As the CEO of Caribbean Airlines tries to steer the airline towards profitability, Garvin Medera has been instrumental in implementing a number of changes to uplift the airline’s traveling experience.
The airline now offers wireless content streaming on some of its longer haul flights and a buy-on-board snack and alcoholic drink service (besides the complimentary meals offered on select routes). They also launched “Caribbean Plus”, which basically offers passengers earlier boarding and extra legroom.
“Caribbean Plus” seats are offered from rows 4 – 10, behind Business Class (rows 1 – 3). According to their website, Caribbean Plus seats offer 5 extra inches of legroom with additional recline.
In reality, the 5 inches are noticeable at 36 to 37 inches of seat pitch compared to 31-32 in economy. For comparison, business class seats offer 38 inches of pitch. There is also additional recline versus regular economy seats.
Prices vary from US $10 – $35 (plus taxes) per sector depending on where you fly to and from.
| Route Length | Price | Destinations |
|---|---|---|
| Short Haul | US $10.00 | (excluding flights to/from Jamaica & Nassau) All Intra-Caribbean and South American Flights flights |
| Medium Haul | US $25.00 | All flights to/from Ft Lauderdale and Orlando – Jamaica / Nassau and Intra-Caribbean & South American flights to/from Jamaica. |
| Long Haul | US $35.00 | All flights to /from North America/Caribbean (except flights to/from Ft Lauderdale and Orlando /Jamaica and Nassau). |
What extras do you get with Caribbean Plus?
Besides the extra legroom and early boarding and exit, there are no additional perks whatsoever. The ticket comes with no premium drinks or snacks, no additional point bumps to your earned miles or status, no dedicated cabin service, no charging outlets, and no streaming content benefits.
The seats are exactly the same as those in economy, except they are covered in a purple fabric with the “Caribbean Plus” logo on the seats.
Rows to avoid
Row 4 – This is a bulkhead row. Legroom is limited as the divider does not curve at the bottom to accommodate your legs. The tray tables are also stored in the seat’s arm rests, which mean they are much closer to you versus being attached to the seat in front of you in other rows.
Row 10 – While row 10 does have the advertised additional legroom, the seat does not recline as it is in front of an emergency exit.
Who should try Caribbean Plus
- If you value a quick exit on arrival (which is pretty fast when combined with the Automated Passport Control in the United States), you can be cleared to the baggage area in as little as 10 minutes (as I was able to on a recent flight to Miami International).
- If you are 5 feet 10 inches or taller, the extra legroom definitely makes longer flights to New York and Toronto a bit more bearable. Being able stretch out definitely made my trip a bit more comfortable even on a 3 1/2 hour flight.
Who should avoid Caribbean Plus
- Those traveling on a budget – Compared to airlines like American, Delta, and United, Caribbean’s economy cabin is still a tiny bit better in terms of leg room and seat comfort. If you’re looking to save some dollars to for the actual destination, then you really do not need an upgrade.
- Shorter people – If you are on the shorter side, the extra legroom really would be of no benefit. With no additional perks besides a few more degrees of recline and earlier deboarding, spending for Plus really makes no sense.
Have you tried Caribbean Plus? Let’s hear about your experience in the comments below.
[Featured Photo: Bradley Wint/Gate Checked]
