I tried Air New Zealand's new economy bunk beds - are they worth the hype ... and $495?

I went into Air New Zealand's new economy-class bunk beds expecting a flying coffin. Four minutes later, from the top bunk, I was reconsidering.

The airline's much-hyped Skynest bunks went on sale this week ahead of their debut on the 17-hour Auckland-New York route from mid-December, giving economy passengers the chance to pay $495 for a four-hour lie-down at 38,000 feet.

Australian travellers heading to New York via Auckland will be among the first to try the world-first concept. But after climbing into all three levels at IMM Trenz in Auckland, my verdict is simple: book the top bunk if you can, take the middle if you must and avoid the bottom if enclosed spaces make you twitchy.

Air New Zealand flights between Auckland and New York are about 17 hours long. The airline's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft will feature a Skynest pod with six bunk beds.

Travellers booking one of the bunk beds will pay $495 per person on top of their economy fare.

During each flight the bunk beds will be available for two four-hour sleep shifts.

This means, anyone with a bunk bed booking will only have access to the Skynest for four hours.

At the time of booking, travellers can choose which sleep shift they want to book as well as the location of the bunk. At the moment, all bunks and sleep shifts cost the same.

FIRST IMPRESSION: I'm borderline claustrophobic and just looking at the bunk beds from a short distance - without even entering the pod - made me nervous. However, upon entering the pod with three bunk beds on my left and three on my right (and a ladder in between), I felt surprisingly calm.

THE TOP BUNK: This is the first bunk I climbed. It was easy for me to slide into it and lie on my back. There was a pillow, a blanket and a small amenities kit with an eye mask, ear plugs, socks, toothbrush, toothpaste and Aotea skincare. I liked the fact that I was on top, with no one above me. The lighting was soft and from this perch I had a good view of what's outside the Skynest pod, adding to a sense of spaciousness. There was enough gap between me and the ceiling above to not trigger my claustrophobia. The bed is 203 centimetres long. It's 64 centimetres wide at the shoulder, and tapers down to approximately 41 centimetres, so there was enough space for me to stretch out.

THE MIDDLE BUNK: This was even easier to get to as I only had to climb a ladder or two. Perfect for those who do not want to climb far. But once I was lying on my back, the ceiling felt a bit closer to me than it did in the top bunk. Everything else was the same, except for the view out the Skynest pod, of course, which is not elevated as it is from the top bunk.

THE LOWER BUNK: This was the hardest bunk to get into. I had to sit on the floor and really curl my body to get in. Once in, I found it to be more cavernous than the middle and the top bunks. I felt like I was virtually lying on the ground, with heavy walls around me and limited view of what's outside the Skynest pod when lying on my back. It didn't trigger claustrophobia for me, but that's maybe because I knew I was only here for a few moments. Would I be OK to lie in this bunk for four hours? I'm not sure if I would be willing to take that risk.

THE BIG SURPRISE: Having tried all three bunks, I was certain that the headroom (that is, the space between the mattress and the ceiling) was the least in the bottom bunk. But it's the opposite. The headroom for the top and the middle bunk is 66 centimetres, while for the lower bunk it's 71 centimetres. This means the lack of spaciousness I felt in the lower bunk had nothing to do with its size but with its position.

This is not the first time Air New Zealand is offering a ground-breaking way for economy class passengers to stretch their legs. The airline's Skycouch allows travellers to book three economy seats in a row, which can be combined to create a flat bed once the flight takes off.

I have not tried it myself but I have heard the leg rest can be raised to create a comfortable flat bed.

Unlike Skynest's bunks, the price for Skycouch is not set. Based on the price for those three individual seats, it can be quite expensive, but if I could afford it, I would choose the Skycouch any day over a bunk bed.

Meanwhile, would I pay $495 for a bunk bed? On a 17-hour flight, probably - but only if I could secure the top bunk. The middle would do. The bottom bunk, despite technically having more headroom, felt too low, too enclosed and too much like sleeping in the luggage hold.