I’m currently in a lay-flat seat home from Europe. Center aisles. Nobody at the windows ever opened them.
In Economy (not lay-flat) the best feature of having a window is about having a wall next to you for sleeping, not for sight-seeing.
On recent flights, I was surprised how many people who somehow chose a window seat, closed the window, during broad daylight. This is a big change from when I was younger, where so many more people had the window open and were interested in seeing what was outside. I wonder what changed? Is it phones? Is it sleep debt? Is it that they have flown 100 times now and the novelty is gone?
I always love listening to music and looking out the window.
For me its usually I am tired and yeah, the novelty is gone, I flew for work for a number of years and had parents who were always sending me back home to the old country as a kid, it's been a long time since I have enjoyed flying.
The benefit of a window seat is not that you can look out (although it is fun on occasion). The biggest benefit (for me) is you don't have a stranger next to you on that side. You have a wall you can sleep against. This is a godsend on 10hr flights.
Airlines have been charging extra for window seats for years.
sunroof windows coming soon.
That would be really nice!
The best will be when the double decker economy seats start to be installed. /s