Premium economy is the cabin airlines added because so many travellers wanted something between a cramped economy seat and a full business class fare. It now exists on most long-haul aircraft flying from the US, but the gap between what it offers and what business class offers varies enormously from airline to airline. Here is how to tell whether either upgrade is worth it for the trip you are actually taking.
What premium economy really gives you
Think of it as economy done properly rather than business class done cheaply:
- A wider seat with more recline and a leg rest, usually in a 2-4-2 or 2-3-2 layout instead of 3-3-3 or 3-4-3. On a ten-hour flight that extra width is the difference people notice most.
- Several inches more legroom and a larger entertainment screen.
- A better meal, often served on real crockery, with a welcome drink on many carriers.
- Priority boarding and a larger checked-bag allowance on most airlines, which can matter more than the seat if you are travelling with family.
What it does not give you is a bed. Premium economy seats recline further than economy but they do not go flat, so on an overnight flight you are still sleeping sitting up.
What business class adds on top
- A seat that becomes a flat bed, and on the newer aircraft a private suite with a door. This is the single thing that changes how you arrive. Our cabin suites guide compares the seats airlines currently fly.
- Lounge access before departure and during a connection, which turns a three-hour layover from a chore into a shower and a meal.
- Direct aisle access from every seat on most modern layouts, so you never climb over a stranger.
- Fast-track security and immigration at many hubs, and a generous change policy on most fare types.
Which flights make each one worth it
Premium economy earns its keep on daytime long-hauls
On a flight where you will be awake anyway, a flat bed is a luxury you do not use, while a wider seat, a leg rest and a proper meal make the hours pass far better. Westbound returns from Europe, such as London to New York in daylight, and the long daytime sectors to Asia are the textbook case.
Business class earns its keep on overnight flights before a working day
If you land at 7 a.m. and need to function, the bed is the whole point. Eastbound overnights to Europe and the Middle East, and the very long Pacific sectors such as Los Angeles to Sydney, are where travellers who try business once rarely go back. Pair it with the advice in our jet-lag guide and you can step off the plane ready to work.
Neither is worth much on a short hop
On a flight of under four hours the cabins converge: a bigger seat and an early meal. Spend the difference on the long-haul leg instead.
The airline matters more than the cabin name
Two airlines can sell a seat called premium economy that have little in common. Some carriers give it a dedicated cabin with its own crew and menu; others fit a slightly wider economy seat behind a curtain. The same is true of business class: a 2-2-2 layout with no aisle access is a very different product from a suite with a sliding door, even though both are called business. Before you pay for an upgrade, check the exact aircraft on your flight and read what that airline flies on it, starting with the Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Emirates guides, which describe the cabins each one operates.
Ways to upgrade without buying the top fare
- Upgrade one direction only. Fly premium economy or business on the overnight leg and plain economy on the daytime return. Search tools let you mix cabins by booking each direction separately or by choosing per-leg cabins in a multi-city search.
- Use miles for the upgrade, not the whole ticket. Most programmes let you buy an economy or premium economy fare and apply miles to move up one cabin.
- Watch for upgrade offers after booking. Many airlines email a fixed-price upgrade offer in the week before departure when the forward cabin has unsold seats. The offer is almost always better value than the same cabin bought outright.
- Pick the aircraft, not just the airline. Within one airline the older fleet often has an inferior business seat. Choosing the flight with the newer aircraft can be a bigger improvement than changing cabin.
A simple way to decide
Ask three questions. Will I be trying to sleep? Do I need to function on arrival? How long is the flight? Two yeses and a long flight point to business class. One yes and a daytime flight point to premium economy. No yeses, book economy and spend the money on the trip. When you are ready to compare the cabins on your dates, every Way4Fly route guide runs a live search with a cabin selector.
