Proof that Aeromexico 787-8 business class is worth it

I recently flew Aeromexico 787-8 business class for the second time in six years. Now more than ever, I’m convinced that it’s one of the best premium airline cabin experiences in North America.

Officially referred to as Premier Class, it lives up to its name with stylish and comfortable seats, decent food, and fantastic service from an attentive cabin crew.

Speaking of the cabin crew, I loved how brutally honest they were. The confused look on their faces when I tried to pronounce such things as “agua” and “cobija” told me everything I need to know about how gringo my accent really is.

AM647
Los Angeles, CA (LAX) – Mexico City, Mexico (MEX)
Tuesday, May 31, 2022
Aircraft: 787-8
Registration: N964AM
Duration: 3 hours 32 minutes
Seat: 3J (Premier Class / Business Class)

The video

Being a relatively short 3 hour and 32 minute flight meant that if it was going to be a challenge to get all the video footage I needed. I tried my best to show you how good Aeromexico Premier class can be:

My full review of Aeromexico 787-8 business class from Los Angeles to Mexico City

For the record, I first flew on the Aeromexico 787-8 from Tijuana to Mexico City back in 2016. That experience was very similar to this one, and that’s a good thing. I thought it was a phenomenal business class product back then, so it’s good to know that Aeromexico hasn’t been slacking.

The main difference between that review and this one is the amount of detail I will show. I’ve learned a lot since then (mostly that my old airline reviews suck pretty bad).

What terminal does Aeromexico use at LAX?

If you’re flying Aeromexico out of LAX, and you have bags to check, check in at Terminal 3. If you don’t have bags to check, I’d recommend checking in online and heading straight to the Tom Bradley International Terminal. That’s where the plane will be departing from.

FYI, the reason why Aeromexico check-in is located Terminal 3 is because they are buddy-buddy with SkyTeam partner Delta Air Lines. Terminal 3 is the home for Delta at LAX. I get why they did it this way, but I have to imagine that with the lack of proper signage, it has to be extremely confusing for most people.

What lounge can Aeromexico business class passengers use at LAX?

If you have a ticket for Aeromexico Premier Class out of LAX, you will have access to the Korean Air Lounge (which is essentially the LAX SkyTeam lounge). It’s located on level 6 of the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

The KAL Lounge is one of my favorites at the Los Angeles Airport. It can get busy during certain times of the day, but it’s totally worth it if you can time your visit during off-peak hours.

The boarding process for Aeromexico flight number 647 to Mexico City

In the moments leading up to the boarding of this flight, it was hard to tell how full it was going to be. Gate 133 at LAX is deceiving since it’s located at the north end of the terminal (in a very open space).

Unlike how US airlines do it, Aeromexico kicked off the boarding process with business class passengers first. Everyone else (even those traveling with small children) had to wait.

My first impressions of Aeromexico 787-8 Premier Class

The last time I flew on an Aeromexico 787, they boarded us through the forward cabin door. This time, it was the number 2 door (located just ahead of the wing). This meant having to turn left upon boarding the aircraft instead of turning right. I love it when that happens.

Overall, I was very glad to see that the Premier Class cabin was exactly how I remembered it from last time. It was still as purple as ever, and I was happy to see that for being a nine-year-old aircraft, it still looks brand new.

The departure out of LAX

After seeing firsthand how busy Terminal 3 was, I’m really glad that this flight to Mexico City was departing out of the International Terminal today. It was a very quick pushback out to the main taxiway.

Interestingly enough, we didn’t depart from the northern runways (24R and 24L). Instead, we had to taxi around the entire airport to the southside for a 25R departure. My only guess is because that we were going to be turning south directly after takeoff.

What is in-flight entertainment like in business class on the Aeromexico 787-8?

Right off the bat, I discovered that there was good news and bad news with in-flight entertainment in Aeromexico business class:

• The good news is that the video screens were extremely large and bright. It wasn’t difficult to see anything (even in direct sunlight).
• The bad news is that I found all the options for the movies and TV shows to be somewhat lacking. There were a few good choices, but not many.

Honestly, it was kind of a shame how mismatched the video screens were to the actual content. It was essentially the exact opposite of what I experienced in Air France 777-300 business class (where the screens sucked but the content was excellent).

Aeromexico business class food is a lot better than I thought

I normally like to be surprised before a new business class experience, but I actually got a preview of the meal options for this flight a few days prior. Aeromexico sent me an email asking me if I’d like to pre-select my meal option for this flight to Mexico City, and I just couldn’t refuse.

How comfortable are the lie-flat seats for relaxing and sleeping?

The seats used in Premier Class on the Aeromexico 787-8 are the exact same seats you’ll find in American Airlines A321T flagship business class. Therefore, I already knew that the seats are really great for relaxing and sleeping.

My only complaint about the comfort of the seats is related to privacy. The window seat is situated a few inches forward of the aisle seat, meaning the person in the aisle seat can look over your shoulder without any effort at all. It’s a bit awkward.

The approach and landing into Mexico City

Arriving in Mexico City from the air is always an eye-opining experience. It’s one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, and it’s surrounded by some of the most stunning landscape you’ll ever see. There’s a reason why this is such a popular tourist destination.

Although our approach into MEX today just beautiful as ever, we came in on runway 23R. This meant that we didn’t get to fly over the core downtown area (which is always an incredible sight to see). Oh well. Maybe next time.

Pros and cons of Aeromexico 787-8 business class

As I mentioned in the beginning of this review, I don’t think people give Aeromexico enough credit. This is a fantastic airline, and they do a really good job with long-haul business class. It’s not perfect though, so here is a detailed list of pros and cons which explains everything that I like and don’t like about premier class on the 787-8:

Pros

• Even though these seats are the same that you will find on many other airlines, there’s a reason for it: They’re extremely comfortable.
• Aeromexico seems to be doing a great job keeping the interiors of these 787‘s in perfect condition.
• The cabin crew on this particular slight (as well as my flight from Tijuana to Mexico City 6 years ago) was phenomenal. They were extremely attentive and happy to help in any way possible.
• I wouldn’t go as far as to say that the food was as good as what I was served in Starlux A321neo business class, but it was darn good.
• There’s enough room for window seat passengers to get out to the aisle even if the aisle seat passenger is sleeping. You’ll have to step over their feet, but it’s certainly possible without too much high-stepping.
• It’s clean! I’m only mentioning this since I was borderline appalled by how the seats were in my Aeromexico 737-700 business class review were 6 years ago.

Cons

• As comfortable as I thought the seats are, I really hate the fact that the power outlets and headphone jacks are located in such an awkward place.
• I found the selections of movies and TV shows in the video entertainment system to be lacking. There wasn’t much variety.
• The seats aren’t very private, and I always felt like the person in the aisle seat was looking over my shoulder.
• On the 787, you won’t have control over the window dimming after takeoff. It’ll be the cabin crew who determines how bright or dark the cabin should be.