Virgin Australia E190-E2 Seat Selection Guide (2026)
✈️ Quick Verdict
Aircraft: Embraer 190-E2 — 10 aircraft, one configuration
Config: 100 seats. 8 Business in rows 1–3 (1-2), 92 Economy in rows 4–26 (2-2)
No middle seats anywhere. Economy is two and two — every seat is a window or an aisle
Version lottery: No. One cabin across the sub-fleet
Best seats on the aircraft: 2A and 3A — the two solo Business seats, alone on the left of the aisle
Best Economy X: 9C and 9D. Row 9 is the exit row at about 37in against a 29in cabin standard, and it reclines
Seats to avoid: 4A and 4F — sold as Economy X, and neither has a usable window. They are the two worst-rated seats on the aircraft
IFE: streamed to your own device · Wi-Fi: equipped · Power: in-seat power throughout
Every Economy X window seat has a window problem
Virgin Australia sells four rows on the E190-E2 as Economy X: rows 4, 5, 6 and 9. Between them they hold eight window seats. All eight have something wrong with the window.
| Economy X seat | Window | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 4A, 4F | No usable view — the glass sits well behind the seat | The two worst seats on the aircraft |
| 5A, 5F | Window set behind the seat — lean back to see out | Roomy, restricted view |
| 6A, 6F | Window set behind the seat — lean back to see out | Roomy, restricted view |
| 9A, 9F | Window set forward of the seat — lean ahead to see out | The roomiest row, restricted view |
That is not a coincidence and it is not a drafting quirk. The E190-E2’s window spacing does not line up with the seat spacing in the front of the cabin, and Economy X is sold precisely where the seat spacing has been stretched — which is what pulls the seats out of line with the glass.
The practical consequence: if you are paying for Economy X and you want to look out of the window, you are better off in an aisle seat. 5C, 5D, 6C, 6D, 9C and 9D all rate best. On a 2-2 aircraft the aisle seat is barely a compromise anyway — you still have only one neighbour, and you can lean across to a window that actually lines up.
4A and 4F are the trap
Row 4 is the first economy row, the forward bulkhead, and the roomiest row in the cabin after the exit row. It is sold as Economy X. And 4A and 4F have no usable window view at all — the glass sits well behind the seat, not merely out of line with it.
They are the only two seats on the aircraft rated worst outright alongside 26A and 26C at the very back. You would be paying an Economy X supplement for a legroom row and getting a wall.
All four seats in row 4 also lose their underseat storage — the bulkhead is in front — and the tray table lives in the armrest, so the seat is narrower than the ones behind it. 4C and 4D are the two worth having: same legroom, same bulkhead trade-offs, no window to be disappointed by.
Row 9 is the Economy X row to book
Row 9 is the overwing exit row and it is drawn at about 37 inches against a cabin standard of about 29. That is eight inches, which on a two-hour domestic sector is the difference between a seat you notice and one you do not.
It reclines, too. The row that pays for the exit path is row 8, immediately ahead: all four of its seats may not fully recline. Row 8 is not sold as Economy X, so at least you are not paying for the restriction — but it is worth knowing that the free seat directly in front of the best row in economy has a fixed back.
9C and 9D are the picks. 9A and 9F have the same legroom with the window set forward of the seat.
Business class: two solo seats and three pairs
The Business cabin is eight seats over three rows in a 1-2 layout — a single seat on the left of the aisle, a pair on the right. Row 1 is the pair only, so the seats are 1D and 1F, then 2A with 2D and 2F, then 3A with 3D and 3F.
2A and 3A are the best seats on the aircraft. Each is a solo seat with an aisle beside it: nobody next to you, nobody to climb over, and the sidewall on the other side. They are the two seats on this aeroplane worth going out of your way for, and there are only two of them across a ten-aircraft fleet.
The D and F pairs are ordinary two-abreast Business seats. 2F and 3F rate well; if you are travelling as a couple the pair is the obvious choice, and if you are travelling alone the solo is.
The back of the cabin
Economy runs to row 26 and the last two rows are the ones to leave alone. Row 26 does not recline — the wall is directly behind — and 26A and 26C sit immediately against a lavatory, with 26D in the queuing traffic. The galley sits behind rows 25 and 26 as well, so there is noise and light through the service.
26A and 26F also have their windows set forward of the seat, so even the view is compromised.
Further forward the cabin is clean. 14A, 14F, 15A, 15F, 16A, 16F, 17A, 17F, 18A, 18F, 20A, 20F, 21A and 21F all rate best — standard pitch, proper windows, nothing attached. If you are not paying for Economy X, that block in the middle of the cabin is where to sit. Windows sit out of line at 7A, 7F, 23A, 23F, 24A and 24F.
Quick picks by traveller
| You are | Book | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Travelling alone, in Business | 2A or 3A | Solo seat, aisle beside you, nobody to climb over |
| A couple, in Business | 2D and 2F, or 3D and 3F | A pair with the aisle on one side and the window on the other |
| Paying for Economy X | 9C and 9D | About 37in, reclines, and no window to be let down by |
| Paying for Economy X, want a window | 5A or 5F | The least-bad Economy X window — restricted, but present |
| Not paying extra | Rows 14 to 21 | Standard pitch, clean windows, nothing attached |
| A couple, not paying extra | Any A/C or D/F pair, rows 14–21 | Two across means no third stranger, ever |
| Avoiding the worst | Not 4A, 4F or row 26 | No usable window at the front, no recline at the back |
Frequently asked questions
Does the E190-E2 have middle seats?
No. Economy is 2-2 throughout — A and C on the left, D and F on the right — so every seat in the cabin is a window or an aisle. Business is 1-2, with a solo seat on the left.
Is Economy X worth paying for?
Row 9 is: about 37 inches against a 29-inch cabin standard, and it reclines. Rows 5 and 6 add three or four inches. Row 4 is the roomiest of the three front rows but loses underseat storage, puts the tray in the armrest, and at 4A and 4F has no usable window — those two are the seats to avoid in the whole product.
Which seats have no window?
4A and 4F have no usable window view — the glass sits well behind the seat. They are sold as Economy X, which is what makes them worth checking before you pay. Six other window seats (5A, 5F, 6A, 6F, 9A, 9F) have a window that is present but out of line with the seat.
What is the best seat on the Virgin Australia E190-E2?
2A or 3A in Business — the two solo seats. In economy, 9C or 9D: the exit row at about 37 inches, with full recline and no window to be disappointed by.
Is there a version lottery on this aircraft?
No. Ten aircraft, one 100-seat configuration. What the seat map shows at booking is what boards, which is not true of Virgin Australia’s 737-800 fleet, where three different cabins are recorded.