I can’t recall exactly when, but somewhere in my travels, I stumbled on a secret button built into airplane aisle seats. From then on, when I sat in an aisle seat, I’d check for it. The hidden feature was there at times, other times not—seemingly without rhyme or reason. One thing I did know for sure is that pressing this button made life a lot easier for me and my seatmates to enter and exit our row, temporarily giving us a little more room to navigate our cramped quarters.

Still, I was never really sure why this feature even existed. Was it really for my comfort? Why was it so tucked away? To get the scoop, I contacted two aviation experts, Corry Lane, pilot and director of safety at the private jet charter company Cirrus Aviation Services, and Alistair Hamilton, vice president of sales and marketing for aircraft seating at Collins Aerospace.

Ahead, you’ll learn the original purpose of this secret button, how it works and when it should (and shouldn’t) be used.

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What’s the secret button?

The secret button raises the seemingly locked armrest of seats located on the aisle. Yes, the one you thought didn’t move. We’ll walk you through how to lift the aisle seat armrest, but first: Why is that button there?

“The ability to lift the aisle seat armrest complies with regulatory and airline requirements [so] that passengers with reduced mobility may be helped in and out of seats with dignity,” Hamilton explains.

While accessibility for passengers who need assistance boarding and deplaning is its main purpose, there are other perks. “Raised armrests also help crew during cleaning and maintenance, especially in tight rows,” Lane adds.

Do all aisle seats have this feature?

Not quite. This button, says Lane, is common but not universal: “Economy class aisle seats typically have these types of armrests, especially on aircraft configured for accessibility compliance.”

Hamilton further explains that the Department of Transportation requires 50% of aisle seats in each class of service be handicap-accessible. “In the main cabin, this effectively means at least one side of the aisle,” he says. However, in practice, “most main cabin aisle armrests have this feature.”

How do you lift the aisle seat armrest?

A mechanism—usually a button or lever—allows passengers to lift some seat armrests. For example, I’m writing this article aboard a Royal Jordanian Boeing 787-8. On this particular plane, I found an oblong button underneath the aisle-seat armrest, near the hinge at the seatback. It wasn’t visible, but by feeling around, I could locate it. Pressing it, the previously unmovable armrest lifted up.

Who should use this secret button and when?

While it’s tempting to lift an aisle-seat armrest, it really isn’t designed for general passenger use.

“The aisle armrest must be down during taxi, take-off and landing as a raised arm can cause an obstruction and delay egress in the event of an emergency,” cautions Hamilton, who works with airline seating.

Its true purpose is clear: “It is intended that the armrest should only be raised by a flight attendant to help assist passengers with reduced mobility into and out of the seat.” That, he points out, is also why it is deliberately hidden.

About the experts

  • Corry Lane is the director of safety at Cirrus Aviation Services. He is also a pilot and expert in aviation safety and compliance. Lane is certified by the National Air Transportation Association as an air transport safety manager, and he is also a member of the International Society of Safety Professionals.
  • Alastair Hamilton is the vice president of sales and marketing, aircraft seating, at Collins Aerospace. Hamilton has worked at Collins for more than seven years.

Why trust us

Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of travel stories that help readers explore the world safely, easily and affordably. We regularly cover topics such as the best places to visit (and the best times to visit them), tips and tricks to zoom through airport security, flight-attendant secrets, hotel-room hacks and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. For this piece on how to lift the aisle seat armrest, Aaron Rasmussen tapped his experience as a season travel writer to make sure all information is accurate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

  • Corry Lane, director of safety at Cirrus Aviation Services; email interview, September 2025
  • Alastair Hamilton, vice president of sales and marketing, aircraft seating, at Collins Aerospace; email interview, September 2025
Author
Aaron Rasmussen
Aaron is an accomplished travel and lifestyle writer with decades of experience across digital and print publications. His adventures through more than 50 countries have included navigating Iceland’s Ring Road, traversing Peru by luxury train, yachting in the Seychelles, and eating and drinking his way through Italy. His work has been featured in...
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Aaron Rasmussen