Is Premium Economy that much better than Economy?

[tassietiger]

On my next return trip from L.A, I have sufficient velocity points for my wife & I to fly back on V Australia premium economy. Not having travelled in anything other than "cattle class", may I ask for opinions - is it worth premium economy over economy?

 

[Sprucegoose]

Depends on what is important to you. The fact you're asking means you need to inorder to satisfy your curiosity!

If extra space, nc headphones, better wine are important then yes, most assuredly

 

[tassietiger]

Depends on what is important to you. The fact you're asking means you need to inorder to satisfy your curiosity!

If extra space, nc headphones, better wine are important then yes, most assuredly

Thanks Spruce - ah, not having ever travelled this way, I thought I'd ask. (it's like, "I've only ever been a passenger in a car, is it more fun to be the driver? - lol)

So, seriously re the extra space - can you actually sleep?

 

[TonyHancock]

For me yes. More leg room, bigger seat, better service. (I'm talking QF from my experience.)

 

[lovestotravel]

Can't remember off the top of my head how many more points you need for Prem Economy over Economy

But Premium Economy is always going to be better then Economy

If you have the points, use them. You never know what will happen tomorrow, enjoy everything while you can !

You will have no-one else next to you, as the seating is 2-4-2
A quiet cabin with only 5 rows
Wider Seat
More leg-room
Better food/wine
1 toilet per 20 people instead of 1 per 35 people (less waiting/cleaner) for me this is a HUGE PLUS
As for sleeping, I can easily sleep in an Economy seat or anywhere really, but the flatter/bigger the seat the less sore you will be the next day

I'd say DO IT

 

[Sprucegoose]

Thanks Spruce - ah, not having ever travelled this way, I thought I'd ask. (it's like, "I've only ever been a passenger in a car, is it more fun to be the driver? - lol)

So, seriously re the extra space - can you actually sleep?

Sleep is so individual.......let me say this, you'll have more opportunity for sleep.

 

[AVC]

Yes, yes, and yes.

For a start the seat in front of you is not right in your face, literally, when they are reclined.
They don't really recline a whole lot more, but they are wider.
One of the big plusses, is the service. In premium cabins you actually have service. And I'm not describing the meal "service" or the drinks "service" in economy. It real service, where the staff actually talk to you, and check on you to see how you're going or need anything.

Got bigger video screens too!

And you don't have to drink from a plastic cup. And you get real cutlery. And a bigger pillow (I never use the pillow, but the blanket is way better.

Be warned. Once you go Premium you may be hearing the words "I'm never travelling economy again" Not that there's anything wrong with that

 

[I hate Alan]

Virgin premium is a pretty good service to the US, and so much better than economy. The only thing I didn't like was the hard leather seats, but I read earlier this year they reuppolstered them for more comfy fabric.

 

[Awesom Andy]

I've tried the BA's version three times (1 as an op-up), and Jetstar's version (which they call "business") a few times as well. But being able to sleep in Y without major issues, that's where I tend to be for short/mid-haul flights. I'm still undecided in terms of long-haul, but I'll know after the SIN-HKG-JFK in Y return in a couple of month's time.

 

[harvyk]

Noooop, don't do it, you'll ruin flying in economy for the rest of your life, and become obsessed with getting points together so you never again have to sit back there again... It's better to just never find out...

So in other words, yes it's worth it...

 

[RB]

On my next return trip from L.A, I have sufficient velocity points for my wife & I to fly back on V Australia premium economy. Not having travelled in anything other than "cattle class", may I ask for opinions - is it worth premium economy over economy?

Yes I believe it is worth it. My time on VAust Y+ my only criticism was the hard seats-maybe that has been overcome. There are quite a few trip reports on here that you could read

 

[coyote25]

Never done Y+ on DJ but I've been opup twice on QF MEL - LAX and it was great. Big difference on long haul Y

 

[drewbles]

Having flown in Y+ on VA more times than their Y Product (one time vs 5) I'd go Y+ any day.

Considerations i'd take into account:

- Your Height ; Are you comfortable enough in a Y seat to not go mad? (at 6'3", i'm not!)
- Your ability to sleep in Y ; Can you sleep OK in Y? (I can't!)
- The need for more leg room ; Y+ on VA has plenty of leg room

I quite like the Y+ on VA. It's not as good as the QF Y+ Seat, but at around $3200-3300 return, it's a lot less than the price of a QF Y+ Seat (Excluding sales and special offers here). I think it's great bang-for-buck myself, and after having flown SYD-DFW on QF in Y earlier this year, never again!

 

[Simo]

Worth it yes but it still can be up to individual as if I am tired will get on to the flight and sleep the entire way and wake up when we land.

I have been known to be asleep before take off and wake up on landing.

I haven't even had time to recline the seat.

 

[Alanslegal]

On my next return trip from L.A, I have sufficient velocity points for my wife & I to fly back on V Australia premium economy. Not having travelled in anything other than "cattle class", may I ask for opinions - is it worth premium economy over economy?

Let me clarify, your outbound is in economy, and you have enough points to come back in premium economy? If this is the case, I would clearly advocate for a 'No, I would not spend my points coming back home in premium economy'.

Why? Firstly, I do not rate Y+ as that much better than Y, and secondly, even if you had a coughpy flight home .... you could always crash in your own wonderful bed for a day or two and recuperate. To me, there is little value in having a good flight home. I would rather have a good flight on the initial outbound so then you can have a better start to your overseas holiday.

 

[Skyring]

As with everything else about air travel, paying extra for premium services is a trade-off. More legroom, better meals, priority boarding on a twelve hour flight - is it really worth a week in a five star hotel or a cruise?

I've occasionally had a Y+ seat, back when Qantas were flying into SFO and put WPs into the Y+ cabin - with Y service. Sure, the extra space and comforts are nice, and there's a greater chance of sleep, but to my mind J is the way to travel if you want to enjoy a longhaul flight.

Not that I'd knock Y+ back if offered, it's just that I can't see the value in it for what you get. Either be serious about travel and aim for J or F, or admit that the price is the thing, fly at the back of the bus and book an extra night at a good hotel to catch up on sleep.

 

[Moopere]

I was going to reply along the lines of Skyring above. Always worth it to go better class of travel imho, but also make sure you are getting a decent return on expenditure.

To help me toss the coin in my head I use a fairly simple rule of thumb:

- Points are worth 3c each to me, it rough but it more or less works (across airlines)
- I always work out the total cost of a flight as money + points (at 3c each)
- I'll pay 15c/mile for Y, 20c/mile for Y+, 50c/mile for J and $1/mile for F

One can't stick to hard delimiters in this game, but its a rough and ready guide and more or less works for me. So, if an upcoming trip is going to cost 48c/mile for J I'll take that one.

 

[spudseamus]

why not? go for it ! but remember if you start hearing voices like-- 'the force is strong in this one Luke" and " come to the dark side " all is lost!!! today Y+ tomorrow ! J LOL!

 

[Maca44]

It's like getting out of a Holden and into a BMW. They are both cars, they will both get you to your destination, but one is much nicer. Forget FF points, think of the brownie points you will pick up taking the other half in Y+. Go for it.

 

[JohnK]

I haven't tried VA but in the case of QF I do not believe the business class product is that much better than the economy product and the premium economy product is only marginally better than the economy product.

So at the price point that is charged I do not think it is worth it. Well not for me anyway. I have no problem sleeping in economy and I seem to be able to tolerate economy more than most people I know.