Is upgrading to premium economy worth it? Evaluating costs versus benefits

The cost of premium economy tickets can range widely across airlines and routes. According to consumer publication Which?, fares are generally about twice that of an economy ticket but can vary significantly. For example, flying Virgin Atlantic from London Heathrow to New York JFK costs $3,227.07 in premium economy compared to $1,411.97 in economy—a 128.5% increase.

Comparing Lufthansa's Airbus A350-900 configurations illustrates the difference between premium and standard economy classes: Premium economy offers 21 seats in a 2-3-2 layout with additional legroom and wider seats than the 224-seat 3-3-3 configuration in standard economy.

When deciding if premium economy is worth it, consider factors such as seat comfort on long-haul flights and whether you find a good deal on your chosen airline’s product. Some travelers opt to use frequent flier miles for upgrades or participate in bidding options offered by some airlines.

Virgin Atlantic recently received accolades at the SKYTRAX World Airline Awards for "World's Best Premium Economy Class Airline," surpassing Japan Airlines and Emirates. Other highly-rated carriers include Singapore Airlines and EVA Air.

Some leading airlines like Qatar Airways do not offer premium economy products; Qatar Airways claims its existing economy product suffices without needing an intermediate option.

While business class provides additional luxuries such as lie-flat beds and lounge access at approximately five times the cost of an economy seat, many find premium economy a satisfactory compromise between cost and comfort.