I flew business class on the only Dreamliner route between the US and Mexico - here's what it was like
AeroMexico flies out of JFK Terminal 4, which predominately services Delta. Check-in was easy, with a dedicated SkyPriority area for business class passengers and SkyTeam elites. There happened to be a large group in front of us, but we were able to drop our bags after just a few minutes.
Aeromexico doesn't have its own lounge at JFK, so business class passengers can use Delta's Sky Club. I usually fly Delta so I've been in this Sky Club a number of times — it can get crowded, but there's usually plenty of seating. This time, for some reason, it was absolutely overflowing. Eventually we found seats, and had a quick snack before heading to the gate just in time for boarding to start.
We were on board fairly quickly. AeroMexico’s 787-9 features seats made by B/E Aerospace laid out in a desirable 1-2-1 reverse herringbone configuration, so every passenger has direct aisle access, without having to step over anyone. This is especially useful since the seats are all lie-flat and turn into fully-flat beds.
Middle seats are angled in towards each other. This gets you the best of both worlds — if you’re traveling with someone you know, you can easily talk to each other, but if you’re solo, the seats are far enough away from each other (or, when you’re lying down, the heads are far enough away from each other) that it still feels relatively private. Of course, the window seats are the most private.
Each seat had a plastic-wrapped pillow and blanket waiting on it, as well as a pair of headphones on the storage area. Most business class flights also feature an amenity kit — however, the JFK–MEX route is too short and consequently has a few service items cut from the traditional international business class offerings.
It’s always a little awkward to hold on to all that stuff while you wait to take off, but the reverse-herringbone business class seats had plenty of storage room — I stuffed mine into the roomy foot cubby (when you recline your seat, your feet go onto the ottoman).
Each seat also had a large flat screen in-flight entertainment monitor.
We were offered a choice of drinks when we sat down as boarding continued — we went for the sparkling wine…
...And given menus for the flight. Because it was daytime, we had the regular meal service.
There was also a sizeable drinks list.
One great feature was that each seat had personal air nozzles. While this is common on US airlines and most other North American carriers, it isn’t always a given on foreign airlines, particularly those based in Asia or Europe.
After a short taxi and take-off, we were in the air. Business class meal service began rather quickly after take-off with a light cheese course, and a full drink cart.
For lunch, I had the chicken. It was tasty — definitely a step above what you'd get in domestic first class, and more akin to what a US or European airline would serve on a trans-Atlantic business class flight.
For dessert, there was a choice of cheesecake or ice cream. I went for the latter, which was served in a personal-sized Häagen Dazs container.
After lunch (right before dessert came), I checked in on our flight's status on the in-flight entertainment. We were a little bit less than halfway there, so I reclined my seat...
...And put on a movie. I dozed off, and woke up shortly before landing. Once we reached the terminal, the business class cabin disembarked, followed by economy. We made our way through immigration and customs, before heading to an airport hotel for a short overnight layover.
The next morning, we continued on to Santiago. That flight, clocking in at around eight hours, is operated by a 787 as well — usually the 787-8, but an equipment swap landed us with the same type of plane — a 787-9 — that flew us from New York.
Ultimately, the flight was a similar experience, just longer. It also had a pre-landing snack, and, since it was a true long-haul flight, we got an amenity kit.
The opportunity to fly on the spacious, comfortable 787 Dreamliner for the 4-5 hour flight to Mexico City is a treat. The flight may not be too long, but it's long enough to appreciate the wider body, less claustrophobic feeling, and optimized environmental and lighting controls of the Dreamliner.
While business class was excellent, even economy class on a Dreamliner beats what you'd normally find on a flight within North America.
If you're booking a flight between New York and Mexico City, make sure to take note of the aircraft type on the booking page. Only one daily flight is operated by the Dreamliner, so you may find yourself on a 737 instead.
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