Why is the middle seat safest? Simply stated, the middle seat is the furthest from impact during a collision, as well as the furthest away from air bags. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that all children under the age of 13 ride in the back seat, ideally in the center.

When traveling with an infant, the middle seat of the middle section (on wide-body aircraft) or simply the middle seat in a standard row is often cited as the safest location primarily due to its distance from the aisles and the windows. By placing a baby in the middle seat—ideally in an FAA-approved car seat—you protect them from falling overhead luggage, which is a statistically significant cause of injury during turbulence. The aisle seat leaves the child exposed to being bumped by heavy service carts or passing passengers, while the window seat, although scenic, can be colder and exposes the child to the unlikely risk of glass fragments in a decompression event. Furthermore, being in the middle provides a "cushion" of adults on either side, which is beneficial for both physical protection and logistical ease during feeding or diaper changes. In 2026, many experts also point out that the middle seat allows for the best view of the parent from the child's perspective, which helps keep the infant calm throughout the stresses of takeoff, landing, and pressurized cabin changes.