I flew on Hawaiian Airlines for the first time from NYC to Honolulu. The seat was nothing special, but the food was easily better than any other US airline's.

I normally wouldn't show up to the airport so early for a domestic flight, but I wanted extra time to check our luggage and grab breakfast from one of the airport lounges.

We checked two bags, both of which were well below the 50-pound limit at about 30 pounds each. This gave us plenty of wiggle room to bring back souvenirs.

Granted, we had to wait 30 minutes in Honolulu and an hour in New York on the return leg to collect our bags, so be sure to budget that time.

Access to the lounge came with our Priority Pass membership, and it's the best one available in Terminal 4, in my opinion.

Hawaiian uses the widebody Airbus A330 on its long-haul routes between Honolulu and the East Coast, and it features dual seats on each side — perfect for couples.

Hawaiian is a leisure-focused carrier, and I liked its laid-back ambiance. The landmarks and culture of Hawaii even inspired the in-flight safety video.

But the plane did lack WiFi.

Even though it would mean deplaning last, I wanted to sit in the back where I knew there would be more space and privacy.

This type of configuration is common on other airline A330s as well.

To avoid the rows closest to the galley and lavatory, I wanted rows 43 or 44. But neither had both seats open when I was booking the flight, so I settled for row 42.

While we were one row ahead of the wider aisle in row 42, we still had easy access to a space to stretch our legs and walk around.

The seats came with adjustable headrests, a seatback pocket, and an in-flight entertainment system with a USB port.

There wasn't an under-seat power outlet in regular economy.

I wish the seat incorporated a cupholder like on Singapore Airlines or a footrest as featured on All Nippon Airways.

But Hawaiian's product was easily comparable to non-five-star Asian carriers, including Delta, American Airlines, and United Airlines.

According to Hawaiian, its A330s offers 31 inches of pitch, which is similar to other airlines like Delta and KLM.

Delta, which is the only direct competitor on the route between New York-JFK and Honolulu, offers 31-32 inches of pitch in economy on its widebody planes, per SeatGuru.

Considering the flight is so long, taller passengers may consider an upgrade to "extra comfort" seats with 36 inches of pitch.

I particularly enjoyed the murder mystery film "See How They Run" while my husband watched titles such as "Asteroid City."

This was my only big complaint of the experience.

Basically, I wasn't able to see my screen straight on during half of the flight. And the reclined seat infringed on my space if I didn't recline as well.

I also noticed the recline made some of my tray table space essentially unusable. Fortunately, the flight attendants asked passengers to set their seats upright during the meal service.

I was happy Hawaiian followed through on its reputation for good on-time performance.

There was a price listed for the earbuds, but the flight attendants handed them out for free.

I ordered an assorted box for $12 with themed snacks, such as Maui Onion macadamia nuts and Hawaiian-style caramel corn.

I loved everything included, and it helped keep my hunger at bay.

It was our honeymoon, after all.

I loved the food on Hawaiian, easily beating out Delta and United.

The meal came with melon and a cookie, as well as a complimentary cup of wine. I'm not a huge wine drinker, but my husband enjoyed it.

I loved the little bag it was served in, which was quite on brand with the Hawaiian-inspired leisure theme.

I typically don't have the appetite for a second airline meal after traveling for hours on end. My stomach is just weird.

But I loved the egg sandwich because it was simple and filling enough for an afternoon arrival in Honolulu.

The return flight was another 10 hours nonstop. But this time, it was a red-eye, and Hawaiian provided a blanket.

For my seats, the aft pairs were taken, so we sat further up in row 38.

Once again, the meal looked questionable but was surprisingly flavorful and filling.

This was probably the least impressive meal of the bunch, but the orange and muffin were both fresh.

And, again, I liked the little bag in which it was served.

While the TV screens' lack of adjustability was annoying, the seats onboard Hawaiian were comfortable, and the recline provided a good position for sleeping.

And the food was excellent. I'd easily choose Hawaiian on future long-haul trips to Honolulu over competitors such as Delta and United simply for its better meals, as the seats and entertainment are comparable otherwise.

It's weird to think a domestic flight in the US is longer than some routes to Europe, but that's true of Hawaiian's New York to Honolulu nonstop. Its flight to and from Boston is actually even longer.

Nevertheless, that means travelers should prepare to sit for 10 hours, including bringing snacks in case airline food isn't to your taste, drinking plenty of water before and during the flight, and carrying sleep aids such as melatonin and an eye mask.