5 things worth knowing about Alaska Airlines' first class

Alaska Airlines is the fifth-largest airline in North America by the number of passengers carried on scheduled flights. The airline is headquartered in SeaTac, Washington, and serves more than 100 destinations in North America, South America, and the Bahamas.

Alaska Airlines' main fleet consists of all Boeing 737 family aircraft, offering first, premium, and economy class cabins. Simple Flying provides information about Alaska Airlines' First Class on scheduled short- and long-haul flights, as noted by the airline itself.

Generous legroom

Alaska Airlines offers the most legroom of any US domestic airline, except for those that offer fully reclining seats in some first-class cabins, such as American Airlines' Airbus A321 Transcontinental. While the average seat pitch on U.S. airlines is 35 to 39 inches, Alaska Airlines offers a generous 41-inch seat pitch.

Seats in the elite cabin are also equipped with footrests, which is another important factor in passenger comfort. The airline advertises its first-class seats as follows:

"Settle into our spacious Recaro leather seats with a special design, power outlets, a wide recline range, and seat heights up to 41 inches*. We've added thoughtful new details like footrests, tablet holders, and easily accessible cup holders. This is first class done right."

Upscale Catering Menu

The airline has recently updated its first-class menu to include exotic dishes depending on the time of the flight, flight duration, and destination. The airline offers a comprehensive breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu for its elite customers. Some long-haul flights offer up to five meal options, while most first-class flights have at least four meal options.

The airline offers upscale chef-prepared meals, including omelets and pancakes for breakfast, burgers and sandwiches for lunch, and steaks and pasta for dinner. The airline also allows first-class passengers to pre-order a meal of their choice 20 hours before departure. This option is available on most flights over 670 miles.

Checked Baggage Allowance

The airline distinguishes itself from other check-in and baggage options with a generous baggage allowance of two checked bags per first-class passenger. Passengers also have the convenience of checking in for their flight and dropping off their baggage using priority/first-class check-in, bypassing the lines. They receive priority boarding and expedited security screening. Expedited security passes are only available at select airports.

While most domestic passengers travel without complimentary checked baggage, first-class passengers on domestic and international flights enjoy the peace of mind of having a minimum amount of carry-on baggage in the cabin. Alaska Airlines First Class privileges begin as soon as passengers check in at the airport.

Access to the First Class Lounge

Alaska Airlines offers complimentary access to First Class lounges, subject to availability. Depending on seat availability, First Class passengers can access lounges at both departure and destination airports. However, access to lounges is subject to certain restrictions.

"Access is limited to passengers traveling with a paid First Class ticket or an award ticket* on flights operated by Alaska Airlines where the distance of a single flight is at least 2,100 miles. Club 49 members receive access on a paid or award First Class ticket on flights to, through, or from the state of Alaska, regardless of the distance. Passengers traveling on a paid or award First Class ticket*, if the distance of one flight does not exceed 2,100 miles, can purchase a one-time lounge pass at a discounted price of $30," reports Alaska Airlines.

First class has a dedicated flight attendant

First-class passengers receive special attention from flight attendants to ensure that their needs are met promptly. Alaska Airlines ensures that there are always attentive flight attendants in the First Class cabin.

"Dedicated First Class flight attendants mean you're never far from a helping hand. Whether it's hanging up your coat, providing information about your flight, or offering you a refreshing drink."

First Class flight attendants are specially trained to ensure that elite guests are taken care of throughout the flight. Exceptional attention to detail is guaranteed during boarding, meals, and other similar passenger requests.

As Travel Wise previously wrote, JetBlue offers a complimentary helicopter transfer between the city center and the airport for passengers flying Mint class.