Many airlines offer an enhanced product from the standard economy seat. Originally airlines started off by offering seats with extra leg room, but there has been a trend to introduce a true premium economy section. Premium economy seats come in a many shapes and sizes and they come with many additional benefits that can include lounge access or walk up bars. Don’t get fooled with google flight results that put you in Delta Comfort or United Economy Plus, below are the airlines that offer a true premium economy product:
Aeroflot
| Seat Type: | Fixed Shell |
| Seat Pitch: | 38″ |
| Seat Width: | 20″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Leg Rest |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes, Same as In Economy |
| Additional Benefits: | Enhanced food and beverage |
| Qualifying Miles: | 100% (When Crediting to Delta Air Lines) |
| Redeemable Miles: | 100% (When Crediting to Delta Air Lines) |
Air Canada
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 37″-38″ |
| Seat Width: | 18″-20″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Foot Rest* |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | Enhanced food and beverage, Priority services: Boarding, Check-In and Baggage Handling |
| Qualifying Miles: | 125% |
| Redeemable Miles: | 125% |
*Foot Rests not available in first row
Air France
| Seat Type: | Fixed Shell |
| Seat Pitch: | 38″-40″ |
| Seat Width: | 19″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Foot Rest and Leg Rest |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes (toothbrush, toothpaste, earplugs, socks, eye mask) |
| Additional Benefits: | Noise canceling headphones and Sky Priority services |
| Qualifying Miles: | 4 XP – 24 XP |
| Redeemable Miles: | 4 miles per € 1 spent |
Air New Zealand
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 41″-42″ |
| Seat Width: | 18.5″-20″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Leg Rest |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | Enhanced food and beverage, Premium check-in |
| Qualifying Miles: | Calculated |
| Redeemable Miles: | up to 150% (with partner airlines) |
Alitalia
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 37″-38″ |
| Seat Width: | 19″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Leg Rest |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | No |
| Additional Benefits: | Priority Check-In and Boarding |
| Qualifying Miles: | 3,000-5,300 Millemiglia Miles |
| Redeemable Miles: | 3,000-5,300 Millemiglia Miles |
American Airlines
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 36″-38″ |
| Seat Width: | 17.1″- 19″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Foot Rest* |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | Casper bedding, Pre-ordered meals, Enhanced food and beverage, Priority check-in and boarding, Noise canceling headphones |
| Qualifying Miles: | 150% |
| Redeemable Miles: | 5 miles for every $1 spent |
*Leg Rests available in first row
All Nippon Airways
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 38″ |
| Seat Width: | 18.5″-19.3″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Leg Rests and Foot Rests |
| Lounge Access: | Yes |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | Priority Check-in and Baggage, Enhanced beverage and snack options |
| Qualifying Miles: | at least 100% |
| Redeemable Miles: | 110% |
British Airways
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 38″ |
| Seat Width: | 18.5″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Foot Rests or Leg Rests, Depending on Aircraft Type |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | Priority boarding, Enhanced bedding, Noise canceling headphones |
| Qualifying Miles: | 80-150 Tier Points |
| Redeemable Miles: | 100% – 150% |
Cathay Pacific
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 38″-40″ |
| Seat Width: | 19.3″-20″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Foot Rests* |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | Priority check-in and boarding, Pre-departure beverage, Enhanced food and beverage, Noise canceling headphones |
| Qualifying Miles: | 15 – 75 Tier Points |
| Redeemable Miles: | 110% |
*Leg Rests Available in the first row only and in all rows on A350 planes
China Airlines
| Seat Type: | Fixed Shell |
| Seat Pitch: | 38″-39″ |
| Seat Width: | 19″-20″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Leg Rest |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | N/A |
| Qualifying Miles: | 0%-115% |
| Redeemable Miles: | 0%-115% |
Delta (Premium Select Available on A350 and
Select 777’s Only)
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 38″ |
| Seat Width: | 18.5″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Leg Rest |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | Sky Priority services, Tumi amenity kits, LSTN noise canceling headphones, Westin Heavenly blanket, Plated food and enhanced beverage |
| Qualifying Miles: | 150% |
| Redeemable Miles: | 5 miles for every $1 spent |
EVA Air
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 38″ |
| Seat Width: | 19.5″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Foot Rests* |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | Enhanced food and beverage, Noise canceling headphones |
| Qualifying Miles: | 100% |
| Redeemable Miles: | 100%-115% |
*Leg Rests available in the first row only
Iberia
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 37″ |
| Seat Width: | 17.1″-19″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Foot Rest |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | Enhanced food and beverage, Noise canceling headphones, Priority boarding |
| Qualifying Miles: | 30-500 Tier Points |
| Redeemable Miles: | 100%-150% |
*Leg Rests available in first row only
Japan Airlines
| Seat Type: | Fixed Shell |
| Seat Pitch: | 38″-42″ |
| Seat Width: | 18″-19.3″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Foot Rests and Leg Rests |
| Lounge Access: | Yes |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | Enhanced beverages, Priority check-In, Boarding, and Baggage |
| Qualifying Miles: | 100% |
| Redeemable Miles: | 100% |
Lufthansa
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 38″-39″ |
| Seat Width: | 18″-19″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Foot Rest* |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | Pre-departure beverage, Plated meals |
| Qualifying Miles: | 100%-150% |
| Redeemable Miles: | 4 miles per € 1 spent |
*Leg Rests available in the first row only
Norwegian Air Shuttle
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 43″ |
| Seat Width: | 19″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Leg Rest |
| Lounge Access: | Yes, Only at some Airports. |
| Amenity Kit: | No |
| Additional Benefits: | Complimentary seat selection, Meal, and Luggage |
| Qualifying Miles: | N/A |
| Redeemable Miles: | N/A |
Qantas
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner on most, Reclining Shell on-board 787-9 |
| Seat Pitch: | 38″-42″ |
| Seat Width: | 19″-20.5″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Leg Rest on most, Foot Rest on 787-9 |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | Enhanced food and beverage, Priority check-in and boarding, Noise canceling headphones |
| Qualifying Miles: | 20-160 Status Points |
| Redeemable Miles: | 600-17,000 Qantas Points |
Singapore Airlines
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 38″ |
| Seat Width: | 19″-19.5″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Leg Rest |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | Book the Cook pre-ordered meals, Noise canceling headphones, Priority check- in |
| Qualifying Miles: | 100%-125% |
| Redeemable Miles: | 100%-125% |
Vietnam Airlines
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 38″ |
| Seat Width: | 18″-19″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Leg Rest |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | Priority check-in, Boarding, and Baggage services |
| Qualifying Miles: | 120%-130% |
| Redeemable Miles: | 120%-130% |
Virgin Atlantic
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 38″ |
| Seat Width: | 21″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Foot Rest* |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes, Night Flights Only |
| Additional Benefits: | Priority check-in, Boarding, Pre-departure beverage, Enhanced food + beverage, Wander wall |
| Qualifying Miles: | 50 – 100 Tier Points |
| Redeemable Miles: | 100%-200% |
*No Foot Rest in first row
Virgin Australia
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 41″ |
| Seat Width: | 19.5″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Foot Rest* |
| Lounge Access: | Available for Domestic Flights Only |
| Amenity Kit: | Yes |
| Additional Benefits: | Pre-departure champagne and canapes, Priority check-in and Boarding, Enhanced food and beverage, Self serve bar |
| Qualifying Miles: | 30-150 Status Credits |
| Redeemable Miles: | 125% |
*No Foot Rest in first row
Wow Air
| Seat Type: | Standard Recliner |
| Seat Pitch: | 37″ |
| Seat Width: | 17″ |
| Foot Rest/Leg Rest: | Leg Rest |
| Lounge Access: | No |
| Amenity Kit: | No |
| Additional Benefits: | Priority check-in and boarding, In-flight meal, 2 Pieces of Luggage, No Change Fee |
| Qualifying Miles: | N/A |
| Redeemable Miles: | N/A |
Hi Sam,
What do you think about adding another Air New Zealand Premium product “Space Seat”
They only offering this seat at the 777-300ER. The 787-9 has another product with recliner seats. The seats looks similar to some Businessclass products.
Virgin Atlantic has footstools for the 1st/bulkhead row that flight attendants bring shortly after take-off and collect shortly before landing.
They’re actually very nice!
Hi Sam, just thought you forgot to mention Finnair they have what’s called a extra comfort seat an feminity kit on most flights and noise cancelling headsets there’s a choice of a lounge or not included for a extra fee although I usually opt out of that because I haven’t got the time in Helsinki Airport as my connection is usually less than 30 mins in total (excluding security checks).
Also they offer the same food as in economy but you can opt for a special meal if you want again for an extra fee.
They offer a frequent flier program which if you get enough miles you can upgrade to business class on their A350-900 fleet on long haul flights or on the shorter domestic flights in and out of short or medium haul routes in europe.
I have flown with Finnair since last year and I am always impressed with the ecxellent levels of customer service provided by the crew.
Got to go now as ever
Kwan Ming.
How about LOT? Not bad hard product, food served on real China and comes with Fast Track.
a great comparison. I have flown LH, BA, AA on PE so far. All were sub-par, especially for the price you are paying. I would pay a bit more to be in Biz. One should consider PE on these three airlines because their Y seats are so tight. AA treats its own elites better, so you get actually better deal if you are an elite and buy economy and sit in main cabin extra without paying extra.
From the picture, I am very surprised Aeroflot and Norwegian have much better seats than legacy carriers in EU and US. Also, Virgin, Air New Zealand, Japan airlines, Air France shine in these pictures. Would love to try them out. Would you compare the reviews??
Philippine Airlines also offers a true Premium Economy class on new/renovated A330 and A350 airplanes. You’ll find the info and seat photos here:
https://dreamtravelonpoints.com/travelnews-new-planes-seats-for-philippine-airlines/
It’s just extra legroom
You forgot Austrian
Some of the pictures, especially for the East Asian carriers are outdated.
Great write up. Thanks. One question, based on these products listed does that make carriers like Icelandair that have “business” class recliner service “Premium Economy” now versus true “Business” or “First” 🙂
I don’t think its a question of Lie-Flat vs Recliner to be considered Business class. Sure its a big factor but you also need to consider Food and Beverage, Amenities, Cabin Crew/Passenger Ratios, Earnings and more. I think that based on average flight times to Iceland a recliner is perfectly acceptable for business class when you factor in the extras.
Excellent post! Really nice to have all options listed in one spot.
If you had to list your top 5, in order, which would you choose?
I have a top 5 and a not top 5 article coming out soon!