On a recent trip back from Las Vegas, USA, through a stroke of luck, we happened to enjoy an upgrade into Alaska Airlines new First Class. Alaska Airlines has installed their latest new First class product into their Boeing 737-9 Max product. Since they offer this configuration on only 70 aircraft (at the time of writing), and Alaska tends to swap aircraft on a regular basis, it can be a little challenging to count on flying in this particular cabin. Read on to see how our adventure was when we tested out the new cabin.

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This post is one chapter on a weekend trip from Canada to Las Vegas Nevada, United States of America. This trip was enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status, and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. For parts of the trip, please see this index.

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Review: Alaska Airlines New First Class B737-9 Max: Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport – Seattle Tacoma International Airport

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Our return flight ended up being upgraded to Alaska Airlines new First Class on their Boeing 737-9 Max product. Alaska Airlines files a Boeing 737-900, a Boeing 737-900 ER and a Boeing 737-9 Max product; all of which can be used interchangeably with a similar seat configuration.

We purchased this flight paying cash, and received an upgrade to First Class approximately twenty hour hours prior to travel, courtesy of Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan MVP Gold status. We credited these flights to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan.

Checking into Alaska Airlines First Class in Las Vegas:

We departed the Las Vegas Marriott hotel after a quick visit to wonderful snack tacos’ at Tacos El Gordo. With an evening flight time, I wasn’t exactly sure when, or where, we would be getting dinner.

We took an Uber Black up to Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport. Alaska Airlines is located in Terminal Three. The Alaska Airlines First Class and Elite check in area is bright and spacious.

Despite travelling in First Class, we were directed to a kiosk for check in. Alaska Airlines doesn’t seem to like international tickets on kiosks or on line check in. With no mechanism integrated into the systems to validate passports, we attended to a counter to complete the check in.

Our checked bags full of shopping were accepted courtesy of both Alaska Airlines First Class ticket and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan MVP Gold & MVP Status.

Unfortunately, with the demise of the Canadian MBNA Alaska Airlines Credit Card, we lost our usual free checked baggage benefit. As a result, we now have to rely on Alaska Mileage Plan Elite status on the rare occasions when we check bags.

Locating the Gate:

We proceeded through TSA pre-check security screening which had a minimal line.

After arriving to the secure side, we found ourselves in the “E” Gates area of Harry Reid International Airport.

Our Alaska Airlines First Class ticket didn’t offer any complimentary lounge access. There is no Alaska Lounge at Las Vegas Harry Reid International airport, which would have been the free Alaska Airlines solution on paid first class tickets.

Instead, we ended up visiting the American Express Centurion Lounge – Las Vegas after taking a short tram ride out towards the “D” Gates. If you hold an American Express Platinum Card, you’ll have access to the following lounges at Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport:

• American Express Centurion Lounge – Las Vegas
• The Club at LAS – Las Vegas Terminal 1 – “D” Gates
• The Club at LAS – Las Vegas Terminal 3 – “E” Gates

Since I’ve reviewed these lounges in the past, I won’t get into the details of them again. We didn’t have any wait at the American Express Centurion Lounge. After a short stay, we took the tram back to the “E” Gates and located our departure gate E15.

Gate E15 was located at the far end of the concourse. Since we arrived just prior to the boarding time, the gate was pretty full of travellers waiting to get on board.

Our flight tonight was on Alaska Airlines’ newest aircraft, the Boeing 737-9 Max aircraft. It arrived to the gate about 10 minutes later than scheduled, which resulted in a slightly delayed boarding time.

While we were waiting for the flight to board, I checked the upgrade list on the Alaska Airlines app. Alaska Airlines does pro-actively upgrade its Mileage Plan elites in advance, and we had cleared the upgrade list into First Class based on MVP Gold status. Despite this, there were an additional 11 on the upgrade list with some having cleared into a premium class cabin.

While unlimited domestic first class upgrades courtesy of Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan status can occasionally happen, it helps to travel during periods of low demand. We were travelling on a Saturday night departing Las Vegas, when most business traveller elites are likely at home with their families.

Alaska Airlines
AS 711 – First Class (U)
LAS – SEA (Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport – Seattle Tacoma International Airport)
October 5, 2024
7:19 PM – 9:45 PM
Booked: Boeing 737-900
Flown: Boeing 737-9 Max

On Board Alaska Airlines First Class:

Boarding was announced after they quickly turned around the aircraft. After the pre-boarding announcement for elderly needing extra time to board, and the usual military pre-boarding, Alaska Airlines First Class boarded with Group 1.

After getting on board, I was really surprised to discover that we were flying in Alaska Airlines brand new First class product on their Boeing 737-9 Max aircraft. While this would mark my first time flying in Alaska Airlines New First Class, it’s been difficult to pin down since Alaska Airlines tends to substitute their Boeing 737-9 Max aircraft with their comparably equipped and sized Boeing 737-900 or Boeing 737-900 ER aircraft.

Alaska Airlines New First Class features the usual 2 – 2 configuration in upright seats in First Class. First Class is stretched across 4 rows of seating, allowing for sixteen seats in the cabin.

The new Alaska Airlines First Class seats are slim line seats. The seats are generally more comfortable than the older blue puffy leather seats, as a result of the seats being slightly more contoured to your back and seat.

The seats offer a reasonable amount of leg room, although you won’t be blown away by end of the space. It’s much more than you’d expect in economy or premium class.

We settled into our seats in 2D and 2F. The seat consoles and seat pockets have been re-designed and are more modern. Each seat now offers a sturdy retractable foot rest, that seems to be fairing well on Air Canada’s First Class Max 8 product.

In some welcome news, the new Alaska Airlines First Class cabin has eliminated the irritating under the seat box that was found under select seats within it’s first class cabins. There is now much more fulsome room under the front seat to store luggage or purses.

The full sized magazine seat back pouch has been eliminated. Instead, there is a small netted pouch that’s barely large enough to fit a passport.

The new Alaska Airlines First Class seat offers in seat Empower with USB – B charging. The plugs are more conveniently located on angles facing the travellers. This is marked improvement from the old power plugs that were facing outwards at the bottom of the centre console, and otherwise harder to see from the passenger seat.

The centre console offers an indented cup holder similar to what you’d expect on a Chevrolet Suburban Sport Utility Vehicle. Since it can conveniently store smart phones, or a large bottle of water, it more convenient than a flat surface that can can have drinks and phones skid around mid flight.

The seat offers a retractable table from within the armrest. The table offers a convenient tablet or smart phone holder, making it easy to view your entertainment.

Along with most Boeing products, the Alaska Airlines New First Class Boeing 737-9 Max aircraft offer individual seat nozzles for air. I always appreciate having the ability to adjust my own airflow. It makes the flight much more comfortable, in my humble opinion.

In summary, I was really impressed with the Alaska Airlines New First Class. It’s about time that Alaska Airlines modernized it’s First Class experience as the old puffy blue leather seat was looking a little dated.

The new First Class cabin has eliminated that irritating under seat box in favour of better storage and ergonomics. The seat is much better designed, with consoles that are more oriented towards smart phones, viewing entertainment devices and accessing in seat power.

Pre-Departure Services:

It is never reliable on whether you actually get offered a pre-departure beverage on Alaska Airlines.

On todays flight, we didn’t get anything offered. This was likely due to the late arrival of the incoming aircraft.

In Flight Entertainment:

Alaska Airlines offers in phone flight entertainment. This is accessed through the Alaska Airlines home page on the wifi sign in screen.

Instead, I ended up bringing entertainment with my on the iPad, which was conveniently propped up using the table holder.

Alaska Airlines offers free messaging and texting, which is a nice addition for those that need to stay connected with friends and family. Alaska Airlines also offers $8 Wi-Fi for those that need to stay connected throughout a flight.

Alaska Airlines has done away with the complimentary tablets previously offered in First Class. If you don’t bring your own device, you’ll be without any video entertainment for the flight.

Departing Las Vegas:

We had a quick departure out of Las Vegas in order to get the aircraft back on schedule. Since we were departing at night, I had the wonderful opportunity to see the Las Vegas strip at night with all of it’s dazzling lights. It’s a wonderful part of flying at night when leaving Las Vegas.

The Meal: A Dinner

Once we had reached cruising altitude at about one hour into the flight dinner was served.

Before my flight, I pre-ordered through the Alaska Airlines app. In my experience Alaska airlines does run out of your preferred dish. As a result I always make the effort to pre-order.

Today’s choices included the familiar and MrsWT73 favorite “Signature Fruit & Cheese Plate”. In other main course items, Alaska Airlines was offering a Black Bean Burger and a Korean BBQ Beef Sandwich. I ended up pre-ordering the Black Bean Burger, which was a healthier option than the Tillimook Burger I enjoyed on my last Alaska Airlines First Class Anchorage – Seattle flight.

Alaska Airlines also offered an inseat back pocket menu that outlined all the drinks and wines on offer.

The wine list featured wines by Gen 5 from California. In terms of spirits, the usual whiskies were offered, in addition to Aviation Gin and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. There were also Straightaway canned cocktails, which I found to be quite sweet for my tastes.

Dinner service started with a beverage service. Tonight’s service started with a Aviation Gin and Tonic, served without limes, in a proper heavily weighted highball glass with ice.

Tonights dinner entrée was the Black Bean Burger. The Black Bean Burger was described as a chipotle black bean burger on a soft hamburger bun with lettuce. tomatoes and red onions. The burger was exactly as described, with a generous serving of red onions to accompany. There were also a small snack sized Idaho real potato chips with rocky mountain salt, alnd Cooper Twice Baked Brownie Chocolate cookies as the dessert item.

This was the first Alaska Airlines flight that I’ve had in recent times where they’ve relied on pre-packaged snack items to fill the both accompaniment and dessert items. It’s an easy way for the airline to offer accompaniments, but it’s a bit of a low rent touch, in my humble opinion.

Overall, dinner was perfectly satisfactory and about what I might expect from a flight that was eight hundred miles in length and two hours forty minutes in duration. Since United Airlines doesn’t even offer meal service on flights under nine hundred miles in distance, I certainly appreciated the opportunity to get something to eat.

Arriving into Seattle:

We arrived into Seattle Tacoma International Airport. Our flight arrived to the Seattle Tacoma North Satellite terminal. It was quiet when we arrived with minimal flights departing late on a Saturday night.

We headed off on a connecting flight back to Vancouver on Alaska Airlines First Class Seattle – Vancouver.

My Thoughts on Alaska Airlines New First Class:

Alaska Airlines is slowly introducing new First Class onto it’s Boeing 737-9 Max product. While these planes aren’t located throughout the entire system, they are gradually being introduced onto their flagship routes.

The Alaska Airlines New First Class features a much more ergonomic seat, a foot rest and the removal of the box located under neat many first class seats. The seating arrangement is a much more spacious and comfortable environment.

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If you travel on Alaska Airlines, have you experienced the new Alaska Airlines First Class ?

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