A Rare Lie-Flat Business Class Flight from Cancun to DFW
My Rare Lie-Flat Flight from Cancun to DFW
In December 2020, I took a trip to Cancun, Mexico. While looking at return flights, I came across a rare opportunity. American Airlines was operating flights from Cancun to Dallas-Fort Worth on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, complete with lie-flat business class seats. With many international routes disrupted at the time, American Airlines had shuffled parts of its fleet, placing Dreamliners on some North American routes. That created a rare chance to fly home from Cancun on a widebody aircraft with a true lie-flat seat
The cost of my business class flight from Cancun to Dallas was $380 or 15,000 American Airlines miles. I chose to use the 15,000 miles since I already had plenty of American Airlines miles available. I had flown lie-flat business class a few times before, but never on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
Before getting too excited, I reminded myself that the level of service would probably be different from a transatlantic or transpacific flight. Even so, I was looking forward to seeing how this American Airlines 787-8 business class experience compared to the Boeing 777, Airbus A330, and Boeing 767 lie-flat flights I had taken in the past.
Why This Was a Rare Lie-Flat Business Class Flight
What made this flight stand out was the chance to fly lie-flat business class from Cancun to DFW on a relatively short route. Rather than a more typical business class flight to Cancun, I flew home on an American Airlines 787-8 Dreamliner with a true lie-flat seat. In December 2020, that felt like a rare find.
Before I even boarded, I knew this would be a memorable flight. It is not every day that a return flight from Cancun comes with a widebody business class seat usually found on much longer routes.
A Rare Lie-Flat Business Class Flight from Cancun to DFW - Table of Contents
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Getting to Cancun International Airport
I chose to take a taxi to Cancun International Airport for my flight back to the United States. When I arrived in Cancun, I had pre-booked a shuttle for USD$35. For the return trip, the cost of a taxi from my hotel in Cancun City Center was only MX$350, or about USD$17.50.
The taxi dropped me directly at the American Airlines check-in area at Cancun International Airport Terminal 3.
If you prefer to pre-book a shuttle, I posted a booking link below. Please note that as an affiliate of Viator, I will receive a small commission if you book using my link. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
Checking In
With my American Airlines business class ticket came priority check-in. There was no one in line, and I was able to check my bag and get my boarding pass within five minutes of entering the terminal.
Security and Boarding
After check-in, I headed straight to security. The line was longer than I expected and took about twenty minutes to clear. There was no separate line for first class or business class passengers.
After security, I decided to eat at AirMargaritaville. There were only a few options available, and it was the first place I came across. I ordered the three-taco meal. I was disappointed that the tacos were not like the more traditional Mexican tacos I had been eating in Cancun, but it was still a tasty meal and made sure I boarded with a full stomach.
I arrived at the gate area about one hour before departure. About 45 minutes before takeoff, business class passengers were invited to board. There was no preflight service or hot towel, which I assumed was due to the more limited service standards at the time.
The Seat
The American Airlines 787-8 business class seat was spectacular. This was my sixth time flying lie-flat business class, and I felt that this seat was better than any of my previous lie-flat experiences.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner business class seat had everything I would expect from a premium cabin. The 21-inch-wide lie-flat seat offered far more space than Main Cabin Extra or Premium Economy. Being able to stretch out in a true lie-flat seat is a perk I will never get tired of when flying business class.
One of the biggest differences between this 787-8 business class seat and other premium cabins I had flown in was the storage. There were three in-seat storage compartments, two near the window and one in the armrest. Having those extra storage spaces meant I did not have to worry about any of my personal items sliding down between the seat.
Because this was only a short flight from Cancun to Dallas-Fort Worth, I spent most of the flight editing my website. The giant tray table made it easy to get work done. I was actually more comfortable in this seat working than I normally am sitting at my computer desk at home.
In Flight
While this flight had the best airline seat I had ever experienced, the service was pretty limited. There was one drink service followed by a quick meal service. The meal choices included a turkey sandwich on rye, a granola and yogurt cup, or a cheese and cracker platter. I chose the sandwich, which was pretty good for a pre-made meal.
On previous lie-flat business class flights, I had been served multi-course meals on real plates with drinks in actual glassware. Even so, on a flight of just over two hours, I did not necessarily expect that same level of service here.
As I worked on writing summaries of my trip to Cancun for Buzzin’ Around the World, I kept track of our progress on the TV monitor. The screen had all of the standard American Airlines entertainment options.
Customs and Immigration at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
After arriving at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, I cleared passport control and customs surprisingly quickly. The normally busy international arrivals hall was nearly empty, and after declaring the food items and stone carving I had purchased in Mexico, I was waved through. It ended up being one of my fastest customs experiences at DFW.
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