Is it worth upgrading from Economy to Premium Economy?
Find out information on Premium Economy and whether purchasing a Premium ticket over and Economy ticket is worth it. Use our comparison table below to see how the two classes compare for all the major airlines!
Because comfort is such as big priority for many travellers, some airlines offer Premium Economy as a separate seating class to Economy, usually with a greater service and space. Not all airlines offer Premium Economy - it is usually found on international flights. Airlines are increasingly offering Premium Economy, but the question is, is the increased fare worth the upgrade?
The difference between Premium Economy and Economy will vary between airlines, and is likely to also depend on the type of aircraft you are flying on. In many cases, Premium Economy will be separated from Economy with a curtain to increase privacy. You can also expect wider seats and a few extra inches of recline, as well as extra amenities and facilities including complimentary snacks/meals/drinks, power, and a larger personal entertainment screen.
Top Tip: Is extra space a priority to you? Check out our guide to learn more about seat width and pitch and the best airlines for personal space in Economy: Airlines with the Biggest Seats in Economy and Premium Economy.
Premium Economy definitely offers a better flying experience. The upgrade can be quite a bit more expensive, so is it worth paying for the increased cost? There’s no denying that premium economy is a better flying experience compared to the economy, so the question is, how much are you willing to pay for that privilege? As stated above, there can be some good value, but it can also be quite expensive. It depends on your priorities; many people value the extra room, especially on transatlantic or long-haul flights. Premium class seats will typically have 5-7 extra inches of legroom and width. If the difference is just 15-20%, it might be worth upgrading.
Additional facilities often include adjustable headrests and leg-rests, larger personal TV screens and power ports for laptop or digital devices. Passengers can also usually look forward to a premium food service and complimentary alcoholic drinks.
Take a look at our table below to see how Economy compares with Premium Economy on some of the most popular airlines:
AIRLINE NAME | SEAT PITCH | SEAT WIDTH |
---|---|---|
Aegean Airlines | Economy: 30 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Economy: 17-18 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Adria Airways | Economy: - Premium Economy: not available |
Economy: 16+ inches Premium Economy: not available |
Aer Lingus | Economy: 31-32 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Economy: 17 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Aeroflot | Economy: - Premium Economy: not available |
Economy: 17+ inches Premium Economy: not available |
Air Astana | Economy: 30-32 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Economy: 18 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Air Canada | Economy: 29-34 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Economy: 17-20 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Air China | Economy: - Premium Economy: not available |
Economy: 32 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Air France | Economy: 29-32 inches Premium Economy: 38 inches |
Economy: 17-18 inches Premium Economy: 19 inches |
Air New Zealand | Economy: 30-34 inches Premium Economy: 41-42 inches |
Economy: 17 inches Premium Economy: 18.5-10 inches |
All Nippon Airways | Economy: 34 inches Premium Economy: 38 inches |
Economy: - Premium Economy: 19.3 inches |
Austrian | Economy: 30 inches Premium Economy: 33-35 inches |
Economy: 17-18 inches Premium Economy: 19 inche |
American Airlines | Economy: 31-40 Premium Economy: 16-18 inches |
Economy: 16.5-18.5 Premium Economy: 17.1 - 19 inches |
Avianca | Economy: text Premium Economy: not available |
Economy: text Premium Economy: not available |
British Airways | Economy: 30-38 inches Premium Economy: 38 inches |
Economy: 16-19 inches Premium Economy: 18.5 inches |
Delta Airlines | Economy: 30-35 inches Premium Economy: 38 inches |
Economy: 16.5-18.5 inches Premium Economy: 18.5-19 inches |
Emirates | Economy: 32-34 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Economy: 18 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Ethiad | Economy: 32 inches Premium Economy: Economy upgrades but no Premium Class |
Economy: 17-19 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Gulf Air | Economy: 32 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Economy: 17.5 Premium Economy: not available |
Oman Air | Economy: 31-34 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Economy: 18 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Philippine Airlines | Economy: 30-33 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Economy: 16 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Singapore Airlines | Economy: 32-34 inches Premium Economy: 38 inches |
Economy: 17.5-19 inches Premium Economy: 19-19.5 inches |
Turkish Airlines | Economy: 30-31 inches Premium Economy: not available |
Economy: 16-17.8 inches Premium Economy: not available |
United Airlines | Economy: 30-38 inches Premium Economy: 38 inches |
Economy: 16-19 inches Premium Economy: 19 inches |
AIRLINE NAME | COUNTRY | NAME FOR PREMIUM ECONOMY |
---|---|---|
Aerolineas Argentinas | Argentina | Club Economy |
Aeroflot | Russia | Comfort Class |
Aeroméxico | Mexico | Aeromexico Plus |
Air Austral | France | Classe Comfort |
Air Canada | Canada | Premium Economy |
Air Caraïbes | France/Caribbean | La Classe Caraïbes |
Air China | China | Premium Economy |
Air France | France | Premium Economy |
Air Transat | Canada | Club Class |
Air New Zealand | New Zealand | Premium Economy |
Air Senegal | Senegal | Premium Economy |
AirAsia | Malaysia | Hot Seat |
AirAsia X | Malaysia | Hot Seat |
Alitalia | Italy | Classica Plus |
All Nippon Airways | Japan | Premium Economy |
Allegiant Air | USA | Legroom Plus |
American Airlines | USA | Main Cabin Extra |
Asiana Airlines | China | Economy Smartium |
Austrian Airlines | Austria | Premium Economy |
Avianca | Colombia | Economy Plus |
British Airways | UK | World Traveller Plus |
Brussels Airlines | Belgium | Economy Privilege |
Cathay Pacific | Hong Kong | Premium Economy |
China Airlines | China | Premium Economy |
China Southern Airlines | China | Premium Economy |
Condor | Germany | Condor Premium Economy |
Delta Air Lines | USA | Delta Comfort+ |
Edelweiss Air | Switzerland | Economy Plus |
El Al | Israel | Economy Plus |
EVA Air | Taiwan | Elite Class |
Finnair | Finland | Economy Comfort |
Frontier Airlines | USA | Stretch |
Hawaiian Airlines | USA | Extra Comfort |
Iberia | Spain | Premium Economy |
Icelandair | Iceland | Economy Comfort |
Japan Airlines | Japan | Premium Economy |
JetBlue Airways | USA | Even More Space |
KLM | Netherlands | Europe Select |
LAN Airlines | Chile | Premium Economy |
LOT Polish Airlines | Poland | Premium Club |
Lufthansa | Germany | Premium Economy |
Mahan Air | Iran | Premium Economy |
Malaysia Airlines | Malaysia | Economy Plus |
Norwegian | Norway | Premium Economy |
Oman Air | Oman | Premium Class |
Pakistan International Airlines | Pakistan | Economy Plus+ |
Philippine Airlines | The Philippines | Premium Fiesta Class |
Qantas | Australia | Premium Economy |
SAS Scandinavian Airlines | Denmark/Norway/Sweden | SAS Plus |
Scoot | Singapore | Super/Stretch Seats |
Singapore Airlines | Singapore | Premium Economy |
Spicejet | India | Premium Economy |
Sunwing Airlines | Canada | Elite Plus |
TAM Airlines | Brazil | Space Plus |
Thai Airways | Thailand | Premium Economy |
Ukraine International Airlines | Ukraine | Premium Economy |
United Airlines | USA | Economy Plus |
Vietnam Airlines | Vietnam | Economy Deluxe |
Virgin America | USA | Main Cabin Select |
Virgin Atlantic | USA | Premium Economy |
Virgin Australia | Australia | Premium Economy |
Vistara | India | Premium Economy |
WestJet | Canada | Economy Plus |