Over the years, we have seen a shift in how passengers fly. Economy class has seen a change in seat selection, meals and baggage in the past couple of years whilst business and first class have seen major upgrades for passengers. There is a recently developed cabin class that is starting to gain traction among major airlines. Premium economy offers passengers a step up from economy but not as fancy as business class. It was first introduced in 1991 by EVA Air among its Boeing 747-400 fleet followed by Virgin Atlantic. However, Premium Economy did not gain as much traction until late 2010 with American Airlines introducing Premium Economy in 2016 across its long-haul flights. Other major airlines such as Emirates introduced Premium Economy in 2022 on their A380 and Boeing 777. So is Premium Economy worth it, or is it just another way for airlines to make more money?
Features of Premium Economy.
Think of Premium Economy as a class between Economy and Business Class. There are no lie-flat beds, however, the recline is remarkably greater than economy class. The inflight dining menu isn’t as fancy as Business but passengers will get an enhanced dining experience such as stainless cutlery and different meal options. Features of premium economy vary from airline to airline, however, most features include wider seats, meal upgrades and a wider selection of snacks, enhanced recline on seats, wider legroom and upgraded entertainment from economy class cabins. Most airlines also offer priority boarding and a dedicated check-in counter. The average seat width for economy ranges from 16-18.5 inches whilst the average seat width in premium economy is 18-20 inches. Economy seat pitches range from 31-34 inches whilst premium economy ranges from 38-40 inches.
Qantas Premium Economy offers a dedicated check-in counter, a priority boarding lane, noise cancelling headphones, 40” seat pitch, 19.5″ seat width, extra legroom and an amenity kit on selected flights. Qantas also offers a premium dining selection with a welcome drink and a multi-course dining experience.
Emirates Premium Economy also offers a dedicated check-in counter and priority boarding after business class. Emirates also offers extra baggage allowance from the usual 20kg in economy to 35kg in premium economy. Their dining experience includes Royal Doulton cutlery on a woodgrain tray table. Enjoy upgraded entertainment with a 13.3 inch screen with and option to connect your own headphones and on-board Wi-Fi.
Which Airlines Offer Premium Economy?
The list of airlines that offer Premium Economy as of 2024 are:
| Airline | Routes |
| Japan Airlines | available on international flights including A350, Boeing 787 and 777. |
| Emirates | operates on selected destinations with the Boeing 777 and A380. |
| EVA Air | available on the Boeing 777-300ER fleet. |
| Singapore Airlines | available on A350, A380 and B777. |
| Virgin Atlantic | available on all long-haul flights. |
| All Nippon Airways (ANA) | available on B777, B787 and A380. |
| Delta Airlines | available on selected international flights. |
| Cathay Pacific | available on the B777 fleet. |
| Air France | available on B777, B787, A330 and A350. |
| Qantas Airways | available on B787 and A380 flights. |
| Lufthansa | available on most long-haul flights. |
| Air New Zealand | available on all long-haul flights with B777 and B787. |
| British Airways | available on most long-haul routes. |
| United Airlines | available on all wide-body planes on international routes including B777, B767 and B767. |
| Swiss International Airlines | available on all routes operated on Boeing 777-300ER. |
| Iberia | available on long-haul flights operated on A330 and A350 aircraft. |
| Air Canada | available on selected international and long-haul routes. |
| ITA Airways | available on long-haul flights and A321NEO. |
| Austrian Airlines | available on long-haul flights. |
| Finnair | available on all long-haul flights. |
| American Airlines | available on B777 and B787 (international) |
| Scandinavian Airlines | available on all SAS flights. |
| Latam Airlines | available on A321, A320 and A319. |
| Vietnam Airlines | available on B787 and A350 aircraft. |
How does Premium Economy compare to Economy and Business Class in Cost?
On Qantas Airlines from Sydney to Los Angeles (one-way) an Economy ticket will cost $1488 whilst Premium Economy is roughly $3911, and Business Class is roughly $7868.
Using points to book a premium economy seat will set you back approximately 240,000 points. Finding reward seats isn’t as frequent as economy, however, reward seats will be roughly 81,300 points on premium economy.
If you are searching for a more spacious international travel experience, but don’t want to splurge on business class seats, then Premium Economy might just be what you are looking for. A hidden bonus is that if you are an airline member, you may be able to upgrade for a fraction of the price. Would you travel on Premium Economy?
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