I took 2 of the longest economy flights of my life on Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines. I'd only book one again.

My 33-hour question day began astatine Denver International Airport. By the extremity of it, I would beryllium successful Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Getting determination progressive a three-and-a-half-hour formation to Washington, DC; a 13-hour formation betwixt DC and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; a three-hour formation from Ethiopia to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; and a last formation to Zanzibar.

My summons connected Ethiopian Airlines outgo $975, and I sat successful system for each limb of the long-haul journey.

Naturally, the formation I dreaded the astir was the longest: 13 hours, cramped adjacent to strangers.

While Ethiopian operates a scope of craft for long-haul flights, I was connected an Airbus A350-900XWB.

I don't deliberation I've ever boarded a formation truthful bright. While astir airlines instrumentality to navy blue, black, and acheronian colors for seats, Ethiopian Airlines embraced colour with an unexpected green.

While it wouldn't person been my choice, it didn't interaction the flight, though I did deliberation it gave the compartment an outdated look.

The level itself had 30 lie-flat business-class seats and 313 system seats. The system compartment had 3 rows of 3 seats, with 2 bathrooms successful the mediate and 2 successful the back.

After my boarding radical was called, I headed to the back of the plane and cozied into my model seat.

I seldom instrumentality a 13-hour flight. Instead, I'm much acquainted with shorter flights, wherever economy seats thin to beryllium smaller.

For this aircraft, my spot was 18 inches wide with a 32-inch spot pitch. The seats could besides recline.

While it was lone a fewer much inches than seats I've sat successful for short-haul flights, I did announcement the difference. My spot felt roomier, and my legs could agelong a spot farther.

As for amenities astatine the seat, I was greeted with a modular airplane pillow and blanket.

Flight attendants came astir with headphones, and successful beforehand of maine was a touchscreen amusement strategy with a USB larboard for charging.

The hose had plentifulness of media options, from TV shows to euphony and movies. While I thought it was missing large US blockbusters, I loved eyeing the planetary movie choices. I could besides bargain WiFi for $25.

A fewer hours aft taking off, formation attendants arrived with dinner.

I was amazed erstwhile determination wasn't an entrée option. Instead, I was handed a tray with rice, carrots, chickenhearted curry, bread, a atom salad, and dessert. It was delicious.

After dinner, I fell dormant and judge I missed a sandwich snack during the nighttime service.

Toward the extremity of the flight, formation attendants arrived with breakfast. This time, I was served a tray with mushrooms, baked beans, eggs, and a hash brown.

Overall, I was shocked by however overmuch I enjoyed the meal. Airline food tends to beryllium a deed oregon miss, and Ethiopian Airlines' nutrient was a deed by my standards.

Whether successful concern people oregon system connected a long-haul oregon short-haul flight, I've ne'er noticed drastic differences successful airplane bathrooms.

The Ethiopian Airlines bath felt typical. It had a tiny changing table, a toilet, a sink, and tissues.

To get home, I near Entebbe, Uganda, and flew 5 and a fractional hours to Doha, Qatar. From there, I had a 16-hour formation to Dallas earlier my last two-hour formation home.

This flight, besides successful economy, outgo $900.

Qatar uses 4 craft for flights to and from the US. I was connected a Boeing 777-200LR for this flight.

This level was a spot smaller than my Ethiopian Airlines flight. There were 42 business-class seats and 217 system seats, with 2 rows of 3 seats and a mediate enactment of four. Passengers had entree to 5 bathrooms, an other 1 compared to Ethiopian.

The decor felt standard, with dark-gray seats and reddish accents.

The spot was astir 1 inch wider than Ethiopian, astatine 18.9 inches, and had an inch bigger transportation astatine 33 inches with reclining capabilities.

I'm ever amazed astatine however overmuch a azygous inch tin marque a difference, but for a 16-hour flight, it helped. I could agelong retired my legs and didn't perpetually consciousness similar my knees were pressed against the spot successful beforehand of me.

However, I didn't similar that determination wasn't a obstruction betwixt the limb country of my row's mediate and the model seats. My seatmate could easy encroach connected my idiosyncratic space.

A emblematic airplane pillow, blanket, and headphones were waiting for maine successful my seat. I was besides amazed to spot a tiny complimentary toiletry kit — an amenity I've lone received successful concern class. The insubstantial pouch held an oculus mask, earplugs, a toothbrush, and socks.

I recovered an outlet beneath my seat, and adjacent the surface was a USB larboard to complaint my phone.

The amusement strategy felt a interaction outdated with a retro distant control. However, determination were plentifulness of movies and shows to take from, and WiFi outgo $15 with an enactment to upgrade to precocious velocity for $20.

On trips home, I typically opt for a vegetarian meal. It's a mode for maine to reset and, ideally, devour thing a spot healthier aft a travel filled with eating out.

I did that for my Qatar flight, but alternatively of marking vegetarian, I accidentally marked earthy vegetarian.

During the flight, I was served 3 trays of earthy vegetables. Thankfully, I had capable snacks to past maine the full flight.

Beyond that, Qatar had pros and cons to its nutrient service.

The meals felt somewhat elevated with metallic cutlery, and I received much nutrient during this long-haul flight. In summation to 2 meals, passengers were fixed a spinach-and-feta blistery pocket, positive cocoa and h2o astatine the extremity of the flight.

The con was that portion work was overmuch much limited. I wasn't offered complimentary wine, beer, oregon soda, and my escaped options were constricted to juice, tea, coffee, and water.

I'm anxious to alert Qatar Airways astatine slightest 1 much clip to acquisition a afloat repast service. Even without factoring successful food, the bigger spot and complimentary toiletries made for a amended wide experience.

Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines didn't respond to requests for comment.