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Which Airline Has the Best Lie-Flat Transcontinental Seats?

March 22, 2015
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3 min read
JETBLUEMINT
Which Airline Has the Best Lie-Flat Transcontinental Seats?
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TPG reader Nicholas tweeted me to ask

@thepointsguy—"Which airline has the best lie-flat transcontinental product?"

The top contenders are for best lie-flat on transcontinental flights are American, United, Delta, and JetBlue. I've flown all four, and I think my favorite may surprise you.

Delta flies 767's and 757's with lie-flat seats between JFK-LAX and JFK-SFO.

Here are the dimensions of the lie-flat seats you'll find on transcontinental flights with each of those carriers:

  • American First: 82.5 inches length, 21 inches width
  • American Business: 75-78 inches length, 18.5-9.5 inches width
  • JetBlue Mint: 80 inches length, 22.3 inches width
  • United: 77 inches length, 21 inches width
  • Delta 767: 79 inches length, 21 inches width
  • Delta 757: 76 inches length, 20 inches (expandable to 22 inches) width
And the winner is ... JetBlue Mint!

In my opinion, the best product is JetBlue Mint IF you can get rows two or four in the single seats, known as the JetBlue Mint Suites. I've chosen this product for a few reasons:

1. Privacy/Comfort.

In the new five-row Mint cabin, there are 16 fully lie-flat seats that extend up to 82 inches, which means that even at 6’7″, I can just about stretch all the way out. Twelve of the seats are open, 20.5 inches wide, and arranged in 2 x 2 configuration in rows one, three and five. The other four are the Mint Suites, which are private, closed-door suites 22 inches wide and arranged 1 x 1 in rows two and four.

The single seats in Rows two or four give you so much space to yourself, more than any other Business class product, and those are clearly the ones to get. Plus, you can even close the door! The 757 planes are typically only single aisle, and even though you may have a lie-flat, if you're at the window you'll have to climb over someone to exit your row. One exception to this are some 767 Delta aircraft that have two aisles.

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2. Food. JetBlue Mint offers you a choice of meals, which I really like. Saxon and Parole is the restaurant that works with JetBlue, and they offer a lot of healthy, delicious options.

3. Affordability. The price for this product is really reasonable; it's not a good use of points, but that's another topic! If you're paying out of pocket, JetBlue Mint is a good option.

Although you don't get any lounge access, since the question was solely about the lie-flat product itself, I would still go with JetBlue Mint. I've only flown this product once, and I was not in row two or four, but everyone I talked to said the suites were great.

American flies the A321 between JFK-LAX with lie-flat seats in First Class.

Please feel free to share your own opinion in the comments below.

If you have any other questions, please tweet me @thepointsguy, message me on Facebook, or send me an email at info@thepointsguy.com.

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4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.