Attempting to sleep on a long-haul flight in economy is one of the most uncomfortable tasks in travel, right up there with handling seasickness on a cruise or managing a third-degree sunburn at the beach.
Although some economy seats are certainly more comfortable than others, on the whole, airline seats at the back of the plane are only getting smaller, with less recline and shorter legroom, nearly guaranteeing a bad case of jet lag upon arrival. Fortunately, a handful of airlines have come up with a creative solution to this problem – by offering fliers the option to reserve a row of seats for sleeping at a reduced rate. The overall effect is a make-shift bed of sorts in economy class, which offers more room to stretch out without the business class price tag.
Here are three popular airlines that let fliers turn economy seats into beds, plus advice on when they're worth the upgrade – and how to book.
Air New Zealand
Before it debuted its much-anticipated bunk beds for economy class (called the SkyNest, which is set to roll out later this year), Air New Zealand introduced the Skycouch. The concept is a row of up to three seats that economy passengers can reserve all to themselves on long-haul flights. There are different configurations available, too. Passengers can reserve one row of seats, one row plus an adjacent economy seat, or two full rows of three seats.
To help passengers turn the economy seats into beds, the Skycouch seats come with special footrests that can be locked at a full 90 degrees, extending the width of the row. When in this “couch-mode” the Skycouch measures 29 inches wide and 5’1” long – about a foot shorter than a standard twin bed.
A maximum of three passengers can share the Skycouch. For parents travelling with young children, an adult must either be seated on the Skycouch, across the aisle in an adjacent row, or in the row directly behind. The airline also offers an optional free “infant pod,” essentially a bassinet that straps into the Skycouch, as well as an infant harness and harness belt. You’ll also get multiple pillows and blankets – including a thick comforter – as well as a cuddle seat belt made for comfortable and safe sleeping.
Passengers don’t pay the full cost of all three seats if they’re booked together as the Skycouch. But the cost will vary, depending on the route and how many people plan to use the row of seats (one person using a Skycouch will pay a higher fee than if two people are booking it).
To book the special row, travellers should add the Skycouch option when selecting their seats for their long-haul flight. The product is only available on the airline’s Boeing 777-300 and Boeing Dreamliner 787-9 aircraft. After the option is selected, Air New Zealand’s seat layout platform will show the cost of upgrading to Skycouch. If it’s too expensive, you still have the option of cancelling and returning to the previous screen to choose regular seats.
Lufthansa
Debuting in 2021, Lufthansa’s Sleeper’s Row concept offers passengers the chance to book a row of three or four seats in economy class at a discounted price. The row of seats comes with a “Sleeper’s set,” which includes a special seat belt, thin mattress pad, and a “business class-quality” blanket and pillow, according to Lufthansa. Another perk afforded to Sleeper’s Row passengers is pre-boarding, so they have plenty of time to settle into their row and get cosy before other passengers are allowed in the cabin.
The product is only available on long-haul flights that are at least 11 hours long, which includes certain routes to Asia, Africa, South America, and the Western US. Keep in mind that unlike Air New Zealand’s and ANA’s products, Lufthansa’s Sleeper’s Row does not consist of special seats with extenders that flip up to make a wider bed. These are plain old economy seats that you can stretch out on, with a width of a snug 17 inches. However, booking the product could still be worth it, as the price is quite affordable. The fee to upgrade to the makeshift bed ranges between £135 and £194 per leg for a single passenger.
Fliers can book the Sleeper’s Row when they check in or directly at their gate before boarding. It’s not possible to reserve the special rows further in advance.
All Nippon Airways
With its Couchii product, Japan’s All Nippon Airways also offers designated rows of seats outfitted with special footrests that lock into place, extending the width of the seat pan all the way to the seat back of the next row. The result is a 32-inch wide bed-like product. Couchii rows can be found in economy on ANA’s Airbus A380 aircraft flying between Tokyo Narita and Honolulu. Each of the special sleeper rows contains either three or four seats and can be reserved for up to four fliers. The couches can range up to longer than five feet if you get a row of four seats.
Among the amenities in Couchii rows are comfy bedding – like two oversized pillows and a comforter – in addition to the standard pillow and blanket distributed to every economy seat. The rows also come with a special seat belt designed for laying horizontally.
The cost of upgrading to a Couchii row depends on how many people will be using it and the seasonality of the flight. ANA has a list of dates it considers to be “low season” and “high season” on its website; if you’re flying in a designated high season, which includes mid-September or the week of Christmas, expect to pay more. The upgrade fees range from as low as £103 for four fliers in four seats during the low season and up to £2,037 for one passenger to book a row of four seats during the high season.
Passengers can purchase a Couchii upgrade anytime from the time of booking up until 48 hours before departure. Reservations can be made online or through ANA’s customer service phone lines.