Published 12 June 2026 | Updated 22 September 2026 by Kate Acaster
Jet2 seat selection costs from around £8 per person if you choose to pre-select, and you are not required to pay. Extra legroom exit row seats currently range from £8 to £25, and prices don’t drop during a Jet2 sale, so there’s no benefit to waiting for one before adding a seat. If you prefer to save the money, Jet2 allocates one for free when online check-in opens, 28 days before departure. This guide covers the types, what each costs, which rows are worth choosing on the Boeing 737-800, and whether Jet2holidays includes it.
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How much does Jet2 seat selection cost?
Standard seats, where you choose a specific window, middle or aisle position, cost from around £8 per person per flight. Extra legroom seats, located at the emergency exit rows, currently range from £8 to £25 per person, with an average of around £16. Prices vary by route length, demand, and how far ahead you book, and the charge applies per person, per flight. A couple pre-selecting seats on both legs of a return trip pays four separate charges, and booking at the time of purchase is often cheaper than adding them later.
| Seat type | Cost per person | Key notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard seat (pre-selected) | From £8 | Window, middle or aisle; available from booking to 6 hours before departure |
| Extra legroom seat | £8 to £25 | Exit rows only; seat does not recline; average around £16 |
| Free allocated seat | Free | Assigned at check-in; first-come basis; no guaranteed position |
What seat types does Jet2 offer?
Standard pre-selected seats
Most of the cabin is made up of standard seats. You can pick any available position from the seat map, window, middle, or aisle, for around £8 to £15 per person. Pre-selecting is the only way to guarantee where you will sit. If you are travelling with others and want adjacent seats, this is the most reliable option.
Extra legroom seats
Extra legroom seats are at the emergency exit rows. On the Boeing 737-800, these are the over-wing exit rows and, on some configurations, the front bulkhead row. The extra floor space is noticeable, but there are conditions: passengers must be able-bodied adults willing to help in an emergency. Exit row seats do not recline, the seat in front does not recline either, and you cannot keep a bag under the seat for take-off and landing.
Free allocated seats
If you don’t reserve one in advance, Jet2 assigns it at no cost when online check-in opens. Seats are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so checking in early at the start of the 28-day window gives you the widest choice. Exit rows and popular positions usually go quickly. If you are travelling with others and need to sit together, free allocation makes no guarantee of adjacent seats.
Best seats on the Jet2 Boeing 737-800
Jet2 operates the Boeing 737-800 on most routes, with 189 seats in a 3-3 layout. Exit rows sit at the over-wing section, typically Rows 14 to 17 depending on the plane’s individual configuration. Rows 16 and 17 are the most frequently recommended for extra legroom, since the row in front doesn’t recline into your space and the additional floor room is meaningful on a two or three-hour flight. Your own seat doesn’t recline either, and bags have to go in the overhead locker for take-off and landing.
Other rows worth knowing
Row 14 has similar characteristics to Rows 16 and 17. Row 1, at the front of the cabin behind the galley, also has good legroom, since the space comes from the wall rather than an absent row in front, so the feel differs slightly from the over-wing exits. Row 12 is worth avoiding if you want to recline, as the exit rows sit directly behind it and prevent it from reclining. Middle seats in any row are best avoided if you are travelling solo and comfort matters.
Flying the Airbus A321neo
Jet2 also flies the Airbus A321neo on some routes. The layout and exit row positions differ from the 737-800, so check the seat map on the booking page for your specific flight. If you are booking well in advance, our guide to when Jet2 releases flights covers how to get the best availability before seats fill up.
Does Jet2holidays include seat selection?
Standard Jet2holidays packages do not include seat pre-selection. It’s an add-on charged at the same rates as on Jet2.com flights, though Jet2holidays occasionally runs promotions that include a standard seat for new bookings; those promotions still exclude extra legroom. If you have a Jet2holidays booking without seats added, you’ll be allocated one at check-in the same way as on a standalone flight.
Do you have to pay to sit together on Jet2?
No, you don’t have to pay to sit together on Jet2, but paying is the only way to guarantee it. Jet2 says it will try to seat children under 12 next to an accompanying adult. If you haven’t pre-booked seats, though, Jet2 may only sort this out at the airport or on board, not confirm it in advance. For an adult pair with no children, checking in promptly at the start of the 28-day window usually leaves enough adjacent seats.
Who’s most likely to be split up
Groups of four or more face a higher risk: exit rows and paired seats near the front go first, and free allocation can’t guarantee a block that large. School holidays add a separate risk, since fuller flights leave cabin crew less room to rearrange people at the gate. The UK Civil Aviation Authority expects airlines to seat children under 12 within one row of an adult, but that’s guidance, not law, so Jet2 faces no penalty for a full flight. Pre-selecting a Standard seat at booking removes the uncertainty, if sitting together matters more than the £8 saving.
“Jet2’s family-seating promise is one of the better ones in UK short-haul, but ‘we’ll try’ and ‘you’re guaranteed’ are different sentences. I’ve seen enough gate-desk scrambles to know a full flight in August is exactly when a best-efforts policy gets tested. It’s groups of four or more I’d worry about, not couples – a pair almost always gets sorted at check-in, but a family splitting across three different rows is the scenario actually worth paying to avoid.”
Kate Acaster, Chief Editor, Flight Tribe
Booked your Jet2 seat? What to sort next
A Jet2 seat charge covers where you sit, not what you can bring or how you get to the airport. Checked baggage, hand luggage, cover and parking are all separate decisions, and sorting each one out before you fly is cheaper than fixing it at the airport or adding it later.
| Decision | Why it matters | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Checked baggage | From around £8 booked online, £45 per bag if left until the airport | |
| Hand luggage | One 10kg cabin bag and a small under-seat bag are already free, but an oversized bag costs £45 at the gate | |
| Travel insurance | A seat charge is non-refundable if your plans change | |
| Airport parking | Advance booking can cut the cost by more than half versus turning up on the day |
If you are booking a Jet2holidays package rather than a standalone flight, check the Jet2 cancellation policy before you commit, since deposits become non-refundable from 70 days before departure.
Frequently asked questions
How do I select seats on Jet2?
Jet2 seat selection is managed through Jet2’s official seating FAQ inside Manage My Booking, where you choose Add Seats and pick from the available seat map for a fee. This is open from the point of booking until six hours before departure.
Can I change my Jet2 seats after booking?
Yes. Return to Manage My Booking, select new seats, and pay any difference in price. You can change seats up to six hours before your flight departs.
What is the best seat on Jet2 for legroom?
Exit rows 16 and 17 on the Boeing 737-800 are consistently recommended. They cost from £8 per person and offer noticeably more floor space. These seats do not recline and there is no underseat storage during take-off and landing.
Does Jet2 charge for seats on return flights?
Yes. This is charged per person, per flight. A couple pre-selecting seats on both legs of a return trip would pay four separate seat selection charges.
When does Jet2 online check-in open?
Jet2 online check-in opens 28 days before departure. Our guide to Jet2 check-in covers the full process and exact timing.
Is pre-selecting a Jet2 seat worth it?
For extra legroom, the exit row fee from £8 is reasonable on any route of two hours or more. For standard seat preferences, checking in early when the 28-day window opens usually secures a decent free position, though it does not guarantee sitting with a travelling companion.
Do you have to pay to sit together on Jet2?
No. Jet2 will try to seat children under 12 next to an accompanying adult free of charge, and generally aims to keep travelling companions together, but this isn’t guaranteed unless you pre-select seats. Paying from around £8 per person is the only way to confirm it before you travel.
More Jet2 guides
For the current £100 Jet2holidays discount code and all our Jet2 guides in one place, see the Jet2holidays 2026 hub. Choose your seat through Manage My Booking on jet2.com.
Kate Acaster is Chief Editor at Flight Tribe. She writes about practical travel planning, budget airlines, baggage rules, city breaks, beach holidays and good hotels that do not cost daft money.
Kate has travelled through Europe, South America and beyond, usually with a notebook, a half-formed plan and a strong opinion on airport snacks. At Flight Tribe, her work focuses on helping UK travellers understand what is included, what costs extra, and whether a trip is worth booking at the price shown.
How Kate works
Kate checks the details that can change the value of a trip, including cabin-bag rules, airline fees, hotel location, seasonality, travel dates and booking conditions. She is especially interested in offers that look useful on the surface but need a proper reader-first check before they are worth recommending.
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