9 Features That Make A Good Premium Economy Product

Premium economy is increasing in popularity nowadays, especially with the price of business class becoming more and more expensive. People feel differently about it – some don’t like the fact that they’re paying the most per square foot out of any passenger on the plane. I feel that in most cases I have a significantly more comfortable experience when flying premium economy, so just see it as a reasonable cost premium over economy class, regardless of how much I’m paying for each square foot.

However, there’s definitely variance between the strongest and weakest premium economy products. I’ve explored my favourite premium economy class in previous posts (Qantas currently has my pick), and will revisit the list shortly, given that I’ve since flown a few more premium economy products.

In this post, I wanted to share the elements of a premium economy product that would make me want to seek it out again, or even go out of my way to fly it in the future – I’ve arranged these in order of experience, starting from time of booking. I’m keen to hear what yours are.

1. An all-inclusive booking process

The first thing that I want to see when booking premium economy is for it to be marketed as a premium product, as opposed to an economy product. The big thing that I’m thinking about is seat selection fees. A modest premium for the first row is reasonable, though generally I’m not a fan of when airlines charge for seat selection in premium economy.

Quite a few airlines do charge for seat selection in premium economy (especially in Europe), and you might be surprised to hear that airlines such as EVA Air are in that mix as well. However, if you really have to charge, I appreciate when the seat selection fee is capped at a maximum of £50. I’m specifically thinking of British Airways, where I paid £94 to select a window seat near the back of the cabin on a Europe-Asia flight.

Ultimately my preference is no seat selection fee, which you’ll see on airlines such as Qantas, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, ANA, China Eastern, etc.

I’m not thrilled that seat selection on British Airways cost £94 in premium economy (though still eventually paid up to avoid being seated in a middle seat for 12 hours)

Additionally, I’d expect to have a larger baggage allowance (at least 15 kg across a carry-on and a personal item, and preferably more than the standard economy 23 kg checked baggage allowance).

2. A differentiated ground experience

While not a massive priority, I really appreciate when airlines differentiate the premium economy ground experience a bit. The bare minimum that I can think of is priority check-in and boarding – I’d like to see dedicated check-in desks for premium economy passengers, and for non-status premium economy passengers to board behind business class.

I quite like Air New Zealand’s check-in setup, where premium economy passengers have access to a “premium” wing

The Japanese airlines go above and beyond with this – both Japan Airlines and ANA offer lounge access for premium economy passengers. Japan Airlines offers premium economy passengers lounge access at all destinations, whereas ANA offers lounge access at most destinations, having been unable to secure contracts at a couple of airports (particularly in Lufthansa hubs). SAS used to do this as well, though that perk was pulled last year.

However, I recognise this isn’t industry standard, and commend airlines that offer special discounts to premium economy passengers, even if just at their hub – that’s Swiss, Lufthansa, KLM, etc..

Having lounge access as a premium economy passenger is awesome, though I recognise it isn’t industry standard

Outside of this, I quite like SkyTeam’s SkyPriority setup, where premium economy passengers get to board alongside SkyTeam elites. One thing I enjoy is the fact that SkyPriority extends to any connecting flights, even if they’re in economy – it’s quite nice to have priority boarding in those cases.

SkyTeam has a very nice alliance-wide arrangement for premium economy passengers

3. A comfortable seat with good recline

While it’s nice to get a couple of soft product upgrades as a premium economy passenger, ultimately what I’m paying for is the seat.

Premium economy usually consists of a recliner seat of sorts, with seat pitch anywhere between 38-42″. The seat may have a legrest and a footrest. Personally, I notice the difference when a legrest and a footrest are both available, though I don’t notice the difference between 38-40″ seat pitch. I also tend to find that most of the industry’s latest seats are more or less the same width regardless of seat manufacturer or aircraft type, though that might just be because I far prefer window seats (as I like to lean against the window and sleep).

Cathay Pacific has quite a comfortable premium economy seat onboard their newest 777s

There are some airlines that have made specific investments to maximise comfort within space constraints, and I appreciate that. For example, Qantas forewent a conventional fold-up legrest for a footrest that supports the calf as well. I didn’t find this to be significantly more comfortable than the conventional setup, though it worked for me, and I appreciated the innovation.

Qantas’ A380 premium economy features no fold-up legrest but a specifically engineered footrest with a net, which worked well for me

Premium economy seats I prefer less are usually due to a lack of recline or padding. Firstly, the “faux” premium economy seats on some Chinese airlines (and others, including Condor) are my least favourite, as they’re just economy seats with no other enhancements apart from a bit of extra legroom.

However, I’m also not a huge fan of the “shell”-style premium economy seats. I’ve just tried this on Swiss, though some China Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa, and Air New Zealand planes also feature these seats. While I’m not sure why (since the actual relax position is the same), these seats just don’t recline into as comfortable of a position for passengers in my opinion.

I appreciate not having to worry about reclining into the person behind me, though I’m not otherwise a huge fan of shell premium economy seats

I did try Japan Airlines’ A350 premium economy, which despite also having a shell configuration, has motorised seat controls and a legrest that goes up all the way. While I found this premium economy seat to be more comfortable than other shell configurations, I didn’t otherwise find it to be more comfortable than some of the better off-the-shelf premium economy seats out there – though I appreciated the effort.

Japan Airlines’ A350 premium economy has a good configuration, though it isn’t my favourite seat

With airlines exploring zero-G seating in first and business class, as well as memory foam padding and other ergonomic solutions in economy, I do wish that we were seeing more innovation in premium economy nowadays. Many airlines are rolling out off-the-shelf premium economy seats from one of a few manufacturers, whereas I feel like there’s a lot of untapped opportunity for innovation on the seat comfort front. However, as things stand, many of the modern seats are fairly comfortable for napping and relaxing.

4. Good in-seat tech and power

Apart from the actual seat comfort, I’m usually interested in whether the seat has good technology. Fundamentally, I don’t need the seat to have bells and whistles – I would like the entertainment system to be easy to navigate, preferably both USB-A and USB-C charging, and for each seat to have a 110V universal power port.

On top of that, I appreciate when there’s thought behind the seat’s tech. For example, I appreciate when there’s Bluetooth audio (not just in premium economy, but throughout all cabins). While this is an incredibly minor touch, I also like when there are lighting options at the seat beyond the overhead lights (even if it’s as simple as a gooseneck reading light), so you can better control the ambience at your seat depending on what you’re up to.

This is a bit silly, but I do actually appreciate the “mood light” in Qantas’ premium economy, as I have extra flexibility of how I want my seat lit when the cabin is dark

While this doesn’t strictly fit in this category, I also appreciate when a premium economy seat has a sturdy table. Since there’s extra shoulder space and no lie-flat bed, premium economy is often a sweet spot for getting some work done.

I like a good tray table in premium economy (and an empty seat next to me, though that’s not guaranteed)

5. Thoughtful at-seat storage options

In premium economy, I’m not really expecting to have space to place a laptop when I’m eating, or to have my carry-on suitcase easily accessible. However, it certainly helps if I’m able to place my glasses and phone somewhere when I’m sleeping, or to have a large and sturdy seat pocket to place a laptop or iPad when I’m eating.

I really appreciate when airlines make the most of space underneath the personal TV screen in front, and when I can store my phone or glasses there. I also appreciate when there’s storage space underneath armrests, for example, to store other bits and bobs.

The Cathay Pacific premium economy storage “bucket” is awesome

This is a minor detail for many, though I notice when airlines invest in maximising the capacity of their seat pockets. Some airlines have dual-layer seat pockets, which can very snugly store a laptop, notebook, tablet, etc. while holding an amenity kit or other goodies. These can come in very handy, especially on ultra-longhaul flights when you’re working and napping at different points in the flight.

I notice when airlines invest in their seat pockets

6. Cosy bedding and good amenities

In premium economy, I have higher expectations of amenities than I would have in economy. The best offerings usually include a plush, business class-style pillow, and a substantial blanket.

KLM has great blankets in premium economy (a wildcard airline with great premium economy bedding is British Airways)

While I personally don’t need this, I do appreciate whenever an amenity kit is handed out in premium economy, and notice when the contents are quite substantial. Usually my favourite part of the amenity kit is the pouch it comes in, which I use as a cable or toiletries bag for quite some time afterwards.

EVA Air’s premium economy amenity kit

Other nice premium economy amenities include good headphones and slippers, which I also spot in some of the world’s top premium economy products.

From a different angle on the amenities front, I appreciate airlines that make WiFi free for premium economy passengers (that’s Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand, EVA Air, etc. as well as any airline rolling out Starlink). In any case, any WiFi (even if paid) is good to have on a longhaul flight.

7. Enhanced food and drinks offering

A major differentiator between some of the stronger and weaker premium economy products is the food and beverage offering. Different airlines take vastly different approaches – for example, the two Japanese Airlines (Japan Airlines and ANA), who are the only two airlines to offer premium economy passengers lounge access, also have an identical meal service across economy and premium economy class.

I’m generally looking for an elevated presentation, local beverages (including non-alcoholic options), and some form of pizzazz. For example, I enjoy a signature cocktail (even if canned), or a selection of local wines.

Qantas and Air New Zealand have memorably standout food and drinks offerings in premium economy. Of the East Asian airlines, I’m of course a fan of the fact that Singapore Airlines allows premium economy passengers to participate in their premium meal pre-order scheme Book The Cook, and EVA Air comes to mind as an airline with a solid offering as well. In Europe, some may be surprised that I actually really like British Airways’ food offering, and KLM was great as well (more so than Swiss, Lufthansa, and Finnair, which were less memorable).

EVA Air served one of the memorably better premium economy meals I’ve had

I’m also a fan of when there’s some form of dining option between meals as well. Qantas really impressed me with an on-demand small plates menu between meals, though generally I’m also fine with a less sophisticated offering, such as pastries or cup noodles. Cathay Pacific does well at this with their pastries and egg tarts.

I like having some form of a-la-carte snack between meals, which some airlines offer

Additionally, I enjoy when there are local drinks to try, especially when there are non-alcoholic alternatives. For example, my Air New Zealand flight served up bloody mary, complete with a celery stick, which I could order at any point during the flight from the IFE.

I also like when local/regional alcohol is served, such as sake and umeshu on Japanese/Taiwanese flights.

Some form of inflight drink can be a fun addition as well

8. A differentiated service structure

In premium economy, I’m fine with the service structure being quite similar to economy class – I’m not looking for dine-on-demand, or for meals to be served directly onto the table.

However, I do notice small touches that lead to an elevated experience. For example, I notice when the cabin come through a few more times to offer refills, or a second drink. I also notice when economy class is served first before premium economy for the second meal service, in order to maximise rest. In addition, I also notice when there’s a luxury element to the service, such as when you’re allowed to taste the wines. Just don’t let it take over an hour to serve the cabin (*ahem* Emirates).

On Emirates I was invited to try the wines on offer before being poured a glass, though the full meal service ended up taking two hours on a late-night 6 hour flight

9. Creative onboard features (whether shared with economy or not)

While this is lowest on my list of priorities, I appreciate when premium economy cabins feature creative onboard features. This can be as simple as a snack bar, ordering on an IFE, or other amenities that make a premium economy product more interesting. I also don’t mind if these features are shared with economy, as I’m realistically not expecting too much.

Virgin Atlantic has a Wonder Wall on their 787 Premium Economy. It’s just a snack bar that many economy cabins also feature, though the branding is impeccable

I don’t personally really care whether there’s a dedicated lavatory or not

When I’ve written about premium economy before, many people have spoken about dedicated lavatories in premium economy. Occasionally I really appreciate this, though generally I don’t really care whether there’s a dedicated lavatory for premium economy passengers or not.

Why? Well, most premium economy cabins feature around 30-40 passengers, and at most one lavatory. This is a very similar lavatory to passenger ratio compared to economy, where you’d have around 180-220 passengers, but up to five lavatories. In many cases, some passengers have to cross over the aisle in order to use the dedicated lavatory – at that point I’ll just use the economy lavatory, and even appreciate the short walk through a different cabin.

The only exception I can think of is some 787 cabins, where the premium economy cabin is featured right behind the second set of doors, and it’s very easy to cross over the galley to the dedicated premium economy lavatory. However, even then, I don’t usually experience a difference in wait time compared to using the economy lavatories.

Conclusion

I’ve flown my fair share of longhaul premium economy products in the past few years, and here are the features I look out for most when I’m flying in premium economy. These are usually my benchmarks when I’m reviewing a premium economy product, or recommending one to a friend – I’m curious to hear what yours are, and whether the industry in general could benefit from further investment in any one of these elements.

What do you seek out most in a good premium economy product?