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Ernest was the most helpful&polite gentleman booking my holiday

Date of experience : December 17, 2015

Reply from 321travel

Many thanks for your review.

Adam dealt with us very well

Adam dealt with us very well. Thank you

Date of experience : June 14, 2018

Reasonable prices

Really happy with my package deal

Date of experience : December 10, 2015

Service was excellent.

Date of experience : December 11, 2015

Excellent service

Date of experience : June 20, 2018

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Ladies who hen, wild with consent, bookumrah.com.

321travel  

Thanks for visiting Trustpilot. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to leave a review here anymore because the company’s website has closed. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

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Company activity See all

Ernest was the most helpful&polite gentleman booking my holiday

Date of experience : December 17, 2015

Reply from 321travel

Many thanks for your review.

Adam dealt with us very well

Adam dealt with us very well. Thank you

Date of experience : June 14, 2018

Reasonable prices

Really happy with my package deal

Date of experience : December 10, 2015

Service was excellent.

Date of experience : December 11, 2015

Excellent service

Date of experience : June 20, 2018

A review of Delta Air Lines economy on the Airbus A321neo from New York to Las Vegas

Quick take: Delta offers one of the most comfortable domestic economy experiences in the U.S. On the Airbus A321neo, travelers can enjoy seatback entertainment, free Wi-Fi and diligent flight attendants.

• There are plenty of inflight entertainment options with free headphones.
• The mood lighting in the plane created a relaxing boarding experience for an early morning flight.
• Large overhead bins meant room for most passengers to store luggage easily.
• I rarely feel cramped in an airplane seat, but my legs nearly touched the seat in front of me.
• Bluetooth connectivity is not available for wireless headphones.

As an American Airlines loyalist (thanks to my Texas roots and routes), choosing a Delta flight for a work trip to Las Vegas at the end of the summer was difficult. However, flying Delta made the most sense for me at the time due to having scheduled events early on the day of my arrival, so I went with the Delta option.

Considering American's barebones service on domestic flights, I was excited to enjoy some of the perks I tend to miss on American planes, like screens offering inflight entertainment and a shot at free Wi-Fi.

That's why I was interested in flying Delta's new A321neo from New York to Las Vegas and seeing how a different airline does things. Here's what the experience was like.

How much does economy class cost to book on Delta Air Lines?

Delta sells three types of economy fares on this route: basic economy, Main Cabin and Comfort+. Here are the inclusions for the three fare types:

Unlike many other airlines, Delta allows basic economy passengers to bring an overhead carry-on bag aboard for free, as well as a personal item. Basic economy fares do not earn SkyMiles or credit toward SkyMiles Medallion status.

Delta calculates award prices using dynamic pricing , meaning mileage amounts fluctuate just as cash prices do. For folks carrying select cobranded Delta credit cards , the TakeOff 15 feature offers a 15% discount on all award flights.

Here's what you can expect to spend for a round-trip, nonstop itinerary between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Las Vegas' Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) over the next year at current prices. (Note that prices can fluctuate widely to and from Las Vegas, depending on events occurring during your trip , such as the upcoming Las Vegas Formula One Grand Prix and next year's Super Bowl LVIII.)

Delta SkyMiles changes: Airline overhauls how you earn Medallion status in biggest change yet

My one-way, Main Cabin ticket from New York to Las Vegas cost $258. I earned 2,248 Medallion Qualification Miles, 1 Medallion Qualification Segment and 258 Medallion Qualification Dollars with base miles landing at 1,290; I didn't earn bonus miles since I don't have elite status or a Delta credit card. That same early Sunday flight tends to go for 15,500 SkyMiles one-way.

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Checking into and boarding economy on Delta Air Lines

As I mentioned above, nearly all New York flights to Las Vegas are from JFK or Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

There are no regular weekday options from LaGuardia Airport (LGA) thanks to what's known as the perimeter rule . That rule essentially bans flights 1,500 miles and more from flying out of LaGuardia — except on Saturdays. Delta does fly nonstop from LGA to LAS , but unless you're flying on Saturday, you'll have to pick one of New York's other airports to go nonstop.

While I'd much rather take a domestic flight out of LaGuardia's shiny new Delta terminal , that simply wasn't an option for my travel dates.

I checked into my flight using the Delta app on my iPhone the day before my flight. Knowing I wasn't checking a bag or attempting to upgrade seats, I secured my boarding pass quickly, providing an easy entry into the terminal upon arrival the next day.

On the day of my 7:30 a.m. flight, I arrived at JFK's Terminal 4 about 10 minutes before 6 a.m., and the airport felt as sleepy as I was. I skipped the physical check-in lines thanks to my mobile boarding pass, but they seemed relatively short. Since I have both TSA PreCheck and Clear , I was able to breeze through security in less than five minutes.

Then, I headed to my gate, B42, to make sure it did, in fact, exist. (It did.)

At the gate, things were calm and running smoothly. There were plenty of open seats and even counter and desk areas to sit at.

I have taken early morning JetBlue flights to Las Vegas multiple times before this Delta flight, and I was worried the crowd would be rowdy, rambunctious and drinking early — something I'd previously experienced. Luckily, that was not the case this time around. If you're looking for a quieter travel experience to a city full of partiers, Delta may be your best bet (at least, based on my experience).

Preboarding began at 6:50 a.m., 40 minutes before departure. This was followed by first class, Diamond Medallion, Comfort+, SkyPriority and then Main Cabin. With a seemingly empty flight, I was on board about 15 minutes after the preboarding announcement.

Related: A review of Delta Air Lines economy on the Boeing 767 from London to New York

While getting to my aisle seat, 27C, I enjoyed the ambient mood lighting considering the early morning hour. I also loved the relaxing music playing, including a song by the country duo Dan + Shay and the Britney Spears remix of Elton John's "Tiny Dancer."

When I got to my seat, I appreciated the large overhead Airspace XL bins with directions for turning your bag sideways to allow more space for other passengers. I easily stowed my trusty Away carry-on bag , tucked my backpack under the seat in front of me and got comfortable for my flight to Sin City.

How comfortable was Delta Air Lines' economy class?

The aircraft for my flight was an Airbus A321neo with the following seat count and layout.

My aisle seat felt like the best option for what was available in coach. Though I typically prefer a window seat, I tend to gravitate toward aisle seats on longer flights to make it easier to get to the lavatory.

At 5 feet, 7 inches, I'll be the first to admit I'm not a particularly tall person. However, I was shocked at how close my legs felt to the seat in front of me. It wasn't an issue during the flight, but I can imagine that my taller friends might have felt a little cramped in the space — especially if the person in front reclined their seat.

I found the main cabin seats on this Airbus 321neo to be nicely padded and comfortable enough for my five-hour journey. I appreciated that the headrests had curling wings designed to cradle your head, making it easy to rest if you're in the aisle or middle seat and can't lean against the wall like the passenger in the window seat.

Otherwise, the seat featured your typical setup: a fold-down tray, a seatback pocket and armrests, a touchscreen entertainment system with individual headphone jacks and USB-A ports, and two power outlets shared among the three seats on either side of the aisle in each row.

There were four bathrooms on board, including one forward lavatory reserved for first-class passengers, one behind first class at row 10 and two at the rear of the plane. During the flight, I hardly noticed a line for the lavatories, but again, the flight wasn't full, and many people slept for the duration.

When selecting your seats, I'd avoid rows 10, 11 and 12 in Comfort+ and row 39 in Main Cabin due to their proximity to the lavatories. And beware, row 30 doesn't have a window.

Amenities in Delta Air Lines economy

In terms of amenities like pillows or blankets, you'd better pack your own. But there were other nice features that made the flight enjoyable.

For starters, the entertainment system, called Delta Studios, offered more than 500 movies, 83 TV series (including options from Paramount+), podcasts, live satellite TV, Spotify playlists (I see you, "90's Country Mixtape") and even Masterclass lessons on topics like wine, interior design and personal branding with Kris Jenner.

While most people these days have Bluetooth headphones, flight attendants passed out free wired earbuds for passengers to use during the flight and take home with them. Though they weren't the best earbuds in the world, I wouldn't have been able to enjoy any of the entertainment options without them. I do hope that Delta soon integrates Bluetooth connectivity onto planes like United is rolling out .

Another great perk of the flight was free Wi-Fi for SkyMiles members using the KA from the Viasat system. I used the Wi-Fi during my flight and measured a 25.45 Mbps download speed; I found it fast enough for messaging and casual browsing.

How was the food in Delta economy?

About an hour after takeoff, friendly flight attendants rolled out the food and beverage cart, which featured your standard drinks (Coca-Cola products, Starbucks coffee and alcoholic beverages for purchase).

Available snacks included Harvest Cheddar SunChips Minis, Biscoff cookies and almonds. While there wasn't much to the service besides pleasantries, it was quick and efficient, and I noticed the crew giving multiple bags of those delicious SunChips to people who asked.

Snack boxes were available for purchase ($10), with options including potato chips, Oreos, gummy bears, a cheese spread, crackers and a beef stick; there was a lighter option with pita chips, hummus, olives, apricots, almonds and more. Since this was an early morning flight, I opted out of the snack boxes and stuck with a Diet Coke and SunChips to tide me over.

There was also a second drink service later in the flight from which I ordered a hot Starbucks coffee that I promptly spilled in my lap, which I do not recommend. After my spill, kind flight attendants at the back of the plane offered me plenty of napkins to help soak up what was possible. They also offered me more coffee, which I respectfully declined.

While this isn't an amenity, one of my favorite parts of the flight was when the captain announced we were flying over the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam (even though I wasn't near the window to see them myself).

Would you recommend Delta economy?

Despite recent negative changes to its loyalty program , Delta does offer a solid domestic economy product. From the mood lighting and music during boarding to the friendly crew and comfortable headrests, I felt content and well taken care of during my five-hour flight.

As an avid American Airlines flyer, it was a nice change to have seatback entertainment rather than streaming to my phone placed on a little fold-out tray in the seat in front of me.

Though I'll personally continue to fly American to keep my status, it's safe to say that I totally understand why people love the Delta experience.

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Review: American Airlines A321 First and Main Cabin Extra, DFW-LAX

NOTE:  the 32B used on standard domestic routes, sometimes referred to as the “A321S”, should not be confused with the “A321T” used on transcon routes, such as LAX-JFK.  The standard A321 is a 181-seat configuration with recliner First Class seats just like any other domestically configured aircraft, while the A321T is a three-class, 102-seat configuration with lie-flat seats in First and Business.  For a review of that product, read Rocky’s review of the A321T “Flagship First” product, or Mike’s sneak preview of the aircraft shortly before its launch.

American Airlines (AA) Flight 2489

• May 29, 2015
• Depart:  Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW) Gate D6, 19:31, 21m late
• Arrive:  Los Angeles (LAX) Gate 48A, 20:43, 1m late
• Duration:  3 hours 12 minutes
• First Class, Seats 2D, 2F
• Equipment:  Airbus A321

A vicious storm early that morning dropped up to 7 inches of rain on an already drenched Metroplex, and I seriously wondered if the weather would hold up long enough for us to make it out of town.  Fortunately, the skies cleared by midday, and we enjoyed a sunny evening as we prepared to depart.  Everyone boarded, and it appeared as though we would depart on time.  A last-minute maintenance issue, though, meant our 7:10 departure time came and went.  American was nice enough, however, to keep the door open to allow a dozen or so passengers arriving on delayed connections to make the flight.  Though a delay posted to note a 7:45 departure, the problem took less time than expected to fix.  We pushed back around 7:30.

This was a new plane, with a noticeably airy, bright interior, and the all-leather seats still had that “new plane” smell.  I like the look compared to the old blue cloth seats.  The A321’s recliner seats in First feature 2 inches less pitch than most other AA aircraft (38 inches vs. 40), but truthfully, I didn’t really notice a difference.  There was still plenty of legroom, and though the power and USB ports are located on the lower portion of the seat, their placement on the bottom of the armrest made it easier to plug in a laptop.

  American Airlines A321 all-leather First Class recliner seats

  Wider view of the airy, bright cabin

38″ pitch with ample legroom

  Easy-to-reach power and USB ports at the bottom of the armrest

The seats contain the same 12-inch seatback TV screens found on the new 787, though with a smaller collection of on-demand TV shows, movies, and games than on the Dreamliner.  However, given that the A321 is used on much shorter domestic routes than the 787, most passengers are unlikely to notice the difference.  There was plenty on tap to keep both my wife and I occupied for this 3-hour flight.  In addition, a full slate of programming is available from gate-to-gate, making it superior to the “streaming” options on other aircraft.  I wrote about the interactive moving map feature in my review of the Dreamliner ; there is a similar system onboard this plane.  However, you don’t have the option of displaying the map on both the controller and the screen.

No in-flight Pacman, but there is inflight Tetris

Moving map showing our position over West Central Texas

We were not offered a pre-departure beverage, irritating given that we sat around twiddling our thumbs for a good 40 minutes before the door was closed.  For that matter, service in general seemed unusually slow.  It took probably half an hour to receive our warm mixed nuts and first beverage service.  It also took nearly an hour and a half before dinner was served.  I ordered the beef short rib, which was served with a small side salad, a cheese roll, mashed potatoes, mixed roasted vegetables, and a warm chocolate chip cookie.

I had a horrendous experience with American’s downgraded meal service on the first day of the new policy.  That route was downgraded from a full meal to an awful snack basket.  This was the first time I’d flown a longer route with full dinner service since the changes.  (In fairness, flights between 900 and 1,000 miles have since been re-upgraded to a full meal, and the quality of the snack baskets has reportedly improved.)  The salad was fresh, but seriously, American?  You can’t even spare a few cents for a piece of tomato or a few carrot shreds?

The cheese roll was tasty, the mashed potatoes, while a little dry, had good flavor.  The mixed roasted vegetables were tender and seasoned well.  The beef, however, disappointed.  The meat was rubbery, and the sauce had no flavor except for way too much salt.  The mixed nuts and cookie, meanwhile, would have been fine, except they had been overwarmed to the point they were burnt.  Plus, I wished the FA had handed out the cookie later.  I’m a slow eater, and it had gotten cold by the time I got around to eating it. Don’t get me wrong, I won’t turn down a cookie, even if it’s cold, but chocolate chip cookies are so much better when warm.

Overall, the meal disappointed. On the other hand, once the meal was served, the FA was very attentive to the front cabin.  She came by every few minutes to check on refills, and even offering my wife a cup of tea without her asking.

As for the seat, there was plenty of legroom as you’d expect, and back and neck support was good.  However, the bottom cushion seemed uncomfortable.  A case of numb thigh set in after about an hour and a half.  This is a problem I’ve come to expect with newer seat designs, especially Southwest’s infamous “(D)Evolve” seats.  I was a little surprised to encounter this in a First Class seat, though.  Maybe it was just the end of a long week catching up to me.

Given the daily barage of severe weather we’d been experiencing practically the entire month of may, the weather was actually nice and quiet this evening.  That made our flight smooth and uneventful.  I’ve covered the scenery between DFW and LAX before, so I’ll leave with you with just a few photos of our ride over.

A Qantas A380 sitting on the apron behind Terminal D

Leading edge of a line of t-storms near the Texas/New Mexico border

The Inland Empire at dusk

After a short weekend stay with my in-laws, we headed back to LAX on Sunday morning.  The last half a dozen times I’ve been out there, I’ve typically taken a 5-ish flight home from LA.  Both my wife and I had gotten tired of getting home at midnight, though, so we booked a midday return instead.  We’d fly the A321 again, ironically, on the exact same plane that brought us to LAX.  This time we’d fly in coach, or more specifically, Main Cabin Extra.

AA Flight 2469

• May 31, 2015
• Depart:  LAX Gate 40, 13:00, 4m early
• Arrive:  DFW Gate A30, 18:28, 13m late
• Duration:  3 hours 28 minutes
• Main Cabin Extra, Seats 9B, 9C

Just like on the flight over, we started boarding right on time.  Also just like on the way over, however, we didn’t actually leave the gate on time.  The culprit this time?  A busted tractor that couldn’t push us back from the gate.  A new one had to be dispatched, which we were told would take a “few minutes”.  Of course, 25 minutes later, the new tractor finally shows up.  Why does a “few minutes” always translate to “20-30″ in airline speak, anyway?

Anyway, our Main Cabin Extra seats were in the second row of the coach cabin.  Like the First Class cabin, seats in the Main Cabin are also outfitted in dark gray leather, and I like the look in general.  Smart but understated.  Like the 787, a power port is located at each seat directly on the seatback in front.  This rates a big improvement over the previous location between seats at the seat bottom.

The 3 extra inches of pitch (34″ vs. 31”) means ample legroom, but notice a problem, especially in the third photo?  A protruding IFE box eats up a significant chunk of underseat space at each seat.  While not the worst box I’ve ever encountered, it did constrict legroom noticeably.  I imagine this issue is more acute in standard Main Cabin seats.

American Airlines A321 leather seats in Main Cabin

Good legroom, but constricted by an IFE box

Airy interior of the main cabin

Conveniently located power ports at each seat

All seats in Main Cabin feature personal screens at each seat, but offer only a very limited amount of programming for free.  This includes the “NBC on American” programming that you currently see on the overhead screens or via streaming video.  Pay-per-view movies retail for $6 or $8 per movie.  An unlimited TV/entertainment package and “Disney” package sell for $5 and $4, respectively.  These prices aren’t bad, though it strikes me as a little cheap that you have to pay the $5 even to play a game like Tetris.

If you prefer to rather watch/listen to your own content, there is the power outlet.  In addition, similar to the 787, a USB port is located at the bottom of the screen.  However, the system offers no option to play content from your smartphone/tablet on the screen.  And of course, for avgeeks, the same flight map is available.

Close-up of USB port

Entertainment options and price list

The ever entertaining moving flight map

A pair of very pleasant FAs serviced the coach cabin, and provided the standard drinks service.  They handed passengers full cans, and both FAs made a few passes through the cabin to collect trash and offer refills.  Otherwise, there really wasn’t much to say about the flight, which is really all you want when you’re sitting in coach.  However, the seat comfort issue I noted in First two days earlier appeared once again.  A dreadfully uncomfortable bottom cushion saddled me with sore thighs after a little more than an hour.  Seems the airlines still haven’t learned their lessons with slimline seats.

We passed the same scenery I’ve seen probably a hundred times before, but the odd weather provided a couple of interesting scenes on descent.  First, an overflowing Lake Arrowhead near Wichita Falls, a lake less than 10% full just a month prior.  And the second, thanks to a rare (for May) north wind, we passed just west of DFW before pulling a U-turn and landing from the south, providing a specatcular view of the entire airfield.

Lake Arrowhead filled to the brim, a month after being almost completely dry

View of the entire DFW airfield from the west

Overall thoughts

The A321 is a nice enough plane.  It features a far superior in-flight entertainment setup, power and USB ports at each seat, and smart leather seats.  However, seat comfort remains an issue, with the bottom cushion proving uncomfortable in both classes.  I doubt I’d go out of my way to fly the A321S.  The A321T, though, now that’s a different story…

Also noteworthy – American frequently offers First Class fares on many routes lately, with F generally available for about twice the price of Y out of DFW.  I suppose that American wants to entice flyers to “upgrade” at the time of purchase, rather than giving them away for free or on the day of departure for $99.  Don’t forget, through the end of the calendar year, American offers an additional 1.5 elite qualifying points (EQPs) on full-fare premium class fares, and 0.5 EQPs on discount premium fares, for a total of either 3 or 2 EQPs, respectively.  If you’re contemplating mileage running in style, or just want to treat yourself for a little extra, now is as good a time as any to try out American’s F product.

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About Sriram Srinivasan

Sriram is an aficionado of all modes of travel, by land, air, and sea. A recovering frequent business traveler, he shows how to make the most of your vacation time, even without status.

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Review: American Airlines Flagship First Airbus A321 Transcon

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Background and booking:, flight details:, at the airport:, minor delay:, seat choice:, american airlines flagship first a321 transcon aircraft:, the flight:, ife and wi-fi:, the flight + meal service:, lavatories:, flagship first vs business on the a321t:, the verdict:.

I had previously flown on the American Airlines A321 Transcon in Flagship First on two occasions, once from New York to Los Angeles in November 2022 , and another time from Los Angeles to New York in December 2022 . They were both pretty solid experiences, especially with the first class lounge access that is granted.

Originally, I had booked a ticket with miles on Delta, but I saw that an American Web Special popped up for 43,500 American AAdvantage Miles and $5.60 on the day of departure. While a bit high on the miles side, I decided to take the splurge. Previously I had booked this product with Etihad Guest Miles which was only 25,000 Miles. But, a week ago they changed their award charts, and now this flight would be starting at 67,000 miles in Flagship First.

In looking through the calendar, cash fares for this route start at around $1,199.

American Airlines 306 New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX) Class: Flagship First Aircraft: Airbus A321T Seat: 3A Date of Flight: March 2023

When I arrived at the airport, I saw the new premium check-in area for American Airlines and British Airways. This area is for certain elites, business, and first class passengers. I didn’t have this on my last visit, as it opened in December of 2022. It looks quite nice, and you enter an area with desks and places to sit giving off hotel lobby vibes. An agent quickly helped me and printed out my boarding pass. As you walk through the new check-in area, it leads directly to a priority security lane, as well as TSA PreCheck. There was no line at all during my Thursday afternoon visit, and I was past security in less than 5 minutes.

I arrived at JFK a few hours early so that I would have ample time to revisit the Chelsea Lounge, which is the first class lounge that was built in collaboration with British Airways and American. On my last visit, the lounge had barely opened and I didn’t particularly love it. On this visit, I enjoyed it more and had a really good steak with the a la carte dining. You can check my full review here on the first class Chelsea Lounge if you’re interested. After my meal, I also visited the Soho Lounge, which is one notch lower than the Chelsea Lounge. I had a nice time relaxing there and you can check out my review here on the Soho Lounge if you’re interested.

Our inbound aircraft was coming from Los Angeles, and I saw that it was delayed so I already knew in advance we would be delayed too. At first, the app said it would be a 10 minute delay for most of the day, which seemed unrealistic as the inbound plane was going to land at our departure time.

Then, it went up to a 40 minute delay right before the boarding time. I do think the technology could have been a bit better to estimate the delay, as it seemed highly unlikely it would have only been a 10 minute delay (unless they swapped aircraft or something).

We started boarding 20 minutes after our originally scheduled departure time and completed boarding 40 minutes after our originally scheduled departure time. I left the lounge right when the flight began boarding, so I got to the gate a bit after my Group 1 had boarded and so I boarded with Group 2.

The sheer fact that boarding was complete in 20 minutes is one of my favorite aspects of this plane. It really is a premium-heavy configuration, and it will be missed when this configuration is retired in 2024.

On my previous two flights, I was in 2F, and this time I wanted to try the left side of the plane. At booking, about half of the seats were still available to choose from, and I chose 3A, which is right in the middle of the cabin.

The Flagship First seat on the A321T is quite similar to the reverse herringbone seat that American offers in the Flagship Business cabin on the 777-300ER but modified of course for this narrowbody A321 aircraft. The 1-1 configuration feels roomy, and quite private when you’re sitting at your seat.

Since it was an afternoon/evening flight, I didn’t really sleep. But, in lie-flat mode the American A321T Flagship First seat is 82.5 inches long.

The American Airlines Airbus A321 Transcon contains a lot of premium seats which makes the plane feel more boutique and exclusive. Approximately half of the plane offers First + Business Class. The configuration of the A321T is special with only 102 passengers and a 3 cabin set up. Flagship First has 10 seats spread across 5 rows in a 1-1 configuration, Flagship Business has 20 seats across another 5 rows in a 2-2 configuration and the Main Cabin is split with 36 seats for Main Cabin Extra and 36 Main Cabin Seats in a 3-3 configuration.

As of now, you can fly on this aircraft between Los Angeles (LAX) and Boston (BOS)/New York (JFK), San Francisco (SFO) and New York (JFK), Orange County (SNA) and New York (JFK). Also, the aircraft flies between New York (JFK) and Boston (BOS) but not with Flagship Service and the Business Class cabin is sold as Main Cabin Extra Seating. This particular configuration is supposed to be retired in 2024, so if you want to give it a try, you should check it out sooner rather than later.

The captain said that our flight time in the air would be 5 hours and 36 minutes. They were just completing paperwork, which took a bit of time. The   aircraft door closed, and we left the gate 50 minutes after our original departure.

After boarding, the flight attendant came by to pass out water bottles and then did a round of welcome beverages which you could choose between orange juice and sparkling champagne.

On my seat, there was a first set that featured a duvet and full-sized pillow from Casper which I love as I have a Casper pillow myself at home. Casper pillows and blankets are also featured in Flagship Business. Having flown in Delta One a few times recently, the Casper pillow and bedding from American is much better in my opinion. Additionally, there was another wrapped set waiting at the footwell (odd spot to put it) that featured a lighter blanket and thinner long pillow, which aren’t provided in Business. The extra little pillow was nice to have.

The Bang & Olufsen headphones were also waiting at my seat and they are quite good. The flight attendants did collect them about 30 minutes before landing but also gave disposable headsets so you could continue watching your movie/show.

There is plenty of storage with this seat, with a cubby next to the side table, as well as cubbies near your feet.

Also, a full-sized water bottle, and amenity kit were waiting at my seat. It’s interesting, because I’ve now flown Flagship First in the last 5 months 3 times, and received a different amenity kit each time.

I’ve only gotten the correct amenity kit once based on the website and that was on my December 2022 flight. This time I got the old Flagship First Transcon/International Business Amenity Kit.

The Shinola amenity kit featured a toothbrush, mini-toothpaste, earplugs, lotion, eye mask, pen, and socks.

The in-flight entertainment system was a solid size at 15.4 inches. Plus, it was clear and responsive with the touch screen, or you could use the remote. In terms of content options, there were many movies to choose from, tv shows, and some music. Charging ports/plugs, and USB charging was available as well.

Wi-Fi was available on this flight through ViaSat, although pricey at $29 for the whole flight. Considering JetBlue offers free WiFi  and United charges a lot less on this route, American needs to change their WiFi prices to stay competitive. Thankfully, you could watch an ad and get 20 minutes of free Wi-Fi, so that helped me. Also, I found it odd they didn’t have free messaging. Most airlines provide free messaging even if Wi-Fi isn’t free.

While we were taxing, the flight attendant came to take our orders. Throughout the flight, Jackie was very friendly, professional, and attentive. She was honestly the best flight attendant I’ve experienced on American Airlines.

We ended up taking off 1 hour and 15 minutes after our scheduled departure time.

About 45 minutes after takeoff, nuts and olives were given.

I then got my soup course, which was the Classic Beer Cheese Soup. This was the first time I tried the soup course as the first time I flew it wasn’t available, and last time I didn’t want to try the cheese soup. I’m glad I finally tried it. It was surprisingly not as cheesy as I thought, which was much appreciated and exceeded my expectations.

After my soup course, I got my Seasonal Greens salad course.

I thought it was quite good, and I liked the strawberries in it. Hot bread came out, and I took the pretzel one which was good.

Main Course:

Then, I received my entree. On this flight, since I booked last minute I couldn’t preorder. On board, the options for main courses were between Lamb Cutlets, Miso Saba Roasted Sea Bass, Grains and Greens Bowl, and Eggplant Lasagna. I decided to try the Sea Bass, which I’d previously eaten on my Flagship Business flight and enjoyed it.

It was practically the same as when I had it in Flagship Business , just presented nicer. While it was good, it was a bit too buttery this time around and I actually preferred when I had it in business class.

After I finished my main meal, it was time for dessert. Options were a Gooey Butter Cake, Traditional Ice Cream Sundae, and Gourmet Cheese Board.

American makes the best Ice Cream Sundae in my opinion compared to Delta and United, and you can put whatever toppings you’d like. I like it with fudge and nuts, and that’s exactly what I got.

After the meal service, a snack basket was stationed in row 1 and had various snacks from chips, brownies, pretzels, and more.

About an hour before landing, they served the famous warm chocolate chip cookie, which was great. I paired my cookie with a nice camomile tea.

We ended up making back some time, and only got to our gate 30 minutes late.

The front lavatory is dedicated to first class passengers. It was clean when I visited it and had automatic sinks which was a plus. But there was only hand soap, and I do wish there was hand lotion too.

A question I get a lot is that is it much different to fly Flagship First vs Business? Honestly in terms of the soft product, not at all. In first all you get is an extra pillow/blanket, a *chance* at a nicer amenity kit, olives and a soup course, and different alcohol selections. Is it worth the premium price tag, probably not. In terms of the hard product, while both are lie-flat seats, the 1-1 configuration in first is nice to not have a neighbor, but if you’re traveling with someone I honestly probably rather fly business.

Overall, flying in the Flagship First Class Cabin aboard American Airlines’ A321 Transcontinental is still one of the best ways to fly coast to coast. Positives include access to the first class lounge at JFK which no other transcontinental service currently provides, the Casper bedding, and direct aisle access. Yet, if grading from a first class perspective, the in-flight experience doesn’t seem to have enough differentiation from Flagship Business.

Have you flown in the American Airlines Flagship First Class Cabin on the A321T before? How was your experience? Comment below!

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You said that you wanted to sit on the right side of the cabin, but took 3A, which is on the left side of the cabin.

Good catch! Thanks for reading!

I mostly agree with you. Sitting in the Chelsea lounge right now coming from lax I do have a different overall opinion. The exclusiveness and attentive service does make a very big difference to business! Is it worth the price? Depends on your wallet. But as with all first products the main difference is the size of the cabin. It’s just super exclusive to sit 1 1.

Thanks for sharing! Totally makes sense.

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Dreaming Of Travel: A Review Of American Airlines A321T Business Class (LAX-JFK)

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As most of us still can’t travel internationally and as it’s nice to be able to dream of visiting great places (and briefly forget about what’s going on around us), I’ve been taking a look through some old trips and publishing pictures and flight reviews that should have been published some time ago.

Yesterday, I resurrected some pictures of a trip I took to Budapest , and today I’m taking a look at a transcon flight that I take more often than I care to admit – the Los Angeles to New York run on American Airlines. Note: this flight was pre-Covid.

American Airlines A321T Business Class

American Airlines operates its best narrowbody aircraft (complete with lie-flat seats in First & Business Class) on a few select transcontinental routes on which the airline feels that it needs to compete for premium passenger traffic. One of the routes on which these aircraft operate is the route between Los Angeles and New York (JFK).

The Cabin & Seat

The Business Class cabin in the American Airlines A321T is set out in a 2-2 layout with each pair of seats angled slightly towards the aircraft’s windows.

The seats sit within their own shell and can be adjusted to most angles and will form a true lie-flat bed when reclined to their maximum.

Once seated, a passenger faces a good-sized inflight entertainment screen under which is a small shelf that can be useful for storing electronic devices throughout the flight.

Underneath the IFE screen and shelf is a small (and narrow) ottoman/stool which is where a passenger’s feet go when the seat is in lie-flat mode.

Each seat has a large comfortable and adjustable headrest…

…and to one side of the headrest is where you’ll find a small shelf just ahead of a power outlet, USB port, and various audio inputs.

The easy-to-use seat controls are to be found by the fixed table that helps separate the two seats…

…and there’s a housing for the IFE controls and a magazine pouch just under the seat controls.

For added privacy, there’s a small divider between the two seats…

…and although it doesn’t offer a passenger total privacy when they’re seated upright, it adds quite a bit of privacy when the seat is in lie-flat mode.

The seat’s tray table deploys out of the center armrest…

… and can either be used as a small drinks table…

… or it can be opened fully for dining or if a passenger needs to get some work done.

The table is more than big enough to hold a 15″ MacBook with room to spare all around.

Above each seat-pair, you’ll find individual air vents (so passengers are not beholden to the crew to keep them cool) and lights which can be controlled via the IFE remote.

Cabin & Seat Thoughts

The seats are comfortable and well-padded and are a good place to relax or to get some work done.

The location of the power outlet and the USB port means that devices can be charged on the shelf to the side of the headrest and out of a passenger’s way, and the size and sturdiness of the table mean that it’s possible to use a full-sized laptop with ease (and without the table bouncing around too much during turbulence).

In lie-flat mode, the seat cushions form a good base on which to get some sleep, and there’s enough personal space in the head area to allow passengers with a variety of sleeping positions to get comfortable (I like to sleep on my front and I felt I had more than enough space). Unfortunately, the narrowness of the area housing the ottoman (where a passenger’s feet go) causes an issue.

With very little space to move or position your feet, some passengers (especially those with larger feet) may struggle to find a comfortable position in which to lie for extended periods of time.

Also, on this particular aircraft, it was hard not to notice that it was starting to show signs of wear. Quite a bit of wear.

A lot of the edges around the armrests and seat controls were scuffed or scratched (as was the IFE control unit), and the controls of the seat next to me took a lot of encouragement before they worked.

These pictures below don’t do a great job of showing the extent of the scratches or scuffing, but they’ll give you an idea of what it was like.

The overall feel of this particular cabin was of a cabin that needed a bit of TLC – most things worked fine but a cabin feels and looks a lot less “premium” if it’s scratched and looking the worse for wear.

The Amenities & IFE

At the time of this flight, American Airlines was using a limited edition “Stand up to Cancer” amenity kit which contained the usual eye mask, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc…, that you see in a lot of Business Class amenity kits.

As well as an amenity kit, each Business Class seat also had a large, soft pillow and a blanket waiting for passengers as they boarded.

American Airlines now offers Bang & Olufsen headphones in its transcontinental premium cabins (Bose was the brand of choice in the past)…

… but while I can confirm that the B&O headphones definitely look nicer than the Bose QC 15s they replaced, I can’t say that I noticed much difference in sound quality or noise-canceling ability.

The IFE screens onboard the A321T are a very good size and, because they’re touchscreens…

… the IFE remote is mostly redundant unless you’re reclined away from the screen (or if you want to turn on a light).

American Airlines offers a good variety of movies, TV shows, and music entertainment options on its transcon aircraft ( you’ll find more information here ) and it also offers up to 12 free live TV channels as well (although these only worked intermittently on this particular flight).

Crucially, for a lot of travelers, American Airlines offers high-speed Wi-Fi on its Airbus A321T aircraft, but if you don’t have a subscription it can be pricey:

Amenities & IFE Thoughts

Compared to a lot of airlines, the inflight entertainment options on American Airlines are pretty good – there’s a good selection of movies and TV shows (and a good number of episodes of a lot of TV shows), and some of the music offerings are pretty good too.

The “live TV” option is one I’ve found to be disappointing on every airline I’ve ever seen it offered, and this flight was no exception. It was almost impossible to enjoy any of the programming because it kept freezing or cutting out completely for significant periods.

The Business Class amenities on these transcon flights are pretty basic (there’s certainly nothing upscale about them) but they do their job, and as long as you’re not expecting to be offered something similar to what premium airlines hand out on their long-haul routes, you probably won’t be disappointed.

Dining & Service

I’m terrible at remembering to pre-order my meals when I’m flying domestically so the menu is always one of the first things that I take a look at after I sit down. On this occasion, it wasn’t the food options that I noticed first but the incredibly terrible presentation of the menu itself – it looked and felt like it had been printed out on a low-end 1990s copier.

Click the thumbnails to see photos of the menus as taken on board this flight:

I’m assuming that American ran out of menus at LAX and asked someone to run off 20+ copies in the staff offices, but this isn’t what an airline should be presenting to premium cabin passengers on one of its most valuable routes – it looks amateurish and cheap.

Anyway…

Pre-departure beverages were served shortly after the Business Class cabin had boarded (sparkling wine was available as well as water and orange juice)…

…bottled water was brought around shortly after take-off…

…as were hot towels.

Hot nuts and another round of drinks were offered around 25 minutes into the flight…

…before meal orders were taken.

There’s no dine-on-demand option on American’s transcontinental service so passengers all get served at the same time – around an hour after take-off on this particular flight.

To get the meal started there was a “small plate” of burrata cheese with oregano & caper dressing with a segment of fried zucchini and a couple of peppers.

The salad offered was baby spinach, black radish and dried apricot with Parmesan shavings and a choice of dressings.

For my main course, I chose the lightest meal on the menu – a “grain and greens” bowl which contained lemon bulgur wheat, sautéed kale, carrots, chicory fisée, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, cucumber, and feta cheese (I could have also added grilled chicken had I wanted too).

After a very pious opening two courses, I chose something a little more decadent for my dessert – raspberry swirl cheesecake and coffee.

An hour or so before landing, cookies and milk were served.

Dining & Service Thoughts

Leaving aside the abject state of the menus, things were mostly pretty good.

I genuinely enjoyed all the items I ate and although I’m as big a fan as anyone of steaks, pasta, and fish, it was nice to be able to have a substantial salad for my main course rather than anything heavier.

The wine list was a little disappointing.

Considering how many great white wines we have on the west coast, I’m not sure why American insists on serving the very mediocre South African and Italian white wines on this list (I could also name quite a few reasonably priced sparkling wines that come from the west coast that are considerably better than the Cava served here).

The service on board was nice, smiley and friendly.

I won the AA flight attendant lottery on this flight as all of the cabin crew I interacted with seemed happy, went about their work with a smile, and came through the cabin on a number of occasions to check that passengers didn’t need anything.

If more American Airlines flights could be crewed like this one the airline wouldn’t have nearly as many image problems it currently has – these guys were great.

Thoughts In Summary

Negatives :

• The aircraft interior looked a bit battered and bruised and needed some TLC.
• In lie-flat mode, not all passengers will be able to find a comfortable sleeping position thanks to the restricted room in the area around the ottoman.
• The menus presented onboard looked terrible.
• For a premium cabin on a premium route, the wine list was disappointing
• The live TV channels may as well not have been on offer as they were unwatchable.

Positives :

• As a place to sit, relax, read a book, do some work or watch some movies the seats are very comfortable.
• The crew were friendly and efficient – I don’t need any more than that
• The positioning of the power outlet and USB port next to a small shelf is a nice design touch as it allows devices to be charged while out of the way.
• The food was mostly very nice – fresh and flavorful – and it was great to have a healthy light option among the main courses.

Bottom Line

The American Airlines A321T Business Class cabin has its faults, but as a place to spend 5-6 hours, it’s not bad at all. Yes, it’s not going to offer the most comfortable sleeping position for all passengers, but in all other areas the offering is pretty good (it’s also considerably better than any other narrowbody cabin that American Airlines offers domestically).

In summary: Unless you get lucky and find yourself flying on a widebody aircraft, you’re not going to find a better domestic American Airlines Business Class cabin.

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AA is now serving FEL pinot noir on the transcon flights, which is from Anderson Valley, California.

That sounds very promising – is it any good?

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TAP Air Portugal A321neo European Business Class (Executive Class) Review

Like with my prior review I just wanted to publish something that was quick to write (well that didn't work, I took this flight back in March 2023). I have reviewed several other European Carrier's Intra-Europe Business Class and TAP's Executive Class is not much different. I could end it there ;) but each Airline in Europe is unique with different catering, service, lounges. etc. so I will continue.

My wife and I were flying from Lisbon to Paris and had two choices (nonstop). Either fly Air France to CDG or TAP to Orly. A few things helped sway my decision. TAP has several flights a day and this flight left late morning (which was comfortable for us) plus, it is a member of Star Alliance which would have been the deciding factor if we were flying Economy (I have higher status with Star Alliance than SkyTeam) but because we purchased a Business Class ticket, fare was a factor along with the fact Lisbon is TAP's home base (along with Porto) therefore I assumed their Lounge would be better than what Air France was using. Another factor was I know Air France no longer serves hot meals in Business within Europe (or at least on flights under 3 hours) and I had read where TAP does (specifically on this route - turned out not to be the case :( ). I get some strange enjoyment eating onboard airplanes so while this was important to me, it may not be for others. Especially since Air France's catering has a good reputation.

Check-in was easy at Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS). Business Class and Star Alliance Elite members on both Schengen and Non-Schengen flights check in at the Premium Customer Centre area. Agent was very friendly but not very informative. Made no mention of Lounge or Fast Track. Which was not operating when we went through security and was not needed as security was also was very easy.

The TAP Premium Lounge is located after security on the second level of the Schengen shopping area. The Lounge was nice, with plenty to eat and drink (I think the Lunch and Dinner spread is more appealing), but certainly not the same as what other European Carrier's main airport lounges are like. The ANA Lounge (which Air France passengers use) is next door and appears to be very similar to TAP's Premium Lounge.

Boarding was by groups with Business Class, TAP Miles&Go Premium and Star Alliance Gold passengers being the first to board (I think families with small children too). This benefit was negated by the fact we were departing from a Bus Gate and waited on the bus for over 20 minutes before heading to our plane. Like many European Airports a good percentage of flights departing Lisbon were from a remote stand.

We received a warm greeting as we boarded the new A321neo. The interior was very nice as this plane couldn't have been more than a few months old. The seats are grey leather with red trim around the headrest (moveable). Like all other European Airlines (except Turkish, S7 & Aeroflot) the Business Class cabin is the same 3x3 configuration as Economy. The main difference is the middle seat is left empty for more space and the number of rows can be adjusted depending on loads. TAP doesn't block of center seat with a tray table so you can lift armrests and add significant width with your seat, When I was choosing our seats there were only two rows in Business, but there were four rows designated as Executive on this flight. There were only 5 passengers in business so despite sitting in a Coach seat there was a feeling of space and privacy. The overheads are large, but not as big as the new overheads where you can fit a Rollaboard on its side thus fitting more bags in the overheads. There was nothing at the seat as you arrived and no pre-departure drink. It was cold outside and on the airplane. It would have been nice to have a blanket. I found out later that there were blankets and pillows in the overhead and available on request. The Executive Class seats have 32 inches of pitch compared to Economy's 30 inches (standard recline). Since the cabin can be extended, I am not sure what row this extra leg room ends. So, stands to reason it is better to pick a seat towards the front. The bulkhead seat appeared to have even more leg room, but the tray table is in the armrest preventing it from raising and therefore those seats are slightly narrower than the standard 18" (17.6 on TAP's site). The seats and configuration (and service) will be the same on their A320's, A319's and older A321-200's, as it is on the A321neo.

There is a power plug and USB port on the bottom of the seat in front of you and on the bottom of the bulkhead seats. The seatback pockets are rather small, but there is a device holder on top of the seatback (bulkhead would not have this feature). Now this device holder would imply there is some sort of own device IFE or Wi-Fi. Unfortunately, there is neither. Currently, TAP only has Wi-Fi on their A330neo's and A321LR neo's. I would think at some point TAP will add Wi-Fi, but at least you can comfortably watch pre-loaded content on your own device. The recline is standard for an Economy seat.

It took a while for the meal service to start. It was started with a beverage and then the meal was served. No menu, no choice just the meal. Much to my chagrin, my decision to fly TAP due to this route serving a hot meal backfired. The meal consisted of Cubed Pumpkin, Cold Meats & Cheese, an Egg Wrap, Fruit and a Pastel de Nata for dessert. The flight attendant came by several time with a breadbasket and additional beverages. My wife loved the 10-year Tawny Port. I wasn't a fan of the main dish (she did like it) but the bread and fruit were very good, and the Pastel de Nata was great. A real treat!! Coffee and Tea were served after the meal service ended. I do know that they serve a full hot meal on this route because a month prior to this flight I saw someone posted the Business Class meal. Most likely because the flight was in between Breakfast and Lunch is why this meal was served. Two flight attendants were assigned to the Business Class cabin and both were very pleasant. Announcements were in both English and Portuguese (no French). There is one Lavatory in the front (and two in the rear).

TAP also fly's an a321neo (A321LR) that is configured with international lie-flat business class seats. They do not fly these planes within Europe, nor do I think to Northern Africa. These aircraft are used on some transatlantic (EWR & BOS) and African routes. The interior of these planes are very different to the A321neo. As noted above, they have Wi-Fi, plus all the luxuries of an international business Class product - much better catering, seatback IFE, etc. and they have Economy Extra (Comfort Area) seats.

Overall, TAP's Executive Class is typical of all the other European airlines Intra-European Business Class. I would say their leg room may be better and their catering is as good if not better than most. Their fares are very competitive, and Portugal is a great place to visit. So, I look forward flying TAP Air Portugal in the future.

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TAP Air Portugal Airbus A321LR-neo Business Class Review [EWR to LIS]

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Table of Contents

Booking tap air portugal business class, newark liberty international airport (ewr), on board tap air portugal’s a321lr-neo, arrival at lisbon’s humberto delgado airport (lis), final thoughts.

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Airline: TAP Air Portugal Aircraft: Airbus A321LR-neo Flight #: TP204 Route: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) Date: February 19, 2024 Duration: 6 hours, 14 minutes Cabin and Layout: Business class; 16 seats in a staggered 2-2 and 1-1 configuration Seat: 1C (aisle) Cost: 63,000 Avianca LifeMiles + $51.70 in taxes and fees

My wife and I recently visited Portugal and were anxious to try TAP Air Portugal’s business class to get us there. After struggling to find any business class availability from the West Coast, we spent 2 days in New York City before flying directly from Newark to Lisbon on TAP. What started with high expectations turned out to be one of our worst business class experiences in recent memory .

While the seats inside the plane looked incredible, sleeping was uncomfortable, and service missed the mark at every possible turn. When we got off the plane, my wife said, “I’m glad we aren’t flying home with TAP. If we were, I’d tell you to change our flights.” Here’s what our flight was like and why we were unsatisfied.

We booked this flight using Avianca LifeMiles . I found availability online quite easily and booked during a 15% transfer bonus from American Express Membership Rewards . With a cost of 126,000 miles for 2 people, I effectively needed to transfer just 110,000 Amex Membership Rewards points before the 15% bonus. I consistently earn Membership Rewards using my American Express ® Gold Card at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants and The Platinum Card ® from American Express to pay for flights — including the taxes and fees on this award booking.

The cost to book each ticket on the LifeMiles website was 63,000 miles plus $51.70 per person.

After booking, I immediately received a confirmation email. With this confirmation number, I went to the TAP website to request special meals and seats. Unfortunately, TAP wanted to send a verification code to a phone number that wasn’t mine but was somehow attached to my reservation. When I called TAP, agents told me to contact LifeMiles to update the phone number on my account — even though the wrong phone number wasn’t the number on my LifeMiles account. LifeMiles was as confused as I was, so I simply called TAP again and asked for the special meals and seats we wanted.

All airline award tickets will have a cash component for taxes and fees. Pay this with a credit card that earns bonus miles on flights or a credit card that offers travel insurance .

Since we couldn’t access our reservation on TAP’s website, we weren’t able to check in online in advance. However, the check-in process at the airport was very quick .

TAP departs from Terminal B at EWR , which we reached from the AirTrain . Within Terminal B, TAP’s check-in area is on the third floor.

When we arrived, there was hardly anyone in line. The separate line for business class passengers had no one in front of us.

The employee at the desk gave us a head nod that we understood to mean we should approach the counter. He didn’t say anything or smile at us as we approached.

After weighing our luggage and showing our passports, the non-smiling employee asked to see our hand luggage and put stickers on our backpacks to show that they were approved for bringing on board. I asked him to add our TSA PreCheck numbers to our tickets, which he did efficiently. With that, he gave us our boarding passes. I asked if we had lounge access , and he told us we could use the SAS Lounge after security and use the priority line at security.

This employee was efficient at his job and wasn’t grumpy, but he also wasn’t friendly by any stretch of the imagination. This set a pattern all TAP employees would follow during this flight: We never saw any of them smile.

Lounge Access

Flying business class with TAP provides access to the SAS Lounge, located on the right-hand side after passing security in Terminal B. This lounge is accessible for anyone flying in a premium cabin with a Star Alliance airline. However, it’s not accessible with Priority Pass or the American Express Global Lounge Collection .

The lounge had a simple buffet with a few salads and sandwiches.

A separate area had 2 hot dishes and a soup of the day.

In addition to several types of wine, there was also a self-serve soda machine, 2 juices, infused water, and an espresso machine.

Near the kitchen, there were large tables with numerous chairs and charging points built into the base of the lamps. Further into the lounge were armchairs and abundant outlets for charging devices.

Our flight departed from gate B60. There was very minimal seating near this gate, and people stood around or sat on the floor. With a scheduled departure of 11:55 p.m., the number of people sitting on the floor increased as we got closer to boarding time.

We started boarding just 15 minutes before our scheduled departure, and boarding was a complete mess . When agents announced the start of preboarding, the door to the jet bridge was still closed, and the machine for scanning boarding passes wasn’t turned on. Thus, everyone who moved forward couldn’t board.

Once it was time for business class passengers, employees herded us into an area between several ropes that they then struggled to open. Moreover, the machine to scan boarding passes stopped working, so we had to wait while they found another. Once we entered the jet bridge, the flight crew wasn’t ready for passengers, so we wound up standing around on the jet bridge for a few minutes .

My wife and I finally entered the plane 5 minutes before our scheduled departure, so we knew takeoff would be delayed . Flight attendants said hello to passengers at the boarding door, but neither smiled.

We sat in seats 1A and 1C, which were window (A) and aisle (C) seats in the first row of business class. TAP’s A321LR uses a staggered layout , where rows 1, 3, and 5 have a 2-2 layout. Rows 2 and 4 have a 1-1 layout where these “throne seats” have extra space. Window seats in the odd-numbered rows don’t have direct aisle access.

Business Class Seat

I had seat 1C, which felt spacious. The area around my feet was generous, and the seat had a 3-point seatbelt.

I also had a generous footwell in front of me under the entertainment system.

On arrival, the divider between our seats had menus and amenity kits.

At hip level on this division, I found the control panel for reclining the seat or laying it flat. The buttons worked easily.

The tray tables folded out from the divider, coming down from shoulder level and then sliding over. It was a fair size.

The tray table was released with this latch at the base of the division between seats.

Above the division, each seat had a reading lamp with 3 brightness levels next to a USB port and the headphone jack.

The lamp was in addition to the overhead lights that could be activated from the entertainment system remote.

This remote was stored at the back of the division between seats, near my shoulder, next to headphones and a bottle of water.

The division between the seats continued to the floor, ending with a small pocket that held sick bags.

We also found USB and universal outlets here.

The only storage space was this fold-down net under the entertainment screen.

At boarding, each seat had a pillow and blanket in plastic wrap, found on the seat.

The package fit easily into the footwell, for lack of a better place to put it.

As a seat, this was a great seat. When laying flat to sleep, however, it was a different story.

I’m 5 feet 10 inches tall, and my feet were pressed against the plastic at the end of the footwell, even when I moved as far up the bed as possible. Thus, I couldn’t stretch out.

Additionally, the space around the shoulder/head area felt cramped. Moreover, the area around my hips and belt felt unnaturally firm, making it difficult to get comfortable . My wife and I barely slept, though seat comfort was only one of the reasons for that.

Choosing the Best Seat

If you’re traveling alone in business class on TAP’s A321LR-neo, choose a seat in the even-numbered rows. Not only do they have more space, but you’ll avoid the situation where you’re sleeping next to the aisle and someone else climbs over you to go to the bathroom — or being the one doing the climb.

Those traveling in pairs will like the odd-numbered rows. Beyond these elements, seats in rows 1 and 5 are nearest to the galleys and may have extra noise.

Food and Beverage

After boarding, flight attendants came around to take orders for meals. Menus were placed at each seat before boarding.

There was also an extensive wine list.

When the flight attendant came to our row, she stated our names and said that our special meals were on board. Then, she asked what drinks we would like.

Once meal service started, the flight attendant placed a tray of fish in front of my wife. We told her that we’d requested vegan meals, and she apologized while taking it away. However, what we got wasn’t much better.

For dinner, we received a tray that had cheesy pasta, a Caprese salad (which is 50% cheese), and flan for dessert. This, despite the fact I’d called TAP twice to request and confirm vegan meals. However, the agent had somehow put us down for vegetarian meals. Thus, there was nothing for us to eat at dinner. It’s a good thing we’d had some snacks in the lounge. We told the flight attendants there was no need to give us the trays and put away our tray tables.

The flight attendant moved on without much apology, but I also don’t fault her. There was no kitchen on board for the crew to whip up meals for us. Another flight attendant asked if we wanted to be woken for breakfast, so I asked what it was. Our special meal: a selection of local cheese from Portugal. Comedic.

There were a few amenities worth noting from this flight.

Both paid and complimentary options were available. Free messaging throughout the flight was an option for all passengers.

Paid options ranged from €9.99 to €29.99, depending on how long you wanted to stay connected. That’s roughly $10.80 to $32.40 for the full flight.

I didn’t purchase internet during the flight, so I can’t comment on speeds. However, the messaging option worked as expected .

Entertainment

Each business class seat had a personal entertainment system in front of the seat. It was not adjustable.

The home page allowed us to choose not just TV and movies but also to see the menu, practice some Portuguese, and learn about activities in Portugal.

Movie options were abundant.

There was even a special section for children’s entertainment options .

The screen was touchscreen, but you could also use the remote found on the division between the seats. Both options worked, though touching the screen required leaning forward pretty far. I found using the remote much simpler.

Amenity Kit

Each seat had an amenity kit waiting for us at boarding. These were made of a soft fabric in pastel colors.

We found hand lotion, a small toothbrush, a sleep mask, earplugs, and a pair of socks inside the kit.

Business class had a single lavatory at the front of the plane near the cockpit. In terms of size and amenities, it matched what you’ll find in economy cabins on most planes .

The soap dispenser leaked around the base, unfortunately.

I mentioned above that service missed the mark at nearly every turn, so let’s jump in.

First, I mentioned that we never saw a single employee smile . That’s just odd. We were also surprised there was no offer of a welcome drink , as that’s standard on most business class flights these days.

And I don’t know what it is with Star Alliance airlines, but they are consistently the worst offenders for not getting our special meals correct.

Since we weren’t eating, we decided to just sleep for as much of the flight as possible. However, sleeping was further hindered by flight attendants dropping items in the galley (next to our seats) multiple times, including spilling a tray full of silverware. You know the sound it makes — not conducive to sleeping. Neither was their banter and laughing at each other’s jokes throughout the night, which again happened right near our seats.

Before deplaning, the flight attendants said they were putting a note on our reservation regarding our incorrect meals and encouraged us to apply for some sort of refund with TAP after the flight . They said to wait a few weeks to give the powers that be time to review the notes, so I haven’t submitted anything yet. However, I’m not holding my breath that I’ll get any points or money back.

Despite taking off about 15 minutes late, we arrived in Lisbon 15 minutes early. Thus, our gate wasn’t ready, and we had to sit on the taxiway for a few minutes before pulling up to the gate.

The crew made the necessary announcements, such as border control processes and baggage claim location. After arriving at the gate, I was surprised at how quickly the jet bridge was moved into position and the aircraft door was opened . Sitting in row 1, we were off the plane quickly.

We were excited to fly TAP’s A321LR-neo business class but were quickly let down. Sleeping wasn’t very comfortable, and service left a whole lot to be desired. From royally messing up our special meal requests to never smiling throughout the entire trip experience and banging around to interrupt sleeping passengers, I struggle to think of any highlights from this flight.

I asked my wife if she remembered any highlights from flying on TAP, and she said, “Yeah, it ended.” Maybe a bit too critical, but that’s how we felt walking off the plane.

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