Recently, Simple Flying highlighted the world’s top ten airlines by revenue, and the big three US airlines, American, Delta, and United, secured the top positions. The three airlines are known for their exquisite hard and soft product offerings onboard long-haul flights. We look into the three airlines’ premium economy products and identify which stands out.
Seats and comfort
| Premium Economy Seats | Width (in) | Pitch (in) | Recline (in) |
| American Airlines | 18.5 – 19 | 38 | 6 |
| Delta Air Lines | 18.5 – 19 | 38 | 7 |
| United Airlines | 17.1 – 19 | 35 – 38 | 7 |
American Airlines offers premium economy seats on a variety of its widebody aircraft, including the Airbus A330-200, Boeing 777 (-200 and -300ER), and Boeing 787 (-8 and -9). The airline offers a seat pitch of 38 inches across all aircraft. The premium economy seat’s width is either 18.5 inches (A330, 777-300ER, and 787-8) or 19 inches (777-200 and 787-9).
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
The seat offerings at Delta Air Lines are no different when it comes to widebody aircraft. Delta offers a 38 inches pitch and 18.5 inches width onboard its Airbus A330-900 and A350-900 aircraft. The carrier’s Boeing 777-200ER/LR aircraft features a 19-inch seat with a 38-inch pitch.
United Airlines has the largest variety of offerings when it comes to premium economy seats in its long-haul aircraft. The carrier offers premium economy seats on Boeing 757-200, 767-300ER, 777(-200 and -300ER), and 787 (-8, -9, and -10) aircraft. United Airlines has five different layouts for its premium economy seats, ranging from 17.1 inches width and 35 inches pitch (Boeing 777-200) to 19 inches width and 38 inches pitch on all Boeing 787 models.
Photo: United Airlines
Notably, seat pitch and width are similar across all airlines. However, Delta and United offer a 7-inch recline, whereas premium economy seats on American Airlines only recline 6 inches.
In-flight services and price
The three airlines offer sizeable in-flight entertainment screens, headphones, and amenity kits. While the brands of pillows and blankets for the three airlines differ, the products are comparable in quality and comfort. All airlines offer free alcoholic and soft beverages, meals served on crockery, priority boarding, and generous baggage allowance.
| One-way fare | Route | Price |
| American Airlines | JFK – LHR | $1,256 |
| Delta Air Lines | JFK – LHR | $1,266 |
| United Airlines | EWR – LHR | $3,652 |
Looking at the ticket information between New York (JFK) and London Heathrow (LHR) on June 1, 2024, American Airlines offers a one-way premium economy fare of $1,256. Apart from wider seats and upscale cabin services, the fare includes two free checked bags, priority security (at participating locations), and priority boarding.
Delta Air Lines offers a one-way premium economy fare of $1,266 on the same route. Delta advertises that this class of travel comes with a wider seat, deeper recline, and extendable leg rest. The Premium Select also features attentive service by the flight attendant and includes a complimentary amenity kit. The fare provides priority check-in, security, boarding, and baggage handling. The airline also offers two free checked bags.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace I Simple Flying
United Airlines offers a flight between New York (EWR) and LHR, and a one-way fare is priced at $3,651, nearly three times that of American and Delta. While the service is not from JFK, the distance and class of travel are similar. The airline offers premium seating, priority check-in and boarding, and two pieces of complimentary luggage. Given the comfort, amenities, type of aircraft, and amenities, our pick is Delta Air Lines.
What are your thoughts on the premium economy comparison of the three big airlines in the US? Have you traveled with one or more of them in the premium economy? Share your experience in the comments section.