Flight Review: Hawaiian Airlines Extra Comfort is a non-negotiable from New York to Honolulu

While I was in the USA last year I had a few changes to my itinerary. It was ambitious, I was darting from coast to coast to Canada and back again, but not everything was locked in. I spent most of the time in New York City and planned to gradually make my way over to Honolulu, Hawaii to finally tick the iconic archipelago off my bucket list.

But things changed. I needed to fly directly from JFK to HNL. An 11-hour flight.

I was hoping to leave the long-hauls for later, especially since this is considered a domestic flight so may not have that level of service that helps take the edge off international travel. This is when stepping up to a different cabin makes sense.

You have limited options if you want to fly nonstop from New York City to Hawaii. There are only three major carriers that service this route, with the most obvious one being Hawaiian Airlines.

The state’s flag carrier doesn’t have an official Premium Economy for this leg. Here, the step-above-Economy is simply called Extra Comfort and its main benefit is a few more inches of leg space. I’m 6’1 so the extra legroom is a non-negotiable. Turns out there are a few other benefits that come with flying Extra Comfort (which really is the only option that makes sense for a service like this)

Extra Comfort feels incredibly spacious, the service is exceptionally warm when we do get it, and the complimentary perks, such as the pre-landing drink and priority boarding, don’t go unnoticed. We particularly like the added privacy afforded to passengers in the first two A330 Extra Comfort rows thanks to a partition, it really gives it that VIP feel.

Airline: Hawaiian Airlines
Route: New York City (JFK) – Honolulu (HNL)
Flight Number: HA 51
Aircraft Type: Airbus A330-200 (twin-jet)
Seat Number: 14B (Aisle, 2-4-2 Layout).
Flight time: 11 hours 15 minutes
On Time? Yes.
Seat features: AC power (under the seat), USB-A

At The Gate

JFK is my favourite airport to fly into for New York. Not just because of the uniquely transportive TWA Hotel (a former terminal turned into a retro-luxe hotel themed after a former airline), but it’s also easy to get to. You just get yourself to Jackson Heights, one of the best neighbourhoods in Queens, and catch a bus from there.

Hawaiian Airlines has a significant presence at JFK so gates aren’t pushed towards the back of the terminal. Despite the flight leaving at 10am, I didn’t feel at all rushed as I checked in with the kiosks and dropped my bag.

A few years ago, I would have proudly told you that I was one of the last people to board any flight. There’s no superhuman rush to wait at the gate. That’s never been the case when I’m flying in the US, given the shrinking overhead cabin space and the instance of boarding people in groups rather than rows. Board slow and you run the risk of not having space for your carry-on luggage. It’s not a good idea.

And so Extra Comfort’s biggest benefit isn’t the extra leg space, it’s priority boarding. Notably, Extra Comfort passengers board after First Class, those needing extra time, on active military duty (there are a lot of them flying to Hawaii) or anyone with elite status with Hawaiian Airlines. This pretty much guarantees that you won’t be fighting for space like Economy passengers in one of the higher-numbered groups.

Being able to cut away that stress on any flight in the USA is worth it.

In-Flight Experience & Comfort

An extra five inches of legroom doesn’t sound like much on paper, but once seated it can make a world of difference. The seats can be just as wide as the ones in Economy, but we’re talking a 36-inch pitch versus 31-inch. To compare, 31 inches is the industry standard and with Qantas Economy – considered quite generous for the standard cabin – you’re looking at a 33-inch pitch.

36 inches is an exceedingly generous middle ground between Economy and true Premium Economy. When it only costs an extra hundred or two to upgrade, you can see why it’s worth it. Some digging online tells me that this is the most popular way to fly from New York to Hawaii. Extra comfort is non-negotiable.

My seat was 14B, the aisle in a 2-4-2 configuration. The bulkhead gives extra privacy thanks to a partition separating the first two rows of the Extra Comfort cabin. Rows 11 and 12 are also Extra Comfort seats but row 12 only has the four seats in the middle given it’s directly in front of the main entry/exit. I also don’t mind being next to the restrooms either – it’s never been an issue for me and I can spring up as soon as I see one become available.

That’s another benefit. You just enter the aircraft and sit down. Row 14 is the first of the main cabin so I was speedy heading off to the city once I touched down in Honolulu.

There are 68 Extra Comfort seats in the Economy cabin while the rest are standard Economy. The aircraft also has 18 lie-flat First Class seats which are obviously more ideal, but substantially more expensive.

Food & Drink

The timing of HA 51 couldn’t be better. You leave JFK at 10am and touch down in Honolulu at 2:55pm. The clock has already ticked past check-in time once you arrive at your hotel so the end-to-end trip runs smoothly.

Despite the reasonable time, I still managed to fall asleep for a good deal of the flight. I’m no longer as good at sleeping in Economy as I used to be so this is a testament to how comfortable the seats were.

So while I missed the pesto chicken sandwich on offer, I did wake up in time for some Hawaiian crisps and water. This is where the fact that Extra Comfort isn’t Premium Economy is more apparent. There are no complimentary beverages or a more extensive food menu. However, I’m told that Extra Comfort passengers on international flights do get some more inclusions when it comes to food and drink.

 

Service

I feel like this is the most important thing to mention in this Hawaiian Airlines flight review. The service on Hawaiian Airlines is notably better than what I would expect on board a US carrier. Despite this being a well-worn route, staff are vigilant, inexplicably happy and generous with their time. I would imagine this has a lot to do with Hawaii itself.

I’ve noticed a similar difference on Fiji Airways. The service is much more relaxed, and when it comes to air travel, this is essential. Stress works differently up in the air, and the more stressed you are the more likely you are to get frustrated at smaller things or absorb someone else’s bad mood. I imagine this is why passengers can be so petty when compared to other service settings (such as a restaurant), given flying is infinitely more stressful and time-testing (everyone just wants to go to their destination) than most modes of transport.

Maybe it’s that famed island time you hear so much about. Hawaiian Airlines’ impeccable staff are a big reason I’d choose this route again.

Final Verdict

This was my very first time flying Hawaiian Airlines. I think taking a long-haul domestic is the best test you’ve got when trying to assess how you feel about a carrier. And my experience was largely positive. My two essentials when travelling in the States is Priority Boarding and as much legroom as possible. Extra Comfort gives you both and it doesn’t cost a ridiculous amount to upgrade.

I’d go so far as to say this is the ideal leg-up over Economy as opposed to Premium Economy. For many airlines, Premium Economy has become the stock-standard offering while Economy has gotten worse. The practice kind of pushes you to pay more for your airfare. This is a great middle-ground as it does give you meaningful benefits while also costing only slightly more.

So how much would I pay for an upgrade? I flew for work, so as a guest of the airline, but if I saw an upgrade from Economy to Extra Comfort for say $150-$160, I’d pay it. If you wouldn’t, then you’ve never flown Economy on a long-haul domestic before.

FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)

Need to jump between New York and Hawaii anytime soon? Book your flight through Hawaiian Airlines.

The writer travelled from New York to Hawaii as a guest of Hawaiian Airlines.

Chris Singh

Chris Singh is an Editor-At-Large at the AU review, loves writing about travel and hospitality, and is partial to a perfectly textured octopus. You can reach him on Instagram: @chrisdsingh.