As much as I love traveling as far as possible, there is one aspect of it that I just can’t stand. If I sit on a plane for three or four hours, my lower back and legs are completely destroyed.
Mind you, I’m not necessarily blaming airlines for making uncomfortable seats. We have to face the reality that unless you’re flying business class or first class, your long-haul flight isn’t going to be particularly comfortable. Or is it?
Some airlines have reportedly cracked the code and managed to create a seat that is just as comfortable as a business or first class seat, but costs a fraction of the price. Everyone, say hello to the couch seat, which is still technically an economy seat.
Air New Zealand led the way in introducing this innovative seat, calling it the SkyCouch. Now, years later, other airlines have been given permission to introduce similar products on long-haul flights.
The concept is simple. For an additional charge, you can have an entire row of three or four to yourself, which is still less than the extra you’d pay for business or first class. The row is designed to convert into a couch, and instead of feeling like you’re stretched out squashed across three seats, it’s designed to feel like you’re sitting on a couch. Typically, the seatbelts are designed to be securely buckled from a reclining position, and on some airlines, the leg rests fold up 90 degrees to create a wider, flat surface. Passengers who book this seat also often receive large pillows and blankets.
Typically, sofa seating is offered on long-haul flights and only on select airlines. To help you decide which flights to book to get this option, we’ve rounded up all the airlines that currently offer sofa seating.
- Air New Zealand
- Vietnam Airlines
- Blue Airways
- Air Astana
- Air Austral
- All Nippon Airways
- Lufthansa
How much does a couch-style airplane seat cost?
Prices can vary depending on the airline. Vietnam Airlines offers “Sky Sofa” couches starting at $100 per row per person in addition to the ticket price, according to the airline’s website. Air New Zealand, on the other hand, charges the price of its SkyCouch depending on how many people use it. “If one person occupies the SkyCouch, they pay a higher price than if it were occupied by two people,” the airline’s website states.
Depending on the route, it can get pretty expensive, though. At the time of writing, a one-way Air New Zealand ticket from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Auckland on October 18 costs $1,182 (including a stopover in Houston, Texas). An upgrade to a SkyCouch seat, offered on the flight between Houston and Auckland, would cost an additional $1,160, bringing the total price of the ticket to $2,342.
For more information on prices for style sofas, passengers should contact the airline they are flying with directly.
