Premium Economy is the hot new ticket and Delta is now on board, even undercutting American.
This report at a glance:
- Why Premium Economy?
- Delta Pricing Down PE: Just $9 more per flight hour and lower than American
- Delta’s new PE offering, Premium Select
- PE versus economy
- Is Premium Economy (PE) the new Business Class?
We’re certainly getting asked a lot more about Premium Economy here at FCF. Members are particularly interested in PE for day flights (where you’re working not sleeping), and for traveling with kids and in-laws, etc.
With Delta joining American on the PE bandwagon (United comes on board later this year), PE is more top-of-mind than ever before—and there are more options. The Europeans, by the way, have been PE-ing for almost two decades now.
Finally, as we’ll explore below, the value of PE can be quite good. Per hour, for about the price of a coffee and a donut, you can enjoy a true upgrade from cattle class.
Delta Pricing Down
Most routes with Delta’s new aircraft featuring Premium Economy are priced quite high, often almost double than coach. So, it was interesting to see recent changes to how Delta is pricing its PE product on its routes.
Delta has lowered its PE prices so that an upgrade from coach to PE can cost as little as $9 per flight hour. On one route, Delta is even undercutting American’s PE product by $200.
UPGRADING FROM ECONOMY TO PREMIUM ECONOMY ON DELTA TO ASIA
Cheap upgrades starting at $9 per flight hour: On Los Angeles-Shanghai (26 hours round-trip) it only costs $250 round-trip to upgrade to PE. The lowest coach fare is $492, while PE is $742. That’s $125 one-way to upgrade, or about $9 per flight hour—and at the same time, it’s $3,500+ less than Business Class.
Almost Free Upgrades: Instead of paying for a better economy seat—one that offers a bit more leg-room (which Delta calls “Preferred Exit” and can cost up to $200 more round-trip), you can get a much better seat by booking PE for a bargain—just $50 more than an exit row seat. “Preferred Exit” is well named, because it would be preferable to exit it.
Lower Premium Economy Fare with Delta than with American Airlines
American has been offering special low PE fares to Asia over the last few months. However, on the Los Angeles-Shanghai route, Delta is undercutting AA by over $200. It’s $742 on Delta, while AA charges $947, a difference of $205.
DELTA DAWN—HERE COMES PREMIUM SELECT
Delta’s Premium Economy offering is called Premium Select, and it’s currently available on all new A350 aircraft. Delta is also updating its B757-200 and B777 aircraft with Premium Economy.
The A350 Premium Select seat is offered on these routes now:
Detroit – Tokyo
Detroit – Seoul
Detroit – Beijing
Detroit – Amsterdam
Atlanta – Seoul
Detroit – Shanghai
Los Angeles – Shanghai
Why Fly Premium Economy?
For the Business Class traveler: This is the best option for people accustomed to flying Business Class who don’t want to spend between $3,000 and $5,000 to sit up front, especially on a day flight when they’d probably rather work than sleep. These seats, often in a separate cabin, include elite ground and onboard benefits such as separate check-in, priority boarding, seats with a leg and/or foot rest, and even upgraded meal service. (See the bullets below.)
The Benefits of Premium Economy over Economy
- Seat comfort: a wider seat and more recline, and an adjustable footrest and leg rest, when compared to economy. For a deeper Delta PE dive, click here:
- More legroom: up to 8 inches more than economy
- Dedicated overhead bin space
- A Tumi amenity kit, the same as Business Class, not offered in economy
- Boarding: same as Business Class (SkyPriority)
- Meals: better
- A dedicated in-cabin flight attendant
- TV screen: 13.2 inches on the A350
- Noise-cancelling headphones like in Business Class
- SkyPriority check-in, same as Business Class
- Expedited baggage handling and security, same as Business Class
- Delta elites earn 150% MQMs (Medallion Qualification Miles), general economy only gets 100% MQMs