I just learned this last night and thought it would be interesting to share. When people think first class they generally think this:
But in most domestic flights, this is what you really get:
A larger seat, more leg room and free booze for a 500% premium in fair. Not a great value proposition. The nicer cabins are reserved for long haul, transcontinental, flights and generally the larger planes like the 787 and 747.
I've heard over the years that airlines have to re-locate those larger planes to better position them for transcontinental routes and because of that, they occasionally find themselves on domestic routes. So I did some more poking and discovered that while American generally flies the 737 on domestic first class flights, they fly one 787-8 on their LA - Chicago route every day. The cost is no more but you're getting a muuuuuch nicer product in the form of a truly private seat, a walk-up bar and if you're a plane nerd like me, you're flying in a 787 versus a 737. This applies to economy as well I would think as generally all classes of service are nicer on overseas flights. So if you can find a domestic flight with a long haul plane like a 787 or 747 it might be worth taking it. And before anyone goes down the Mike K bragging road... a) purchased this on points and b) this was a $325 ticket without points. So not really living large here.
Walk up bar with stuff:
But in most domestic flights, this is what you really get:
A larger seat, more leg room and free booze for a 500% premium in fair. Not a great value proposition. The nicer cabins are reserved for long haul, transcontinental, flights and generally the larger planes like the 787 and 747.
I've heard over the years that airlines have to re-locate those larger planes to better position them for transcontinental routes and because of that, they occasionally find themselves on domestic routes. So I did some more poking and discovered that while American generally flies the 737 on domestic first class flights, they fly one 787-8 on their LA - Chicago route every day. The cost is no more but you're getting a muuuuuch nicer product in the form of a truly private seat, a walk-up bar and if you're a plane nerd like me, you're flying in a 787 versus a 737. This applies to economy as well I would think as generally all classes of service are nicer on overseas flights. So if you can find a domestic flight with a long haul plane like a 787 or 747 it might be worth taking it. And before anyone goes down the Mike K bragging road... a) purchased this on points and b) this was a $325 ticket without points. So not really living large here.
Walk up bar with stuff: