Getting comfortable while flying in coach isn’t always easy. However, most of us can’t always fly in premium cabins.

To help with comfort, there’s got to be some other solutions which can make economy class more enjoyable.

Airfiber is their proprietary technology that “helps you move easily, evenly distributes weight and allows airflow to help keep you in a deeper more restful sleep“.

So what does this have to do with travel, you might be wondering?

Airweave has teamed up with Ritz Paris in an exclusive partnership to offer a couple of special mattresses. Still confused, right?

It just so happens that one of the models, called the Ritz Paris Traveler is designed with airline seats in mind. It also meets TSA standards so you can bring it onboard as a carry-on!

Airweave says that the “specially designed airfiber core with a firmer lower back area will provide extra spinal support.”

So how would the Ritz Paris Traveler do on an economy seat during a flight?

Airweave sent me the Traveler model to test out.

Here are my thoughts on the Ritz Paris Traveler:

As you see in the image above, the mattress comes rolled up in a bag which makes it easy to carry. There’s a shoulder strap to also keep your hands free. The mattress is around the size of a sleeping bag so it isn’t huge but it also isn’t the most convenient item to lug around an airport and onto the plane.

There are two snap closure straps which keep the mattress closed up. The only problem is that you have to be careful not to lose them since they aren’t actually attached to the mattress. (Without these straps I’d say good luck getting it back into the bag.)

Once unrolled, the Traveler is relatively thin but pretty lengthy. When you open it up it will cover the full seat (seat back included) and go down the seat but it won’t touch the floor.

The mattress has a nice, squishy yet firm feel to it. I tried it out at home before our flight and it makes a nice spare mattress (very narrow so more for a kid) if needed.

Due to this, bringing the Ritz Traveler on a trip could also serve a second purpose. Let’s say your hotel doesn’t have a big enough bed and you’re traveling with a child. Put a sheet over the mattress and this can be a child’s bed for your hotel stay. Lucas liked laying on it and would sleep on it if needed.

So how did the Ritz Traveler perform during the flight?

I had mixed feelings about the item. Here’s why.

Yes, the mattress is really comfortable and it did feel nice while sitting on it. However, I’m not sure it made a noticeable enough difference to make it worth flying with.

We fly as a family of four, this means we usually have our own row, three seats across most of the time. Opening and putting away the mattress could definitely be a pain in a tight space. Standing up and opening/ closing the mattress isn’t going to bother my family but I could definitely see it being a pain if you’re flying alone. I can’t imagine pulling the item out while seated next to strangers!

Also, traveling with little kids means extra gear. I can’t say that the Ritz Paris Traveler is an essential item worth bringing along due to this (for us).

However, once again- it is a very comfortable mattress. If the cover gets dirty, you can unzip the sides and pull the airfiber out and then wash it. (I haven’t done this yet to see how the mattress cover holds up.

And then there’s the price.

At $590, the Ritz Paris Traveler is a true luxury item. I don’t know many people who would shell out that kind of cash for a travel-specific mattress topper. My guess is that there is a market for the item or else it wouldn’t be produced.

What do you think about the idea of flying with a mattress topper to make your economy class seat more comfortable? Silly idea or practical for the comfort it could provide?

Find out more about the Ritz Paris Traveler from Airweave here.