Premium Economy - worth the extra $$$?

Hi, we're looking to fly back the UK for Xmas and there are a few deals for premium economy with BA and Virgin. It's roughly about $600 more each. I just wanted to know if anyone's been premium economy and if it's any good? Is it worth the extra $$$?

Thanks

Jay

Hi I have been on BA Premium Ecconomy but as a free upgrade, it was good, but I am not sure I would pay $600 for it, depends on your financial situation I suppose. I always manage to nab the Emergency Exit Row seats in Economy and dont think Premium Economy is much better than that. Some airlines let you pay a small amount in advance to nab the exit row seats now, Think I paid $75 to nab exit row on our flight to Aus on Air New Zealand

I've flown BA premium as a free upgrade for one leg. It was better than economy, but a far cry from business. You may need to consider whether you'll get what's important to you - if you want more room, then it may be fine; if you're expecting enhanced service you may be disappointed. Personally I'd consider paying more for PE, but when it comes to it, probably not $600 each more - I'd be more likely to pay the extra if I was travelling alone, but even then I think of what I could get for that much when I get to the UK and feel like for me I'd still probably travel cattle class. But having said that, I'm usually able to sleep and am very short so I don't find economy class all that bad (plus I usually pay to sit in the rows of two at the back of the plane where there's a bit more room and no bassinets).

http://www.airlinequality.com has reviews of airlines and seats, and Australian Business Traveller http://ausbt.com.au also publishes reviews of PE products (I think they did a comparison between BA, Virgin & Qantas).

Not worth it on BA and Virgin in my opinion. Air New Zealand is the only premium economy worth paying extra for. Grit your teeth and save the cash.

I think it is worth it for $600, the extra 6 inches of seat pitch make a massive difference to our personal space. Yes it is a long way off business, but it is a long ay off business prices too.

The downside to premium economy is that the arm rest is sold, so ever if there is no one occupying the seat beside you, you cannot lift the arm rest and stretch out. But then again, these flights are often full anyway.

After I first travelled in premium economy, I decided I would probably never want to go back to economy and I never have.

I've seen some pretty cheap fares with China Southern in Prem Econ (more or less the same price as economy). When I looked on Seat Guru though the seats are exactly the same crappy 17" width, just spaced out a bit more. That's why the Air NZ ones are so much nicer as they are a different seat type to the rest of economy. You pay for it though!

I guess it's a trade off between width and pitch. A good economy seat with some additional width may be better for your specific needs than a narrow premium economy one.

I also saw some really cheap (£1500) business class fares with China Eastern to London. The business cabin looks pretty dire but compared to a prem econ seat it will be superior.

My husband and I both have long legs so end up pretty cramped in an economy seat - him to the point of it being unbearable for the back to back flights to the UK. We definitely think its worth it to fly in premium, and have gone upper class with virgin before as well. Upper class is superb as we find we arrive at the other end in a much better state and we lose less time to jet lag and feeling knackered. We can't afford it all the time all though the air miles you get are good and can be used towards other flights which overall helps to cut costs.

Premium economy seats with BA give you a wider seat and a bit more leg room. If the space makes a difference for you comfort wise, then its probably worth it. However, as mentioned above the service is pretty much the same as economy so don't expect much there! If you aren't too tall, or don't have long legs then you may not get the same benefit.

My brother in law is large and tall (6' 4") and swears by it. Personally I'd go for emergency exit seats and save the cash, but that's not always an option.

I have flown BA premium economy on a free upgrade LHR-CAI. I wouldn't have paid for it - slightly more legroom and it was less annoying when people in front reclined, but not noticeably wider. The catering was the same as economy. If you have the money, hunt for a cheap business class deal (Malaysia seems quite good value right now) and if you don't, save the cash and put up with economy. A 24 hour stopover half way can make a huge difference too.

I've heard good things about Qantas PE, but ultimately it really comes down to your expectations and what's important to you. Like I said, I'm very short (my legs don't even touch the floor when I'm sitting in a typical airline seat), so extra leg room isn't really something that's a priority for me, but if I had the spare money, I'd never fly economy!

Hi, we're looking to fly back the UK for Xmas and there are a few deals for premium economy with BA and Virgin. It's roughly about $600 more each. I just wanted to know if anyone's been premium economy and if it's any good? Is it worth the extra $$$?

Thanks

Jay

I have flown Premium Economy with both BA and Virgin to the states. Virgin is far superior I would not pay for BA's premium economy.

I flew with Virgin premium economy a few years ago and having long legs myself I found it to be much more comfortable. My flight was only 7 hours long so I can imagine the difference being fantastic for a flight as long as yours! Have a great time when it comes round!

Business class varies from the awful (Kuwait Airways) to the wonderful (Oman Air uses the same seat in business that BA use in first).

Ah, let's have a contest to see what is the worst business class experience... Personally, it was Egyptair Cairo to Jo'burg. No alcohol, not fully reclining seats, awful catering and the in flight monitors playing a short loop of Egyptair adverts. The lounge in Cairo (which has since been upgraded with a move to a new terminal) was a collection of hard sofas separated from the rest of the terminal by a velvet rope.

Ah, let's have a contest to see what is the worst business class experience... Personally, it was Egyptair Cairo to Jo'burg. No alcohol, not fully reclining seats, awful catering and the in flight monitors playing a short loop of Egyptair adverts. The lounge in Cairo (which has since been upgraded with a move to a new terminal) was a collection of hard sofas separated from the rest of the terminal by a velvet rope.

Atyrau Airways, "domestic" flight from Atyrau Kazakstan to the (old) Domededovo airport in Moscow, in the days when it was the domestic airport.

Scary aircraft, seats didn't recline at all, "catering" was a sweet pastry of indeterminate origin and composition, no TV or anything. Seats were hard blue vinyl, interior panelling of aircraft weird 70s plastic fake wood

It's a toss up as to whether that was the worst bit of the journey, or the mad taxi ride to Sheremetyevo to catch a flight to London, spraying bribes at GAI checkpoints. Lateness/tightness of connection entirely due to the idiot I was travelling with who thought travelling on his Lebanese passport was a good idea when he could have used his UK one. Cue 2 hour grilling at DME immigration

Still, at least the journey was much shorter than yours. And the stewardess on the BA flight, when I dropped in the seat having made the flight with about 5 mins to spare, knackered, gave me 5 G & Ts without my asking as soon as I flopped down because I "looked like I needed them"