Flying in business and first class is always a better experience than flying economy, but it comes at a much higher price point. Many people do not think it is worth the soaring price point, so they stick to miles and points to make the experience possible.
This is where airlines came up with a niche market for those looking for a premium experience at a much lower price point, which is the fresh concept of premium economy class.
A Better Experience
Premium economy (PE from now on) excels in service a lot more than economy class. For example, most PE tickets offer these amenities and perks:
- Priority Check-In
- Priority Boarding
- Welcome Drink upon boarding
- Extra Luggage
- Priority Baggage
- More Miles/Points Accumulation
These PE seats also feature a much better physical seat. For example, here is a PE Delta seat (marketed as Delta Premium Select), compared to a standard Main Cabin seat.
While the differences might seem obvious, let me break it down for you:
- On widebody jets like the A350, PE cabins usually have a 2-4-2, 8-abreast layout, while the economy has a 3-3-3, 9-abreast layout. That means the seats in PE have more width.
- PE seats have more legroom. For Delta, the pitch is 38 inches for PE, while Comfort+ has 34 inches, and Main Cabin has 31-32 inches.
- PE seats recline much more than economy class.
- Some airlines, such as ANA, have footrests for each seat.
- Most airlines' PE seats have larger armrests.
So yes, Premium Economy is definitely a better experience than Economy in terms of comfort.