Dash 8-400 (Q400)
De Havilland Canada
We've documented 4 airlines flying the Dash 8-400 (Q400) across 7 cabin configurations, built by De Havilland Canada as part of the Dash 8 family. Total seat count ranges from 74 to 78 depending on how densely an airline configures it. Its fuselage is 2690mm wide — the fixed physical constraint every airline's cabin layout has to work within, regardless of how they configure the inside.
Economy pitch on this type ranges from 30in to 31in depending on the airline — a real, measurable difference in legroom for the exact same aircraft. 2 of these airlines fly more than one cabin layout on this same aircraft type — check which one applies to your specific flight before assuming. 3 of 7 configurations here are verified directly against the operating airline's own published material.
Best and worst seats by airline
- On Air Canada's Air Canada Express all-Economy Dash 8-400, 76-seat cabin, last row to port (Y/Y/Y), worth avoiding: 2B (next to lavatory) and 2D (next to lavatory).
- On Air Canada's Air Canada Express all-Economy Dash 8-400, 76-seat cabin, last row to starboard (Y/Y/Y), worth avoiding: 2B (next to lavatory) and 2D (next to lavatory).
- On Air Canada's Air Canada Express all-Economy Dash 8-400, 78-seat cabin (Jazz) (Y/Y), worth avoiding: 2C (next to lavatory) and 2D (next to lavatory).
- On Qantas' QantasLink all-Economy cabin, 78 seats (Y/Y), worth avoiding: 20B (seat doesn't recline) and 20C (seat doesn't recline).
- On Qantas' QantasLink all-Economy cabin, 74 seats (Y/Y), worth avoiding: 19B (seat doesn't recline) and 19C (seat doesn't recline).
- On WestJet's Premium and Economy, 78 seats (WestJet Encore) (W/W/Y/Y/Y), worth avoiding: 1B (seat doesn't recline) and 1A (seat doesn't recline).
- On Widerøe's All-economy, single class (Y/Y), worth avoiding: 20B (seat doesn't recline) and 20C (seat doesn't recline).
Economy pitch comparison
| Airline | Configuration | Economy pitch |
|---|---|---|
| Air Canada | Air Canada Express all-Economy Dash 8-400, 76-seat cabin, last row to port | 30in |
| Air Canada | Air Canada Express all-Economy Dash 8-400, 76-seat cabin, last row to starboard | 30in |
| Air Canada | Air Canada Express all-Economy Dash 8-400, 78-seat cabin (Jazz) | 30in |
| WestJet | Premium and Economy, 78 seats (WestJet Encore) | 30in |
| Widerøe | All-economy, single class | 30in |
| Qantas | QantasLink all-Economy cabin, 78 seats | 31in |
| Qantas | QantasLink all-Economy cabin, 74 seats | 31in |
Operators
Air Canadaversion lottery — 3 configs
Qantasversion lottery — 2 configs
WestJet
Widerøe
Frequently asked
- Which airlines fly the Dash 8-400 (Q400)?
- We've documented 4 airlines operating the Dash 8-400 (Q400), each with its own generated seat map below — the cabin you get depends entirely on which airline and which specific configuration they fly.
- What's the economy seat pitch on the Dash 8-400 (Q400)?
- It varies by airline — from 30in to 31in among the operators we've measured. See the comparison table below for the exact figure per airline.
- Does the cabin layout on the Dash 8-400 (Q400) differ by airline?
- Yes, significantly. Airlines configure the same airframe with completely different seat counts, classes and pitches — this page groups every configuration we've documented by airline so you can compare the real differences rather than assume one layout fits all.
- Who makes the Dash 8-400 (Q400), and what family is it part of?
- De Havilland Canada builds the Dash 8-400 (Q400), part of the Dash 8 family — a 2690mm-wide fuselage that every operator's cabin layout has to fit within.
- I flew this aircraft and the layout looked different — what do I do?
- Tell us. Airlines retrofit cabins constantly and different registrations of the same type can carry different cabins. Email corrections@bestplaneseats.com with the airline, flight number, date and what you actually saw.
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