My first (and only) trip abroad was to Mexico last year. I wanted to experience what being a digital nomad would be like for a month. At the end of February 2019, after a few months back in Florida, I made the big decision to buy a one-way ticket to Bali, Indonesia. In the past, I’ve had some negative and costly experiences with budget flights (queue the jokes about Spirit Airlines). Since I was going to be in the air for 25 hours, I didn’t want to take any chances with a sketchy airline or have a layover in China (sorry, not sorry).
Booking
I did a lot of homework on airlines and routes before I booked my ticket to Bali via Travelgenio, a Spanish online travel agency. For a total of $540.70, I got coach flights with JetBlue and Qatar Airways, along with two complimentary checked bags. Little did I know that my research and intuition would reward me with my best flight experience to date.
When I am flying domestic, Jet Blue is one of my top choices. This New York -based airline is lower cost but high on quality and overall value for the price. My most recent flight with JetBlue was from Orlando (MCO) to Nw York (JFK), connecting me to Qatar for my international flights to Bali, Indonesia. In this post, I’m sharing my account of this 3 hr 15 min positioning flight.
Check-In
I find, more often than not, that check-ins foreshadow my overall experience, especially during travel. Naturally, I was grateful when my first check-in of the day was quick and painless. The attendant at the JetBlue counter quickly inspected my passport and weighed my luggage.
I wasn’t expecting this, but was pleasantly surprised when I received all of my boarding passes and was informed that my bags would arrive at my final destination. As this is only my second trip abroad, I’m lucky to have learned (the easy way) the benefits of booking with codeshare partners, thus eliminating the need to collect and re-check bags, etc. I walked away to security in a great mood, and since it was 5 AM local time at MCO, I breezed through the security checkpoint and into the terminal.
Boarding + Seating
Upon boarding my flight, the crew greeted me, and I had no problems making my way to my seat. My assigned seat was a blue leather chair in the last row of the coach section with plenty of wiggle room. I opted to read my digital copy of “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Tim Ferriss during the journey. I’ve now read this book three times, but that is a story for another day.
Speaking of wiggle room, JetBlue claims that they offer the most legroom of any US domestic coach carrier. As a veteran of multiple US-based airlines, I believe their boast. I always find that I have enough room to feel comfortable on a JetBlue flight, and I would rather pay a few dollars more to have this experience. I appreciate that JetBlue prioritizes its customers first over saving more space, and hence it is one of my favorite airlines.
Amenities + Service
Due to the brevity of this domestic flight, there were no complimentary snacks. However, there were complimentary drinks, and I enjoyed some bottled water. I’d been on international JetBlue flights (when I went to Mexico) of the same length that had better amenities and services, but this was not a dealbreaker. I was happy with my domestic JetBlue experience. Since I was reading on my Kindle, I didn’t watch any in flight entertainment, but anyone familiar with JetBlue knows they’ve always offered free DirecTV. When flying on an Airbus A321, you’ll have access to 100+ channels, compared to 36 channels available on their E190s and A320s.
Conclusion
In my opinion, JetBlue is one of the best airlines in North America because it provides high value for the price. I always get a pleasant experience and plenty of legroom compared to its competitors. I’m quite picky, and my standards are high, so I’m banking that you readers will like JetBlue as much as I do. Bon Voyage, and hold tight for my next post about Qatar Airways!
The post Flight Review: JetBlue Airways MCO-JFK was first published on Coworkaholic.