Sky High Comfort: Why Air New Zealand’s Sky Couch Is the Ultimate Economy Upgrade

When it comes to long-haul travel, comfort can make or break your journey. If you’re anything like us, you’ll know that arriving well-rested (or at least not completely exhausted) can set the tone for your entire trip.

On our recent journey back via Bali, we had the opportunity to try something a little different on our Air New Zealand flight from Auckland to Denpasar—a Sky Couch.

Now, I’ve always had a soft spot for Air New Zealand. It goes all the way back to my very first trip to New Zealand over 20 years ago, flying from Heathrow via Los Angeles. Ever since then, whenever possible, I try to include them in our travel plans—even if it’s just for a sector of the journey, since they don’t fly directly into the UK anymore.

What is the Sky Couch?

When booking this particular flight, we were offered the option to upgrade to a Sky Couch. It’s important to note—this isn’t Business Class or even Premium Economy. It’s actually a clever upgrade within Economy, transforming a standard row of three seats into a flexible, couch-like space.

The setup includes:

• A row of three seats by the window

• Leg rests that fold up to create a flat surface

• Bedding, including pillows and blankets

• A “cuddle belt” so you can lie down safely

Once fully extended, the space measures around 155 cm long and 74 cm wide. As two adults of around 1.70 m (5’7”), we were curious to see just how comfortable it would be.

First Impressions

We booked it, feeling excited but slightly unsure—would it really make that much difference?

On the day of travel, everything started as normal. Seats upright for takeoff, safety briefing as usual. The cabin crew were fantastic, taking the time to show us exactly how to set up the Sky Couch and use the cuddle belt.

Once we were airborne, we didn’t waste a second.

Settling In

Our flight departed Auckland just after 1pm, so this wasn’t an overnight journey. Even so, the Sky Couch immediately transformed the experience.

We found the best setup was to sit at either end of the three seats and stretch our legs out toward each other. This gave us both plenty of space to relax without feeling cramped.

We used some of the bedding for extra support, though I can imagine on a night flight we would have fully embraced the whole setup—blankets, pillows, the lot.

Comfort & Practicality

What really surprised us was just how versatile it was:

• We watched films comfortably with our legs stretched out

• We managed to have a proper doze

• Even mealtime worked perfectly—we used the tray tables without needing to rearrange everything

It felt relaxed in a way that standard economy simply doesn’t allow.

And one of the biggest perks? Knowing we wouldn’t have a third person in our row. That alone changes the dynamic of a long flight.

Before Landing

As expected, the seats needed to be returned to their upright position before landing. But what we loved was that this didn’t happen until quite late in the descent, meaning we could enjoy that relaxed setup for as long as possible.

Is It Worth It?

In short—yes.

For a 9-hour flight, the Sky Couch made a noticeable difference. It offered far more comfort than sitting upright in a full row of three people, and it gave us flexibility to stretch, rest, and properly relax.

We both agreed:

• Ideal for couples

• Great for families with young children

• Even a solid option for solo travellers wanting extra space

Would we book it for shorter flights? Probably not. For routes like Auckland to the east coast of Australia, it might feel unnecessary.

But for anything over 5–6 hours? Absolutely.

Final Thoughts

Air New Zealand has always impressed us with their service—it’s consistently excellent, friendly, and polished. The Sky Couch just adds another layer to that experience.

If you’re on the fence about trying it, here’s our advice:

Do it.

It genuinely enhanced our journey and turned a standard long-haul economy flight into something far more comfortable—and far more enjoyable.

And when travel feels better, everything else tends to follow.

Eat clean, travel well, and dream big.