When you really want to reduce the costs of flying, there are some simple tips you can heed. First off, you pick the airlines with notoriously low flight prices. Then you make sure that you don’t carry a lot of luggage with you, since some of these cheap carriers compensate for the low flight prices by charging just a bit too much for carry-ons and checked luggage. And of course, you fly economy or coach.
The thing is, when you fly economy, you’re usually getting what you paid for: a dirt-cheap flight that might not be all that comfortable. Some of these cheap airlines can really cram their passengers in coach like sardines, even as they eliminate just about all of their in-flight amenities. This might not be too bad on a short domestic flight, but for long international flights, it can be a hellish experience.
The good news is that you can at least pick the airlines that offer economy seats that aren’t all that bad. They may not be totally comfortable (for that, you fly first class), but at least you’re not completely in hell.
If you’re determined to fly coach, here are the best airlines for you:
JetBlue
This is a really great choice, since JetBlue generally offers some of the lowest flight prices around. And their economy seats aren’t hellish at all.
Their seats at JetBlue Airlines are relatively wider, ranging from 17.8 inches to 18.4 inches. The seat pitch (basically another word for legroom) is from 32 to 34 inches, which is impressive for a cheap carrier. It’s the only US airline that has seatback screens for all flights, and it’s also the only US airline with free Wi-Fi for all flights. Most seats also feature power and USB outlets.
Emirates
This might be your best option if you’re flying economy on an international flight. The seats here are relatively wide, ranging from 17 to 18 inches, with a seat pitch of 32 to 32 inches (same as JetBlue). All flights feature seatback TV screens, most lights offer free Wi-Fi, and most seats have power and USB outlets.
Emirates is also famous for keeping the food and drinks going, and the have some of the best airline food options around.
Delta Air Lines
The seats are comfortably wide enough, ranging from 17.2 to 18.5 inches wide. The pitch ranges from 30 to 32 inches. That’s not too bad, though you can pay extra for a few extra inches. Most flights feature seatback screens, and all flights have free Wi-Fi. Only some flights feature power and USB outlets for economy seats.
Hawaiian Airlines
Flying economy in Hawaiian Airlines won’t really get you a lot of in-flight amenities. There’s no free Wi-Fi at all, only some flights feature seatback screens, and they don’t offer power outlets. They do have USB outlets for almost all flights.
At least the seats are comfy. The width is nice, ranging from 17.2 to 18.5 inches wide, while the seat pitch is decent ranging from 30 to 32 inches.