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 | Airbus A319 (319) | 39.0" | 21.0" | Overhead TV | All Seats | AC Power |
| Air Canada | Airbus A320 (320) | 37.0" | 21.0" | Personal TV | All Seats | AC Power |
| Air Canada | Airbus A321 Vers. 1 (321) | 39.0" | 21.0" | Overhead TV | All Seats | AC Power |
| Air Canada | Airbus A321 Vers. 2 (321) | 39.0" | 21.0" | Overhead TV | All Seats | AC Power |
| Air Canada | Boeing 767-200 (762) | 38.0" | 18.0" | Overhead TV | None | None |
| Air Canada | Canadair CRJ-705 (CRA) | 37.0" | 21.0" | Personal TV | All Seats | AC Power |
| Air Canada | Embraer ERJ-175 (E75) | 39.0" | 21.0" | Personal TV | All Seats | AC Power |
| Air Canada | Embraer ERJ-190 (190) | 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 (73G) | 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. 1 (73H) | 36-37.0" | 21.0" | None | None | None |
| Alaska Airlines | Boeing 737-800 Vers. 2 (738) | 36-37.0" | 21.0" | None | None | None |
| Alaska Airlines | Boeing 737-900 (739) | 36-37.0" | 21.0" | Personal TV | None | None |
| Alaska Airlines | McDon. Doug. MD-80 (M80) | 36-37.0" | 19.5" | None | None | None |
| American Airlines | Airbus A300 (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 767-300 (763) | 57-60.0" | 18.5" | Personal TV | All Seats | DC Power |
| American Airlines | McDon. Doug. Super-80/83 (S80) | 39.0" | 19.5" | None | All Seats | DC Power |
| 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 | None | None |
| Continental Airlines | Boeing 737-800 Vers. 1 (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 737-800 Vers. 4 (738) | 38.0" | 21.0" | Overhead TV | None | None |
| Continental Airlines | Boeing 737-900 (739) | 38.0" | 21.0" | Overhead TV | None | None |
| Continental Airlines ** | Boeing 757-200 (752) | 55.0" | 20.0" | Personal TV | All Seats | AC Power |
| Continental Airlines | Boeing 757-300 24-First (753) | 38.0" | 20.75" | Overhead TV | None | None |
| Continental Airlines ** | Boeing 767-200 (762) | 55.0" | 21.0" | Personal TV | All Seats | EmPower |
| Delta Air Lines | Boeing 737-800 Vers. 1 (738) | 38.0" | 20.5" | Overhead TV | All Seats | EmPower |
| Delta Air Lines | Boeing 737-800 Vers. 2 (738) | 38.0" | 20.5" | Personal TV | All Seats | AC Power |
| Delta Air Lines | Boeing 757-200 Transcontinental (752) | 38.0" | 20.75" | Personal TV | All Seats | AC Power |
| Delta Air Lines | Boeing 757-200 2-Class (752) | 37-38.0" | 20.75" | Overhead TV | None | None |
| Delta Air Lines | Boeing 757-200 Ex-TWA Vers. 1 (752) | 39.0" | 21.0" | Overhead TV | None | None |
| Delta Air Lines | Boeing 767-300 US Vers. 1 (763) | 40.0" | 18.5" | Overhead TV | None | None |
| Delta Air Lines | Boeing 767-300 US Ves. 2 (763) | 40.0" | 18.5" | Personal TV | All Seats | AC Power |
| Delta Air Lines ** | Boeing 767-300ER Intl. (763) | 60.0" | 18.5" | Personal TV | All Seats | EmPower |
| Delta Air Lines | Boeing 767-400ER (764) | 39.0" | 18.5" | Personal TV | All Seats | EmPower |
| Delta Air Lines ** | Boeing 777-200 (772) | 60.0" | 21.0" | Personal TV | All Seats | EmPower |
| Delta Air Lines | Canadair CRJ-900 Vers. 1 (CR9) | 35.0" | 18.5" | None | None | None |
| 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 | Embraer ERJ-170 (E70) | 36.0" | 19.0" | None | None | None |
| Delta Air Lines | McDon. Doug. MD-88 (M80) | 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. 1 (763) | 42.0" | 18.5" | Personal TV | None | None |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Boeing 767-300 Vers. 2 (763) | 42.0" | 18.5" | Personal TV | 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 Vers. 1 (752) | 37.0" | 21.0" | None | None | None |
| Northwest Airlines | Boeing 757-200 Vers. 2 (752) | 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" | 21.0" | None | None | None |
| Northwest Airlines | Embraer ERJ-175 (E75) | 36.0" | 20" | None | None | None |
| Northwest Airlines | McDon. Doug. DC-9-30 (D9S) | 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 |
| Spirit Airlines | Airbus A319 (319) | 36.0" | 19.5" | None | None | None |
| Spirit Airlines | Airbus A321 (321) | 36.0" | 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 1 (733) | 38.0" | 20.5" | None | None | None |
| United Airlines | Boeing 737-300 US 2 (733) | 38.0" | 20.5" | None | None | None |
| United Airlines | Boeing 737-500 US 1 (735) | 38.0" | 20.5" | None | None | None |
| United Airlines | Boeing 737-500 US 2 (735) | 38.0" | 20.5" | None | None | None |
| United Airlines | Boeing 757-200 (752) | 38.0" | 20.5" | Overhead TV | Some Seats | EmPower |
| 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 767-300 WW (763) | 64.0" | 20.5" | Personal TV | All Seats | EmPower |
| United Airlines ** | Boeing 767-300 WW (763) | 55.0" | 19.0" | Personal TV | All Seats | EmPower |
| United Airlines | Boeing 777-200 US (772) | 38.0" | 21.0" | Overhead TV | All Seats | EmPower |
| United Airlines | Canadair CRJ-700 (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. 1 (733) | 37.0" | 20.3" | Overhead TV | None | None |
| US Airways | Boeing 737-300 Vers. 2 (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. 1 (752) | 38.0" | 20.2" | Overhead TV | None | None |
| US Airways | Boeing 757-200 Vers. 3 (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.

