Planes, That Is...

If you enjoy the higher ceilings and additional bathrooms found on widebody jets, you may have noticed a trend lately... they're being used less and less by US airlines, at least on domestic runs.

A USA Today analysis of November schedules data from the Official Airline Guide indicates airlines have scheduled wide-body jets on an average of only 143 flights per day for routes among airports in the 48 contiguous states, down about a third from a year ago.

That's a much steeper decline than the roughly 10 percent drop in small and narrowbody jets.

Many business travelers say they love flying on jumbo jets. They contain more premium seats than smaller jets, increasing opportunities for upgrades, have more overhead bin space, and the twin aisles make it easier to walk to bathrooms, or just to stretch your legs.

Widebody jets will account for less than 1% of domestic flights by this November, but there are ways to increase your chances of finding them. Delta and American fly the most widebody planes, with 65 and 54 flights per day, respectively, so your odds go up on those airlines.

The top three airports for widebody service are Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, LAX, and JFK.

Industry experts say that while their fuel consumption will limit their use by the airlines, widebody jets will continue to play a role in the system, especially on long-haul routes, or those feeding international flights.

FMI: www.delta.com, www.aa.com