Ran across this a while back and just getting to it, Seatguru is a site that lets you figure out where you want to sit to meet your needs. Aside from a preference for first class seating that I can't afford to indulge, I prefer an aisle seat. If I'm checking a bag I don't care much after that, if all I have is a carry on I try to get near the front so I can deplane faster. If there is an option on sides that have two seats or three, I prefer the two seat side. I've learned from hard experience not to sit in the very last row - usually the seats don't recline much. Not that I usually get much choice, most flights are based on time first and then price, so mostly you hope for the best on the seat. Still, checking here might save you some unexpected grief on the next trip.