American Airlines 737-800 First Class Review, DCA to IAH (Seat 2B)

Cash for a Change

This one has been sitting in my drafts folder for a while now (July 2020, if you can believe it) so I figured it was time to get it out there. For once I didn't use points. The fare for DCA - IAH in First on American's 737-800 was low enough that I just paid cash and kept the miles for something longer. Having not long before flown AA's 767-300 in Business, I was curious how their domestic First stacked up on a narrowbody. What I was hoping for was a seatback screen, some legroom and a hot meal. I got all three, which doesn't happen often on a 3 hour hop in the US.

The Shortcut Review of AA 737 F

Seatlink's Take

The First Class cabin on this 737 is 16 seats over 4 rows in a 2-2 layout. No doors, no side walls, nothing like that. It's a domestic recliner cabin and that's all it's trying to be. One thing to flag up front: Seatlink's map for this configuration numbers First Class as rows 3 to 6, which is the older numbering for this bird, so my 2B is 4B on the map. Same physical seat, second row, left side on the aisle. Behind First you get Main Cabin Extra and then regular economy for 160 seats in total.

The seat itself is 20.4" wide with somewhere between 40" and 42" of pitch, and I could tell straight away that the legroom was generous. I had my legs crossed and feet up on the ottoman... well there's no ottoman, but you get the idea from the photo looking forward to the galley. It reclines a few inches and that's it, no lie-flat here. The controls are on the outside of the armrest and they go beyond the usual up and down - there's a lumbar control too, which on a 3 hour flight is a nice touch. The cushioning was comfy and I didn't notice the usual numb backside by the time we were on approach into Houston.

Storage is pretty standard for a domestic First seat. You get room under the seat in front for a bag (unless you're in the bulkhead row - more on that below), a lidded compartment in the center console and a seat pocket. The tray table folds out of the armrest and it's big enough for my laptop with room to spare, as you can see in the photo. There's also a small cocktail tray that pulls out of the front of the armrest and is shared between you and your neighbor. Handy for a drink while you work.

Now the IFE. The screen in the seatback greeted me with the AA welcome page and the pilot in his uniform and there was a decent selection of movies and TV. Not SQ levels of content, but plenty for 3 hours. Under the armrest you'll find a USB port, a headphone jack and a universal outlet with a little green light to tell you its live. No headphones are handed out in domestic First so bring your own. Wi-Fi was available too, although I was happy with the screen.

The meal service kicked off with warm mixed nuts in a proper dish (cashews, almonds, pecans - no foil packet in sight 😀). The main came on a tray with a salad of lettuce, tomato and cucumber, a bread roll with butter and a baked pasta in tomato sauce with a bit of cheese on top. Not fine dining but it was hot, it was tasty and I honestly wasn't expecting a tray like this on a domestic flight at the time. The drinks were fine, nothing fancy.

There's no amenity kit, no pajamas and no slippers, obviously. The crew were friendly and efficient and it was a quiet flight, so service came around quickly and I was left alone for the rest of it. Which is really all you want on DCA - IAH.

Which seats to choose or avoid

Using the Seatlink numbering, rows 4 and 5 are the sweet spot. You get full recline, underseat storage and you're away from the forward galley and lav. My seat (4B on the map, 2B on the boarding pass) was exactly that. The window seat will be the pick if you want to be left alone, as the aisle gets brushed a fair bit during boarding.

Row 3 is the bulkhead so nobody reclines into you, but there's no underseat stowage and the galley and lav are right in front of you, so it can get a bit busy. Row 6 is flagged for limited recline on all four seats as it backs onto the divider. If you're traveling as a pair the 2-2 layout means any row works, just pick 4 or 5 if you can.

For more seat reviews from other travelers on this plane, check out the seat map here: American Airlines 737-800 seat map

The Bottom Line

For a domestic hop, this was a comfortable way to spend 3 hours. The legroom was good, the seat had a few nice touches like the lumbar control and the screen in front of me kept me happy. Add a hot meal and warm nuts and it beats most of what you'll find on a US narrowbody. It suits anyone who wants to work or watch something and get off feeling fresh, it doesn't suit anyone expecting the sort of product I reviewed on the 767.

Keep an eye on what you're booking though. The screen-equipped 737-800s have all been retrofitted since my flight, so today you'll find rows 1 to 4, 37" of pitch, a tablet holder instead of a screen and AC plus USB at every seat. American even fly DCA - IAH with regional jets these days, so this exact flight is a bit of a time capsule. If you'd rather use points, the saver rate used to be 25,000 miles one way but it's dynamic now, and remember that paid F seats compete with the elite upgrade pool on a 16 seat cabin.

What are Your Thoughts on American Airlines?

Have you flown on American Airlines? Write a review and tell us what you think! American Airlines Boeing 737 800 New MCE seat map 😀