Which Airlines Offer The Most Spacious Premium Economy Seats?

Premium economy has become popular with many airlines over the past years, with more and more airlines introducing it as a third (or fourth) cabin on long-haul routes. The concept has proved to be a cost-effective way to get more space and comfort than the main economy cabin, but which airlines offer the most spacious premium economy seats?

Why fly premium economy?

The premium economy product emerged to bridge the gap between economy class and business class, offering a more spacious and overall better experience for passengers. Premium economy was first introduced in the early 1990s by Taiwanese airline EVA Air, with many carriers following suit.

It is now common with many prominent European and Asian airlines, while US carriers came late to the game, focusing instead on enhanced seating within the main cabin rather than an entirely new cabin. In Asia, several airlines now also offer premium economy on shorter regional routes with widebody aircraft, while in the Middle East, only Emirates offers such a product – Qatar Airways, for example, has stated it prefers to focus on a good economy class offering.

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Economy and business class can be found on all aircraft, while first class is exclusive to the A380.

With a similar-looking seat and slightly better meal options (usually with some alcohol included), premium economy is undoubtedly closer to economy class than business. However, its competitive pricing can make it comparatively more accessible than the most premium seats. Overall, it is an excellent way to get more comfortable on a long flight, with more spacious seating, extra legroom, and a more intimate cabin being the main benefits.

However, there are other benefits, too – including additional baggage allowance, quality service, and landside benefits such as priority boarding and check-in. For frequent flyers and mileage collectors, there are often also benefits with increased mileage and status credit earnings over economy fares.

We take a look now at some of the best long-haul premium economy offerings, and while we can’t cover all of them, below is a selection of the best! As with economy class, many airlines have very similar offerings in terms of seat size, width, and pitch (according to data from SeatGuru), but there are still ways to differentiate.

Japan Airlines

For pure space, Japan Airlines wins the race. Its premium economy seats all offer a 42-inch seat pitch. This makes it the largest in the industry, as the standard premium economy seat pitch is around 38 inches. Seat width varies between 19 and 19.5 inches depending on aircraft type. Japan Airlines offers premium economy on its fleet of Boeing 787s and 777s, although some of the older aircraft are not fitted with this product. In terms of cabin configuration, on the 777, seats are arranged 2-4-2 across the cabin, while on the 787, this is a preferable 2-3-2 arrangement.

Photo: Japan Airlines

Seat features are relatively standard across airlines. In premium economy class, passengers can generally expect:

• A larger screen
• Fixed armrests between seats
• Footrest
• More seat recline.

Japan Airlines adds a nice extra feature – a fold-out privacy divider between the seats. The seats also slide forward within a shell rather than recline backwards, a nice feature that guarantees more space for the passenger behind. The carrier also sets its premium economy apart by offering airport business class lounge access. This is provided on all flights before departure – either for the Japan Airlines lounge or a partner lounge.

Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand comes in a close second for space in premium economy. All its seats offer 41 or 42 inches pitch, and width is 19 to 20 inches. The airline offers premium economy on all its widebody aircraft and routes:

• Boeing 777-300ER (2-4-2 configuration)
• Boeing 787-9 (2-3-2 configuration).

Despite this spacious seating, it only managed to reach seventh place overall in the Skytrax World Airline Awards for best premium economy class in 2022. Air New Zealand used to offer a very different and innovative premium economy seat. They launched the Spaceseat in 2010 as a wider seat arranged in a 2-2-2 configuration, offering even more space and privacy, but the product has since been discontinued and aircraft have all been refitted with the new seats.

The airline is currently innovating again, with new cabins set to launch soon on the Boeing 787-9. This will feature lie-flat bunks for economy class – a world first. New Zealand’s flag carrier has also announced a redesigned premium economy product for its Dreamliners, promising more space and enhanced privacy.

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Air New Zealand’s Economy Beds: 5 Things You Need To Know

The flag carrier of New Zealand stands out with its offering.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is famous for its excellent premium cabins, and premium economy is no letdown. The airline offers this class on:

• Some Airbus A350s
• All Airbus A380s
• Some Boeing 777-300ERs.

All seats have a 38-inch pitch and 19 or 19.5 inches width – very much in line with the industry average, and the seats are arranged 2-4-2 on all aircraft.

Photo: Christian Heinz | Shutterstock

As an added bonus, six seats at the rear of Singapore Airlines’ A350-900ULR (which does not feature an economy class) are single premium economy seats, with an additional storage bin at the side as opposed to the second seat. These are some of the best premium economy seats in the sky for solo travelers!

This is a well-awarded and rated cabin. UK consumer magazine, Which?, also chose Singapore Airlines for the best premium economy cabin in 2022. Skytrax World Airline Awards ranked it second for best premium economy class in 2022.

Emirates

Emirates’ highly anticipated premium economy cabin launched in 2021, making it the first of the major Middle Eastern airlines to offer this product. The product is currently only featured on selected Airbus A380s, but this is due to expand. Seats offer up to 40 inches of legroom and have a large, padded leg rest.

Photo: Emirates

The cabin is aesthetically pleasing, using the same cream leather and wood highlights seen in business class, and it offers an excellent meal served on real dining ware with some business class drink offerings. Skytrax placed Emirates fourth overall for premium economy class, but first for the quality of the premium economy seats.

Virgin Atlantic

Premium economy has become a popular option on routes from the UK, with the country’s second-largest long-haul airline, Virgin Atlantic, developing a solid product. This is offered on all of the carrier’s aircraft.

Photo: Pranjal Pande | Simple Flying

Seat size and space are similar to other airlines, with a 38-inch pitch on all aircraft. Simple Flying recently put the product to the test against the competition, and we thought it was an excellent product, with leather seats, smart cabins, and great service. That said, it of course does not quite compare to the airline’s business class suites:

Read more:

BA vs Virgin Atlantic: The Battle For Premium Economy In The UK

Britain’s two full-service long-haul carriers offer similar yet distinct premium economy products.

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines

The three big US airlines now all offer premium economy, having introduced it last in just the past few years:

• American Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• United Airlines.

Photo: United Airlines

None of the three airlines stand out for a spacious premium economy cabin, though – and they all offer a seat pitch of 38 and a width of up to 19 inches. American Airlines has the most comprehensive and consistent offering in the US. It was the first of the leading US legacy airlines to introduce premium economy and the first to make it available on its entire long-haul fleet (by mid-2019).

Have you flown premium economy class with any of these airlines or any other airline offering premium economy? Which cabins do you think are the best, and what features stand out? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section.