Bulgaria Air

Bulgaria Air is the Sofia-based flag carrier, flying a compact European and regional network out of Sofia Airport with links to the Middle East and a handful of leisure routes. The fleet is narrowbody and modern at the top end: the Airbus A220 is the long-pole aircraft you actually want to be booked on, and the older A319 and A320 handle the rest of the schedule alongside an Embraer E190 on thinner routes.

The airline sells a two-class product on most of its Airbus aircraft, with a real Business cabin at the nose and economy behind. The word to hold onto is real: this is not the blocked-middle curtain that many short-haul European carriers pass off as business. On the A220 and the A319 the front seats are noticeably wider recliners, not the same economy shell with the neighbour left empty.

The two Airbus A220s are the standouts. The A220-100 is the shorter of the pair and the A220-300 the stretch, but both share the same cabin character: a five-abreast economy layout with two seats on one side of the aisle and three on the other, which means the odds of a middle seat are lower than on a conventional six-abreast narrowbody. The A220 also brings bigger windows, a quieter cabin and lower cabin pressure than the older Airbuses, so it is the more comfortable ride on anything over a couple of hours.

The A319 is the classic six-abreast three-three economy layout you know from every European short-haul jet, paired with the same wider recliner Business cabin at the front. The A320 is configured all-economy, so there is no separate premium seat to chase there. The Embraer E190 runs a single-class economy cabin with a flexible curtained front zone rather than a distinct product, so a front-row seat buys position and early boarding rather than a different seat.

Business on the A220 and A319 is a proper recliner cabin. The seats are wider than economy and the middle of each pair is kept clear, so you board and clear the aircraft first from the front position. It is a short-haul European business product, so expect a comfortable seat and elbow room rather than a lie-flat bed, but the seat itself is a step up from the economy shell rather than a marketing badge.

Economy on the A220 is where the aircraft earns its reputation. The five-abreast layout gives most passengers an aisle or a window and spares them the squeeze of a six-across middle, while the wide windows and hushed cabin make the difference on longer sectors. On the A319 economy reverts to the familiar three-three arrangement, comfortable enough for the short hops it flies but without the A220 advantages. The A320 and the E190 keep things simple with a single economy cabin throughout.

Book onto the A220 when the schedule offers it. On the two-side of the five-abreast cabin you get a window or an aisle with no middle to negotiate, which is the pick for solo travellers and couples alike; the three-side is where the middle seats live, so choose there only if you want the extra window or need to sit as a group. A forward row on either A220 clears the aisle fastest at the gate.

If you value the wider seat, the Business cabin on the A220 or A319 is worth it on the longer sectors where a couple of hours of elbow room changes the flight. On the A319 economy cabin, aim for a forward row to board and leave first, and keep clear of the last few rows by the galley and toilets. The A320 is a single-class jet, so the choice there is purely about position; the same goes for the E190, where a front seat buys early boarding rather than a different seat.