June 3, 2017 Seat Beat
It’s easy. Just use this checklist of flights with lie-flat Business Class seats.
This month our fifth FCF installment on getting international lie-flat seats on North American routes, FCF looks at flights to the Caribbean on American, JetBlue, and United.
In the last few months we’ve looked at American, Delta, and United for domestic flights in the continental U.S., and to Hawaii.
There’s a big difference between a seat in First Class and a first class seat. On flights within North America, the twain almost never meet. On most North American routes, the seats up front are worse than many international Premium Economy seats. On a two-hour flight that may not matter much. To the Caribbean, we’re talking 8+ hours round-trip on many routes.
But on some Caribbean routes, U.S. carriers offer a real premium seat experience, a lie-flat Business Class seat.
As in previous installments, we compare Seat 2A on two different United flights (UA1523 and UA1543) from Newark to/from San Juan in Business Class.
Same airline, same route, same seat address.
But from there, it’s a different flight plan.
Flight UA 1523 uses an international aircraft, a B777, which has the airline’s international Business Class seats.
Flight UA1543 uses a domestic aircraft, a B737-800, with domestic First Class seats.
Networking, Connections, and Upgrades
Mainland Connections: If you live in Pittsburgh, you have to make a connection en-route to San Juan somewhere, so why not book United via Newark instead of Delta via Atlanta? If you do, you’ll get an international Business Class seat instead of a domestic First Class seat—what I call “a free in-class upgrade.” I say the difference is as great as it is between domestic coach and First in many respects.
Good Upgrades Versus Great Upgrades
Good Seat Upgrades: American’s old international Business Class seat (171-degree recline and still found on the B757 fleet) are still far superior to Delta’s premium seats.
Great Seat Upgrades: You’ll find the best seats on JetBlue and United, as all routes below in the chart have a lie-flat Business Class seat.
Building the Itinerary Around the Seat
Where to Find Lie-Flat Business Class Seats on Caribbean Routes
| Airline | Route | Departure Flight | Days of Operation | Return Flight | Days of Operation | Aircraft | Lowest Business Class Fare R/T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United | Newark - San Juan | UA1523 | Mon. to Fri., Sun. | UA1173 | Mon. to Fri., Sun. | B764 | $813 |
| American | Philadelphia - San Juan | AA2028 | Mon., Wed. to Sun. | AA2049 | Mon., Wed. to Sun. | A332 | $658 |
| Charlotte - St. Thomas | AA833 | Wed. to Sun. | AA804 | Mon. to Sun. | B757 | $796 | |
| AA1945 | Mon., Tues. | AA887 | Wed. to Sun. | $796 | |||
| Miami - St. Thomas | AA1391 | Mon. to Sun. | AA943 | Mon. to Sun. | $722 | ||
| AA943 | Mon. to Sun. | AA1350 | Mon. to Sun. | ||||
| AA2379 | Mon. to Sun. | AA1391 | Mon. to Sun. | ||||
| Philadelphia - St. Thomas | AA1710 | Mon., Wed., Fri. to Sun. | AA837 | Mon., Wed., Fri. to Sun. | $941 | ||
| JetBlue | Boston - Aruba | B6 673 | Sat. | B6 874 | Sat. | A321 | $929 |
| Boston - Barbados | B6 25 | Sat. | B6 44 | Sat. | $1,133 | ||
| Boston - St. Maarten | B6 77 | Sat. | B6 78 | Sat. | $1,183 | ||
| New York - Aruba | B6 1057 | Sat. | B6 1058 | Sat. | $974 | ||
| New York - Barbados | B6 2661 | Sat. | B6 662 | Sat. | $933 | ||
| B6 1261 | Sat. | B6 2662 | Sat. | ||||
| New York - Grenada | B6 949 | Sat. | B6 950 | Sat | $1,035 | ||
| New York - St. Lucia | B6 881 | Sat. | B6 882 | Sat. | $914 | ||
| New York - St. Maarten | B6 787 | Sat. | B6 788 | Sat. | $1,237 |
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