I flew JetBlue for the first time and finally understand why it's one of the best airlines in the world

After five and a half hours, we arrive in Seattle.

The wifi offered more than enough bandwidth for me to work during the flight and even upload high definition images onto Business Insider's content management system.

All JetBlue flights are also equipped with free wifi.

After a few hours of exciting football, I decided to take it easy and enjoy the mood lighting.

Soon after takeoff, the cabin crew commenced with snack and beverage service.

The economy class drinks and snack service on board a JetBlue flight is unlike anything I've on a US airline. Most airlines around the world roll trolleys down the aisle with food and drink. Not JetBlue. First, its flight attendants approach each passenger to take individual orders. Then, the drinks and snacks are delivered on trays restaurant style.

JetBlue does offer actually meals on some transcon flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco. However, my flight to Seattle was a snack only affair. The chips, crackers, and soft drinks were unlimited. Cabin crew also walked around to hand out bottles of water.

While I could have used a nice sandwich on such a long flight, as a Business Insider employee this was not my first Cheez-it and soda meal.

The audio plug on my seat actually malfunctioned. Fortunately, I was the only one in my row, so I simply used the audio plug on an adjacent seat. But to others, I probably looked like the weird guy watching the same thing on two different screens.

I went for the DirecTV. After all, my Georgia Bulldogs were playing that night. We trounced Missouri 53-28 on the back of 700 yards of total offense. Go Dawgs!

You can also monitor the progress of your flight.

... Satellite radio.

... A large collection of TV shows, and...

... Boatloads of movies,...

There are roughly 100 channels of DirecTV ...

Each seat is equipped with a 10-inch high definition touch screen featuring numerous entertainment options.

JetBlue's A320/A321s boast six-abreast seating. The airline's slimline seats proved to be supportive and comfortable enough to sustain a five and a half hour flight without complaint. Something I can't say about the seats on several major US legacy airlines.

While JetBlue's A320s have an industry-leading 34 inches of seat pitch in economy, its A321s have either 32 or 33 inches depending on the interior layout. I believe I got the 32-inch variety. It was perfectly sufficient for my needs and the bottle holder was a nice touch.

On board the plane, mood lighting bathed the cabin in a blue hue.

While most US airlines board in zones, JetBlue boards with passengers in the back of the plane going first. It's similar to the system employed by Virgin Atlantic. I found it to be less frenzied than the zone-based method.

Boarding started on time for our early evening departure.

At the gate, I see my chariot. A four-year-old Airbus A321 named "Blue Swayed."

Once past the security checkpoint, I made my way to the heart of terminal 5. It's also home to Aer Lingus, Hawaiian Airlines, and TAP Portugal.

At the terminal, the first thing I encountered was the check-in kiosks.

Passengers are directed to the digital kiosks for check-in or to print out checked baggage tags. Since my boarding pass was stored on my iPhone, all I needed was a baggage tag. The airline had several employees on hand to assist anyone struggling with the kiosks.

With my checked baggage tag applied, I simply walked over to the handful of luggage conveyor belts where another employee scanned my bag and boarding pass using a handheld device. With my bags dropped off, all I had to do was go through the TSA checkpoint and then onto my gate.

Overall, JetBlue's check-in process is simple, efficient, and highly intuitive even for infrequent flyers.

JetBlue's terminal sits on real estate once occupied by TWA's iconic Flight Center. The remnants of that facility are being converted over to a luxury hotel.

Click here for more on the TWA Hotel.

My journey started with a trip from my home in northern New Jersey to JetBlue's base at JFK Terminal 5. Getting off the AirTrain, I was greeted by this sign and some digital kiosks.