Flying to Hawaii used to be something to look forward to. Now, even first class on most domestic carriers feels like a letdown—small seats, inconsistent service, and meals you could do better with from a mainland takeout box. That’s why we started doing something very differently.
Since April, your BOH editors have flown this way eight times. We have more Hawaii flights coming up, and we’ll be doing it again with just a few exceptions we’ll note below. The idea is simple and we’ve discussed it before: book three economy seats for two people, create your own space, and bring your food. We’ve flown this way on Hawaiian, Alaska, United, American, and even on long-haul flights to Europe. Unless lie-flat suites are involved, we’re no longer flying first class. We’ve built something far better!
How our DIY first-class setup works.
Instead of booking two seats side by side, we reserve three seats across—an entire row in economy. That gives us enough room to stretch out, set up a real meal, and avoid rubbing shoulders with strangers. There is no premium cabin upgrade, no elite status, and no hoping for an empty seat. Simple. Done.
It’s not complicated. The combination makes it work: more space and less hassle. We use the middle tray table to serve up food. We bring paper towels, real utensils if needed, and whatever food we want—something from home, a favorite spot in Hawaii, or a stop at a trusted restaurant or grocery store near the airport.
If we’re flying out of Honolulu, it might be fresh poke or takeout from Diamond Head Market or Whole Foods. If we’re on the mainland, it could be sandwiches, sushi, or whatever holds up well at cruising altitude. It never fails!
We’ve done this with Hawaiian, Alaska, United, American, and even on long-haul flights to Europe. And we’ll keep doing it—because we’ve learned something strange: our DIY setup is often more comfortable than the first-class cabin.
On a recent United Airlines flight from Hawaii to the mainland, BOH editors were offered complimentary upgrades to first class. We turned it down. The flight attendant called it a “self-downgrade.” It wasn’t. It was a space, privacy, and control choice—and it beat the upgrade.
Why it beats first class on almost every Hawaii flight.
Unless you’re getting a full lie-flat seat, the first-class cabin on Hawaii flights rarely justifies its price. Jeff says it’s simply claustrophobic. The seats on narrow-body aircraft like the 737 MAX or A321neo are wider but not significantly more comfortable. The recline is minimal, the legroom is dismal, the footrests are often missing, and the meals are almost always forgettable.
In contrast, having three seats in coach gives you something that first class often can’t: space to breathe and the ability to tailor the experience. You control your meal, your environment, and your comfort. You don’t have to wait for someone to come around with a tray of warmed-over nondescript something and a cookie. If you even get that. United recently flew Hawaii routes without meal service. You already have what you want—at your preferred temperature and the time that works for you.
This setup makes a huge difference on red-eye flights. Being able to stretch across or lean away from your seatmate (when that seatmate is your travel partner) changes the experience entirely. It’s not lie-flat comfort but a big step up from the typical coach squeeze.
Of course, not all first class is created equal. Editor Rob is pictured here flying Singapore Airlines’ regional first class on the A350-900—an example of when a premium cabin truly delivers. But on narrow-body Hawaii flights, that’s simply not the case.
Booking and keeping your third seat.
The bottom line: it works, as long as you’re willing to make a phone call if needed. Here’s our experience booking a third seat by airline:
Hawaiian Airlines doesn’t currently allow booking three seats for two people online. You’ll need to call, but the process is relatively straightforward.
Alaska Airlines is similar. Their website won’t let you book the third seat under one name, but calling the reservation line typically solves it.
American and Delta also require a phone call. In our experience, the agents know exactly what you’re trying to do and can secure the seats without confusion.
United Airlines is the most seamless. You can book all three seats online, and their system includes a dropdown to label the third passenger as “extra seat.” That simplifies things considerably. Even so, we always double-check the assignments before departure.
We’ve never had an extra seat reassigned, but the potential is there, especially if the flight is full or the booking system flags your seat as unoccupied. To avoid surprises, ensure the airline knows it’s your seat, and always remember to scan the boarding pass for that extra seat when you board.
Some airlines will list the extra seat under your name, followed by an “EXST” code. Either way, it’s worth checking your seating assignments 24 hours before departure (which is always a good idea) and again at the gate.
Southwest’s soon-to-end open seating policy still makes this strategy impossible to execute. However, that will soon change as they move to seat assignments.
What it really costs—and what you save.
The question we get is: isn’t that expensive? Sometimes. But it’s not as much as you might think—and it’s often cheaper than first class.
Let’s say you’re flying from Los Angeles to Honolulu. A standard economy fare might be $250 each. Three seats would cost $750 total. Two first-class tickets could easily be $1,500 to $3,000 on the same flight. Even when economy fares are higher, booking three seats still tends to come in far below the cost of two first-class tickets, and you gain flexibility—no fixed meal service, no reliance on the airline to deliver your desired comfort.
When not to use this strategy.
We don’t do this on flights with two-abreast seats in economy. In that case, such as on Hawaiian Airlines A330, you already get a private row for two. We skip it on routes with actual lie-flat business class, or if we’ve been upgraded to a high-value premium cabin with real differentiation. That is otherwise rarely the case on Hawaii flights across the industry.
This remains our go-to guaranteed comfort solution for most Hawaii flights, especially narrow-body routes.
Final thoughts on BOH’s three-seat first class trick.
This isn’t a trick we picked up once and forgot. It’s become the way we fly virtually every time. If you’re tired of wondering whether your flight will be tolerable or a first-class upgrade is worth it, this gives you another option. We’ve done it eight times since April and will do it again next week.
Try it once. You might never go back. Please let us know.
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I would love to try this once to check it out but I generally fly alone- Kauai for a writers conference (and this is my second year doing that) or Oahu to conduct an annual memorial for my Mom.
Sometimes using your miles strategically can work better. For instance a regular Coach fare from SMF to OGG is $628 one way and First Class is $1472. This is for lie flat to HNL and then on to Maui in FC. However it’s 40k miles for first class. I recently purchased miles on Hawaiian for 50pct bonus so the cost in miles works out to be around $750. In this case it’s cheaper to use your miles to get first class.
We have used this same method many times. However, when we attempted this on a recent flight on Delta it would not let us book the seats with the space inbetween. We could book in seperate rows, but not with the seat open between us.
It is a shame domestic airlines charge for seats that on international airlines are free.
In Europe, this is called “Business Class”.
What a frustrating and self-indulgent suggestion. This world is increasingly focused on selfish acts regardless of who may be impacted. The fact that there is one less seat available, or that others may be paying more money for their seat as a result of your booking and airline pricing models, that someone may not get to fly standby who may legitimately need to get on a flight, or a myriad of other reasons seems to not bother you as individuals. I guess my moral code is slightly different. I fly a lot, and I pay for the level of service I would like without pretending that a hack such as this is justifiable in any way.
How is it immoral? It is not keeping a seat from anyone. If it gets booked, it gets booked. The person booking the seat often winds up getting a window or aisle seat as we move to sit next to each other.
Remember, airlines are a business and air travel is a transaction not an entitlement. Commercial marketed flights have no actual or expected charitable or community relief aspect to them. If someone values (whether based on comfort, need, or something else) and is willing to pay market rates for additional space, then why should they not do it. Every seat in First or “Extra/Comfort” cabins do the same thing, just in a more formally defined fashion. The result in all cases is fewer people per sq. ft. and in turn more $$$ per individual in that space. Space on a plane is like the garage sale mantra: “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” For everyone who travels extensively for work and/or pleasure, myself included, many quickly find space carries as much value as money itself. Commercial marketed air travel is a service for profit, not an emergency evacuation from Dunkirk, Saigon, or Afghanistan, so “morals” have little relevance to the situation.
That’s a great hack! I travel for a living so it is often just me that is flying but I have been doing the DIY first class for years. I luckily don’t take up too much space so being on an economy class seat doesn’t bother me too much, I would rather have the money in my pocket when landing. 99% of the time your flight is what you make it. I bring my own flight kit, complete with all the comforts – the most important being the Bose noise canceling headphones. Instant first class. I also don’t rely on the airlines to feed me I bring my own non messy non smelly food on board and I download any movies I want to watch ahead of time. Flying is what you make it but having that third seat is invaluable. Love to hear everyone’s travel hacks!
These people who can just “buy an extra seat” like it’s a Snickers bar. This is a perfect example of entitlement.
Is this type of “entitlement” the same as someone apparently feeling like they are more “entitled” to a seat space over the person who can “buy it like a Snickers bar?” Bottom line is that the seat is being provided as part of a larger service, so regardless of who’s money is renting that seat and the space associated with it, the service provider is meeting its financial return goals. If they don’t meet those goals, the service may cease to exist in its entirety. Would it be prudent to forgo revenue from a ghost in hopes that a real live boy or girl will come along to buy that same seat for the same amount of money?
Your math is not mathing…
You didnt account for free alcohol, easier to stand and stretch without everybody starring, closer to a less used bathroom, dedicated flight attendant, free entertainment pads, free blankets and pillows and some even give you a little bag with a comb or tooth brush etc.
But the biggest thing you failed to account for is the cost of 2 checked bags which can easiler be another $100 and Free lounge access, another $50.
Plus, I fly Hawaiian air, lie flat for $600-800. Also, Id rather buy the one seat and not have to stress about having all my seats together, and its not like I can lay across them. (5’11).
Not to mention the precious baggage space you had to use to carry on all that extra utensil/food stuff.
It’s great that there are some many solutions to so many problems and yet it seems that only one solution is appropriate for all problems and individuals. The math checks out on my Hawaii flight purchase this evening … 3 coach seats at $219/ea = $657 for two people vs. 2 premium cabin recliner seats $1,857/ea = $3,714. But I went ahead and went with the premium cabin since it came with a free $8 drink and a 3/8 oz tube of toothpaste. Wouldn’t fault someone for the 3 coach seat route though.
When flying to Hawaii there are very few pleasure that can beat splurging on toothpaste, and airlines know it
I recently flew business class from SIN to MAA on SIAs 737 with seats that rival a wide body.
Did this on the United LIH SFO recently. Phoned it in, the agent waived the phone in fee and upgraded us to more legroom. (I don’t have any United status) We are not “plus” people so the seat is fine. You get to use both armrests, and shove stuff under the middle seat and on the middle seat. Definitely more room for your things than even first class.
The lack of adequate restrooms is the worst issue, but it’s ok to stand in line a bit. Saved well over $1000. We spent that on a two night stay at the Hyatt airport hotel, dinner and a show, flying to the final destination after.
Maybe a better thought would be if airlines just removed the center seat and made the economy seats a little wider by 8 or so inches? This trick fails if someone purchases the middle seat as a solo primary purchase. To encourage this airlines could make the center seat 2 inches wider vs the aisle or window so then the center seat would be always be booked first vs two seats.
“Maybe a better thought would be if airlines just removed the center seat and made the economy seats a little wider by 8 or so inches?”
You mean, first class? If you want more room you can pay for it. Airline seats are calibrated in size to give you cheaper prices, which is what the majority of people want. Pay for the level of comfort you want and can afford.
Upgrade first class to Lazy Boy type recliners and only place two per row. Problem solved.
Yeah, I’d like Bergdorf Goodman lifestyle at Walmart prices, too 🙂
Looks like the only benefit is sit at an angle in the seat with your feet in the place where the middle person would normally reside their feet. Each person does this and what is the legroom difference? 6inches to 12 inches more which would amount to Half the width of the center seat diagonal depending on what angle you are sitting? This would also matter on each person’s shoe size and how wide someone’s feet are. How comfortable is it to sit in a airline seat cocked side way’s? Depends on how wide your body is? Talking to an agent does cost more than online because of someone having to get paid to make the reservation. It would be really great if the middle box or armrest would swivel up as well as the aisle ones also. Not sure how this method works for someone who has lower back issues and needs good lumbar support? Rob and Jeff are you sure this method only works for people who regularly takes Yoga classes? Just a thought.
Can a middle seat be purchased for a solo traveler? using a similar approach
On the reservation it would state that you purchased or aquired an extra seat but the person sitting on the other side would be another customer. You would purchase an aisle seat or a window seat and your extra seat would be the middle or center seat.
“We’ve never had an extra seat reassigned, but the potential is there, especially if the flight is full or the booking system flags your seat as unoccupied. ” Why is the potential there for reassignment?
If you have paid for the extra seat, + called to ‘assign’ the seat, how does the booking system take the seat from you? And if it does, how do you get the refund?
Thank you for the tip! We are currently planning a trip for 2027 for a family of 3. How would this process work for 3 people?
I think that calling the reservations department of certain airlines endures a price to book or booking with an agent versus online booking. I remember it was quoted to me about $100 dollars more per seat to book directly with the airline through a representative.
Don’t know if it’s still like this but just a thought if you have to call the airline directly.
BOH you guys encouraged us to try this three seat trip 3 months ago when we had a very unpleasant trip back to the mainland on a UA 777-200 in first class. I just cannot stand those narrow uncomfortable tight coach seats with no leg room, even if you’ve got three seats in a row. At 6’3″ it’s a tough call. I much prefer premium economy or first class. We can usually find a bargain in one or the other on United or American if we search months in advance. Maybe if we start having trouble finding bargain first class or premium economy I’ll give it a try. But I’m not looking forward to it. Flying in coach is like riding in a Greyhound bus these days. Thanks for the article and advice.
Aloha to all.
I had the same experience with higher prices when you call vs a website. I had a 3k cancelation credit when we canceled a flight. Months down the road to use the credit, I found a flight for two on the airline website, round trip cost about 3k but you have to call the airline to use the credit. When I called the airline (alaska) they quoted a price of $5700 for the exact flights.
To me it seems like a scam to avoid them having to pay the credited amount. I have a complaint pending with them.
You explained all details but one – how do you get the same extra legroom space in economy using this trick which is the equivalent of First or Business Class? Because I don’t see how that extra legroom would magically appear by booking three seats.
On another note, although this saves you money with some additional benefit, it still doesn’t come close to what the First or Business Class would offer, from priority boarding, priority luggage handling and a full three-course meal.
Allow me to speak for the almost 7-feet tall people who use this method. The extra legroom is in the middle. My wife sits on the window, I sit on the aisle, and my legs go in the middle. I can stretch with the best of them. As for priority boarding, you get that as a frequent flier or airline credit card holder. (You will pay a small time penalty disembarking). Luggage handling – overrated, IMHO, as by the time you get to baggage claim the bags are usually ready. After all that, using BOH numbers, you are spending about $750 for that “first-class meal” (which, in our experiences was nothing memorable). Now we pack our own meals, and my wife even includes a nice napkin/tablecloth to go over our three trays (more space). Even the flight attendants are impressed. PS. We don’t even miss the free drinks in Premium. If we really wanted them we can pay for them out of the bounty we save. PPS. Now that BOH has publicized this, I expect the airlines to crack down on the move.
I appreciate the extra legroom explanation. Not quite like the First Class, but sounds more comfy than overpriced extra legroom seats, although more expensive.
As far as luggage, I’ve hardly ever had the luggage waiting on the carousel, especially in the last few years. Most of the time, the wait is no less than 15 minutes and typically much longer, especially at HNL. By the time many passengers finally get their luggage, I’m already in the car on my way home.
I have the Hawaiian Barclay’s MC but it doesn’t provide any priority boarding benefits unless you purchase extra legroom economy seats (or, obviously, First Class). To reach Pualani level you need to fly often, and now with HA/AS merger that will soon be gone.
Agree on meals. I don’t care much about those, but as a part of the whole deal it’s a nice plus.
It’s not more space. The three seats take up precisely the same amount of width as 2 first class seats so you don’t gain any space horizontally (and you loose some because of the extra bulk from the 3rd seat) and you definitely lose lots of space forward so you’re just fooling yourself thinking this is better than first class.
It’s a cope. Book the 3 seats and be happy; it’s a way to save money. But don’t pretend it’s somehow superior because it’s not.
Also, unless you’re actually tall yourself, don’t “speak for tall people.” It’s presumptuous and you’re misleading people. I’m 6’5″ and there’s no comparison between being squeezed into the pitch of coach seats and first class, especially on Alaska Airlines which has the best domestic first class pitch in the industry. And no, the extra room isn’t “in the middle.” A tall person can’t just magically make their legs go sideways and even if they can be slightly less uncomfortable with no one in the middle seat it’s a world of difference between being that and actually comfortable in first class.
One caution– some airlines charge more per seat if you call, so factor that in. I’ve had to call Hawaiian Airlines to book our seats to Maui, and the prices I was given were very different than what I saw online. I mentioned that fact when talking to customer service, because I was forced to call to book and they wouldn’t match the website price. Perhaps you can book two seats online and call to book the third.
What about status? Any credit for the miles flown?
Hi BOH team, do you know if the Alaska companion fare works for this?
FYI – As a “customer of size”, I always buy two seats for myself on Southwest, and get one of them refunded when I get back home. When my wife travels with me, we have the entire row to ourselves, and enjoy it much as you do. Southwest not only allows this – they will give you an extra seat if you need one without charge. Gate agents have assured me they will do this even if they have to bump someone on standby, but I don’t believe them, so I always make sure to buy the extra seat. If push came to shove, I could still squeeze into one seat, but no one would be comfortable, so I gratefully buy the two seats. We’re doing this from BWI to OGG in a couple weeks!
Can you utilize the purchase of an extra seat to bring on an additional carry on bag and personal item?
Isn’t this just another way for airlines to profit off what used to be free? As in more sure. It works, sure—but it shouldn’t have to.
I never thought to buy the middle seat. Feels like a game-changer if we can swing it financially. We’ll keep eyes on cheap economy flights to make this work on next Hawaii trip.
We’ve been doing this since you first mentioned it and honestly, it’s better than most domestic first class. More control, more space, and the food doesn’t come in foil. Thanks.
“We’ve been doing this since you first mentioned it and honestly, it’s better than most domestic first class. More control, more space, and the food doesn’t come in foil. Thanks.”
More control over what? It’s certainly more more space, and airline food hasn’t come in foil for decades. First class is superior in every way, except it costs more.
You can bring your own food in any class, including First. Again, do what you enjoy. But stop pretending it’s “better” than first. It’s objectively not.
Thank you for your helpful updates on island news and travel. I live on Hawai’i island and have had both Hawaiian Air and Alaska Air credit cards for years, having flown one or the other fairly often to the mainland. Now I’m wondering if I should just keep one of those credit cards, and if so, which one?
Mahalo nui for sharing your thoughts on this.
Hi Catrinka.
That is one of the big questions. Keep an eye on your renewal dates while we see what gets announced over the summer that might help Hawaii travelers decide.
Aloha.