Long-Haul Economy Class: A Valuable Reality Check

Over the past year, I’ve been very fortunate to be able to do most of my long-haul flying in premium cabins. I’d saved up a lot of points during the pandemic, which I was finally able to use on long-haul flights. I also managed to take advantage of a few particularly good deals such as Lufthansa Group’s Business Class round-the-world special.

I’ve still regularly been flying Economy on short, daytime flights. But there’s no denying that the ability to lie flat and get a comfortable sleep on long-haul flights is a game changer.

Unfortunately, as many people who’ve become accustomed to Business Class travel will know, it can be very hard to go back to long-haul Economy!

That’s exactly what I did when I recently needed to get from Singapore back to Australia during the school holidays. (Yes, I know – that’s already a recipe for disaster!)

The cheapest airfare I could find around the dates I needed was a whopping $1,500 one-way for Scoot Economy Class. So, I started looking for award availability on any route or class of travel I could find with Singapore Airlines, Qantas and even Jetstar – but found absolutely nothing. Those flights have been very, very full lately!

The best (and only) option I could find at a remotely reasonable price was a reward seat in British Airways Economy Class from Singapore to Sydney. With no other options, I booked it.

My overnight Economy Class experience

In fairness, British Airways was fine and the flight was perfectly satisfactory for an overnight trip in Economy. But I would stop short of saying that the experience was enjoyable… it was an oversold flight full of screaming kids, and I was stuck right at the back of the plane. At least, mercifully, I had been able to select an aisle seat and wasn’t stuck in a middle seat wedged between two other passengers. (Or worse, in a jump seat right by the toilet – as a couple of standby passengers were on this flight!)

Even with noise-cancelling headphones and a good eye mask, I didn’t manage to sleep a wink. I just couldn’t get comfortable in the cramped Economy seat.

If I’m honest, the overnight flight in Economy was a bit of a rude shock to the system.

My last long-haul Economy flight had been before the pandemic. In the meantime, I think I must have become so spoilt with Business Class that I’d forgotten what it was really like. At least the in-flight entertainment was good and kept me occupied until we landed at dawn in Sydney.

A few months, ago, I did take another long-haul overnight flight in Premium Economy. I ended up getting stuck in a middle seat for that flight, but that was still a lot more bearable.

Has Economy Class always been this uncomfortable when flying overnight? Well, yes it has – but I guess I was just used to it before. I never really slept well in Economy, even before I was regularly flying in the pointy end. But I would just put up with it and accepted it for what it is – an affordable way to get from A to B.

One thing I do enjoy about flying Economy, though, is the friendly conversations you often strike up with fellow passengers. The person sitting next to me couldn’t sleep either, and we had a very interesting conversation to help pass the time. This is something you miss out on when sitting in a solo Business Class seat with direct aisle access!

Don’t take premium cabin flying for granted

Once you start flying up the front, it doesn’t take long to become accustomed to the greater comfort and service.

If you mostly or always fly Premium Economy, Business or First Class, the main inconveniences of long-haul travel are taken away. All of a sudden, first world problems like a lack of hot towels, a lack of direct aisle access or the terrible Neil Perry green leaf salads served in Qantas Business Class can become real problems that genuinely upset some people.

As awful as it may be at the time, taking an overnight flight in Economy can be a good way to reset your expectations and remind yourself of how lucky you are to be able to fly up the front at other times.

It’s also a good reminder of why the effort that goes into collecting frequent flyer points and learning all the valuable tips shared on the AFF forum really is worth it. Yes, it can be a hassle to remember to pay with the right credit card or apply for a new card with a high sign-up bonus. But once you’re relaxing in your lie-flat bed in the sky, the inconvenience seems a lot less!

Matt Graham

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to over 70 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course!
Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil & Kazakhstan. His interests include economics, aviation & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine.

You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @AFF Editor.