I paid over $2,000 for a first-class flight on Alaska Airlines. Unfortunately, it wasn't much better than economy.

My first incorrect assumption what that my first-class ticket would automatically get me access to an airport lounge. I thought this would be especially nice since my itinerary included a layover in each direction.

Unfortunately, there weren't Alaska lounges at any of the four airports I flew through during my trip, and you have to be an Alaska Lounge+ member to access any of the airline's partner lounges.

To make things worse, I assumed the first-class seats would be as nice as those I've seen on other airlines. My heart sank when I learned that Alaska Airlines' first-class seats don't recline much and don't have seat-back screens.

I'd been looking forward to a deep recline to help me sleep and zone out while watching movies and catching up on emails throughout my 18-hour travel day.

At this point, I wondered if it would've been better to fly economy on a different airline, but it was too late to change my ticket.

When I boarded my first flight, I was cautiously optimistic.

I was glad to see my first-class chair was noticeably bigger than a typical economy seat. Plus, it had plenty of padding to make it more comfortable.

Unfortunately, the seats reclined even less than I expected. I also didn't get a pillow or an amenities kit, just a blanket, which is what I'm used to on longer economy flights on other airlines.

I packed a tablet with a big screen so I could watch movies and TV shows through Alaska's app, which seemed to have a pretty good selection. However, there wasn't a tablet holder on the seatback for either of my flights there.

Because I had only one tray table, I had to choose between watching movies or using my computer to catch up on emails. Given the limited space, things got even tighter when the food came out.

I also had to pay an extra $32 ($8 on each leg of my flight) for WiFi.

When it was time to eat, I was hoping for a hot meal. I left my house at 4 a.m. without breakfast and was starving.

I waited to see what would be on my tray, only to discover that because I had not selected a meal in advance (which I didn't know was a thing), I was stuck with a snack box and a couple of mediocre sides.

I got the same snack box (sans entrée) on my second flight, leaving me hangry when I landed.

As I deplaned, I longingly thought about the delicious food I had on a recent Turkish Airlines flight in economy.

When it came time to board my first flight home, I was happy to see that the plane was nicer.

This time, I had a tablet holder on the back of my seat so I could watch from a comfortable distance and save some tray space.

The seats didn't recline more than the other plane, but they did have footrests. My flight left at 11 p.m., and I was so tired that I dozed off easily.

Unfortunately, I was soon disappointed again when I boarded my connecting flight. The plane was an older model without a tablet holder.

I had at least preordered a meal for this leg, which was better than the snack box.

I can't totally blame Alaska for my underwhelming first-class experience.

If I had done some research before booking, it would've been much clearer that the airline is known for its no-frills planes. However, it still felt like I was paying first-class prices, so I think some disappointment is appropriate.

I won't be flying first class on Alaska again, but I hope to have a real, luxurious experience on another airline in the future.

Alaska Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.