Summary

• The popularity of premium economy has grown with leisure passengers, with travelers prefering more premium travel experiences.
• In the US, the top three international airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines, have all added more premium economy seats on international flights while slashing premium economy capacity on domestic routes.
• A study concluded that a flight's distance impacts a passenger's willingness to pay for an upgrade or a premium economy seat.

While initially premium economy, the class that sits between economy and business class, was designed with business travelers in mind, adding extra comfort for those who could not get business class tickets, the cabin has become more popular amongst leisure travelers as well.

The question, though, for leisure travelers who spend their money on a more expensive ticket poses quite the conundrum: whether splashing the extra cash to sit in the premium economy cabin is worth the premium that comes attached to the seat in front of economy.

Even if there is no definitive answer to the question, with many factors potentially influencing a decision, the main question one should ask oneself when choosing between economy or premium economy is how much one values one's comfort.

Traveling internationally

One thing is certain: airlines in the United States that offer premium economy on their flights have put less emphasis on the cabin on domestic flights in 2024 compared to 2023. Data from the aviation analytics company Cirium showed that American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines have reduced the number of premium economy seats year-on-year (YoY), as shown in the table below.

At the same time, the same trio have increased their premium economy offering on transatlantic routes, for example. As Cirium data indicates, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines have increased their premium economy seats on flights between the US and Europe by 5.8%, 22.4%, and 18.6%, respectively, when comparing 2024 and 2023. In total, the trio’s premium economy offering on itineraries across the Atlantic Ocean has grown 11.2%.

As such, one could draw the conclusion that passengers are likely to stay away from premium economy products on domestic flights, possibly because the extra cost could not be justified due to shorter flown distances. Thus, airlines have followed the demand, adding more seats on routes where passengers are at their seats for longer periods of time.

Benefits offered by premium economy

However, traveling in a premium economy seat on one airline is not equal to the experience a traveler would get on another. For example, the Dubai International Airport (DXB)-based Emirates’ premium economy class offering includes more seat space and a premium dining experience, according to the airline’s website, with the carrier adding that the seats include its latest in-flight entertainment (IFE) system. In addition, the airline’s passengers traveling in the cabin get spacious tables, reusable amenity kits, blankets, and large pillows to enhance comfort.

In comparison, United Airlines, the only carrier to fly between the US and DXB with a premium economy cabin, noted that its premium economy, marketed as United Premium Plus, offers bigger seats, with extra legroom, a power outlet and USB, an amenity kit and blanket, an IFE screen, upgraded dinnerware, free drinks, and noise reducing headphones.

Is there a difference in fares? While Emirates flies to DXB from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and United Airlines from its Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) hub, the latter airline is the cheaper option. The table below indicates the prices for two different travel periods, including summer and fall, with data sourced from Google Flights.

Factors when choosing premium economy seating

One study, conducted by two Taiwanese scholars at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) and Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH), with 489 valid responses, questioned passengers on their willingness to pay and/or upgrade to premium economy while traveling.

The questionnaire inquired about whether the passengers knew about premium economy, the importance of various service items that are included in the cabin, and, in addition to their socioeconomic status, questioned the price they were willing to pay to travel in or upgrade to premium economy. Nevertheless, the authors concluded that little less than half of short-haul passengers (44.8%) were not willing to pay for premium economy, with the numbers going down for medium-haul (31.3%) and long-haul fliers (29.9%).

“The possible reason for this result is that the shorter the flight trip, the shorter the time travelers spend onboard. Therefore, flight distance is a crucial factor that impacts whether travelers are willing to pay extra to upgrade.”

While the authors admitted that the survey had limitations, including the sample of the survey, the lack of long-term trend development, and the locale of the surveyed passengers, it does point to certain conclusions, including that longer flights are more attractive for those debating between economy and premium economy options.