Air New Zealand has done it again. Back in December 2010 I was invited to go up to Seattle to take part in Air New Zealand’s delivery ceremony of their new Boeing 777-300ER. It was state of the art and one of the best parts about it was the invention of the Skycouch.
Here’s what I wrote: “Air New Zealand is the first real airline to invest millions of dollars in an innovative coach product. There are 244 seats in economy, and 60 of them can be turned into Skycouches (with 20 different combinations). That’s right: The leg rests of three seats together flip up to form a flat area (5’1″ long). The configuration would make the trip much more pleasurable for a couple or family traveling together at a fraction of the cost of business class. Note: The Skycouch only fits two adults comfortably, so couples need to pay for the third seat.”
Then last month, I was at United’s Media Day where they revealed they were coming out with their own version of the Skycouch called Relax Row. It turns out United collaborated with their Star Alliance partner on the design. I thought it was a little odd they shared the patent but now it makes sense… Air New Zealand just took sleeping on a plane to the next level with the introduction of the “Economy Skynest.”
Air New Zealand has now introduced its next major economy innovation: the Economy Skynest. The product will be available to book starting May 18, 2026, and will launch in November on select flights operated by a redesigned Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
Initial service will operate between New York (JFK) and Auckland, a route that typically exceeds 17 hours.
Skynest (see video embedded above) consists of six lie flat sleep pods located between the Economy and Premium Economy cabins. The pods are arranged in a bunk style layout. Each pod is approximately 6.6 feet long, with a mattress, pillow, sheets, and blanket provided and changed between sessions.
Each pod includes a privacy curtain, reading light, ventilation outlet, USB charging, and small personal storage. Passengers also receive an amenity kit with an eye mask, ear plugs, socks, skincare products, and dental items.
Skynest is sold as an add on. Economy and Premium Economy passengers can book a four hour session, scheduled outside of meal service. Each passenger can reserve one session per flight. Initially, two session periods will be available per flight.
Pricing starts at $495 per session.
Passengers must be at least 15 years old to use Skynest. Access to the pods may require climbing or kneeling, particularly for the upper bunks, while lower pods are positioned closer to the floor.
The Skynest pods are part of Air New Zealand’s updated Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner cabin configuration. Additional updates include new Business Premier seats with closing doors, redesigned Premium Economy seats with fixed shells, and 13.3 inch inflight entertainment screens in Economy.
Both Economy and Premium Economy cabins will also include access to a self service Sky Pantry area for snacks and drinks during the flight.
Skynest will be available to book starting May 18, 2026, with flights operating from November 2026.
