conditions: you must be at least 15 years old, willing and able to assist, and nothing can stay at your feet for take-off and landing. If that is not for you, the 39" bulkhead row 4 is the non-exit alternative.
Row 18 is the best row in economy — all five seats come through clean. 18A, 18B, 18D, 18E and 18F all carry the extra-legroom flag with no offsetting penalty, at 39" pitch. 18A and 18F each get two windows at average alignment. This is the single best-value seat selection on the aircraft.
Row 17 looks identical and is not. Four of its five seats — 17A, 17B, 17E and 17F — are flagged for restricted recline, which on a non-reclining seat matters less than it sounds. But 17A and 17F carry a second and worse flag: the window is set behind the seat, so you lean back to see out. 17D is the exception — the one clean seat in row 17. If you are picking a single Extra Comfort seat and row 18 is gone, take 17D.
Row 4 is the bulkhead row at 39", and it splits. 4A, 4B and 4F are the good ones. 4D and 4E are not: no underseat storage because of the bulkhead in front, and with no seatback ahead the tray table lives in the armrest. Legroom yes, everything-else no. Row 4 armrests also do not lift.
Row 5 is the quiet win. 5A and 5B are Extra Comfort at 31" by the cabin note, though the per-seat data describes them as roughly 32" — either way, two to three inches over standard, and both are rated well with no flags at all. 5D, 5E and 5F sit at standard 29" and are not Extra Comfort despite the row number, so do not pay extra for them.
Standard economy — the window rows that work
Great window alignment sits in rows 7, 9, 11, 13 and 24 at the A and F seats, plus 26A. Those are your picks if you want a view without paying for Extra Comfort.
Row 16 is the row ahead of the first exit: 16A, 16B, 16E and 16F are flagged for restricted recline.
The back — rows 25 to 27, and eight seats to avoid
The last three rows are the worst part of this aircraft by a distance.
| Seat | Rating | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 25E, 25F | Be aware | Lavatory queuing traffic behind |
| 26B | Be aware | Lavatory traffic behind |
| 26D, 26E, 26F | Avoid | Immediately adjacent to the lavatory door |
| 27A | Avoid | No window at all — wall only |
| 27B, 27D, 27E | Avoid | Immediately adjacent to the lavatory door |
| 27F | Avoid | No window, and adjacent to the lavatory door |
26A is the exception in the back — a great window on the far side of the row from the lavatory traffic, sitting just ahead of the trouble.
Cabin Features
| First Class | Main Cabin | |
|---|---|---|
| Seats | 8 | 120 (17 Extra Comfort) |
| Rows | 1–2 | 4–27 |
| Layout | 2-2 | 2-3 |
| Pitch | 37" | 29" (row 4: 39" · 5A/5B: 31" · rows 17–18: 39") |
| Width | 18.5" | 18" |
| Recline | 11" | None |
| Space per seat | 7.7 sq ft | 5.0 sq ft |
| Seat | B/E Aerospace Millennium leather recliner | Acro Series 3 slimline |
| Adjustable armrest | Not stated | Yes, except row 4 |
| Adjustable headrest | Not stated | No |
| Gasper vent | Yes | Yes |
| Power / USB | None | None |
| IFE | None | None |
| WiFi | None | None |
Quick-Pick Summary
| If you are | Book |
|---|---|
| Buying Extra Comfort, one seat | Row 18, any seat — 39" pitch, all five clean (exit row) |
| Extra Comfort, row 18 gone | 17D — the only clean seat in row 17 (exit row) |
| In First Class | 1A for the bulkhead, 2A for quiet |
| A couple in economy | 18A and 18B, or any A/B pair — no middle seat |
| A family of three | 18D, 18E, 18F — the only clean triple, but it is an exit row, so no children under 15. Travelling with one: 7D/E/F, or rows 9, 11 or 13 — great window at F, clear of the lavatories |
| Want a window, not paying extra | Rows 7, 9, 11, 13, 24 or 26A |
| Want legroom cheaply | 5A or 5B — 31" and no flags |
| Tall, and not an exit-row candidate | 4A, 4B or 4F — 39" at the bulkhead, but skip 4D and 4E |
| Never book | 27A and 27F (no window) · 26D, 26E, 26F, 27B, 27D, 27E (lavatory door) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Alaska's 717 seats recline?
First Class reclines 11". The Main Cabin does not recline at all — the Acro slimline seats have fixed backs.
Which seats should I avoid on the Alaska 717-200?
Eight seats are rated avoid: 26D, 26E, 26F, 27B, 27D and 27E sit against the lavatory door, and 27A and 27F have no window at all. 27F has both problems.
What are the best Extra Comfort seats on the 717?
Row 18 — all five seats come through clean at 39" pitch with no offsetting flags. Row 17 has the same pitch but four of its five seats carry restricted recline, and 17A and 17F have a misaligned window. Both are overwing exit rows, so you need to meet the exit-row conditions, including being 15 or older; if you would rather not, row 4 gives you the same 39" at the bulkhead.
Does the Alaska 717 have WiFi or screens?
Neither. No seatback screens, no streaming service, no WiFi and no power outlets. Download before you board.
Is there a middle seat on the Alaska 717?
Only on the starboard side. The Main Cabin is 2-3: A/B is a pair, D/E/F is a triple with E in the middle. First Class is 2-2 with no middles.
Why do the row numbers skip?
Row 3 does not exist — First Class is rows 1–2 and the Main Cabin starts at row 4. There is also no seat lettered C anywhere on the aircraft.
Comparable Guides
- Hawaiian Inter-Island: Best Seats on Kauai to Maui Flights (LIH–OGG) — the route these aircraft actually fly
- Delta Boeing 717-200 Seat Selection Guide (2026) — the direct type comparison
- Alaska Airlines A321neo Seat Selection Guide (2026) — the other inter-island and West Coast type
- Alaska Airlines A330-200 Seat Selection Guide (2026)
- Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900ER Seat Selection Guide (2026) — now the same airline group