Is there a big difference between Business Class and Premium Economy?

Hi everyone,

 

It's been a long time since my wife and I have flown back and forth overseas, and then it was because of military re-assignments. So I am at a loss when it comes to the different categories of long-haul planes and the types of seats that are available.

 

We are booked on a Mediterranean cruise next September, round trip Barcelona.

 

My question is this: Is there much difference between the comfort and leg room of Business Class and Premium Economy seats?

 

Thanks!

Edited July 26, 2014 by JimAOk1945

Depends on the airline. First difference would be lie flat seats in many Business Classes, none in Premium Economy that I have heard. Second would be lounge access in Business Class, none in Premium Economy that I am aware of.

Depends on the airline. First difference would be lie flat seats in many Business Classes, none in Premium Economy that I have heard. Second would be lounge access in Business Class, none in Premium Economy that I am aware of.

 

Good points. Thanks for your response.

A considerable difference. I've only flown Premium Economy with Qantas (A380) but have flown Business Class with a number of airlines.

 

In Premium Economy you get a few inches more of space and maybe a bit more seat recline but it is still a narrow economy seat usually, although some airlines do have marginally wider seats. If there is foot rest it may allow you to raise your feet by about 5 degrees. If the person in front of you reclines their seat it will impact your space.

 

In Business Class there is sufficient space to sit with your legs fully raised and supported. The seats are wider and the recline is usually within a shell so reclining does not impact the person behind. Business class reclines vary from 180 degreess (fully flat) to about 165 degrees (flat but on a slight slope) depending on the airline and plane. On some airlines all Business Class seats have aisle access.

 

Would I fly Premium Economy over Economy? Yes.

 

Would I fly Business Class over Premium Economy? Yes.

 

In my opinion Premium Economy alleviates some of the discomfort of travelling Economy, whereas Business Class allows you to travel in comfort.

There's a gaping chasm between premium economy and business class. The two things are practically incomparable apart from the fact they're both to be found on aircraft.

I appreciate the input I've received so far and welcome comments and recommendations of the airline you prefer using for good business class comfort and service.

 

Thanks

Edited July 27, 2014 by JimAOk1945

I appreciate the input I've received so far and welcome comments and recommendations of the airline you prefer using for good business class comfort and service.

 

Thanks

 

Where you are flying to and from would be important info for us to give you recommendations....

Also be aware that Premium Econ is not always avail on all parts of your trip. British Airways (for example) you can get Premium Econ from the USA to London, BUT the LHR to BCN part of the trip is in regular econ. Just make sure you pay attention to all legs of the trip to see what you are paying for and getting.

Another advantage of business over premium economy is the more generous checked baggage allowances

My question is this: Is there much difference between the comfort and leg room of Business Class and Premium Economy seats?

 

 

When you say "Premium Economy" understand that true PREMIUM ECONOMY, which is available on some airlines, is usually quite different (better) than what some other airlines call "economy comfort," "economy plus" etc. If you state what airline(s) you are considering, someone can give you more exact info on the differences between that airline's class, and whatever it offers between that and regular economy.

 

Having said all that, yes, there is generally big difference between business class and premium economy/economy comfort/economy plus, etc. :)

Depends on the airline I have flown business class that wasn't as good as most economy

 

So look close at the airline

Plus business class will give you priority everything which premium economy won't

That us good on international legs

 

I would go business rather than premium economy unless I only needed the extra legroom

 

 

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Depends on the airline I have flown business class that wasn't as good as most economy

 

 

I would be interested in hearing whose Business Class was worse than other's Economy. Want to avoid them.

I would be interested in hearing whose Business Class was worse than other's Economy. Want to avoid them.

 

Well, not Business Class but I can give you a First Class experience. This was a special trip and as a surprise I paid extra for hopefully a great experience. We flew Business Class from LA to Tahiti on Air Tahiti Nui. Their service and food was impeccable. Amazing flight. Going home we flew First Class on Delta from Honolulu to LAX. Talk about a let down. At the airport they didn't have a special line and no lounge access. Okay, small airport - fine.

 

Then we get on the plane. OMG! Yes the seats were wider and there was more leg room but that's all the "special" we got for being in first class. We got a pre-made sandwich like you would get out of a vending machine. Our utensils were plastic and wrapped in cellaphane. Our salt and pepper were in little paper packets. Not the friendliest attendants either. They had some kind of special drinks made for Delta they were pushing. They were okay but I'd have preferred to pick my own drink. A total let down and why I don't plan on using Delta again. If that's what first class gets you, not sure I ever want to go economy.

The difference you experienced, notentirelynormal, is probably the difference between international long-haul business class and domestic business/first class - the name varies in different countries.

 

In Australia, and also on trans-Tasman flights to NZ, business class gets you a wider seat with extra legroom and slightly more recline than economy, but still better than Premuim Economy on Qantas A380s. This is totally different from the international long-haul business class which have the lie-flat beds.

 

Some budget airlines that operate out of Australia also use the domestic style seats between Australia and Asia.

 

However even in the domestic business classes the service and food is much better than what you experienced on your Honolulu to LAX flight. I've heard that Delta was bad but didn't realise they were that awful. :eek:

Edited July 28, 2014 by OzKiwiJJ

Going home we flew First Class on Delta from Honolulu to LAX. Talk about a let down. At the airport they didn't have a special line and no lounge access. Okay, small airport - fine.

HNL-LAX is simply domestic first. As you describe - bigger seats and legroom, but it's not the same as international business. There is no lounge access for domestic first, but there most assuredly is a first class check-in at HNL.

 

Not sure when this trip was, but for a while, airlines moved to plastic utensils for security reason. Today, DL serves with metal cutlery in F, and even there, salt and pepper are in packets. As for drinks, you have always been able to order from the drinks available - which cover more than just a promo drink. DL does drink promotions, but that doesn't mean that's all that's available. A FA might offer that, but you didn't have to take that or nothing.

 

Finally, almost all airline food is "pre-made" (there are exceptions for some airlines on long-haul in first).

Going home we flew First Class on Delta from Honolulu to LAX. Talk about a let down.

 

As Flyertalker said, the let down was because you were likely in a domestic first class set up, which is nothing compared to international business. Generally speaking, domestic first class is better than economy but nothing compared to international (or some long haul domestic) business. Above that, some airlines have actual international first class (Delta does not) which is yet another step higher than international business, and world's away from domestic first class.

 

Generally speaking:

1. domestic economy- the lowest level, basic service

2. premium economy/economy comfort or plus etc.- a notch above

3. domestic first class- yet another notch above

4. international business (and sometimes domestic long haul)- now you're talking about some real perks

5. international first class- the creme de la creme

Depends on the airline I have flown business class that wasn't as good as most economy

 

 

Really? What airline's economy is better than their business class? For that matter, whose economy class is better than some other line's business class?

I realize the difference of domestic versus international - now. When I booked the flight I did not. For the price difference I would have just gone economy, had I known. I have learned a lot about air travel from the Air board here on CC and without the help from all of you I would never have even the basic knowledge - or the nerve - of how to use points.

 

We flew in 2006. I also realize foods are premade but a sandwich for first class food to me is below par. They could have at least heated us a simple meal. A Subway sandwich would have been a better sandwich then what we received. I'm sure they had other alcohol on board and we probably had some, but they were really really pushing the special drink. As far as the First Class check in.... yes the check in was there, just nobody was there to help you. There was one line for everybody at the time we checked in.

Really? What airline's economy is better than their business class? For that matter, whose economy class is better than some other line's business class?

 

*waits for someone to compare intra-European business class to economy product*

Edited July 28, 2014 by fbgd

I've had better, more comfortable economy exit row seats on US Airways and United than premium economy in Air France. In fact my two flights in AF were the most aggravating from a customer service standpoint of any flight I have ever been on, ever. I will never fly them again. Period.

Edited July 28, 2014 by ducklite

*waits for someone to compare intra-European business class to economy product*

 

Chuckle….

 

Yes, mainland to Hawaii is considered domestic, despite hours across the Pacific, so you get the same lousy "first class" service/seating you get as you would going LAX-LAS. You'll find the same thing mainland to points in the Caribbean. I did luck out back in Nov. 2012 - I ended up with a 767 with the non-refitted BusinessElite seats instead of the old first class. The refitting of the 767s was going on ad I guess they shuffled aircraft around to go in the shop. The outgoing flight was the old one, 6 days later the return was the "newer" one. I paid for Economy comfort the way over since it was a day flight and I could deal in EC for 6 hours. On the way back, the flight was overnight, so I wanted to try to get a little sleep, hence I paid more for the "first class". I did NOT pay extra for the service, just the wider seat with more recline. I could have not cared less about the service.

Edited July 28, 2014 by slidergirl

I'm adding a little more information to my question (see post #1).

 

My wife and I want to fly coach class to the East coast and then fly business class or premium economy from the East coast to Barcelona. We are planning to spend a couple of days in Barcelona prior to our cruise.

 

We would like to get a non-stop flight round trip from the East coast to Barcelona but would be willing to have one layover both going and returning. On the return trip, we would fly coach class from the East coast to home.

 

We are not picky about which East coast city we fly in and out of.

 

I've learned a lot from all the responses I've received so far. I'm hoping to glean some more help from those of you who are seasoned overseas cruisers.

 

Your suggestions about East coast Business Class and Premium Economy round trip Barcelona flights are welcome!

Edited July 28, 2014 by JimAOk1945

My wife and I want to fly coach class to the East coast and then fly business class or premium economy from the East coast to Barcelona. We are planning to spend a couple of days in Barcelona prior to our cruise.

 

We would like to get a non-stop flight round trip from the East coast to Barcelona but would be willing to have one layover both going and returning. On the return trip, we would fly coach class from the East coast to home.

 

We are not picky about which East coast city we fly in and out of.

I don't think you'll get premium economy on this routing. If you look at the current list of destinations from Barcelona, the only airlines flying non-stop between Barcelona and east coast USA are AA (MIA, JFK), DL (JFK, ATL), UA (EWR) and US (PHL, CLT). AFAIK, none of these airlines have true premium economy.

 

It also follows that, on that routing, these are the only airlines whose business class products would be available.

I'm adding a little more information to my question (see post #1).

 

My wife and I want to fly coach class to the East coast and then fly business class or premium economy from the East coast to Barcelona. We are planning to spend a couple of days in Barcelona prior to our cruise.

 

We would like to get a non-stop flight round trip from the East coast to Barcelona but would be willing to have one layover both going and returning. On the return trip, we would fly coach class from the East coast to home.

 

We are not picky about which East coast city we fly in and out of.

 

I've learned a lot from all the responses I've received so far. I'm hoping to glean some more help from those of you who are seasoned overseas cruisers.

 

Your suggestions about East coast Business Class and Premium Economy round trip Barcelona flights are welcome!

Without getting too deep into the weeds on "fare buckets" and other arcane terms, often mixing classes, especially "regular" and "premium" economy, on the same itinerary, ends up costing nearly as much as a straight business class trip would. Basically, the airlines (often) assign a higher/more expensive "fare basis" for the non-premium portion of the trip, which when added to the fare for the premium portion, sends the whole thing into the stratosphere.

 

Given that it sounds like you're planning for a cruise in September 2015, what I'd do is - in the meantime - learn how to navigate around the "gold standard" for airfare search engines, ITA. http://matrix.itasoftware.com/search.htm

 

Try out different departure cities, times, airlines, and economy/premium economy/business class options, so (a) you get a sense of the actual costs, and (b) can see how changing one element of the trip or another translates into dollars.

 

By the time the booking windows open for September 2015 travel (around October 2014) you'll be an old hand at this weird hobby.

You missed one, waterbug123

 

Generally speaking:

1. domestic economy- the lowest level, basic service

2. premium economy/economy comfort or plus etc.- a notch above

3. domestic first class- yet another notch above

3.5 budget international business - good perks but less space

4. international business (and sometimes domestic long haul)- now you're talking about some real perks

5. international first class- the creme de la creme

Edited July 29, 2014 by OzKiwiJJ