Little-known flights have new seats—here’s how to snag them and get twice as much more for your money or miles.
You know the story by now: No two seats are created equal, especially when a carrier is in the middle of a New Seat Roll Out, which can take years. During that time, if you can keep up with which routes and planes have the new seats, you can get significantly more value.
One Knock-Out Route (For the Moment): Paris – New York – Paris
Currently, Air France’s new flat-bed Business Class seat is only on New York-Paris—but even here it can vary from flight to flight because the carrier uses three (sometimes four) different planes on the route. Book Air France New York-Paris departing March 1 and you’ll have three aircraft to choose from:
- A330-200 (AF23)
- A380 (AF7)
- B777 (AF 9, AF11)
The fares are the same for each flight, but you’ll be MUCH more comfortable on AF11, which has the new flat-bed Business Class seat. The other flights only have a 170-degree angled-bed (yes, even on the A380, I can say from personal experience). Look at the chart below. It shows the disparity.
Experience the new Air France suite.
Air France International Seat Discrepancies (March 1, New York-Paris)
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How to Find the New Seat?
You can keep up with the roll out by checking a flight’s seat map before purchasing the ticket. Expedia has a quick way of viewing a seat map: In the search results list, click on “Show Flight Details” then “Preview
Availability”. The new flat-bed seat is on flights with 1-2-1 configuration, whereas the angle-beds are configured 2-2-2 or 2-3-2.
Remember: Don’t rely on flight numbers, rely on seat maps to ensure that you have a flight with a 1-2-1 configuration. AND: Perhaps a week, and then again a day before departure, check to make sure your aircraft hasn’t been “swapped out”; this can happen, and if you catch it in time, you can look into getting back on a flight with the new seat.
When Code-Sharing Can Be An Advantage
Another way to avoid Air France’s old, bum seats: Book AF3635 and you’ll be flying on a Delta-operated aircraft, via its code-share partnership, on a plane with Delta’s new flat-bed seat. (For the same fare.)