The loudest seats on a plane – and the quietest – have been revealed

After getting through airport security and TSA lines, the last thing you want on a long flight is to be disturbed by a variety of noises.

Especially if you’re hoping to sleep on a long flight, disturbing interruptions—such as engine noise, bathroom doors slamming, and flight attendants chatting in the galley—can get your trip off on the wrong foot.

But some seats on a plane are actually quieter than others, according to Dollar Flight Club.

Unsurprisingly, the noisiest seats on the plane are those closest to the bathrooms and galleys.

On wide-body aircraft, this means seats in the first two rows in first class, next to the cabin, the middle gallery (located in the middle of the plane between the cabins or near where the classes are separated) and the rear gallery (located in the rear of the aircraft, used for food preparation, beverage service and other in-flight operations).

In narrow-body aircraft that are usually smaller with a single row, the noisy seats are near the cabin and the rear, where the bathrooms and galleys are located.

Being in the back of any plane will be noisy in general because of the location of the bathroom and the flight attendants – but also because the distance from the wings of the plane and the bending of the plane’s structure will make that area more turbulent and noisy. noisy throughout. the flight.

If you want to be in the least noisy part of a plane, choose any seat forward of the wing. Right behind the wing is where it will be the loudest because that’s where the engine is. Engine noise is pushed back, so if you’re sitting against the wing, it will automatically be less noisy than at the back of the plane.

Sometimes on larger planes, whether you sit on the right or left side can make a difference. It all depends on which side it’s facing away from the jet engines, though it’s not a big difference.

If you’re debating whether a window or aisle seat would give you a quieter plane experience, it depends more on what you’d rather hear. The window can be a bit noisier due to engine noise, but the corridors also have a lot of foot traffic.

However, there are ways to reduce the noise yourself. For example, Dollar Flight Club recommends packing noise-canceling headphones or asking a flight attendant for earplugs. Even if nothing is playing through the headphones, it will reduce engine noise. If you want to listen to something, choose soothing music or a podcast or audiobook designed for relaxation.

Packing a sleep mask can also help reduce light and other distractions to help you be in a better zone for sleep and rest. Additionally, putting your name on an upgrade list can give you a chance to get a seat at the front of the plane.