Aeromexico Boeing 787-8 Business Class Review [LAX to MEX]

Airline: Aeromexico (AM)
Aircraft: Boeing 787-800
Flight #: AM647
Route: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez (MEX)
Date: July 9, 2024
Duration: 3 hours, 55 minutes
Cabin and Layout: Business class; 32 seats in a 2-2-2 configuration
Seats: 3D and 3F
Cost: 77,805 American Express Membership points each (including onward flight to São Paulo)

My wife and I recently needed to book last-minute tickets to Brazil for some family issues. We were flexible, though we had 2 just requirements: We wanted lie-flat business class if we were flying overnight, and we wanted to use points. Seems easy, right? Not so much.

We wound up on Aeromexico after a process of elimination, and we were quite excited that this was the final result. We’d never flown long-haul business class with Aeromexico previously, and we got to try 2 different cabin layouts (this flight and the onward flight to Brazil).

This flight was rather short, clocking in at less than 4 hours, and service was a bit inconsistent. Plus, the cabin was a bit dated. However, we’ll give Aeromexico more positives than negatives on this flight from Los Angeles to Mexico City.

Booking Aeromexico Business Class on the Boeing 787-8

Finding a business class flight departing within 72 hours proved tricky. Many programs charged an exorbitant fee, and others didn’t show award availability.

We wound up on Aeromexico because it offered decent cash fares for flights that fit our needs. The airline offered a 1-stop itinerary from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Mexico City’s Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez (MEX) before continuing to São Paulo in Brazil.

Since my wife has The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, we were able to use Amex Membership Rewards points to pay for this flight and get a rebate, making the cost tolerable while struggling to find award availability through Amex’s transfer partners.

That’s because Amex Business Platinum cardholders can get 35% of their points back when using Pay with Points for first and business class flights with any airline, as well as flights in any cabin with a preferred airline chosen each year. Note that there’s a maximum of 1 million points back each calendar year.

Since this flight was available for $1,197 per person on AmexTravel.com, we booked it with 119,700 Membership Rewards points per person. After getting 35% of our points back, the final price was 77,805 Amex points each. To be clear, that covered the entire itinerary from Los Angeles to São Paulo. The business class flight from Los Angeles to Mexico City by itself can be found for under $500 if you’re looking for this plane with lie-flat seats.

Plus, we also got earnings in our Delta accounts since these are treated like paid reservations. We earned 3,106 SkyMiles and $466 Medallion Qualification Dollars.

Hot Tip:

Flights booked on AmexTravel.com using Pay with Points are treated like cash fares, meaning you’ll earn miles and qualifying segments from the airline. Since this was an “I” fare, we earned 200% miles and 30% Medallion Qualification Dollars by crediting the flight to Delta SkyMiles.

Los Angeles International Airport

Check-In

Aeromexico used Terminal 3 at LAX for check-in. However, the flight departed from Terminal B, the Tom Bradley International Terminal, which we could reach by walking through the pedestrian connector after security.

Upon arrival at Terminal 3 around 9:30 a.m. on a weekday, there was no line for Aeromexico’s preferred check-in, which we could access as business class passengers. This line also was available for those with Aeromexico Rewards and SkyTeam elite status.

To be blunt, we whizzed through check-in like nobody’s business. It was incredibly efficient — so efficient, in fact, that we snatched up our tickets and passports and headed off with a bounce in our step before realizing we had no idea what lounge we could visit. I guess that’s what you get for being impressed at the lack of line, efficient tagging of bags, and friendly smiles from the woman at the counter.

Bottom Line:

With no line and a great employee, we got in the door and finished checking in within 5 minutes. That’s incredible.

Korean Air Lounge

Once we arrived at the Tom Bradley International Terminal, we went to the information desk and asked a friendly employee which lounge we could visit as Aeromexico business class passengers. She pointed us to the Korean Air lounge near the duty-free cosmetic store, accessible by taking an elevator to the fifth floor.

At the entrance, 2 friendly employees greeted us with smiles and checked our boarding passes before letting us into the lounge.

Though it was morning, the lounge had a mix of breakfast and lunch foods, including several types of fruits.

There also were muffins and croissants available next to a cauldron of pumpkin porridge.

At the far end, the buffet also had hot dishes, including egg fried rice, barbecue wings, and penne primavera.

The buffet also had finger sandwiches and cold cuts.

A drink station had self-serve alcohol, water, and 2 types of cereal.

Next to the coffee machine and hot water dispenser were instant noodles.

A drink cooler was stocked with sodas and beers.

Our favorite feature of the lounge was its seating, available in multiple types and locations. This large area had comfy leather chairs with small tables and booths cut into the wall.

There were 2 TVs along this wall, as well.

In the middle of the space was a counter with bar seating. Further into the room were low seats in pairs, and a block between the seats served as a table and also provided charging points for phones.

Additional seating was available in an open area above the concourse walkway below.

Yet another seating area had a departures board, and the location plus lack of people made this a great quiet area for anyone wanting that feature.

Hot Tip:

There’s also an American Express Centurion Lounge at LAX in this same terminal, which we’ve visited previously. However, you should get lounge access on international flights in premium cabins, so relying on credit card lounge access shouldn’t be necessary. You can check out our full list of LAX lounges.

Boarding

We departed from gate 131, the first gate in the concourse, after turning right from the duty-free shopping and security area. Boarding was done by groups, starting with preboarding and then business class.

We got into the plane rather quickly, as boarding started on time and moved in an orderly manner, including clear information on screens and through overhead announcements. Boarding was done through the middle door, separating the larger front cabin in business class (rows 1 to 4) from the smaller rear cabin (rows 5 and 6), which was followed by the economy cabin.

Friendly crew members were available at the boarding door to keep traffic moving, letting passengers know the best path to their seats. Once we reached our seats and got settled, staff came around to greet passengers. We also received a choice of welcome drinks before takeoff, and we pushed back right on time. I attribute that to a very organized boarding process.

On Board Aeromexico’s Boeing 787-8

Clase Premier Business Class Cabin and Seat

Aeromexico calls its business class “Clase Premier,” and the Boeing 787-8 planes have a 2-2-2 layout. There were 4 rows (for a total of 24 seats) in the front cabin.

After the restrooms and a galley, there were 8 additional seats in a smaller business class cabin; beyond that was economy.

This was Aeromexico’s older business class product, easily distinguishable by the 2-2-2 layout and the black-meets-purple seat designs.

The cloth on the seats had signs of age, though these were lie-flat business class seats that you wouldn’t typically find on a sub-4-hour flight. The seats had a traditional seatbelt and adjustable headrest. A small privacy divider was between the seats, but it didn’t do much.

At boarding, each seat had a plastic bag with a pillow and blanket inside. Surprisingly, we also found our headphones here.

Unfortunately, the footwell was too small to hold the bedding package.

Between our footwells, we also saw signs saying we couldn’t store items there during takeoff and landing, as well as a note that Wi-Fi would be available throughout the flight.

At shoulder height on the aisle side of the seat, we found universal outlets, USB-A outlets, and headphone jacks. There was no door or cubby here to use this space for storage, so the only storage options were the magazine holder, the footwell, and the small shelf under the entertainment screen.

All seats were at an angle, possibly to help maximize space.

This also meant passengers across the aisle from you weren’t immediately next to you, which was nice.

Overhead, each passenger had a reading light and air nozzle.

The seats provided a fair amount of comfort, and the ability to lie down during the flight was surprising, given the flight time. However, there are better business class seats providing more comfort, better storage, and fewer signs of wear and tear. However, you won’t find many of those on such a short route.

Choosing the Best Seat

Unfortunately, Aeromexico doesn’t have solo seats near the window on the B787-8. For passengers traveling alone, the best seats may be those in the middle block, given the 2-2-2 layout.

Seats D and F in the middle block have aisle access without the negative aspect of seats C and G — also aisle seats, though you may have a stranger climbing over you to access the aisle. For couples, the A-C or G-J pairs near the window may provide a more private feel, though that comes with 1 of you not having direct aisle access.

Avoid seats 4A and 4J if possible, as these lack windows.

Food and Beverage

Despite the flight time, we had a full meal service, starting with menus available at our seats at boarding. Options included short rib, chicken breast, cheese ravioli, and grilled cod. We also received an option of a welcome drink before takeoff while perusing the menu and placing our orders.

We requested special meals (vegan) before the flight and received these as promised. Our appetizers included fruits and grilled vegetable rolls that were presented well.

The main meal included a roll, salad, and tofu, peppers, and eggplant in a tomato sauce served with rice. It was only decent, though it was filling.

Unfortunately, there was no dessert option to go with our special meals. Passengers received ice cream. While other airlines tend to offer fruits or a small snack to correspond with special meal requests, the options here were “yes” or “no.”

Interestingly, the entertainment screen also had information about the meal service and options.

It was also possible to see bar options here.

The wine list was also available on the screen.

The cocktail list was also available, though admittedly short.

The screen also told us about drinks and light bites in the gallery between the 2 business class cabins. Here, we could find water, coffee, wine, snacks, and more.

Amenities

Inflight Entertainment

Each side had a personalized entertainment system. The touch screen wasn’t the most responsive, but it worked well enough. There were options for movies, games, and music. With the short flight time and a full meal service, we really didn’t find time to use it beyond seeing what functions were available.

Wi-Fi

Each business class passenger received a code to use free Wi-Fi during the flight. This was a nice touch.

Lavatories

Business class passengers had 2 lavatories to use: 1 at the front near the cockpit and 1 between the 2 business cabins. While not large or full of impressive features, they had the necessities.

Pump bottles of soap and lotion from Etro had unique designs.

The hexagon pattern on the floor provided a nice flair beyond the typical airplane bathroom.

Amenities Not Present

There was no amenity kit available for business class passengers. We also didn’t have mattress pads or bedding to put on the seat when laying flat — just the blanket. That wasn’t an issue for our flight, as we didn’t want to sleep, but it would matter on a longer flight through the night.

Service

The staff were really friendly at boarding and before taking off. We also thought they were friendly during meal service. After clearing the dishes, they basically disappeared. We didn’t have any requests to make, but we did notice the absence of crew for a few hours, which felt a bit odd.

They did keep the lavatories clean and stocked, though.

Arrival in Mexico City

Prior to landing, we received announcements about immigration procedures, baggage claim, and weather. The staff made final checks to ensure everything was ready, and they thanked us for flying with Aeromexico. The pilot and cabin crew’s announcements covered the basics, were friendly, and didn’t drag out unnecessarily — the most important aspect.

Once the door to the jet bridge opened, we exited quickly, given our proximity to it. Flight attendants were present at the door to help if needed and to thank passengers as they passed. The time from arrival to exit was minimal.

As we had a connecting flight, we merely followed the signs for transit passengers.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we had a positive experience with Aeromexico. We had a long-haul business product on a flight under 4 hours, a full meal, free Wi-Fi, and friendly staff, though they disappeared after the meal. The seat wasn’t the newest, and the cabin layout was a bit dated, but it was an overall good experience.