Premium Economy vs Business

[Gold60]

Hi All,

I am planning an RTW trip in a year or so and am looking for some help please.

I am trying to work out if it is worth taking a Biz fare at about $8-9K or a Premium Economy fare at about $4 to 4.5K.

My proposed route is BNE>HKG>LON>YVR>surface>NEW YORK>HKG>BNE. Although I can swap the intermediate ports around if needed - e.g., HKG could become SIN if I fly SIA, and LON could become FRA if I fly LH, etc.

My main interest is in the seat - its width and the amount of legroom. I recently came back from Singapore on a SIA A330 Economy flight and it was OK for a short flight, but I couldn’t see myself doing a RTW in economy - I am tall, have a baddish back, etc.

My TA suggested I do the CX BIZ RTW with BA - flying BA across the Atlantic.

But now I am starting to wonder if Biz is worth it IF I am not interested in the drink, the lounges, the flat beds, the other pampering stuff, etc.

Any thoughts /ideas please. Is it easier just to stay with the CX/BA Biz RTW, or could I get away with Premium Economy - assuming it is available on all legs??


Thank you in advance,

Al

 

[opusman]

If you're not interested in "the other stuff" then the main difference is that J will give you a flat bed and PE won't. Only you can decide if it's worth it or not.

 

[SeatBackForward]

If you can afford it, go business. Y+ legroom is, in my opinion, not what it's marketed as.

CX Y+ service is pretty ordinary from the last time I experienced it, but brilliant in J.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi All,

I am planning an RTW trip in a year or so and am looking for some help please.

I am trying to work out if it is worth taking a Biz fare at about $8-9K or a Premium Economy fare at about $4 to 4.5K.

My proposed route is BNE>HKG>LON>YVR>surface>NEW YORK>HKG>BNE. Although I can swap the intermediate ports around if needed - e.g., HKG could become SIN if I fly SIA, and LON could become FRA if I fly LH, etc.

My main interest is in the seat - its width and the amount of legroom. I recently came back from Singapore on a SIA A330 Economy flight and it was OK for a short flight, but I couldn’t see myself doing a RTW in economy - I am tall, have a baddish back, etc.

My TA suggested I do the CX BIZ RTW with BA - flying BA across the Atlantic.

But now I am starting to wonder if Biz is worth it IF I am not interested in the drink, the lounges, the flat beds, the other pampering stuff, etc.

Any thoughts /ideas please. Is it easier just to stay with the CX/BA Biz RTW, or could I get away with Premium Economy - assuming it is available on all legs??


Thank you in advance,

Al

There is another option... for about $5300 you can do a Swiss RTW fare - economy class Australia to Asia with a choice of several carriers (flying you to HKG, SIN. BKK, or Tokyo), then you get Swiss business class from Asia to Europe, and Europe to North America/Canada, then make your own way to a Qantas USA gateway (LAX/SFO/DFW/VYR etc) and fly economy home. But the main advantage of that fare is the full flat bed for most of the long-haul sectors.

Premium economy will give you a bit of extra legroom, but with that extra legroom comes extra recline... and if you're not in a bulkhead row, the seat in front can be pretty much right in your face.

The sample itinerary you have mentioned is not a RTW - it is a BNE-YVR return via Europe. A true RTW requires you to fly onwards from the USA back to australia.

 

[Denali]

I think of premium as economy plus not business minus.

If this is a once in the lifetime type of thing, I would pay for J all the way. Neither my husband or I drink booze but the space, calmness of the cabin and seats/extra space to stretch is totally worth it.

 

[legroom]

Hi All,

I am planning an RTW trip in a year or so and am looking for some help please.

I am trying to work out if it is worth taking a Biz fare at about $8-9K or a Premium Economy fare at about $4 to 4.5K.

My proposed route is BNE>HKG>LON>YVR>surface>NEW YORK>HKG>BNE. Although I can swap the intermediate ports around if needed - e.g., HKG could become SIN if I fly SIA, and LON could become FRA if I fly LH, etc.

My main interest is in the seat - its width and the amount of legroom. I recently came back from Singapore on a SIA A330 Economy flight and it was OK for a short flight, but I couldn’t see myself doing a RTW in economy - I am tall, have a baddish back, etc.

My TA suggested I do the CX BIZ RTW with BA - flying BA across the Atlantic.

But now I am starting to wonder if Biz is worth it IF I am not interested in the drink, the lounges, the flat beds, the other pampering stuff, etc.

Any thoughts /ideas please. Is it easier just to stay with the CX/BA Biz RTW, or could I get away with Premium Economy - assuming it is available on all legs??


Thank you in advance,

Al

IMO, the flat bed is rather the main differentiation - amongst many others of lesser importance - between J & Y+.

Being able to lie flat for a 7-8 hours' sleep, getting up without waking up the row in front (always) & the adjacent seat (almost all the times) & seating privacy are major pluses.

If you genuinely see no such benefits, then save $$ and stay in Y+.

I know what I'd prefer.

 

[blu]

Hi All,
My main interest is in the seat - its width and the amount of legroom. I recently came back from Singapore on a SIA A330 Economy flight and it was OK for a short flight, but I couldn’t see myself doing a RTW in economy - I am tall, have a baddish back, etc.
Al

If you can stick to daytime & early evening flights (ie: no full overnight sectors) then PE (or economy exit row) can be okay.
We recently managed to do this for 8 out of our 9 sectors, but does add a few more days.
Qatar A380 upper deck economy mini cabin (exit row) felt like PE (with a slimmer seat).