• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Home » Reviews » Flight Reviews » Review: Alaska Airlines A320 First Class
Alaska AirlinesFlight Reviews

Review: Alaska Airlines A320 First Class

Matthew Klint Posted onOctober 18, 2021November 14, 2023 13 Comments

It’s nice to try other carriers once in awhile and I found Alaska Airlines top-notch on my flight from Los Angeles to Dalllas onboard an Airbus A320 in first class.

Alaska Airlines A320 First Class Review

I booked my ticket for a remarkably cheap $199 a few weeks in advance directly in first class (to international readers, consider it business class – U.S. carriers just prefer to use the term “first” class). I’ve paid more in economy class on flights to Dallas in the past.

Alaska operates from Terminal 6 at LAX. I walked through the check-in lobby, which was empty, but did not need to stop by the desk because I had already checked in on my mobile phone.

a white structure with a blue roof with Theme Building in the background

a man sitting on a bench in front of a building

people in a building

a check in area in an airport

As an added bonus, Alaska Airlines grants lounge access to its first class passengers. Those who purchase a revenue ticket or redeem miles for first class can access the lounge (without guests). Upgrades are not eligible for access. I arrived early to review the lounge, which will be published tomorrow.

a check in counter in an airport

people standing in a line in an airport

Boarding began on-time 45 minutes prior to takeoff. A flight attendant standing in the galley greeted me as I boarded. 

Alaska Airlines 823
Los Angeles (LAX) – Dallas (DAL)
Friday, September 10
Depart: 5:00PM
Arrive: 10:05PM
Duration: 3hr, 05min
Aircraft: Airbus A320
Seat: 2A (First Class)

The A320 was on the way out at Alaska Airlines, but now their future is unclear. Alaska traditionally had an all-Boeing mainline fleet but inherited a number of Airbus planes from Virgin America after the merger. It tired to dump the A320s, set them aside during the pandemic, but re-activated them due to stronger-than-expected demand. Alaska also operates A321neos ordered by Virgin.

Seat

First Class contains only 12 seats, another reason I did not want to gamble on an upgrade. The three rows of 2-2 seating featuring a generous 41 inches of legroom and a retractable footrest from the seat in front (the first row has  footrest included as part of the seat.

a row of seats on an airplane

the inside of an airplane

a row of seats in an airplane

a row of seats in an airplane

a plane with seats in the back

a row of seats in an airplane

a plane with seats and windows

a seat in an airplane

a seat with a pocket on the side

Between seats is a center console housing the tray table, power plugs, and USB-A ports. The center console also has a built-in cupholder, which keeps drinks more secure in case of turbulence. 

 a seat with a mesh and metal frame

a close up of a plug

a cup holder on a seat

a tray with two bottles and wipes on it

IFE + Wi-Fi

When this plane operated for Virgin America, it had seatback screens at every seat. Alaska ripped them out because Alaska wished to harmonize its fleet and never has offered seatback screens.

But Alaska Airlines has introduced streaming in-flight-entertainment and I was quite impressed by the selection of movies, TV shows, and audio available. 

a screenshot of a movie

a screenshot of a movie

a screenshot of a computer

a brochure with text and a phone on it

Wi-Fi Internet was also available for purchase, at a cost of $6.50/hour or $15.00 for a flight pass. Messaging apps, however, are not behind a pay wall.

a screenshot of a blue screen

a screenshot of a website

It was also nice to just look out the window:

a city next to the beach

an aerial view of a city and water
Look at all the vessels waiting to dock in Long Beach…

an airplane wing and the sky

Food + Drinks

A laminated menu in the setback pocket indicated the drinks available onboard, including water, juice, beer, wine, and spirits. 

a poster on a table

a menu with a glass of wine

Alaska offers meal pre-ordering in first class and I had pre-ordered about a week before my flight. Choices included:

  • Butternut squash risotto – mascarpone butternut squash risotto with roasted butternut squash, herb marinated roasted tomato, wilted spinach, and smoked tomato cream sauce.
  • Roasted chicken clementine – boneless roasted chicken breast marinated with clementine and fennel, accompanied by roasted fennel and clementine slices, saffron basmati rice, and marinated Tuscan kale
  • Fruit & cheese plate – Cheddar, brie, crackers, grapes, apple slice, and a chelate truffle from Seattle Chocolate

I ordered the chicken, which the flight attendant confirmed while taking meal orders after takeoff.

a screenshot of a phone

a screenshot of a menu

a screenshot of a computer

a screenshot of a phone

First, I love that Alaska Airlines offers hot meals on flights over 1,100 miles and not just slop on a plate, but thoughtfully-created, tasty meals. The chicken with fennel and orange flavoring was very tasty and I felt it was one of the healthier airline meals I have had lately.

a can and a cup of water

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food and a bottle of oil

a bowl of salad and a piece of bread

After the meal tray was cleared away, the flight attendant appeared with a paper bag containing a hot cookie inside with pecans and white chocolate. It was so tasty and the highlight of the meal.

a brown paper bag on a white surface

a cookie on a paper

As if that wasn’t enough food, before landing another beverage and snack basket was offered, including:

  • Chex Mix
  • Kind bars
  • Popcorn
  • Cheese puffs
  • Granola cookie

I took a couple items to go (and enjoyed them later). The quality of Alaska’s snack basket selection is far superior to United’s.

a basket of food on an airplane

a drink and a drink on a table

Service

The service was tremendous on this flight and I want to offer a shoutout to the flight attendant for being attentive throughout the entire flight: she did not rest for one moment.

Pre-departure beverage? Check (water bottle).

Addressing passengers by surname? Check.

Drinks refilled? Check,

Trays collected promptly? Check.

I could not have asked for better service on this flight.

Lavatory

Before landing, I visited the lavatory in the front of the cabin. It included no special amenities, but I liked the big reminder to wash our hands.

a sink and toilet in a bathroom

a bottle of hand wash

a sign on a machine

CONCLUSION

We landed ahead of schedule at Dallas Love and I was soon on my way to my hotel – DAL is an easy airport to fly into.

a woman standing next to a sign

a large hallway with blue banners and people walking

Alaska impressed me with its soft product onboard and  would not hesitate to fly the airline again, especially at that price point. While I prefer a lie-flat bed for longer flights, this is a very good product for a three-hour flight.

Get Daily Updates

Join our mailing list for a daily summary of posts! We never sell your info.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Previous Article Woman On Delta Flight Brings Her Own Microphone To Go On COVID-19 Rant
Next Article Review: Hilton Garden Inn Dallas Market Center

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • a row of monitors on an airplane

    Dreamliner To Rome: Alaska Airlines Confirms First Europe Route

    June 4, 2025
  • Korean Air 777-300ER Business Class Review

    Review: Korean Air 777-300ER Prestige Business Class

    May 30, 2025
  • a inside of a plane with lights

    Review: Korean Air 747-8 First Class

    May 27, 2025

13 Comments

  1. ren Reply
    October 18, 2021 at 12:58 pm

    Such a basic review of alaska first class, which has been done millions of times over. And way too long. Suggestion: Can you do 2 min reads with the key highlights/takeaways. This is like a novel.

  2. Greg Reply
    October 18, 2021 at 1:16 pm

    Reminds me of the old Northwest airlines in the late 90s-mid 2000s – footrest in first class, no screens, a decent meal for mid length flights, but not market leading for anything long haul

  3. Marissa Reply
    October 18, 2021 at 1:39 pm

    I recently had a flight up front from FAI to SEA on Alaska; no complaints whatsoever.

  4. Steve Reply
    October 18, 2021 at 2:45 pm

    As a MVP 75K living in NW Louisiana, but consistently using AS out of DAL and DFW, your experience on this route is abnormal compared to mine…probably because you were on mainline vs. the numerous times I’ve had to take this route and it’s operated by SkyWest on the E175s.
    For starters, I’m surprised your flight boarded and left on time…that has yet to happen to me on the LAX-DAL flights I’ve taken this year on AS (err, SkyWest).
    Addressed by name? Yep, only got that on AS mainline…have yet to receive that on their regionals (Horizon, I’m talking to you too).

    Love the mainline AS service…imo, it’s the best in the business on domestic flights. Regionals? It’s hit-and-miss.

  5. Not UA lover Reply
    October 18, 2021 at 3:00 pm

    Ditching UA for more AS/B9 this year and next. 2022 could be my last year as UA Platinum.

  6. Erica T Reply
    October 18, 2021 at 3:05 pm

    I feel like so many bloggers sleep on Alaska Airlines. I am perfectly happy with the first class product for a daytime flight from SEA-JFK, which is about 5 hours. As a short person that footrest saves my back. And you are right – the food options are all healthy.

  7. Grant Reply
    October 18, 2021 at 4:00 pm

    Visited the enormous new Alaska First Class Lounge in Seattle on the way home from Alaska in August 2019 – really special.

  8. Lewis Reply
    October 18, 2021 at 6:41 pm

    I hope they keep those Airbuses, I live in Seattle and I rather fly Delta if Alaska goes to an all 737, at least Delta has choices.

  9. Shirley Monson Reply
    October 18, 2021 at 10:57 pm

    I started flying on Alaska Airlines just over a year ago; mostly on their Boeing 737s, with one flight on an Embraer 175 operated by their regional partner, Horizon. But for my last flight, which was a just a short one within my state, I was able to book it on one of their A320s for my very FIRST flight on any Airbus. I purchased a seat in Alaska’s premium seating and got seat 8F. I immediately noticed the difference in the windows from the 737! However, I found out that the engines are made by the same company that makes engines for the 737–CFMI–yet their design is obviously a little different, and I thought they were a bit quieter. After landing, I asked permission to take a look at the flight deck, something I have never done before because I’m always in a big rush to get off the plane. I’m familiar with the 737 lay out so it was interesting to compare with the Airbus, and the most obvious thing is there are no control yokes in front of the pilots, as they have side sticks instead (which I couldn’t really see past the pilots’ bodies). Next, if possible, I want to fly on the A220!!

  10. Clark Houser Reply
    October 18, 2021 at 11:33 pm

    We want more United content!!

  11. Boraxo Reply
    October 19, 2021 at 10:30 am

    Sadly that was a better meal than we received in our transcon earlier this summer. Hopefully AS is rolling that menu out to all flights and not just Dallas.

  12. Cynthia Reply
    October 19, 2021 at 6:50 pm

    Love the Airbus! I work for Google out of Seattle and a lot of my colleagues enjoy flying Alaska, not sure we will if they only have 737’s. Thank goodness we have Delta to fall back to in case!

  13. Pilot of the Airwaves Reply
    February 7, 2022 at 6:27 pm

    Alaska’s A320 First Class doesn’t look anything special for the extra cost. No dedicated cabin…..just a flimsy curtain which never completely separates the different cabin areas. The front row of seats up against the galley bulkhead seem to offer less legroom. The laminated menu smacks of Coach Class (even allowing for Covid sanitation considerations) and to me, further reduced the appeal of Alaskan First Class on the A320. The meal, as reviewed, seemed ok; but again, nothing special, and I would expect more for my buck, quite frankly.
    Watching an in-flight movie on a seat-back screen is frankly bad enough in any cabin class, but to have to squint at a generally much smaller phone/iPad screen, the pax have to provide themselves, to receive download streaming of entertainment is not my idea of premium service.
    As for the review itself………
    Too long winded: should have been more concise. Only averagely written, in my opinion…….

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Hot Deals for May

Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure

Capital One Venture X Business Card
Earn 150,000 Miles Sign Up Bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 100,000 Points
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles!
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Earn $750 Cash Back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 120,000 Membership Reward® Points

Recent Posts

  • a group of people standing in a room
    No, You Weren’t Denied Boarding For Being Jewish. You Were Just Late. June 7, 2025
  • Trump Supersonic
    Trump Executive Order Lifts Ban On Supersonic Flights Over USA June 7, 2025
  • Qatar Airways Economy Class Breakfast
    Economy Class Breakfast On Qatar Airways June 7, 2025
  • American Airlines 787-9 Tour
    My American Airlines 787-9 Tour: Here’s A Look At Every Cabin On New Flagship Dreamliner June 6, 2025

Categories

Popular Posts

  • Aegean Airlines Feast
    A Feast Fit For A King On Aegean Airlines May 23, 2025
  • Israel Flight Cancellations
    Major Carriers Extend Flight Cancellations To Israel: Here’s The List June 6, 2025
  • Chase Sapphire Lounge LGA
    Crazy Chase Sapphire Reserve Changes Floated May 11, 2025
  • Southwest Airlines Checked Bags
    Suicide: Southwest Airlines Eliminates Free Checked Baggage May 27, 2025

Archives

June 2025
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30  
« May    

As seen on:

facebook twitter instagram rss
Privacy Policy © Live and Let's Fly All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Live and Let's Fly with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.