
When flying short haul in Europe, I don’t particularly care whether I fly economy or business class (doesn’t mean I’d say no if the airline decides to upgrade me… although that hasn’t happened in a while). But on long-haul flights, this is a different thing. The longer the flight, the more likely I am to spend more to gain a little more luxury. Needless to say, I would love to fly business class every time. Unfortunately, my travel budget doesn’t always stretch to that. Instead, I might compromise and go for Premium Economy. But is a Premium Economy upgrade worth the extra money? Well, how about I tell you a little what to expect in Premium Economy and you can decide for yourself.
First time I flew Premium Economy was a free upgrade on an overnight flight back from New York City to London. As we were queuing at the gate, our names were called out (along with several others) and we were given new boarding passes. It wasn’t until we checked the seating plans online that we worked out that we had been upgraded to Premium Economy (or World Traveller Plus, as British Airways calls it).
How much more expensive is Premium Economy?
For you to decide whether a Premium Economy upgrade is worth the money, it would be good to know how much money we are actually talking.
I often read that Premium Economy is somewhere between 1.5 and 3 times the price of an Economy ticket. But this does not tally with my experience. Yes, on a particularly busy flight, you might end up paying a lot for a Premium Economy ticket, if booked at short notice. That being said, I have experienced it several times that the Premium Economy flight was only marginally more expensive than standard Economy class. If at all. Especially when booking a whole package with flight and hotel, I have found offers with Premium Economy flights that were cheaper than Economy.
A few years back, I was booking flights to Tel Aviv for me and my colleague. At the time, our company’s travel policy was to always book economy (since we were usually only flying short haul within Europe anyway). But as the Premium Economy ticket was only 10 GBP more expensive than Economy, I was allowed to go ahead and book it. To be perfectly honest, I would have happily paid the extra money myself. After all, that was an absolute bargain. A tenner extra is definitely worth the extra money for a Premium Economy upgrade.


What are the benefits of flying Premium Economy?
So how is Premium Economy better than Economy? And why isn’t it the same as Business Class?
More room
Probably the main reason why I’d consider a Premium Economy upgrade worth the money is the extra room you gain.
For starters, the standard cabin layout in Premium Economy is 2 – 3 – 2, as opposed to 3 – 4 – 3 in Economy. Which allows for wider seats and wider aisles.
But you don’t only get more width, you also get more leg room. On average Premium Economy offers 5 to 7 inches more (approx. 35/36 inches in total). For someone short legged like me, this isn’t as crucial, but hubby certainly appreciates the possibility of stretching his legs a little more

More comfort
The Premium Economy cabin is smaller than Economy, resulting in a more relaxed and quieter environment.
You usually get a comfier seat. With a greater recline (although not fully flat like you’d expect to find in Business Class), lumbar support and a footrest.
And if a comfy seat wasn’t enough, PE also comes with better bedding, better headphones and a nicer amenity kit (ok, probably not that important, but nice to have).
Last time we flew to the US, we had Premium Economy on the way out from London to Boston. And were flying in the A380 for the first time ever. Premium Economy was located upstairs with even more space (and plenty more storage) than we have had in any other aircraft.


More luggage
This obviously varies by airline, but usually you will get a higher luggage allowance in Premium Economy. British Airways offers 2 suitcases with 23kg each per person when flying PE. So, if you need a lot of luggage, it might well be cheaper to book Premium Economy than book an additional suitcase in Economy.
Better service
I am only speaking from experience with British Airways here. But it gives you an idea of what to expect flying Premium Economy in general.
You will be served a welcome drink after boarding (usually you get a choice of bubbly or orange juice).
Once airborne, you will be served a hot meal. Pick your favourite from the menu with a choice of two or three different mains (unless you’ve booked special meals upfront), paired with starter and dessert. Your food will be served on china rather than plastic.


Same goes for drinks. You have a bigger choice than in Economy, including some cocktails and mocktails. And you will get your drink in a proper glass rather than a plastic cup.

Do I get lounge access with Premium Economy?
Unfortunately, this is a no. Booking Premium Economy does not include lounge access. Unless you qualify with your frequent flyer status, you would have to book yourself a separate lounge pass at the airport. With most airlines, lounge access is only included with business class and first-class bookings.
Is a Premium Economy upgrade worth the extra money?
As always, it isn’t a black and white yes or no answer. There are many points to consider. Generally, the Premium Economy upgrade is worth the money for me. But within reason. I am not really prepared to pay double or triple for it. But if I find a decent offer, I will happily pay an extra 100 to 150 GBP for it. Or I’ll see if I can upgrade using my frequent flyer points.
If you are unsure whether to upgrade and you book economy at first, no one is stopping you from checking for available upgrades any time before your flight. There is always a chance that your airline is running an offer, giving you the opportunity to upgrade for very little money.
Tell me, which is your preferred cabin class? Do you consider a premium economy upgrade worth the extra money? Or are you happy to fly economy and have some extra cash for your holiday instead?
