To begin with our trip to San Diego, we took off on Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900 from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) headed to San Diego International Airport (SAN).
Booking
When we were preparing for this journey, Mrs. ATX and I were unsure where we had to go. Our primary criteria were a direct, reasonably priced, first-class flight and a city that neither of us hadn’t been to before.
Both Seattle and San Diego had good options, but if we were going to get a decent fare from Seattle, we would have to take the redye back. As squarely on team travel with kids as I am, I wasn’t about to inflict that level of torture on fellow passengers on Mrs. ATX.So, we landed in San Diego.
Mrs. ATX had been before but this would be my first journey and I’d heard nothing but great things about the destination. Ultimately, we ended up reserving our two roundtrip first-class tickets with a lap infant for $1,032 via the Alaska website.
Pre-Flight
I eruditely stated that we had enough checked baggage to permit an early entrance at the airfield. Thankfully, we did, as the Austin Airport was a disaster, and I don’t use that jokily. We reached the airport around 5:15 a.m. for our 7:15 a.m. flight and found no line at the Alaska hostage. After a fleeting chat with the agent, our bags were marked to San Diego, and we had our boarding passes in hand.
After bag dropping, we headed off to safety where the lines were silly. Due to the ongoing structure and some poor choices by the airport, TSA PreCheck and CLEAR have been joined into one, fully too minor checkpoint.
Lines for CLEAR and PreCheck were helped up to the curb outdoors. Even with CLEAR and PreCheck, it still took us an hour to pure safety. Employees at the airport were doing their best to straighten passengers, especially amid annoying circumstances.
We at least made it airside at 6:30, 45 minutes before our arranged leaving time. We would have been able to visit the American Airlines Admirals Club thanks to my British Airways Gold status, we controlled traditional for our exit gate.
Boarding
Our flight to San Diego was fleeting from Gate 12. N282AK, a seven-year-old Boeing 737-900ER was pending up at the gate to take us over to San Diego. When we initially reserved our flights, it was planned to be operated by a Boeing 737-9 MAX. Alaska uses these two kinds of aircraft so, while I wanted to analyze the newer aircraft, it’s a toss-up as to which one you’ll get.
Boarding was planned to start in just a few minutes so I gripped a gate check tag for the pram and stood off to the side until lodging began. Alaska doesn’t allow families traveling with small children to preboard but, since we were flying First Class, we were able to board with the Importance group.
Airlines Boeing 737-900
AS 343
AUS-SAN (Austin-Bergstrom International – San Diego International)
Seat: 4C (First)
B737-900 (N282AS)
Scheduled: 7:15a-8:20a
Actual: 7:22a-8:15a
Airlines Boeing 737-900 First Class Seat
On Alaska 737-900, first class has 16 seats across 4 rows in a 2-2 configuration. Alaska is adding premium seats fleetwide, but the 737-900 and 737-9 MAX will remain at 16 first-class seats. Our flight had the older style BarcaLounger seat, like our United flight from the previous month. Please apology the photos of the cabin as it was dark outside and the carrier’s blue mood illumination was being used during the stay.
I allotted us seats 4A and 4C, located in the last row on the left side of the aircraft. Moreover, with the relaxed seats, there was sufficient legroom for my 6′ 2″ frame.
Alaska, America, doesn’t have any IFE screens on its narrowbody aircraft (until the merger with Hawaiian, Alaska exclusively worked Boeing 737s) and the seatback was plain. No device ampules were obtainable, unlike what you’ll find on some other haulers.
Airlines Boeing 737-900 of Among the seats is a minor tray table that could hold a pair of drinks and smaller substances.
A second, minor tray can be dragged up and out if extra space is needed.
The tray tables are present on the armrests nearest to the window and aisle. When unconfined, the tray table can either be fully stretched or gathered over in half, depending on your requirements.
Individual understanding lights and air nozzles were present above each seat. The cabin also contained Alaska’s signature carpeted bulkhead.
Departure of Airlines Boeing 737-900
As the passengers boarded, Ray was working on the First Class cabin, offering pre-departure beverages to be offered on board with water, orange juice, or coffee. I had coffee and Mrs. ATX chose water.
Due to this situation at security, we were announced to take on a small delay to allow some remaining passengers time to board the aircraft. This is a nice touch and with this delay, the cabin crew used this time to take meal orders. I was told that Alaska would allow me to pre-board meals online, but somehow I missed this deadline. So we had to have our meal ordered on board today.
Orders are taken from front to back. There was nothing of choice except for three when they reached our table. I chose the parmesan scrambled eggs & bacon while Mrs. ATX ordered the peach breakfast plantar. The other available option was the omelet. The full menu is below for reference. Alaska Airlines First Class Breakfast Menu.
After all the remaining passengers boarded, we closed the forward door and pushed off the gate a few minutes late. The sun now was well up, and it seemed like this was going to be a fine flying day.
We had a rapid taxi out to Runway 18L and, after a minor wait for traffic, speeded off towards the south. We made a right near Circuit of the Americas to head towards San Diego.
In-Flight
Once airborne the flight crew closed the curtains between the first-class cabin and the galley and I headed to check out the forward lavatory. The first-class lavatory on Airlines Boeing 737-900 is teeny tiny and appears to have the same, one-handed sink as American Airlines Oasis 737-800s.
Back at my seat, I examined the menu and inflight entertaining catalog as the meal facility began.
When taking our meal orders previous to exit, the flight attendant working our cabin asked us if we wanted to lurch our meals to make it easier to dispute ATX Jr. This was a small, but nice touch and we luckily granted it.
To start the meal facility we both ordered mimosas and Mrs. ATX took her meal first. Her honey breakfast plantar looked attractive close to the photo and was very good from what I was told.
NexIt was my turn, my parmesan scrambled eggs and bacon didn’t rather look like the photo but it was good nevertheless.
After our meals were cleared, Mrs. ATX and ATX Jr. took a snooze while I spent some time at work and gazing out the window at the landscape below.
Ray was very active with snack and beverage refills, permitting me to pass the time with comfort.
Before starting our parentage, the crew came around for one last round of drinks. Alaska is one of the few airlines that has its specialty beer so I decided to try the Cloud Cruiser IPA from Fremont Brewing
As we began our descent into San Diego, the crew carried a pair of wings for ATX Jr. which I supposed was a good touch.
Arrival
Since we were coming from the East, it was a conventional in-shot to Runway 27. If you’re flying into San Diego I greatly commend sitting on the left side of the aircraft as you get great views of downtown.
We moved down ahead of the program and began our taxi over to the entrance gate.
Welcome to San Diego!
We had a short taxi over to our entrance gate but had to hold for a bit while traffic was blank from the alley. We reached Gate 21 five minutes ahead of schedule, pulling in alongside multiple Alaska Airlines planes.
Since we were seated in First Class, we were one of the first collections off of the plane. However, I had to wait on the jet bond for a few minutes to pick up our gate-plaid stroller. Appreciatively, it came up rapidly and we were on our way.
The stations in San Diego are a congested mess but, after interlacing our way through, we made it to the exit for luggage claim.
Our priority marked bags were some of the first off the belt and, from there, we controlled out to catch the shuttle over to the rental car center.
Thanks for coming along on my first, but not last, Alaska Airlines flight!
Airlines Boeing 737-900 First Class Summary
First class on the Airlines Boeing 737-900 doesn’t exactly offer a hard product, but compared to other major U.S. carriers, it is merely average. The good news is that the airlines had made enormous strides in food and beverage options, and the crew was fantastic, Given my Austin base and most eastward travel, I would still fly with Alaska on westbound routes.
