What if I told you that airlines are tightening their focus on projects that make long-haul economy flights more comfortable—and not only for elite flyers?
It’s not rumor or wishful thinking.
The future of lie-flat beds, which can be adapted for a three-row economy seat section, is almost here.
Surprisingly, it’s lie-flat beds aren’t even a new concept in air travel. This novel idea was first covered back in 2010 when Air New Zealand released its novel sky-couch model.
The sky couch, which is still offered today, uses specialized panels that bridge the space between your seat and those in front of you to create a mini-bed out of the whole row.
Voila. A lie-flat bed at 35,000 feet.
And that’s not all Air New Zealand is doing. The airline has plans to revolutionize economy air travel even more with its insane-sounding bunk bed economy lie-flat plan, which recently launched for flights between New York and Chicago.
These unique sleeping pods are called SkyNests—and I’d bet a few pennies other airlines are going to take notes.
For now, let’s focus on those lie-flat beds. What began with an innovative new concept from Air New Zealand has since spread to other smaller airlines. No more missing out on better bookings. Here are the five economy airlines that offer lie-flat beds as of 2024.
Airlines that offer lie-flat beds
Air New Zealand
As the original creator and purveyor of the Skycouch, it doesn’t get much better than flying with Air New Zealand.
Its Skycouch extends your total sleeping space to 5’1, while also widening the makeshift bed enough for two adults to comfortably lie down. The smaller you are, the more comfortable you’ll be.
The Skycouch comes with other features like a specialized seatbelt that’s designed to be comfortable to wear while laying down. As someone who lives in fear of turbulence, I’m a big fan of Air New Zealand’s ‘cuddle belt’.
Azul Brazilian Airlines
Shortly after Air New Zealand launched its Skycouch, Brazil’s Azul Brazilian Airlines created its own Skysofa model.
This is distinct in that Azul’s airplanes use a two-four-two seating block arrangement—meaning passengers get even more space with the Skysofa.
Rather than solely focusing on passengers who want to catch some shut-eye, Azul’s Skysofa is also ideal for families traveling with small children. The Skysofa is a more comfortable and group-oriented way to travel.
Air Astana
Air Astana is an airline based in Kazakhstan that serves the Central Asia region. Solo passengers have the option to book an Economy Sleeper—which is actually a different cabin than the standard economy seats.
Unlike the Skycouch and Skysofa, Air Astana’s Economy Sleeper offers a flat sleeping surface without a leg-rest pop-out. That means it’s a narrow bed that’s suitable for solo passengers only.
But it comes with some unique features, like separate boarding and in-flight entertainment, that make it worth the price tag.
All Nippon Airways
All Nippon Airways, based in Japan, offers a stellar experience via its Sky Couchii options. Like the Skycouch, leg inserts pull out to create a wide and comfortable bed. This allows couples or families to fly in greater comfort.
Similar to Azul, some of the planes that offer the Sky Couchii have four rows, which adds even more space. Once again, that makes it a great option for families flying long-haul with mulitple children.
Airlines that offer similar solutions
Lufthansa
Next, we have Lufthansa’s Sleeper’s Row model. Unlike the options listed above, this isn’t a specialized setup. In other words, there are no panels that pop out to create a comfortable bed or sofa-like setup.
Instead, Lufthansa gives passengers the option to book the whole row on certain flights.
What I like about this option is that it’s offered according to availability. While that means they aren’t always bookable, it also means that Sleeper’s Rows are more affordable. You can add on this option for between $180-250 on a long-haul flight—which isn’t a bad deal.