Domestic First Class or Domestic Business Class Explained and Compared

On this page you'll find information about Domestic (USA) First and Business Class plus a sortable chart that can be used to compare First Class seating among different airlines.

What can I expect in Domestic First or Domestic Business Class?

People who have flown or seen International Business class are often disappointed by Domestic First or Business Class. There are only small improvements over most coach class seats, and many customers are sad to see that there aren't any legrests. These days it is more common to see a frequent flyer upgraded into these seats than a true paying First Class customer. Airlines have started offering these seats to customers that pay for full fare coach tickets as they try to increase their revenue from these seats. Here's what to expect in Domestic First:

  • No Middle Seats
  • 5-7 inches of Extra Legroom
  • 2 Extra inches of Seat Width
  • Food Service & Free Alcoholic Beverages on most flights

Domestic First Class or Domestic Business Class Comparison Chart

The table below can be sorted by any column. Simply click a column header (i.e. Airline) to re–sort the table. Clicking the header a second time will reverse the sort. Have questions? See the Chart Key.

Airline Aircraft Type Seat Pitch Seat Width Video Type Laptop Power Power Type
Air Canada Canadair CRJ-705 (CR7) 37.0" 21.0" Personal TV All Seats DC Power
Air Canada Embraer ERJ-175 (E75) 39.0" 21.0" Personal TV All Seats AC Power
Air Canada Embraer ERJ-190 (E90) 39.0" 21.0" Personal TV All Seats DC Power
AirTran Boeing 717-200 (717) 37.0" 22.0" None None None
AirTran Boeing 737-700 (737) 37.0" 22.0" None None None
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-400 (734) 36-37.0" 21.0" Personal TV None None
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-700 (73G) 36-37.0" 21.0" Personal TV None None
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 Vers. 2 (738) 36-37.0" 21.0" None None None
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 Vers. 1 (73H) 36-37.0" 21.0" None None None
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900 Vers. 2 (739) 36-38.0" 21.0" Personal TV None None
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900 Vers. 1 (739) 36-38.0" 21.0" Personal TV None None
American Airlines Airbus A300-600 (AB6) 40.0" 19.5" Overhead TV All Seats DC Power
American Airlines Boeing 737-800 (738) 40.0" 21.0" Overhead TV All Seats DC Power
American Airlines Boeing 757-200 (752) 39.0" 21.0" Overhead TV All Seats DC Power
American Airlines Boeing 767-200 (762) 62.0" 19.0" Personal TV All Seats DC Power
American Airlines Boeing 767-200 (762) 49-50.0" 18.5" Personal TV All Seats DC Power
American Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-80 (M80) 39.0" 19.5" None All Seats DC Power
British Airways Boeing 757-200 (752) 36-37.0 21.0" Overhead TV None None
China Airlines Boeing 737-800 Vers. 1 (738) 37.0" 21.0" None None None
Continental Airlines Boeing 737-300 (733) 37.0" 20.75" Overhead TV None None
Continental Airlines Boeing 737-500 (735) 37.0" 20.75" None None None
Continental Airlines Boeing 737-700 (73G) 38.0" 21.0" Overhead TV All Seats AC Power
Continental Airlines Boeing 737-800 Micronesia Division (738) 38.0" 21.0" Overhead TV None None
Continental Airlines Boeing 737-800 Vers. 2 (738) 38.0" 21.0" Overhead TV None None
Continental Airlines Boeing 737-800 Vers. 3 (738) 38.0" 21.0" Overhead TV None None
Continental Airlines Boeing 737-900ER (73E) 38.0" 21.0" None All Seats AC Power
Continental Airlines Boeing 737-900 (739) 38.0" 21.0" Overhead TV None None
Continental Airlines Boeing 757-300 (753) 38.0" 20.75" Overhead TV None None
Continental Airlines ** Boeing 767-200 (762) 55.0" 21.0" Personal TV All Seats EmPower
CSA Czech Airlines Aerospatiale/Alenia ATR-42 (AT4) 47.0'' 18.0'' Personal TV None None
Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-700 winglets (73W) 38.0" 21.0" Personal TV All Seats AC Power
Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-700 (73G) 38.0" 21.0" Personal TV All Seats AC Power
Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-800 Vers. 1 (738) 38.0" 20.5" Overhead TV All Seats EmPower
Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-800 (738) 38.0" 20.5" Personal TV All Seats AC Power
Delta Air Lines Boeing 757-200 Ex-TWA Vers. 1 (752) 39.0" 21.0" Overhead TV None None
Delta Air Lines Boeing 757-200 Transcontinental (752) 38.0" 20.75" Personal TV All Seats AC Power
Delta Air Lines Boeing 757-200 (752) 37-38.0" 20.75" Overhead TV None None
Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-300 (763) 40.0" 18.5" Personal TV All Seats AC Power
Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-400ER (764) 39.0" 18.5" Personal TV All Seats EmPower
Delta Air Lines Canadair CRJ-900 Vers. 2 (CR9) 35.0" 18.5" None None None
Delta Air Lines Canadair CRJ-900 Vers. 3 (CR9) 35.0" 18.5" None None None
Delta Air Lines Canadair CRJ-900 Vers. 1 (CR9) 35.0" 18.5" None None None
Delta Air Lines Embraer ERJ-170 (E70) 36.0" 19.0" None None None
Delta Air Lines Embraer ERJ-175 (E75) 36.0" 19.0" None None None
Delta Air Lines McDon. Doug. MD-88 (M88) 37.0" 19.5" None None None
Delta Air Lines McDon. Doug. MD-90 (M90) 37.0" 19.3" Overhead TV None None
Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 717-200 (717) 38.0" 20.0" None None None
Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767-300 Vers. 2 (763) 42.0" 18.5" Personal TV None None
Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 767-300 Vers. 1 (763) 42.0" 18.5" Personal TV None None
Mexicana Airlines Airbus A318 (318) 38.0" 22.0" Overhead TV None None
Mexicana Airlines Airbus A319 (319) 38.0" 22.0" Overhead TV None None
Mexicana Airways Airbus A320 (320) 38.0" 22.0" None None None
Mexicana Airlines Fokker 100 (F100) 38.0" 21.0" None None None
Northwest Airlines Airbus A319 (319) 35.0" 21.0" None None None
Northwest Airlines Airbus A320 (320, 32T, 32V) 36.0" 21.0" None None None
Northwest Airlines Boeing 757-200 (5500 Series) 37.0" 21.0" None None None
Northwest Airlines Boeing 757-200 (5600 Series) - Domestic 37.0" 21.0" None None None
Northwest Airlines Boeing 757-300 (753, 758) 37.0" 21.0" None None None
Northwest Airlines Bombardier CRJ900 37.0" 20.0" None None None
Northwest Airlines McDon. Doug. DC-9-30 (D93) 34.0" 19.5" None None None
Northwest Airlines McDon. Doug. DC-9-40 (D94) 35.0" 19.5" None None None
Northwest Airlines McDon. Doug. DC-9-50 (D95) 34.0" 19.5" None None None
Northwest Airlines Embraer ERJ-175 (E75) 36.0" 20.0" None None None
Qantas Airways Airbus A330-200 (332) 60.0" 21.5" Personal TV All Seats AC Power
Spirit Airlines Airbus A319 Vers. 2 (319) 36.0" 19.5" None None None
Spirit Airlines Airbus A319 Vers. 1 (319) 36.0" 19.5" None None None
Spirit Airlines Airbus A321 (321) 37.0" 19.5" None None None
United Airlines Airbus A319 (319) 38.0" 20.5" Overhead TV None None
United Airlines Airbus A320 (320) 38.0" 20.5" Overhead TV Some Seats EmPower
United Airlines Boeing 737-300 US Vers. 1 (733) 38.0" 20.5" None None None
United Airlines Boeing 737-300 US Vers. 2 (733) 38.0" 20.5" None None None
United Airlines Boeing 737-500 US Vers. 1 (735) 38.0" 20.5" None None None
United Airlines Boeing 737-500 US Vers. 2 (735) 38.0" 20.5" None None None
United Airlines Boeing 757-200 (752) 38.0" 20.5" Overhead TV None None
United Airlines ** Boeing 757-200 p.s. (752) 68.0" 21.5" Personal TV All Seats AC Power
United Airlines ** Boeing 757-200 p.s. (752) 54.0" 20.5" Personal TV All Seats AC Power
United Airlines Boeing 767-300 US (763) 38.0" 19.0" Overhead TV All Seats EmPower
United Airlines Boeing 777-200 US (777) 38.0" 21.0" Overhead TV All Seats EmPower
United Airlines Canadair CRJ-700 Vers. 2 (CR7) 37.0" 19.0" None None None
United Airlines Canadair CRJ-700 Vers. 1 (CR7) 37.0" 19.0" None None None
United Airlines Embraer ERJ-170 (E70) 37.0" 20.0" None None None
US Airways Airbus A319 (319) 37.0" 21.0" Overhead TV All Seats EmPower
US Airways Airbus A320 (320) 38.0" 21.0" Overhead TV All Seats EmPower
US Airways Airbus A321 (321) 38.0" 21.0" Overhead TV All Seats EmPower
US Airways Boeing 737-300 Vers. 2 (733) 37.0" 20.3" Overhead TV None None
US Airways Boeing 737-300 Vers. 1 (733) 37.0" 20.3" Overhead TV None None
US Airways Boeing 737-400 (734) 37.0" 20.3" Overhead TV None None
US Airways Boeing 757-200 Vers. 3 (752) 38.0" 20.2" Overhead TV None None
US Airways Boeing 757-200 Vers. 1 (752) 38.0" 20.2" Overhead TV None None
US Airways Embraer ERJ-190 (E90) 36.0" 19.0" None None None
Virgin America Airbus A319 (319) 55.0" 21.0" Personal TV All Seats AC Power
Virgin America Airbus A320 (320) 55.0" 21.0" Personal TV All Seats AC Power

** These planes are typically flying "premium transcontinental" routes or are planes that are configured for international travel but also fly domestic flights.

Comparison Chart Key

Aircraft Type:
The aircraft manufacturer, aircraft model, and three digit aircraft identification code.
Seat Pitch:
The distance between two rows of seats, this is the best indicator of legroom. More is better.
Seat Width:
The distance between the armrests of a single seat. More is better.
Video Type:
Describes the video service available on the plane:
  • Personal TV: The best type, you'll have an individual video screen with multiple channels at your control.
  • Overhead TV: Better than nothing, there are main video monitors located throughout the cabin.
  • None: You should bring a book... there's no video offered on this plane.
Laptop Power:
Denotes if power outlets for laptops or personal DVD players are available: (Read our In-Seat Laptop Power Guide)
  • All Seats: Every seat on the plane in this class of service features a power outlet.
  • Some Seats: Only certain seats offer a power outlet, consult the seatmap for the exact locations.
  • None: Bring your extra battery, there are no power outlets offered on this plane.
Power Type:
If laptop power exists, denotes the type of adapter required:
  • AC Power: No adapter needed, this is just like plugging into a regular outlet at home.
  • DC Power: This plug, also known as a cigarette style, is the same one you'll find in your car.
  • EmPower: A special adapter that has a small head and four connecting prongs.
  • None: Bring your extra battery, there are no power outlets offered on this plane.