- Introduction: A Quick Jaunt To Hawaii
- Review: American Airlines A321neo First Class (TPA-LAX)
- Review: Hyatt Regency LAX
- Review: American Airlines First Class To Hawaii
- Review: Four Seasons Oahu At Ko Olina
- Review: Hawaiian Airlines Plumeria Lounge Honolulu Airport (HNL)
- Review: Hawaiian Airlines A321neo First Class (HNL-KOA)
- Review: Four Seasons Hualalai, Big Island, Hawaii
- Review: United Airlines’ “Old” 787-9 Business Class (KOA-ORD)
- Review: United Airlines 737 MAX 9 First Class (ORD-BOS)
To kick off our journey to Hawaii, we flew American Airlines’ A321neo first class from Tampa to Los Angeles. I’ve never reviewed American’s A321neo before, so this seemed like a good opportunity, especially since American recently reinstated pre-pandemic service in first class.
For a non-premium transcon flight on American, this ended up being a pretty great experience. It was also quite entertaining, because I swear just about everyone in first class was off-their-rocker drunk. I guess that’s what people do when traveling late at night on a Friday?
In this post:
How I booked our American Airlines first class tickets
Usually when I travel from the East Coast to Hawaii, I prefer to connect somewhere in the middle of the country, so that I could fly a wide body aircraft on a longer segment. For example, the last time I traveled to Hawaii, I flew an American 777 from Dallas to Maui.
We planned this trip pretty last minute, and virtually any of the “good” routings weren’t available in first class, or were prohibitively expensive. I eventually stumbled upon the following routing in economy for $350 per person:
03/04 AA1476 Tampa to Los Angeles departing 8:34PM arriving 11:00PM
03/05 AA31 Los Angeles to Honolulu departing 8:15AM arriving 12:22PM
There were two things that made this routing attractive:
- These flights both looked ridiculously empty, and I assumed that upgrades were a near sure bet; not only was first class empty on both flights, but so was economy, meaning there weren’t many people to compete with for upgrades
- If I’m not going to get a flat bed, I like the idea of breaking up the journey on the West Coast, because sitting in a domestic first class seat for 12+ hours straight isn’t great
The joy of upgrades clearing in advance
I have Executive Platinum status with American, while Ford has Platinum Pro status. Both of those status tiers include unlimited space available upgrades, though of course the “space available” part is a major caveat.
If a flight is long and I don’t think an upgrade is a slam dunk, I usually try to find a way to confirm a first class seat, whether it’s by paying cash (when the premium is reasonable), or by using a Business Extra upgrade certificate.
When an upgrade clears for me on American, it’s often just on the Tampa to Miami route, and often it’s an onboard upgrade, because there were no shows.
I felt pretty confident about the upgrades on this itinerary, but still, you never know, especially when you’re trying to upgrade with a companion. The Executive Platinum upgrade window starts 100 hours out, so I was thrilled when I received an email at exactly that time informing us that both of our upgrades cleared for both flights — woot!
I don’t remember the last time I’ve received an upgrade this valuable on account of being Executive Platinum, so I was pretty excited about that.
American Airlines first class boarding
We got to Tampa Airport at around 7PM for our 8:34PM flight to LAX. We had already checked in online, so headed straight to Terminal F for our flight. Boarding was scheduled to start at 7:59PM at gate F81. By the time we were through security, we had about 30 minutes to kill.
While there’s an Admirals Club in Tampa (and I have an Admirals Club membership), my preference is to visit the Priority Pass restaurant in the terminal, which is Cafe by Mise en Place.
The restaurant has chargers, is quieter than the Admirals Club, and I’ll take a glass of New Zealand sauvignon blanc and some brussels sprouts over what’s on offer at the Admirals Club.
At around 7:40PM we headed to the gate, and then boarding started shortly before 8PM. Concierge Key members were invited to board first (though there weren’t any on this flight), along with anyone needing extra time. First class passengers and Executive Platinum members were invited to board next.
American Airlines A321neo first class cabin & seats
American Airlines Airbus A321neos feature 20 first class seats, spread across five rows in a 2-2 configuration. These are very similar to the seats that you’ll find on the American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX fleet (and other 737s have been retrofitted with these cabins as well).
While it looks like there’s a bulkhead at the back of the cabin when you first enter the plane, in reality there’s just a flimsy shield behind the last row of seats, so there’s not really much separation between the two cabins.
American’s first class legroom is decent(ish). Delta is the king of tight first class configurations, so I’d say legroom was maybe marginally better than you’d find on Delta. However, it was nothing compared to the Turkish Airlines A321neo I recently flew. While the seats had the same “bones,” the legroom was so much better, and the seat even had a legrest.
Unfortunately one area where American most definitely can’t compete with Delta is when it comes to inflight entertainment. As you can see, American doesn’t have any seatback entertainment. Rather the seatback just has a clip so that you can place your own personal device there, as well as a USB port.
The seatback had a literature pocket near the top, and then a netted pocket (where you can store your laptop) toward the bottom.
The tray table extended from the far armrest, and could be folded over in half. When folded over in half there was a personal entertainment device holder, which you could use to watch a show on your own device.
There was also a center tray, plus a tray between the seats in front, so that you have plenty of places to put drinks without having to use your tray table.
Underneath the center armrest was another storage compartment, which is also where the AC power outlet was.
I can’t say American is doing a great job cleaning planes between flights, though…
The seat recline button was also located underneath the center seat.
Each seat had an individual air nozzle, which is a feature I sure appreciate.
One great thing about the A321neo is that the plane has huge overhead bins. I find these to be even bigger than the new Boeing bins. So you really shouldn’t have much trouble finding space for all bags, as long as the bins are utilized correctly.
There was a lavatory at the front of the cabin, which was pretty basic. On the plus side, it’s better than the 737 MAX lavs. American doesn’t generally have any premium amenities in lavatories, since all passengers can use the first class lavatory.
American Airlines first class amenities
There’s not much to speak of when it comes to amenities. There weren’t even pillows and blankets on this transcon flight. The only “exciting” amenity was pre-departure drinks, which just recently returned, and haven’t otherwise been available during the pandemic. The flight attendant on this flight offered pre-departure drinks of choice, and we both just had water.
American Airlines departure from Tampa
The boarding process was efficient, as there were only 88 passengers on the flight (including all 20 first class seats being occupied), meaning the flight was ~45% full. At 8:25PM the main cabin door closed. The captain informed us that we’d have a flight time of 4hr56min, and should arrive at LAX ahead of schedule.
We ended up pushing back at 8:30PM, at which point the safety demo was performed. Since American doesn’t have TVs on A321neos, there was a pre-recorded audio track, and then flight attendants were in the aisle to manually perform the safety demo.
By 8:40PM we were cleared for takeoff, and had a pretty smooth climb out. The seatbelt sign was turned off about 20 minutes after takeoff.
American Airlines first class entertainment & Wi-Fi
Let’s start with the positive of American’s inflight entertainment. American’s A321neos have Viasat Wi-Fi, which is the best in the industry. It’s available starting on the ground, and there are no data caps when you purchase a plan.
On this flight you could buy a one hour pass for $19, or a full flight pass for $25. That seems like odd pricing. Fortunately I have an unlimited monthly Wi-Fi plan, so I don’t have to pay on a per-flight basis.
American’s A321neos don’t have personal televisions, but there is streaming entertainment available through your own device. I can’t say that I’ve ever used this, but it’s there.
Instead I got caught up on some shows I had downloaded onto my iPad, including “90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days.” This season is something else… I’m not sure who is the worst.
American Airlines first class meal
American Airlines recently brought back full meal service in first class, so I was looking forward to checking that out. First of all, I was impressed that a proper dinner was actually served in first class. Didn’t American used to have an 8PM cutoff for dinner service? So getting one on a flight departing after 8:30PM was a pleasant surprise.
Meal and drink orders were taken roughly 30 minutes after takeoff. To eat, the choices were described as chicken piccata with cauliflower mash or cacio e pepe pasta with a smoky red sauce and vegetables.
To drink I decided to order a Diet Coke with vodka. I don’t usually drink on domestic flights (I make exceptions for SkyClub Dom Perignon), but it was a late night flight and I was hoping to get a nap in, so a drink or three helps with that. Also, everyone (including Ford) makes fun of me for ordering Diet Coke with vodka, and I just don’t get it. Anyway…
That was served with warm mixed nuts, though I guess ramekins weren’t loaded, because the nuts were served in plastic cups. I was happy to see the return of mixed nuts at last, even if the presentation left a bit to be desired.
Much to my surprise, the food was decent. I had the pasta dish, and the pasta was pretty good, and had a bit of a kick to it. It wasn’t grossly cheesy, and even had some grated parmesan on top. The main course was served with a side salad, plus an appetizer consisting of zucchini and other veggies with some sort of a French dressing-esque sauce.
Ford’s chicken was served with a side salad and an appetizer consisting of shrimp.
A selection of bread was also offered, including the choice of sourdough, multi-grain, or french.
Once trays were cleared, the choice of either ice cream or fruit & cheese was offered. The ice cream was a small cup of dulce de leche Haagen-Dazs, while the cheese plate had two types of cheese, grapes, and packaged sourdough flatbread.
This was a pretty good meal, and infinitely better than the “turkey” sandwich that I feel like I’ve been offered on American for the past year.
American Airlines first class service
The crew working this flight seemed to be pretty junior, and the flight attendant working in first class was lovely. She was attentive, constantly provided drink refills, and was just generally friendly. If only service were always this good on American.
OMG, the crowd on this flight…
I almost always take early morning flights, because I’m a morning person. The departure time of this flight is ideally when I’m usually in bed. So it’s rare that I take a late night flight, much less a late night flight on a Friday.
But my gosh, I can’t even begin to describe how many drinks people on this flight were having, and frankly I’m shocked they didn’t run out of alcohol. Almost everyone was just out-of-their-mind wasted. Nobody was behaving poorly, or anything, but so many people were just hilariously drunk.
The guy seated behind Ford must have ordered five scotch doubles in the first half of the flight. The guy behind me kept trying to order tequila, only to be told that they don’t have tequila. But literally two minutes after being told there was no tequila he’d ask about tequila again. Also, I don’t know how often the guy dropped his phone during the flight, but it was like clockwork. In fairness, he was wasted when he boarded the flight, because he was seated next to us in the Priority Pass restaurant drinking… you guessed it, tequila.
And then there was the guy in front of me who kept quizzing flight attendants over the most random things. And I’m not just talking about asking something once, but badgering. For example, on approach he urgently stopped a flight attendant to ask why they dim the lights for landing. That’s a fair question on the surface, but he didn’t just ask once, but repeatedly.
“Excuse me, can you tell me why they just turned off the lights for the first time?”
“It just comes down to the flight attendant’s preference.”
“Well yeah, but why do they do it?”
“It’s just if the flight attendant wants to.”
“But why haven’t the lights been dimmed until now, though? I just don’t understand.”
This conversation must have gone on for a full minute, with him just asking the same questions over and over. Ironically the flight attendant didn’t even seem to know the correct answer — it’s not even flight attendant preference, it’s just standard to dim lights for a nighttime landing so that it’s easier to see outside.
And by the way, I’m not in any way judging peoples’ alcohol consumption, it’s just not something I’ve seen often on the flights I usually take. And for that matter I had a few drinks as well, and slept gloriously for the last three hours of the flight (though hopefully otherwise didn’t act like a fool), which almost never happens for me if I don’t have a bed.
We ended up arriving at LAX well ahead of schedule at 10:35PM, at gate 46B. From there it was off to the Hyatt Regency LAX for the night.
Bottom line
I’ve gotta say, this was a pretty good American Airlines first class flight. My upgrade cleared, it was nice to see the return of pre-pandemic meal service and pre-departure drinks, and the flight attendant working the cabin was friendly.
Of course American’s domestic configurations aren’t exactly great, given the lack of TVs, and lack of amenities. However, at least American has high speed Viasat Wi-Fi, which I find to be excellent. If all my American flights were this good I’d be a very happy camper.
If you’ve flown American’s A321neo first class, what was your experience like?
i rode on this flight in july 2023 to CMH from CLT it was an 24year old a320 i've been investigating what happend to the a320 that i rode on and what i heard is AA isn't retiring any aircraft this decade so im really wondering what happend
The first class cabin on the A321neo looks nice enough, but the seat is way too hard, lacks any lumbar support whatsoever and the recline is meager. It's fine on a short flight but we just flew first class cross country from LAX to DCA on this plane and my back hurt by the end of each flight. No pillow was provided, so I'll try to remember to bring my own on my next flight...
The first class cabin on the A321neo looks nice enough, but the seat is way too hard, lacks any lumbar support whatsoever and the recline is meager. It's fine on a short flight but we just flew first class cross country from LAX to DCA on this plane and my back hurt by the end of each flight. No pillow was provided, so I'll try to remember to bring my own on my next flight on this plane so I can wedge it behind my lower back.
The lack of a entertainment screen is annoying and comes across as AA being cheap, however the improved Wi-Fi on this plane provides good reception to watch AA's entertainment on my I Pad or MacBook Air with good resolution and sound. Our food and service was surprisingly good on both flights - kudos to the AA flight attendants and the improved menu.
The NEO first class seats are horrible. My back hurts after sitting in it for 1.5 hours. There was no padding nor lumbar. Really disappointed that this is the product they want to put forth and in first class.
I'm not sure how they managed to make the NEO first class seat so uncomfortable but my back hurts after and 1.5 hour flt. I kept thinking how bad coach must be if this os first. They really went cheap here. A little lumbar and padding can go far here. I'm disappointed with Americans product but I feel stuck because I live in their hub :(
I recently flew American first class (RT) seattle/stockholm/seattle & it was fantastic !!!!!!!! the menu was extensive of choice, the food superb ! we had separate "compartments" & a flat bed with a feather pillow & lovely comforter/blanket. there was never a wait for anything, the bathroom was so big you could walk around IN it !! TV & internet were great & you got the little gift bag with goodies in it. the stewards...
I recently flew American first class (RT) seattle/stockholm/seattle & it was fantastic !!!!!!!! the menu was extensive of choice, the food superb ! we had separate "compartments" & a flat bed with a feather pillow & lovely comforter/blanket. there was never a wait for anything, the bathroom was so big you could walk around IN it !! TV & internet were great & you got the little gift bag with goodies in it. the stewards & stewardess were simply amazing & super catering. I've flown Norwegian's answer to first class (I think they call it premium) several times to & from Europe & it was fantastic but NO where near the experience of American first class. I vowed to myself I would ALWAYS treat myself to this luxury way to travel. I'm going to seattle/maui/seattle in October & I look forward to the American first class service, even if it's not the luxury of intercontinental flights. anyway, I'm worth it!
Base on pricing you can fly round trip to Hawaii on SW for less than 1000---do you work for AA?
What a JOKE! No pillow or blanket and have to pay $25 just to use your OWN device for entertainment??? You must be a shill to think this is OK.
Americans, first class is a joke! No pillows or blankets, they ran out of dinner. The only thing you get now is a wider seat. No Tv either. Sure doesn’t feel like first class! This is quite sad for American Airlines and it’s passengers, this needs to change especially when your paying over $8000.00 for 2 people round trip!
I cannot stand the NEO. Absolute trash of a plane. Uncomfortable & small and that’s in first. Bathroom is tiny I’m 6,2 it’s a joke. That the airlines think this is a great plane for a 5 hour journey just let’s you know what they think of travelers. Give me the 777 any day.
Mahalo for the feed back
I have an up coming trip from Kauai to Arizona on American Airlines first class.
I don’t care about Anything besides getting there safety.
Thank you for helping me decide never to fly this awful airline. I just cannot imagine how the transportation department even allows this to call itself first class. Filth and lack of amenities. Seats look like coach in pakistani airline. They really need to upgrade the flight experience especially since flying is supposed to be a pleasure and not a torture. The extra fee for streaming on your own device just sealed the deal. Cheapo greedy airline.
Entertainment streaming is complimentary.
Thanks for the pictures and food reviews. We've got the same choices for an upcoming flight, so I appreciated having some basis for making our selections.
Amazed AA with it's worldwide partners has never traveled in those aircraft to understand what first class looks and feels like. Retired Exec Plat / Concierge Key...AA has lost it's way. They price above market and deliver below. I've gladly paid FC fare on Qantas, SingAir, Emirates, British Air, Cathay Pacific in the past because they can still make FC travel just that...FC. AA's lounges might be spacious but others I listed including Delta make...
Amazed AA with it's worldwide partners has never traveled in those aircraft to understand what first class looks and feels like. Retired Exec Plat / Concierge Key...AA has lost it's way. They price above market and deliver below. I've gladly paid FC fare on Qantas, SingAir, Emirates, British Air, Cathay Pacific in the past because they can still make FC travel just that...FC. AA's lounges might be spacious but others I listed including Delta make this a special experience as well. AA has never lost it's "nickel & dime" ways over a quality product at a quality price. Live near DFW...unless I have to, I avoid AA now...sad.
American's 'First Class' is embarassing compared to others. I suppose if you don't pay and get upgraded it's fine, but to pay a very premium price it's horrible. No entertainment provided on a 6 hour flight? The seats are a joke. Hopefully they'll step it up to compete with others like Jet Blue.
Thanks for the review! Would you say there is a “better” seat to pick when booking first class?
I'm short so leg room doesn't matter to me but I would like a seat that lays back a long way for an overnight flight. I'm flying from Anchorage to Dallas in September and am wondering if using extra points for first class is worth it after looking at the configuration and the comments. When I flew the same route last July it was a different airplane which had the individual pods and it was...
I'm short so leg room doesn't matter to me but I would like a seat that lays back a long way for an overnight flight. I'm flying from Anchorage to Dallas in September and am wondering if using extra points for first class is worth it after looking at the configuration and the comments. When I flew the same route last July it was a different airplane which had the individual pods and it was well worth the extra money. Do the seats in first class lay back any farther than the seats in the main cabin on the American Airlines Airbus A321neo?
I flew DFW to Fairbanks on the neo in first class. It was very uncomfortable. Not sure who approved the rock hard seats, but they should seek another career option. That said, glad I was no in economy dealing with narrow seats and a leanbacker in front of me.
Also, though I have an iPad, no seat back screens are less than ideal. I understand why they made that decision. The terrible seats are inexplicable.
It seems the learning curve of improvement on domestic airlines is still steep at times. The pics of the cabin made me think American's designers are psych patients who travel from clinic to clinic in the air. It's no secret that colours inspire the brain. The grey everything inspires nihilism.
I must admit that when I read your reviews I'm hoping you don't have the 'rotten turkey sandwich/no air nozzles' experience.
Can you imagine...
It seems the learning curve of improvement on domestic airlines is still steep at times. The pics of the cabin made me think American's designers are psych patients who travel from clinic to clinic in the air. It's no secret that colours inspire the brain. The grey everything inspires nihilism.
I must admit that when I read your reviews I'm hoping you don't have the 'rotten turkey sandwich/no air nozzles' experience.
Can you imagine those intoxicated oiks during an evacuation? I thought cabin crew was supposed to keep an eagle eye on alcohol intake in the event of an emergency. But there I go, thinking logically.
why in the blazes would they put the outline IN a compartment!
I'm guessing the number of drunks was because of onward vacation connections at LAX? Or maybe that's just how the TPA crowd rolls. When I used to do weekly back and forths LAX-JFK, I would often route late in the evening via DFW (better opportunity to use my stickers for the upgrade) and I actually cherished the peace and quiet. Nothing but fellow exhausted business travelers quietly reading or sleeping on both legs. I have...
I'm guessing the number of drunks was because of onward vacation connections at LAX? Or maybe that's just how the TPA crowd rolls. When I used to do weekly back and forths LAX-JFK, I would often route late in the evening via DFW (better opportunity to use my stickers for the upgrade) and I actually cherished the peace and quiet. Nothing but fellow exhausted business travelers quietly reading or sleeping on both legs. I have one particularly fond memory of watching March Madness in the completely empty, cavernous Admiral's Club at DFW around 9pm on a Friday... Although it was kind of a depressing Up In The Air-type moment now that I look back on it. :D
"since all passengers can use the first class lavatory."
That's not all that premium if the whole plane can use the first class lavatory, is it?
The reason people laugh (well, I wouldn't laugh, but do find it different) is that for most people, Sprite/7-Up tend to go better with vodka, while with Pepsi/Coke most prefer whisky or scotch.
Who else read the title and wondered how Ben got to depart from Taiwan and since when did AA operate a small plane to the Pacific?
Brussel sprouts before a nearly 5-hour flight? @Ben you are brave, sir! Brave!
They need to bring the screens back because entertainment wifi doesn't always work and children become agitated when their shoes are interrupted.
This is not really a first class flight. I have flown this plane 3 times in the past year and it’s not that great. The leg room is terrible. Save your money and try to get an exit row seat. Your lucky you got the upgrade and a warm meal. It’s usually a frozen turkey sandwich. The only plus I will give American is that their wine was decent.
The turkey sandwiches are history on flights of that length.
That seat looks just like the United 787-10 premium economy seat I flew last week (except UAL has seat back video). Any idea if they are the same seat?
They are. That seat is the same in the Delta A220 F, wide body Premium economy with video in both AA and UA (not sure about delta; haven't seen their seat), and the new AA narrow body first. Premium economy has a foot rest, while narrow body F does not, but they're the same seat.
OMG ! Someone else who does Vodka and Diet Coke ! and TPA (my home airport) is so awesome. Please review our wonderful airport sometime. TPA , Water Street and International Plaza...only reason I cross from St Pete LOL
I much prefer the streaming to your personal device (over a screen in the seat back). Large selection of movies including several channels of live TV. With my own device I can use wireless headphones. (I understand UA is going to do something so you can connect Bluetooth headset to their built in screens.)
Surprising you have never streamed AA movies? This is been in place for a few years now.
Okay this rates with what Ukrainians suffer how again?
First world issues, although positive. Good for you. Glad you enjoyed the flight.
Please do something to help people who are dying. Like raise money from your fake rich followers.
@Steve M
Ukraine is in Europe’s backyard. Why don’t they send military into Ukraine and stop Putin ? The world depends on them. Please help us Europe.
@Steve M.
We can start a GoFundMe to buy you a one way ticket to Ukraine to fight Pootin or help the refugees. Since you feel so passionately about it and couldn't resist the opportunity to tell EVERYONE about your feelings right here. In a blog. About airline reviews. AIRLINE REVIEWS. I'm not sarcastic, just straight up honest.
If you are as concerned about the real suffering of Ukrainians at the hands of a maniac, why are you wasting your time on an air travel site?
Since making Platinum Pro (on the Hyatt challenge) late last year, I've cleared an upgrade on every single segment (except the very first, where I failed to request it properly because my wife was flying with me). That includes two segments ex Mexico and one SFO-JFK where my $88 main cabin ticket was upgraded to lie-flat business. That's seven segments total, including two this coming Saturday. On the one segment where we were together, my...
Since making Platinum Pro (on the Hyatt challenge) late last year, I've cleared an upgrade on every single segment (except the very first, where I failed to request it properly because my wife was flying with me). That includes two segments ex Mexico and one SFO-JFK where my $88 main cabin ticket was upgraded to lie-flat business. That's seven segments total, including two this coming Saturday. On the one segment where we were together, my wife cleared with me (using my 500 mile stickers, she has no status at all).
Also, at least on recent flights, they've been quite proactive about serving drinks, including bringing me more bourbon when I hadn't asked for any.
Color me pleasantly surprised at the value of Platinum Pro status. I'm very unlikely to hit it for next year but -- kind of addicted.
This really has to be the most bland a depressing looking cabin around though haha! Stark contrast with the Turkish Airlines version that has all sorts of nice design elements to it.
This looks like your typical AA 321neo flight and this is the reason why I always prefer MIA-LAX or JFK-LAX instead of USAirways narrow body service flying under AA logo.
Nowadays, AA adopted USAir marketing, which would sell you a cheap ticket but with a convoluted routing. I had the same dilemma past Dec when a major convention in Honolulu was cancelled due to Covid and I had to re-book East Coast to Kona...
This looks like your typical AA 321neo flight and this is the reason why I always prefer MIA-LAX or JFK-LAX instead of USAirways narrow body service flying under AA logo.
Nowadays, AA adopted USAir marketing, which would sell you a cheap ticket but with a convoluted routing. I had the same dilemma past Dec when a major convention in Honolulu was cancelled due to Covid and I had to re-book East Coast to Kona at a close date for travel just before Christmas. Yes, I could do a cheap Y to LAX arriving after midnight and then leaving at ca. 8:30 am - so you end up in a hotel bed for ca. 5 hrs? Obviously, I didn't do that.
Now, about AA 321neo transcon flights:
1) Seat are uncomfortable (and I am not looking forward to my CLT-SAN this Sat in F/J);
2) AA does not clean well (despite their "clean" commitment in response to Covid);
3) Food is generally bad and wine is generally undrinkable on those flights (retails <$5/bottle).
4) Expect more drunk crowd on those flights.
Wow an entire fist class cabin full of drunks - and you said one guy was drunk before boarding - how was he allowed to even board the flight - clearly no senior crew operating
I coined that terminology when an upgrade is a “slam dunk”. As in if I knew business class was going to be a slam dunk both ways I would fly to China.
Hahaha this story is the most funny you ever have written
I'm doing a very similar routing next week. Curious to see how early you get to the airport, security times at LAX, etc... If possible, please include in review of next segment.
@ Ferdinand C -- Will do, stay tuned!
I'd probably make fun of you too for a vodka Diet Coke! ;)
That catering actually looked shockingly decent so I'm hopeful for AA. Remember when AA tried suggesting they'd make the pandemic catering modifications permanent? :eyeroll:
@ Super -- LOL! And yep, so much for the "more modern" and "different" catering.
People in AA first class getting lit like it's Spirit.
Ben:
If I recall correctly you recently reviewed first class in TH's A321-neos. And you remarked about the amount of space. Can you compare the seats and leg room between an AA and TK planes.
@ GBOAC -- That's a great point, let me add something to this post about that. It's funny, because the "bones" of the seats on Turkish were identical to the ones here, but legroom was so much better on Turkish (as was literally everything else).
Is that a plane or a Greyhound bus?
“American’s first class legroom is decent(ish). Delta is the king of tight first class configurations, so I’d say legroom was maybe marginally better than you’d find on Delta.”
Completely agree, Delta’s is usually 36”, American’s is usually from 36-38 with lots of 37”. I’m curious if you looked at Alaska as they have a pretty great Hawaii route system, and most of their F product is 40”…?
@ Jimmy’s Travel Report -- Alaska is definitely the best when it comes to legroom for "standard" domestic first class seats. In this case the cheapest Alaska one-way fare in first class was $1,300+, and there was no real prospect of an upgrade there if booking economy. So American was definitely the better value.
Yes, well demand and prices for Hawaii have been through the roof so you definitely got great deals.
Have to say, what a drab and dismal cabin. Nothing about this remotely seemed like first class. This was American and not Greyhound, right?
Welcome to 2013? Which iPad version are you [still] using?! ;-)
Jokes aside, great review, very glad to see something that resembles a proper meal back onboard.
@ Chase -- Hah! I use my iPad exclusively for entertainment when traveling or at the gym, so indeed, I haven't invested in a new one. As far as what kind it is, I think it's a 6th generation, if that answers any questions (based on opening the "about" section in "settings").
Nice review- it’s amusing to hear your comments regarding the other passengers. I’ve flown less than you but still maybe a couple hundred flights in my life and I have never heard what a fellow passenger is saying because I always have noise canceling headphones playing music the entire time. Interesting dichotomy there as you seem to enjoy listening to the cabin for review purposes.
It's Florida and as someone that flys out of MIA, want to see some early morning boozers-visit the AC at 7 in the morning. Not to mention the airport bars.
As to this route it was tried before and dropped, I think on a 738. That being said, particularly an empty F cabin is a shocker. Even when Y is wide open F always seems to have a butt in it. I'm not sure...
It's Florida and as someone that flys out of MIA, want to see some early morning boozers-visit the AC at 7 in the morning. Not to mention the airport bars.
As to this route it was tried before and dropped, I think on a 738. That being said, particularly an empty F cabin is a shocker. Even when Y is wide open F always seems to have a butt in it. I'm not sure how long that route will last again.
The 321neo the modern lighting aside is a boring a/c. No IFE and you almost feel like you back in the days of MD80s, sans the very comfy F seats and better F service