By Shawn Gallagher
If you’ve ever booked a flight with American, you’ve probably heard of Main Cabin Extra. And every time you see it offered, it has a different price tag. Whether you’ve ever flown it or not, it’s natural to think about whether that extra price tag is worth it or not. I as well have seen various prices and have flown it on several different occasions. As the name itself describes, Main Cabin Extra brings extra legroom and a few extra benefits to the main cabin experience. This is equivalent to Comfort Plus on Delta and Economy Plus on United. Let’s take a look at what American offers on this product.
Extra Legroom
The first and most important part of Main Cabin Extra is the extra legroom you get. From my experience, I’ve noticed a significant difference in seat pitch when I fly regular economy after flying Main Cabin Extra, and vice versa.
For example, a regular economy seat on a Boeing 777-300ER has 31-32 inches of seat pitch, as seen in the diagram above. However, take a ride in Main Cabin Extra and you’ll get a whopping 36 inches of pitch. For an economy class seat, that’s a big number.
Similarly, I’ve flown the Airbus A319 many times, which has an extra 4 inches of legroom. Especially as a tall person, the difference is quite noticeable.
Early Boarding
A perk that comes along with the legroom is early boarding. Main Cabin Extra passengers can board as group 5. Although American does have too many boarding groups (9 total groups!), group 5 will get you in at the start of boarding for main cabin, which is nice.
Dedicated Overhead Bins
In addition to boarding in group 5, Main Cabin Extra passengers have dedicated overhead storage bins. It’s not uncommon these days to have to check in your carry-on luggage at the gate because the bins are full. With the dedicated overhead bins though, this won’t be a problem. Being able to board early in group 5 helps with this issue too.
How Much For The Extras?
The cost for Main Cabin Extra depends on how far in advance you’re buying the seat, and the length of the flight. For example, short haul flights can see prices as low as $20. I once purchased this seat for an extra $35 from Boston to Washington D.C. On another trip, I remember seeing $75 from Boston to Dallas Fort Worth a day before the flight. On international flights, expect to see price tags over $100, and even higher.
The extra legroom might be worth it if you think you’re going to be tired coming off another flight, or you’re a tall person and the legroom will make the flight more bearable. This can also be a helpful purchase if you have a connection you have to make, as Main Cabin Extra will help you get off the plane quickly since you’re seated ahead of the rest of economy class.
Make Main Cabin Extra Complimentary
Oneworld elite status holders can enjoy these seats free of charge. Passengers with Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire status get complimentary access. Oneworld Ruby members get complimentary access starting 24 hours before departure as long as there are open seats.
Related: Complete Guide To The American Airlines AAdvantage Loyalty Program
Bottom Line
Main Cabin Extra can be a great perk for frequent flyers with status, as it becomes complimentary. Some without status may also find it worth it, especially if they need that legroom for a comfortable flight. However, it’ll come down to the price tag for many passengers.
All photos taken by the author unless otherwise labeled.