Arajet

Arajet is a Dominican Republic ultra-low-cost carrier flying an all-Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet from its Santo Domingo base across the Caribbean, Central America, South America and North America. The model is the familiar ULCC one: a low headline fare with almost everything else, seat selection included, sold separately. That makes choosing a seat a deliberate decision rather than a default, which is exactly where knowing the cabin ahead of time pays off.

The whole operation runs on the 737 MAX 8, a quiet, fuel-efficient single-aisle jet configured for high-density single-class economy at 3-3 across. Arajet operates the type in more than one seat count, so the exact number of rows varies slightly between airframes, but the shape of the cabin is consistent: one long economy tube with a small group of extra-legroom seats at the front. There is no business or premium class on any Arajet aircraft.

This is a single-class economy cabin throughout, bright and modern in keeping with a young MAX fleet. The seats at the very front are sold as an extra-legroom option, in some cases with the adjacent middle left empty for more space, but they are still economy seats with more room rather than a separate cabin with a different service. Everything beyond the fare, from a chosen seat to a bag to a snack, is an add-on, so the cabin rewards travellers who plan rather than leave the seat to the airline.

If legroom matters to you, the front extra-legroom rows are the seats to buy; on airframes where the middle is blocked, they also buy you elbow room a standard row cannot. For a light traveller in standard economy, the practical calls are ordinary: a window if you want to lean and sleep, an aisle near the front if a fast exit is the priority, and a berth clear of the rear galley and lavatory if noise and foot traffic bother you. The exit rows offer more stretch for less than the front seats, so weigh them if budget is tight and you still want space.