I do agree that AA and UA offer a better first class transcon experience. But what is not made clear in the article is that this premium first class experience is offered on only a couple of routes. The vast majority of AA and UA's domestic first class service is not on widebody aircraft or special three-class 757s. It's on single-aisle MD-80s, 737s, 757s, and A-319/320s just like almost all of the other airlines in this country. The article does say to avoid MD-80s and most 737s, but in all honesty, if you did just that, you probably can fly a whopping 10-15 routes in all of the US. Even DL, who used to fly 767s all over the place, has scaled back on domestic widebody service.

When first class is mostly a perk offered to frequent fliers (the article even mentions this), you can't really expect to see service that rivals international business and first class except on a few flagship routes. Most flights in this country are less than four hours in length and it's not economically feasible to offer five-star gourmet dining, 60" pitch, and everything else on shorter flights where almost nobody is willing to pay the price that such service costs. Now, if you're someone who is truly wealthy and demands only the finest of everything in life, domestic first on most domestic carriers is probably a disappointment. For the rest of us, who've spent far too much time crammed in coach seats with our knees touching the back of the seat in front of us, a screaming kid kicking our seats from behind, and a meal that's barely edible that we eat anyway because we're starving, the occassional upgrade is a real treat. I don't expect to be blown away by the cuisine -- what I do expect is attentive service, a comfortable seat, and a decent meal. And with those expectations I've never been disappointed in CO's domestic first class. I have had flights in first on other carriers that did not live up to those expections. And when I've upgraded friends who've never flown in first before, they are thrilled, and almost consider it a once-in-a-lifetime treat. Most travelers never, ever get to experience anything other than a 17" wide x 31" pitch economy class seat. Even if CO's first class is "nothing remarkable," it is a huge leap up from what's offered behind the blue curtain on most flights.