Caribbean Airlines 737 MAX 8 Seat Selection Guide (2026)
✈️ Quick Verdict
Aircraft: Boeing 737 MAX 8 (the airline calls it the 737-8) — 160 seats: 16 business, 36 Caribbean Plus, 108 economy
Layout: business 2-2 (A C | D F), rows 1–4 · Caribbean Plus and economy 3-3 (A B C | D E F), rows 5–10 and 11–28
Version lottery: No — the last 737-800 left the fleet in 2026, so every Caribbean Airlines jet flight is this aircraft
Best seats: business 1A, 1F · Caribbean Plus rows 6 and 8 · economy 12B–12E (exit legroom, full recline)
Seats to avoid: row 5 (Caribbean Plus bulkhead, about 20in to the wall) · rows 27–28 (rear lavatories; row 28 does not recline)
Entertainment: 13.3in seatback screens in business; free streaming to your own device in economy on flights over two hours
Power: AC and USB in business, Caribbean Plus and the exit rows; USB elsewhere
The catch: Caribbean Plus starts with its worst row
Caribbean Plus is the airline’s extra-legroom economy: rows 5 to 10, about 35in of pitch against 30in in standard economy, for a fee of roughly US$15 on short hops within the Caribbean up to about US$55 to Canada. Rows 6 to 9 are worth it.
Row 5 is not. It is the bulkhead behind business class, and the wall is only about 20in in front of you — less room than an ordinary economy seat, with no floor storage for take-off and landing and the tray in the armrest. It looks like the front row of a premium section on the booking map. It is the tightest row on the aircraft.
Row 10, the back row of Caribbean Plus, has the opposite problem: full legroom, but it does not fully recline because the exit row is behind it. And the best economy seat on the aircraft is just behind Caribbean Plus: row 12, the second exit row, with about 38in of legroom and a full recline.
737 MAX 8 or 737-800?
Caribbean Airlines retired its last 737-800 in 2026; the final one was a leased stopgap brought in while MAX deliveries ran late. Every jet flight to New York, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Toronto is now a 737 MAX 8 with this layout. If an older booking or review describes a 154- or 189-seat 737-800, that aircraft is gone.
Business class (rows 1–4)
16 leather recliners in 2-2 at about 45in of pitch and 21in wide, with leg rests and 13.3in seatback screens. A single lavatory at the front serves the cabin.
Best business seats
- 1A, 1F — the front row, with open floor ahead: step out without disturbing your neighbour.
- 3A, 3F, 4A, 4F — window seats further from the galley and the lavatory.
- 1C + 1A or 1D + 1F — the pair for two travelling together.
Caribbean Plus (rows 5–10)
36 standard economy seats with extra pitch, about 35in. Rows 6 to 10 have the legroom. The fee is per person, per flight, and it buys space only — no extra miles.
Best Caribbean Plus seats
- Row 6 (6A–6F) and row 8 (8A–8F) — full pitch, a seat in front, floor storage.
- 7B–7E, 9B–9E — the same legroom; the windows at 7A and 7F are out of line with the seat, and 9A and 9F look onto the wing.
Caribbean Plus seats to avoid
- Row 5 (5A–5F) — the bulkhead, about 20in to the wall. No floor storage, tray in the armrest. 5C has a little extra room on one side.
- Row 10 — Caribbean Plus legroom, but it does not fully recline with the exit row behind.
Economy (rows 11–28)
108 seats in 3-3 at about 30in and 16.5in wide. Two lavatories sit at the very back, behind row 28. Rows 11 and 12 are the overwing exit rows, with about 38in.
Best economy seats
- 12B, 12C, 12D, 12E — exit-row legroom with a full recline. 12A and 12F share the legroom with a wing view.
- Row 11 — the same legroom, but it does not fully recline with row 12 behind it.
- 16A, 23A, 23F, 25A, 25F — the best-placed economy windows behind the wing.
Economy seats to avoid
- Rows 27 and 28 — the rear lavatories are directly behind. Row 28 does not recline and has the galley behind its middle seats.
- Row 26 — the lavatory queue forms beside you.
- 20A, 20F, 22A, 22F — the window sits behind the seat.
What is included in economy?
- Bags: the Lite fare pays for its first checked bag; Classic includes one and Flex includes two. Every fare includes a 10 kg carry-on and a personal item.
- Food: a complimentary snack, or a meal on some routes. Pre-ordered meals are paid on Lite and Classic.
- Entertainment: free streaming to your own phone or tablet on flights over two hours. Bring headphones.
- Caribbean Plus: paid per flight, from about US$15 within the Caribbean to about US$55 to Canada.
Routes to North America
From Port of Spain, the MAX 8 flies to New York JFK several times a day and to Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Toronto. Kingston and Georgetown also have flights to New York and Toronto, and Tobago adds winter flights to New York and Toronto. Several New York services stop on the way through Georgetown, St Vincent or Tobago.
Quick-pick summary
| Travelling as | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Business | 1A or 1F | Open floor ahead |
| Paying for Caribbean Plus | Row 6 or row 8 | Full 35in pitch with floor storage |
| Legroom without Caribbean Plus | 12B–12E | Exit row, about 38in, full recline |
| Window, economy | 23A, 23F, 25A, 25F | Best-placed glass behind the wing |
| Avoid | Row 5, row 10, rows 27–28 | Tight bulkhead, limited recline, lavatories |
Frequently asked questions
Does Caribbean Airlines still fly the 737-800?
No. The last 737-800 left the fleet in 2026. Every Caribbean Airlines jet is now a 737 MAX 8; the airline also flies ATR 72 turboprops on short regional routes.
Is Caribbean Plus worth it?
In rows 6 to 9, yes: about 35in against 30in in economy. Not in row 5, the bulkhead, which has about 20in to the wall. If you can get an exit seat in row 12, it has more legroom than Caribbean Plus.
Which rows are Caribbean Plus?
Rows 5 to 10, all six seats in each row. The exit rows, 11 and 12, are not part of Caribbean Plus.
Does Caribbean Airlines have seatback screens?
Only in business class. Economy and Caribbean Plus stream films and TV to your own device, free, on flights over two hours.
What is business class like on the 737 MAX 8?
A domestic-style recliner: 2-2, about 45in of pitch and 21in wide, with a leg rest and a 13.3in screen. It is not lie-flat.
Comparable guides
- Copa Airlines 737 MAX 8 — the Panama hub airline’s MAX 8, with Business and Economy Extra
- Arajet 737 MAX 8 — the Dominican low-cost airline, with paid extras on every seat
- Air Europa 737 MAX 8 — the same aircraft with a European blocked-middle business class
- Air Canada 737 MAX 8 — the Toronto alternative
- United 737 MAX 8 — the US alternative from Newark and Houston