The best economy seats on the Qantas Boeing 737, and how to get them

Business travellers darting around Australia will most often find themselves on the workhorse of Qantas' domestic fleet, the Boeing 737 – and while these jets feature 12 business class seats up the front, everybody else on board flies economy, as many company travel policies or budgets mandate.

Of course, some seats are always better than others, so we've broken down the layout to show which seats have an advantage.

Qantas Boeing 737 best economy seats: row 4

The most coveted spot in economy is row 4. Located directly behind business class, it offers plenty of legroom and space to work.

Row 4 also ensures you're among the very first passengers off the plane: ideal if you're flying only with hand luggage, as you can skip the baggage carousel and head straight to your waiting taxi or Uber.

Some under-seat storage is possible, although the change in configuration from business to economy means the middle seats (4B and 4E) don't have a dedicated storage pocket at the seat in front.

Overhead bins are also a bit smaller here, making this row better suited to travellers packing light.

Tray tables and entertainment screens are stored in the arm-rests which make the seat a little narrower, so 'passengers of size' might also prefer to sit elsewhere.

Looking forward to row 4 and the back of business class, from row 5

How to get them: There’s no charge for these seats, but only Platinum One and Chairman’s Lounge members can select these anytime. Other flyers might see them open up at 80 hours prior to departure or 24 hours before departure if they're still available. If you see one, snap it up quick!

Qantas Boeing 737 best economy seats: exit rows

Long-legged travellers will naturally want to land one of these seats, as the seat pitch (that's the measurement from one part of a seat, to the same location of the seat in front) is a very generous 38 inches, compared to the more typical 30-31 inches.

Row 14 is the pick of the bunch, as these seats can be reclined whenever allowed during the flight. Seats in row 13 (and row 12 in front) can also recline, but are 'locked' during take-off and landing, and sometimes it's necessary to ask the crew to 'unlock' the recline feature.

Also note that you're not allowed to store anything under the seat in front during take-off and landing, meaning you'll need to find room for all your carry-on in the overhead lockers.

To sit in these emergency exit rows you must agree to assist in the event of an emergency, as well as be physically strong enough to open the aircraft door during an evacuation.

If you use a laptop or other large devices inflight, there's also the inconvenience of having to retrieve your gadgets after the seatbelt sign is off and return them to the locker prior to landing, as laptops can't be stored in the seatback pockets, and your laptop bag can't be by your feet.

How to get them: Platinum One and Chairman’s Lounge members can select these anytime, for free. Other flyers can purchase them for a fee, which varies according to route. They may be allocated for free if you ask nicely at the airport.

Qantas Boeing 737 best economy seats: in summary

As Boeing 737s are quite compact and are often used for short routes – with a few exceptions including some cross-country flights to Perth – most seats apart from rows 4, 13 and 14 are much of a muchness.

Choosing a seat much further back on the plane can at least increase your chance of having nobody next to you, assuming the flight isn't heavily booked.

Seat selection is free on Qantas domestic flights for all fare types, except for the emergency exit rows, although your Qantas Frequent Flyer status plays a part in what seats you can initially select.

For example, Platinum One members will be shown the plane's entire seat map (that's how they can unlock the prized row 4), while Gold and Silver members are shown a seat map with some prized spots marked as unavailable.

If you’re not happy with your initial seat selection, then check back 80 hours before the flight to see what has opened up.