This little-known travel hack allows fliers to take over a row of seats with sleeping amenities like footrests, mattress pads, and horizontal seat belts.
Attempting to sleep on a long-haul flight in economy class ranks among the most uncomfortable tasks in travel, comparable to handling seasickness on a cruise or managing a sunburn at the beach.
Although some economy seats provide more comfort than others, airline seating has consistently decreased in size, with limited recline and shorter legroom. This trend nearly guarantees a case of jet lag upon arrival. Fortunately, a handful of airlines have creatively addressed this issue by offering passengers the option to reserve a row of seats for sleeping at a reduced rate. The outcome is a makeshift bed in economy class, allowing more room to stretch out without the business class price tag.
Here are three popular airlines that let fliers turn economy seats into beds, along with advice on when they’re worth the upgrade.
Air New Zealand
Before introducing its much-anticipated bunk beds for economy class, known as the SkyNest, Air New Zealand launched the Skycouch. This concept provides a row of up to three seats that economy passengers can reserve exclusively during long-haul flights. Configurations available include a single row of seats, a row plus an adjacent economy seat, or two full rows of three seats.
To transform the economy seats into beds, these Skycouch seats feature special footrests that can be locked at a full 90 degrees, extending the width of the row. In couch-mode, the Skycouch measures 29 inches wide and 5’1” long—approximately a foot shorter than a standard twin bed.
A maximum of three passengers can share the Skycouch, with some additional policies for families traveling with young children. An adult must be seated on the Skycouch, across the aisle, or in the row directly behind. The airline also provides an optional free infant pod, essentially a bassinet that straps into the Skycouch, along with multiple pillows, blankets, and a cuddle seat belt designed for comfortable and safe sleeping.
Passengers don’t pay the full fare for all three seats when booked together as the Skycouch. However, the cost will vary depending on the route and how many people intend to use the row of seats.
Lufthansa
Debuting in 2021, Lufthansa’s Sleeper’s Row concept offers travelers the chance to book a row of three or four economy seats at a discounted price. This row comes with a Sleeper’s set, including a special seat belt, a thin mattress pad, and a quality blanket and pillow. Sleeper’s Row passengers also benefit from pre-boarding, allowing them ample time to settle in before other passengers enter the cabin.
This product is exclusively available on long-haul flights lasting at least 11 hours, covering specific routes to Asia, Africa, South America, and the Western US. Unlike Air New Zealand’s offerings, Lufthansa’s Sleeper’s Row consists of standard economy seats without special extenders. Nevertheless, booking this product can still be worthwhile, as the price remains quite affordable, typically ranging between £135 and £194 per leg for a single passenger.
All Nippon Airways
Japan’s All Nippon Airways provides its Couchii product, featuring designated rows of seats equipped with special footrests that lock into place, allowing for a wider seating experience up to 32 inches in width. Couchii rows are available in economy on ANA’s Airbus A380 aircraft flying between Tokyo Narita and Honolulu. Each special sleeper row accommodates three or four passengers and can stretch over five feet long when configured for four seats.
Among the amenities included in Couchii rows are cozy bedding, oversized pillows, and a comforter, along with additional standard pillows and blankets provided to every economy seat. The special seats come with seat belts designed for horizontal sleeping.
The cost of upgrading to a Couchii row varies based on the number of passengers and the flight’s seasonal demand. ANA maintains a list of low and high season dates on its website; flying during high season typically incurs higher upgrade fees, which can range from as low as £103 for four fliers in a low season to £2,037 for a single passenger securing a row of four seats in peak season.
Passengers can secure a Couchii upgrade anytime from booking up until 48 hours before departure, whether online or through ANA’s customer service.
