Summary

• Delta and Virgin Atlantic offer top-tier premium economy cabins, with luxurious amenities and comfortable seating options.
• Emirates has recently jumped into the premium economy game, investing billions to enhance passenger experience on its flights.
• Singapore Airlines and EVA Air also provide exceptional premium economy options, focusing on comfort, choice, and exclusive privileges.

The popularity of premium economy has grown significantly over the past few years. The travel class, situated between business class and economy class, seemingly offers the best of both worlds: more comfort on a budget. However, some carriers take the extra step to ensure that passengers flying in premium economy feel the most comfortable, have the best food available, and enjoy plenty of entertainment options onboard.

Which are the best premium economy cabins in the skies today, according to the most recent Skytrax awards?

5 Delta Air Lines

Available on: Airbus A330, A330neo, A350, Boeing 767-300ER, 767-400ER

The then-newly appointed CEO of Delta Air Lines, Ed Bastian, announced that premium economy would begin appearing on the airline’s cabins in 2017, becoming the first airline in the US to offer the product. Previously, the big three US carriers (American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines), only offered seats with additional legroom on their flights.

In September 2022, Delta Air Lines announced a refreshed Delta Premium Select cabin “featuring locally-inspired dining, premium hand-crafted amenities and more dedicated service touchpoints.” The airline said its premium economy cabin would be available on all transpacific and most transatlantic flights.

The refreshed Delta Premium Select cabin features an elevated dining experience, premium amenity kits, and bigger seats, which allow customers to “stretch out and relax with a wider seat, additional recline, and an adjustable footrest and leg rest on most long-haul international flights.” According to Mauricio Parise, the Vice President of Brand Experience at Delta Air Lines, Delta Premium Select sits “at the intersection of luxury and practicality,” allowing travelers to enjoy a premium experience at a lower price than Delta One, its business class product.

4 Virgin Atlantic

Available on: Airbus A330, A330neo, A350, Boeing 787-9

Initially, Virgin Atlantic introduced Mid Class in March 1992. According to the airline, the service targeted budget-conscious business travelers who still needed the extra space. The cabin has been rebranded twice since its introduction - firstly to Premium Economy in November 1994 and later to Premium in March 2018.

The UK-based carrier has highlighted at least 14 features of the cabin, including ‘The Wander Wall’ on its 787-9s, “a social space at the front of the cabin where customers can help themselves to treats, snacks, and drinks throughout the flight.” Other features of the cabin include a seat pitch that is “equivalent to some airlines’ business class,” a dual-position footrest, the newest in-flight entertainment (IFE) system, and enhanced dinner service.

When Airbus was about to deliver Virgin Atlantic’s first Airbus A350-1000, the carrier said that passengers “will also be able to enjoy the increased levels of luxury and comfort the A350 has to offer,” including the largest entertainment screens and a generous 7-inch recline.

3 Emirates

Available on: Airbus A380 (plus 53 Boeing 777-300ERs to be retrofitted)

Emirates was one of the late adopters of premium economy, having introduced the cabin in May 2022. At the time, the Dubai International Airport (DXB)-based airline said it would be available for customers traveling to three destinations from August of that year, with the addition of Christchurch, New Zealand, in December. The carrier also highlighted that it was the first airline in the region to offer premium economy.

In August 2023, the carrier went on to announce a major refurbishment of its onboard product, investing over $2 billion into redefining the passenger experience on Emirates’ flights. In addition to many new features, the airline also said that it was embarking on a “record-breaking refurbishment of the aircraft fleet interiors” project, which will result in 120 aircraft being equipped with premium economy seats, split between 67 Airbus A380 and 53 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

The first refurbished Airbus A380 took off from Dubai in January 2023. The aircraft was deployed on the airline's London Heathrow Airport (LHR) route, operating flight EK003. According to Emirates, as the program continues to move forward, engineers can work on two aircraft simultaneously, with the airline planning to retrofit 67 A380s by the end of 2024. Then, the carrier will begin working on the 53 Boeing 777-300ERs that it plans to refurbish.

2 Singapore Airlines

Available on: Airbus A350, A380, Boeing 777-300ER

Singapore Airlines introduced its new premium economy cabin in February 2015, with passengers flying between Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) and Sydney Airport (SYD) being able to enjoy the new cabin first from August 2015.

The airline would add the cabin to its Airbus A380, Boeing 777-300ER, and then-upcoming Airbus A350 aircraft. According to the carrier, the cabin design process began in November 2013, when it partnered with seat manufacturers ZIM Flugsitz, Zodiac Seats, and JPA Design. The initial investment in the cabins would appear on the Airbus A380, A350, and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Data from ch-aviation shows that Singapore Airlines currently has more than 80 aircraft equipped with the cabin, including:

• 39 Airbus A350-900
• 12 A380
• 14 Boeing 777-300ER.

As to what you can expect while flying the cabin? The airline highlighted enhanced comfort and a “range of extra choices and exclusive privileges.”

1 EVA Air

Available on: Boeing 777-300ER (plus 787-9 and 787-10 to be retrofitted)

While Virgin Atlantic has claimed that it was the pioneer of premium economy, EVA Air has also made that claim, saying that it “launched the world’s first premium economy class in 1992, leading the airline industry and setting the pace for widespread adoption of this innovative cabin.”

In March 2023, EVA Air announced an order for an additional five Boeing 787-9 aircraft. But the announcement also included news about the airline’s premium economy offering, with the Taiwanese carrier saying that it would add this cabin to its 787-9s starting mid-2024. Clay Sun, the President of EVA Air, said that introducing a premium economy would “meet growing operational needs and make our flights even more attractive to passengers.”

When Skytrax awarded EVA Air with having the world’s best premium economy cabin, Sun promised that the airline is finalizing “plans to launch a wider selection of inflight meals choices and upgrading onboard courtesies and conveniences.” The executive added that the plans would be revealed in the latter part of 2023.

Which airline do you think has the world's best premium economy offering? What are your thoughts on premium economy overall? Let us know by commenting below.