XiamenAir 787-8 Seat Selection Guide (2026)

The catch: a third of Business has no aisle access

XiamenAir flies two Dreamliners, and the 787-8 is the one with First Class. It typically flies from Xiamen and Fuzhou to Europe and Japan and on busy domestic routes such as Beijing, and it has been scheduled for a seasonal Xiamen to Addis Ababa service in the 2026/27 winter. XiamenAir moves its 787-8s and 787-9s between these routes freely, so check which one your flight shows.

The trap is in Business. The seat is the Aura Lite, built by Zodiac (now part of Safran): a forward-facing flat bed in a 2-2-2, six across. That means pairs. The window seats, A and L, sit beside the aisle seats C and J, and to reach the aisle you step over your neighbour, even when their seat is a flat bed. That is six of the 18 Business seats. Only the centre pair, D and H, gets an aisle with no one in the way.

If you are travelling alone, book D or H. If you are two, take a window pair such as 11A + 11C, and the climbing-over happens between people who know each other. The 787-9 does not have this problem: its Business seats are 1-2-1, every one with its own aisle.

There is a smaller trap in Economy. Row 54 is the exit row, and on a booking map all nine seats look like the legroom row. Only some of them are. In 54A and 54L the exit door bulges into about 80% of the seat width, 15cm (6in) ahead of you. 54D, 54E and 54H face the lavatory bank. The ones to book are 54B and 54K.

First (row 1)

Four lie-flat suites in a single row, lettered A | D H | L. There are no other First rows, so every seat in the cabin is a front-row seat, and XiamenAir quoted beds of about 198cm (78in) when the cabin launched. First has its own lavatory and galley at the front, away from the rest of the aircraft. Every suite has direct aisle access.

Whether First is sold as its own fare depends on the route and date. When it is not shown at booking, XiamenAir has sold it as an upgrade at the airport.

Business (rows 11–13)

Eighteen Aura Lite flat beds in a 2-2-2, lettered A C | D H | J L. There is no B, E, F, G or K seat in Business. The seats face forward and each has an ottoman that becomes part of the bed. Rows 11 and 12 are about 74–76in apart, which is generous for this type of seat.

The cabin is split in two by the second set of doors. Rows 11 and 12 sit together in front. Then come the galley and the two Business lavatories, and row 13 sits alone behind them, with Economy directly behind it. Row 13 has the best-aligned windows in Business (13A and 13L), but it faces the galley and the lavatories that all 18 Business passengers use. In rows 11 and 13 the screens fold out of the side console, because there is no seat in front.

Economy (rows 41–65)

215 seats in a 3-3-3, lettered A B C | D E H | J K L. There is no F or G seat, so the middle block is D, E, H. A standard row has about 31–32in of pitch. Economy is in two sections. Rows 41–53 are in front of the mid-cabin lavatories, and every window there looks onto the wing. Rows 54–65 are behind them. The cabin narrows at the back: row 64 has only A, C, D, E and H, and row 65 only D, E and H.

787-8 or 787-9? How to tell which one you are on

XiamenAir uses both Dreamliners on many of the same routes, and they are different aircraft inside. The 787-8 has 237 seats with a First row (row 1) and an 18-seat 2-2-2 Business cabin in rows 11–13. The 787-9 has 287 seats, no First, and 30 Business seats in a 1-2-1 herringbone in rows 11–18, every one with its own aisle. On the seat map, a row 1 or six Business seats across means the 787-8; Business running back to row 18 with four across means the 787-9. Economy uses the same A B C | D E H | J K L letters on both, but the 787-9 runs back to row 70 and its exit row is 56, not 54.

Quick-pick summary

Frequently asked questions

Does the XiamenAir 787-8 have First Class?

Yes. Four suites in a single row, row 1, in a 1-2-1. The 787-9 has no First. Whether First is sold as its own fare varies by route, and it has been offered as a paid upgrade at the airport.

Is XiamenAir 787-8 Business Class lie-flat?

Yes. All 18 seats are forward-facing flat beds (the Aura Lite seat) in a 2-2-2. The A and L window seats have no direct aisle access; the D and H centre seats do.

What is the best Business seat on the XiamenAir 787-8?

For one person, 11D, 11H, 12D or 12H: each has its own aisle and they sit in the quieter forward section. Row 13 has better windows but faces the galley and lavatories.

Which Economy seat has the most legroom?

The exit row, 54. Book 54B or 54K. In 54A and 54L the door takes most of the legroom, and 54D, 54E and 54H face the lavatories.

Which seats should I avoid in Economy?

Row 53 and the side seats of row 52, in front of the mid-cabin lavatories; 54D, 54E and 54H; and 63J–63L, 64H, 65E and 65H by the rear lavatory.

How do I know if my flight is a 787-8 or a 787-9?

Look at the seat map. Row 1 and a six-across Business cabin mean the 787-8. No row 1 and Business running to row 18, four across, means the 787-9.

Comparable guides

• XiamenAir 787-9 — the larger Dreamliner, no First, 1-2-1 Business with aisle access for everyone
• Hainan Airlines 787-8 — another Chinese 787-8 with a 2-2-2 flat-bed Business cabin
• China Southern 787-9 — XiamenAir's parent airline on the 787-9
• Air China 787-9 — the Beijing-based rival's Dreamliner
• China Eastern 787-9 — the Shanghai-based rival's Dreamliner
• LOT Polish Airlines 787 — another 787 with a 2-2-2 Business cabin

See all aircraft seat guides →