7 airlines around the world offer lie-flat beds in economy — see what makes this seating arrangement so rare and unique

Taylor Rains
Updated ·6 min read

  • Air New Zealand set the trend for lie-flat seating in the economy cabin with its innovative "Skycouch."

  • The carrier has since licensed the product to other carriers, like Azul Brazilian Airways and France's Air Austral.

  • German flag carrier Lufthansa allows customers to pay between $179 and $249 to reserve a "Sleeper Row."

A new trend is popping up in economy class — lie-flat beds.

Lines of "Skycouches" in the cabin of a Air New Zealand aircraft.
Air New Zealand

Championing the idea is Air New Zealand, which introduced its revolutionary "Skycouch" in 2011 and has since patented the design.

A promotional-style image of passengers with blankets pulled over their legs and pillows reclining on "Skycouches."
The "Skycouches" can be cheaper than airline premium economy seating, which typically offers more legroom and better food, but doesn't lie flat.Air New Zealand

Source: The Airline Passenger Experience Association, Justia Patents

"Being a relatively small airline from a small country, innovation is at the heart of our business," Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe said about the product in 2010.

A Boeing 787 with Air New Zealand's branding in front of a blue sky with clouds.
An Air New Zealand Boeing 787 aircraft.Shutterstock

Source: Business Traveller

The concept is simple — imagine three coach seats that have legrests that flip up 90° to create one large space. And, it will only be reserved for those who book it, meaning no one will share it with a stranger.

The legrests of the Skycouch up before the author put the mattress pad on.
The legrests of Air New Zealand's Skycouch flipped up.Taylor Rains/Insider

Granted, the couch is smaller than you'll find in business class, with the full-sleeping area being just 5'1" long and 29" wide.

The Skycouch on Air New Zealand in its bed form with pillows and blankets.
A Skycouch aboard an Air New Zealand Boeing 787.Taylor Rains/Insider

Source: Air New Zealand

But, lying down to sleep on ultra-long-haul flights is much easier than sitting up — and I know from personal experience.

View of the Skycouch as a row of three seats with pillows on the seats.
An row of seats reserved aboard the author's Air New Zealand flight.Taylor Rains/Insider

Source: Air New Zealand, I flew on the world's 4th longest flight in a 'Skycouch' — an economy seat that converts into a bed — and it was a lifesaver on the 16-hour journey

I flew the Skycouch from Auckland, Australia, to New York in September on ANZ's Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and thought it was a game-changer. I'm short at only 5'3," so I felt I had enough room …

ANZ's Skycouch view from the aisle.
Taylor Rains/Insider

… but taller travelers may need to bend their legs. I also wouldn't recommend it for more than two adults — there simply isn't enough space for three people to all lay down.

A view towards a row of seats where the author is sitting on the Skycouch with her laptop.
When sitting upright with her back against the fuselage, the author's legs legs nearly stretched the full length of the Skycouch.Taylor Rains/Insider

For safety, ANZ does provide what it calls a “cuddle belt” to strap laying travelers to the seat.

A zip-locked bag containing a package of belts for passengers using the Skycouch.
Taylor Rains/Insider

Since the Skycouch's debut, other airlines have adopted the design for their own planes. In 2014, Taiwan's China Airlines introduced the "Family Couch" …

A family couch with a blanket and stuffed animals aboard a China Airlines Boeing 777-300ER.
A "Family Couch" aboard a China Airlines Boeing 777-300ER.China Airlines

Source: Business Traveller, The World's Best Airline Has Some New Competition From China Airlines

… followed by Azul Brazilian Airlines' "Skysofa" in late 2014 …

A view across two rows of Skycouches across a Azul Brazilian Airlines flight.
Two rows of Skysofas aboard a Azul Brazilian Airlines flight.Azul Brazilian Airlines

Source: Azul Brazilian Airways

… Kazakhstan's Air Astana's "Economy Sleeper" in 2015 …

A woman sitting on Air Astana's Economy Sleeper seat while reading.
An "Economy Sleeper" seat aboard a Air Astana flight.Air Astana

Source: Air Astana

… and the French carrier Air Austral's "Extra Couchette" in 2016.

A couple sitting on Air Austral's Extra Couchette seat.
The "Extra Couchette" on Air Austral.Air Austral

Source: Air Austral

More recently, Japan's All Nippon Airways unveiled the "COUCHii" in 2019 on its Airbus A380, which fly exclusively between Tokyo and Honolulu.

A COUCHii aboard an ANA A380 airline with linens on it.
The "COUCHii" aboard All Nippon Airways' flight between Tokyo and Honolulu.ANA

The CEO of Japan's biggest airline says he has no plans to get rid of the world's largest airliner. See inside ANA's A380, which is painted to look like a sea turtle.

The product uses a row of three or four economy seats to create the sofa bed.

A promotional-style image of a family sitting on a COUCHii aboard an All Nippon Airlines flight
ANA

Source: ANA

Vietnam Airlines has also installed a "Sky Sofa" on flights between San Francisco and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and London, Paris, and Frankfurt.

An advertisement for Vietnam Airlines' Skysofa with a smiling man sitting on a row of seats.
Vietnam Airlines' ad for the Skysofa, which doesn't come with legrests.Vietnam Airlines

Meanwhile, the German flag carrier Lufthansa allows passengers to book a "Sleeper's Row" for flights of 11 hours or more. These can only be booked at check-in or at the gate.

A Sleeper's Row with blue bedding on a Lufthansa flight.
Lufthansa's "Sleeper's Row," which have been available since August 2021, consist of three or four economy seats and will only be offered if there is an open row available.Lufthansa

Source: Lufthansa

While the original "Sleeper's Row" doesn't have a flip-up legrest, Lufthansa says its future long-haul aircraft will have an improved "Sleeper's Row 2.0" with the needed feature.

Lufthansa's "Sleeper's Row 2.0" with white bedding.
Lufthansa's "Sleeper's Row 2.0."Lufthansa

Source: Lufthansa

But, not all couches have survived. While China Airlines expanded its lie-flat economy product to both its Boeing 777-300ERs and its Airbus A350-900s, it ditched the design in 2018 due to poor demand.

China Airlines Family Couch seating with a mother and child laying on it.
China Airlines stopped offering "Family Couch" seats in 2018.China Airlines

Source: The Airline Passenger Experience Association

The Defunct airline Thomas Cook also had a "Sleeper Seat" on its Airbus A330s for single passengers — meaning no duos or couples — but those left the sky after the carrier declared bankruptcy in 2019.

A "Sleeper Seat" once offered by Thomas Cook with white bedding and black seats.
Thomas Cook recommended only passengers under 5'11" to book the "Sleeper Seat."Thomas Cook

Thomas Cook bankruptcy: How the iconic travel brand went from transporting anti-liquor protesters in the 1800s to collapsing and stranding 600,000 passengers in 2019

For those wanting to fly on one of these unique lie-flat options, it will come at a cost. Some fees are pretty straightforward, like Vietnam's outlined rate of $400-$600 per person on top of the airfare …

A Vietnam Airlines Airbus A350-900 aircraft flying in a clear blue sky.
Vietnam Airlines' Airbus A350-900 aircraft, which flies between San Francisco and Ho Chi Minh City.viper-zero/Shutterstock

… and Lufthansa's outlined price of $179 to $249 per person per leg for its original "Sleeper's Row" option.

A Lufthansa Boeing 747 being taxied along a runway.
Lufthansa trialed the original "Sleeper's Row" on its Boeing 747s.Lukas Wunderlich/Shutterstock

Lufthansa just revealed its new first class suites with closeable doors where passengers can dine at a restaurant-style table on caviar

Other carriers like Air New Zealand and Azul have more varied pricing, which will differ depending on the route and season.

An Azul Brazilian Airlines A330-200 aircraft on a runway.
An Azul Brazilian Airlines A330-200, which its Skysofa first debuted on.JTOcchialini/Flickr

For example, the price for ANZ's Skycouch for one, two, or three people on a June 15 flight from New York to Auckland is $605. This is on top of the $1,310 one-way airfare per person.

A screenshot of Air New Zealand's booking website showing the Skycouch for $605 for all passengers.
The added fee for the Skycouch for three passengers from Los Angeles to Auckland on June 15 is $600 total, or $1,200 for one passenger.Air New Zealand

Business class on the same route is about $6,500 one-way, while premium economy is just under $3,200.

A row of premium economy seats aboard an Air New Zealand aircraft.
Booking a Skycouch for one person on the June 15 flight from New York to Auckland would cost about $1,900 total — much cheaper than Air New Zealand's premium economy.Air New Zealand

Personally, I think an economy sofa is a better alternative to any premium economy seating out there, which typically comes with a legrest, footrest, and better food, but it doesn't lie flat.

A row of premium economy seats aboard Lufthansa's new long-haul flight.
Lufthansa's new long-haul premium economy, which cost about $2,800 roundtrip from New York to Munich in mid-September. A Sleeper's Row, if available, would be cheaper to pay for on top of the $1,800 roundtrip economy fare on the same flight.Lufthansa

Given the product's success, ANZ is introducing yet another lie-flat option in economy. Coming in 2024, travelers can book the "Skynest," which is a set of flying bunk beds.

Air New Zealand Skynest
Air New Zealand

The cozy sleeping pods will come with linens, a privacy curtain, and USB ports, a company spokesperson told Insider in September.

Air New Zealand's Skynest bed.
Taylor Rains/Insider

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