Premium Economy Comparisons

[mhb1757]

Looking at air for a Baltic Cruise in May, 2020. We are looking at premium economy. Prices are very similar on all of these airlines. We will be flying into Oslo and return from Copenhagen. 

SAS has nonstops both ways at decent times and their premium economy comes with lounge access. 

United, Lufthansa and Air Canada all have 1 stops with reasonable layovers. 

We have flown SAS “Plus” (their premium economy) once before, home from Oslo and had no complaints. But we have never flown any of the others for long haul. 

My question is: does premium economy on any of these other carriers make it worth a change of planes or are their products all similar?  All input appreciated. Thanks. 

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, mhb1757 said:

Looking at air for a Baltic Cruise in May, 2020. We are looking at premium economy. Prices are very similar on all of these airlines. We will be flying into Oslo and return from Copenhagen. 

SAS has nonstops both ways at decent times and their premium economy comes with lounge access. 

United, Lufthansa and Air Canada all have 1 stops with reasonable layovers. 

We have flown SAS “Plus” (their premium economy) once before, home from Oslo and had no complaints. But we have never flown any of the others for long haul. 

My question is: does premium economy on any of these other carriers make it worth a change of planes or are their products all similar?  All input appreciated. Thanks. 

 

We've only been on Prem Econ on Air Canada (of the airlines you mentioned), and that was on their Dreamliner.

Very comfortable, wide seats, good cushioning, decent recline (but NOT even close to flat bed, so don't expect anything like that), and the service was nicer than in Economy.

In all of the flights we took (we do two of these each year), there were only 3 rows of these, with the outsides being pairs, which is nice for couples.  IIRC, the middle section has 4 seats?

 

For a while, when this plane was new, the extra charge for these seats was ridiculously low, but that seems to have changed... considerably (alas).

 

For longer-haul, we now "need" (first world "need"!) flat bed, or our aging bones complain before the flight ends, and continue through the start of the trip, etc.  So we've been using our awards for that, in J or F.  We'd pay for J if necessary for a long flight (or not go), but we'd never pay for F.  However, the extra points needed to get F instead of J is relatively small for the extra comfort, so that's a no-brainer for us, IF the F seats are available.

 

Anyway, the AC Prem Econ is real "prem econ", and not just an "extra legroom" with the same seats as economy, etc.

 

GC

[Gardyloo]

Remember you'll only get PE on long haul flights.  Any connections on either side of the Atlantic will involve ordinary coach for the short-haul portions.  So when comparing PE on SAS vs. going with another airline, be mindful that another airline will probably mean another airport at least at one end, with cramped seating on the shorter flights.  

 

Here's a useful PE comparison chart; not sure how updated it is.  https://www.seatguru.com/charts/premium_economy.php

[iancal]

Thanks for the chart.  Very good info.

[FlyerTalker]

Of course, one could just do google searches for "SAS Premium Economy", "United Premium Economy", "Air Canada Premium Economy" and "Lufthansa Premium Economy".

 

You'd get a number of reviews, including photographs and service details - both ground and inflight.

[Ashland]

19 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

Of course, one could just do google searches for "SAS Premium Economy", "United Premium Economy", "Air Canada Premium Economy" and "Lufthansa Premium Economy".

 

You'd get a number of reviews, including photographs and service details - both ground and inflight.

I enjoy reading those reviews...very helpful first hand experience.

[mhb1757]

2 hours ago, Gardyloo said:

Remember you'll only get PE on long haul flights.  Any connections on either side of the Atlantic will involve ordinary coach for the short-haul portions.  So when comparing PE on SAS vs. going with another airline, be mindful that another airline will probably mean another airport at least at one end, with cramped seating on the shorter flights.  

 

Here's a useful PE comparison chart; not sure how updated it is.  https://www.seatguru.com/charts/premium_economy.php

Thanks for the chart. Looks like on the planes flying that route seat width and pitch are the same on everyone except UA which loses a few inches of pitch.

Haven’t seen anything so far that seems to make a plane change look worth the hassle. I had read reviews on each of those from a google search but none made any comparison to the other airlines and while it’s nice to see cabin pictures they look pretty much alike to me. 

[TruckerDave]

You don't say where you are flying from. Last I knew SAS doesn't fly to Kentucky so you are going to have to take at least 2 flights with one being a positioning flight to get on that SAS flight then the one across the pond. (then 2 flights in reverse). 

[Daisyloo]

If you have flown SAS and liked it, and they are the ones with the non-stop option, that's who I would pick.  We always try for a non-stop flight if possible.  Much less hassle and less chance of your luggage getting lost.

[waterbug123]

12 hours ago, TruckerDave said:

You don't say where you are flying from. Last I knew SAS doesn't fly to Kentucky so you are going to have to take at least 2 flights with one being a positioning flight to get on that SAS flight then the one across the pond. (then 2 flights in reverse). 

 

Unless perhaps SAS flies into Cincinnati and the OP is from northern Kentucky and uses Cincinnati as their home airport?  No idea, just guessing

[Hawaiidan]

sit down..    I just did a re check on the prices for Pem economy      revenue  is around 2500-3200 pp    and business going for $5600+   

OK.... going to use your miles...    A month or so ago you could get Economy  for 60K    now PE is running 160/240 rt   and ......Business........sit down between  280 and 480 miles  one ways many  flights are 240K miles 

By  looking at say Nice rather than Rome you can find 70K  Business if you try......    

I new the train was coming  but it looks like  FF miles  are doubling  to tripling     70K to 240 on many situation........ Oh well 

  I checked my booked flights in the past 8 months and it would have cost me almost 500K more miles         Sydney-LA for example  went from 80 K  to 200K        LA-Tokyo  went from 80K to 180K  Using FF miles.... and want to get a non stop....  better have Jesus make your reservation... in person.

 

All that said... there is no common standard for prem econ.  this is the airlines looking to keep the 3 cabins after eliminating first.   But wait  they are not finished... they want 3 classes + Business  4 classes

Economy, Economy+, Prem Economy and Business.first.       Prem  iecon is lipstick on a pig and double the coach price and 1/2 the business fare....   Its a money machine for suffering passengers......to get suckerd in

 

 I have seen  what Swiss, Lufthansa and UAL call Prem economy....      None would give me any comfort on a 10+ hour red eye  unless I  took  a large dose of Fentenyl...... 6 inches of recline more  and 2 inches wider and 6 inches more pitch.....  NO..   comparison to lie flat......

[mhb1757]

Actually we will be flying out of Nashville to EWR a day or 2 early to see the in-laws. Probably do a nonstop on SW with points. And premium economy was just $1100/pp RT vs nearly $5k in business. I agree premium economy isn’t business but the budget for this trip just wouldn’t stretch that far. I went ahead and booked SAS... they have the option to bid on an upgrade to business and we have had good luck there before (bids of about $375-400 each way got us those lovely lie flat beds in business for the outbound overnight segment), no guarantee but it’s under 8 hours so it won’t kill us if we wind up in PE.  Coming home during the day the premium economy seats work just fine. We don’t have enough Star Alliance miles to do anything with so miles required didn’t figure in to this one.  

[johnjen]

On our recent flights to BCN from IAD, Air france had excellent PE service on their A-380. They were VERY generous with the beer and wine and if you wanted extra food or snacks, it was all there. 

We typically do PE and enjoy that. They used to have it on Icelandair, but they went greedy by getting rid of it, so we now avoid them entirely and they even charge economy for meals. Ridiculous. Avoid them if you can.

[mhb1757]

Good to know about AF. Thanks johnjen