When Should You Upgrade to Premium Economy? 9 Airlines That Do It Right

30.05.2024 - 20:11 / afar.com

Economy class is exactly what it sounds like: a standard airplane seat with very few frills. Basic economy has even fewer. A lot of times that’s OK; we’ll put up with it just to get where we’re going. But sometimes we travelers want something better—say, a little extra legroom and little more dignity. That’s where airlines’ premium offerings come in. In some cases, that’s called Premium Economy; other times, though, the cabin class is an additional step up from that—closer to the business end of the spectrum than the coach end. The perks of this upper-middle part of the plane vary from airline to airline—as does the price—so we asked our staff and reporters to weigh in on which airlines offer a version of Premium Economy that is worth the cost. In my own travels, I recently tried out KLM’s “Premium Comfort” class, which is yet another level up for fliers. Here’s what we all had to say.

KLM’s Premium Comfort cabin is something of a Goldilocks experience. It puts you—literally and figuratively— between the airline’s Premium Economy seats (which they call “Economy Comfort”) and business class, while delivering on several aspects of front-of-the-plane luxury at a lower price or points cost. I flew it recently on a long-haul from New York to Nairobi (watch my video review), with a stopover in Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport. Each leg was more than seven hours and the first leg was a red-eye, so I really appreciated the extra space and amenities.

For Premium Comfort passengers, the special treatment begins even before you arrive at the airport, because you’re allowed two checked bags and two carry-ons plus an accessory, whereas economy (even Economy Comfort customers) get only the usual allotment of one checked bag, one carry-on, and an accessory. So go ahead and pack a couple of extra outfits before you leave home—or pick up several more souvenirs on your trip, as I did, without stressing about having to cram them all into your carry-on. At the airport, Premium Comfort passengers can go directly to the Sky Priority check-in line to drop off their luggage, join an accelerated SkyPriority TSA line, and then board the plane early. (Note that Premium Comfort doesn’t come with lounge access, but KLM is a sister airline of Delta so if you’re an elite traveler on that airline or have an AmEx Platinum Card, you can use some Delta lounges. Also note that Amsterdam’s Schiphol is, dare I say, a really fun airport to hang out in—with a museum, a library, and lots of food, power plugs, and relaxation spots—so you don’t even need a lounge.)

Onboard, you’ll immediately feel the benefits of the separated cabin and the plushier seats: nearly four more inches of legroom than Economy Comfort seats and about two additional