These days, it’s not just first class or coach — airlines are unbundling their fare options and offering new seating options to appeal to premium travelers. One of the fastest-growing segments for airlines is premium economy, a cabin class offered on many long-haul routes. This type of ticket unlocks additional comforts beyond what you’d receive with an economy-class fare but is not quite at the level of a ticket in first or business class. Wondering whether premium economy is worth it for your next trip? Here’s everything you need to know to decide.

What To Expect From Premium Economy

While specifics vary by airline, a premium-economy ticket generally offers a wider seat with more legroom, greater recline, and adjustable headrests and footrests. Seats also typically have thicker cushioning than standard economy seats, so they tend to be more comfortable. They’re located in a designated section of the plane ahead of the economy cabin and behind the first or business cabin.

Premium-economy flyers can also expect more perks, like priority check-in, fast-tracked security, early boarding, and even an elevated dining experience. For example, you may enjoy complimentary nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages, as well as complimentary menu offerings that are a step above those available in economy. Through some airline frequent flyer programs, you can earn more miles or points by flying in premium economy.

Airlines primarily offer this cabin class on long-haul international routes on wide-body aircraft, though some carriers also sell premium economy on long-haul domestic routes, such as New York to L.A. Below is what the three major U.S. airlines call this cabin class:

• American Airlines: Premium Economy 
• Delta Air Lines: Delta Premium Select
• United Airlines: United Premium Plus 

How Does Premium Economy Differ From Other Cabins? 

Branded product names and confusing marketing jargon can make it difficult to compare cabin classes on a particular route. Here’s a helpful breakdown.

Premium economy vs. standard economy

Compared to a standard economy seat, premium economy offers a wider seat with greater legroom and recline. For example, on United’s Boeing 787, standard economy seats are arranged in a three-three-three pattern and are 17.3 inches wide. They offer 31 inches of legroom and 3 inches of recline. However, United Premium Plus is arranged in a two-three-two layout, which allows for greater seat width (19 inches). You will also receive 7 extra inches of legroom and double the seat recline.

Premium economy vs. standard economy with extra legroom

To make matters more complicated, airlines offer an option between standard economy (sometimes called “main cabin”) and premium economy: standard economy seats with more legroom. This is still considered part of the economy cabin, as the seat dimensions and in-flight service are more or less the same — the only difference is a few extra inches of legroom. On American Airlines, this option is called Main Cabin Extra. Delta calls it Delta Comfort, and United Airlines calls it Economy Plus. 

Premium economy vs. first or business class

Unlike in first or business class, you won’t get a lie-flat seat in premium economy, or as much space and privacy between you and other passengers. Additionally, airlines reserve their most premium dining experiences for first and business class, and those tickets also tend to come with the highest level of perks, such as lounge access, which is generally not included when you buy premium economy.

How Much More Does Premium Economy Cost?

These days, most airlines have dynamic pricing models, meaning prices fluctuate based on demand. Because of this, it’s difficult to determine the average price difference between an economy ticket and a premium-economy ticket. But broadly speaking, premium-economy tickets can easily cost 50% to 100% more than standard economy tickets.

To give you an idea of how much more a premium-economy ticket could cost, we compared three different long-haul international routes operated by American, Delta, and United. For all three routes, sitting in premium economy cost at least double the price of a round-trip ticket in the standard economy cabin.

American Airlines: A round-trip ticket from New York City (JFK) to Paris (CDG) was $1,047 for standard economy and $2,544 for premium economy. That’s an additional $1,497, or 143% more.

Delta: A round-trip ticket from Atlanta (ATL) to São Paulo (GRU) was $1,614 for standard economy and $3,249 for Delta Premium Select. That’s an extra $1,635, or 101% more.

United: A round-trip ticket from Chicago (ORD) to Tokyo (HND) was $2,470 for standard economy and $5,234 for United Premium Plus. That’s an additional $2,764, or 112% more.

How To Decide if Premium Economy Is Worth It

Unsure whether to spring for premium-economy tickets? Here are a few tips:

• Check the math: Compare the price difference and factor in your vacation budget. If you have a limited travel budget, a premium-economy ticket likely won’t make sense if it costs you $1,500 more than standard economy. But if it’s only a few hundred more and you can afford it, the upgraded ticket may be worthwhile.
• Review the details: Premium-economy cabins can vary across airlines and plane types. Carefully reviewing the fare and benefit details before booking a premium-economy ticket can help you make a more informed choice. 
• Consider the flight duration: If you’ll be spending a significant amount of time in the air, the added comfort may be worth it, especially if you’re taking an overnight flight and plan to sleep. Arriving at your destination well rested can set the tone for your entire trip.
• Don’t rule out an upgrade later: Premium economy may be outside of your budget right now, but that won’t necessarily be the case closer to departure. Most airlines offer upgrade options, either in the app or when you pull up your booking details on the website. And while prices are usually dynamic, last-minute upgrades can sometimes be cheaper than what it may cost to book premium economy outright.