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"Premium economy" on BA feels like what economy class _used_ to be about 15-20 years ago.

I flew this premium service from South Africa to London with BA. I can tell you as a tall person, this was really heaven compared to economy.

for a extra £129 for the extra space on such a long flight is something that would interest me for sure. Important to say I think that world traveller plus is just economy with more room, better food including proper plates and cutlery and a increase in legroom with a smaller cabin. all in all it is not a bad product I think but thoroughly enjoyed your video as always Paul keep them coming

For me the only benefit of premium economy is the extra room. I'm not fussed about the food or ground services. It's all about getting a better sleep.

I've flown BA Premium Economy a few times now, mostly when I visited family in Sydney because at 6'4" (1.93m) I didn't fancy 22hrs sat in standard economy. I've never had any issues, plenty of leg room even with the seat in front fully reclined and mine not. The food was better than standard economy but obviously not as good as the service in business. To compare I have flow BA long haul economy and paid for the exit row seats for the leg room which is cheaper but the seats are not as comfortable or as wide as Premium.

I regularly use premium economy from London to Tokyo. Business class on that route is ££££, but premium economy isn’t that bad and the extra space is welcome. I never care about ‘amenities’ since I watch my own movies on my iPad and use my own noise cancelling headphones (don’t most frequent travelers do this?). Best thing about premium economy if you have some sort of executive club level is the high chance of being upgraded to business for free. I’ve been upgraded for free a couple of times… BA up sells regular economy folk to premium, but doesn’t have enough seats - so if you’re a card holder in PE they’ll bump you up to make space.

Great video Paul! I have flown BA PE once before and I found it to be a good product. I am 6'2" and well built so the extra legroom/width is a bonus. The meals don't really matter that much to me. Another bonus is there tends to be less passengers in the PE cabin so the overheads have plenty room. Safe travels and I look forward to the next video.

I whole heartedly agree that looking ahead to a planned trip is often the best part!

I am a very infrequent long haul flier. I chose premium economy on both legs of a return trip from LHR to PHX in March 2020 and was highly satisfied with all aspects of the experience. I'm repeating the trip in three weeks and am flying premium economy outbound and have splashed out on business class on the return leg this time.

I've always thought the main benefit of Premium Economy is the extra leg room, which comes in useful if you're a taller person, especially on long haul flights. Whether or not it's worth the extra price is subjective to each passenger - personally, I'd rather save the money and sit in regular economy.

I always fly Premium Economy with BA when I fly from Vancouver to LHR round trip as the extra room makes all the difference for a 9 1/2 hour flight. Before the pandemic, I would travel 2 to 3 times per year to the UK. I also really appreciate the smaller cabin and the fact that you don't have hundreds of people walking up and down the aisles like you do in Economy due to the limited room. Plus, paying a bit more earns me more Avios which I then put towards a Business Class flight about every two years. Despite being Canadian, I have never had luck with Air Canada so can't compare the two airlines in this regards.

I've really enjoyed flying BA Premium Economy on the A380 from LHR to SFO. It's always great to be on the A380, and the experience was better than in economy for me. Would definitely pay a little extra over economy for it on that trip, especially as the delta from PE to Business on that route is usually huge.

The best thing about world traveller plus is the extra tier points (90 vs 20 on a normal economy fair)

Fantastic review Paul! Looking at the food service, if you’re worried about leg room, I’d just pay a bit extra to reserve an exit row seat in economy!😸 (That being said, the upgrades to Premium Economy from Economy are always nice!)

Another great video Paul 👍

Definitely agree, looking forward to the trip is the best part!

I paid for an upgrade on BA from LHR to SFO several years ago and the seat (since been replaced with a better design) was one of the most uncomfortable I've had on a long haul flight. That, combined with abysmal service (I was never served an entree with my lunch along with surly flight attendants), has kept me from booking BA again. I've flown in PE on Cathay, AA and JAL many times, with JAL having the most comfortable seat and best service.

I think you need to consider the time and duration of the flight in your assessment. I am a regular on the Accra-London-Accra route. It is around 6.5 hours. Outbound is an overnight flight so I take business with a flatbed (A350 if lucky). But return i usually fly PE as the flight is 2pm to 8.30pm so unless the upgrade is pennies, PE is fine for me.

Depending on the price paid, the PE looked worth it. I would definitely prefer that over Economy for a long flight. Seems like someone is too used to business/first class travelling

Great video as usual, saw the steam train at the end I hope we are getting a video on that.

We regularly book into premium economy, with the sole intention of using avios for an upgrade to club world! I find that can often be the cheapest way to get into business on the more pricey routes! ✈️

I’ve only had good experiences with BA but everyone’s experiences are different. Air France was the worst for me.

My family and I really enjoy your videos, I can’t believe we were next door in the Concorde room at the same time you were in the First lounge!!

Thank you for showing me, it is interesting to learn for me. Ready my travel plans 😊

I’ve flown premium economy from Heathrow to Phoenix (10 hrs). I thought it was totally worth the extra money. Just the big seat was worth it. I wasn’t expecting the food to be any different from economy. I would definitely do it again (I’m a Yank) Good flying 😁😎

One factor I’ve noticed over the past six months is that WT is often emptier than WTP. With Covid, lots of people seem to have unused miles and also like the comfort factor of just a bit more elbow room between you and your neighbour. However, having a spare seat beside you in economy is arguably better than a full premium economy cabin, especially as you say, there’s not a huge difference in service.

Another brilliant video Paul .

Thanks for the Review 👍

Very interesting in regards to the premium economy crew member. I flew out of Heathrow for a major UK airline, and senior cabin crew members during pre-flight briefing would always offer to go in this cabin as its generally a quieter shift, as at times may only be half full, so much easier than working your butt off down the back with all the rows in the economy section which is always full to capacity regardless of the time of year. I have to admit during my first years I had a low seniority number so I would always get put on the aircraft where I was told, and very seldom did I ever get the choice. I have been lucky to work in premium and have at times worked with lazy crew members who are looking for an easy workday. So I can fully understand your frustrations. Luckily, this was not the norm, and most of the crew were very friendly and extremely hard working, although you do always get the odd entitled lazy crew member.

Excellent review, having had a similarly disappointing experience on my BA Premium Economy seat from San Francisco to Heathrow, 18 November, 2021. I was so looking forward to what I hoped would be a bit more premium flight than coach. Sadly, nothing about my flight was premium, other than the the comfortable seat, 22B. Meal service was rushed, and cabin crew did not offer a entrée choice for meal service. Was informed the entrée was a Curry, which turned out be a mystery dish of what I think were potatoes and cauliflower. Absolutely awful, as I love good Indian curries, but this was anything but. I almost never saw cabin crew during the entire 10 hour flight, and we were thrown a breakfast sandwich before landing. Aircraft was dirty, clearly old, and worn. I am a total plane geek and love the sound of the GE90 engines spooling and the takeoff, so I made my own entertainment. Having to pay for WIFI was just icing on the poor cake.

We used Tui premium economy to and from Florida 5 years ago and thought it was worth every penny. Lounge access / fast track through security / private check in desk / priority boarding / priority disembarking / better luggage allowance / better seats / better IFE / better service and meals

I'm flying Premium Economy (WT+) to Barbados in January - have flown it before - and am very happy to pay the extra for the additional comfort. Flew Club World on the same route in March 2020 - the last flight before lockdown. Because the catering companies were closed, a small tube of Salt & Vinegar Pringles, a cheese and lettuce sandwich and a small pack of shortbread was all that was available for an 9 hour flight (!) BA crew were great though. Unfortunately, the Club World lounge was also closed at Gatwick due to the pandemic.

Used to fly BA Premium Economy a fair amount in the 2010's when flying between LAX and London a lot and it was likely a very similar plane (if not the exact plane!) and I always found it a bit more comfortable than regular economy. I think the small amount of extra comfort is actually worth it on long haul flights, especially as Premium Economy fares aren't insane. And the smaller cabin adds a little bit more as well. Of course, as you say, Club World is wayyyy better for both being able to lie flat and the privacy.

I've flown in the business class shown at the beginning of the video. Those seats are extremely uncomfortable, especially because the divider wall narrows around your legs (which restricts leg movement both seats and when lying flat). The premium economy seats looked a lot more comfortable then the business-class seats, even if they don't lie flat.

I'm definitely with you on the planning! For us, it's half the fun, although too much knowledge can lead to disproportionate expectations. Even so, we love researching,.even over researching our trips away. We haven't amassed gold status yet, and are still hovering on Silver, but we still enjoy BA, and have flown with them half a dozen times over the last 2 years. We're looking forward to actually visiting the busines lounge at LHR for the first time in January, when we fly to Vegas. Really enjoyed your journey, thanks.

can't wait for that train video

I flew with Air New Zealand in Premium Economy a few years ago and it was excellent from service to food and seats .I felt I was being treated as a business class passenger.

I flew BA premium economy on a 777 flight to the United States just before covid. I got a very good deal on the upgrade from economy, the cabin crew were excellent, seat comfortable and I liked the smaller cabin. The food was good, not brilliant but perfectly acceptable, we did have 3 choices of main meal, that may have been as no covid then. I would fly BA premium again, I think you were unfortunate with the crew as a good crew can really make a great flight!

very interesting. I love watching different people fly over the world. I enjoyed your honest report, and the fact you pointed out that BA are usually ok, but this particular flight had it's flaws; Thankyou and safe flying x

Thank you for the video

I have long legs, so the "premium" seating would have value for me on a long haul flight. I would also consider the amenities kit and the headphones as extras above and beyond standard Economy. The catering looked like the standard Economy fare. Perhaps BA should describe this as "extra space" rather than premium, but for me, if I could afford it, the legroom might be worth it.

I fully understand your disappointment in this BA flight. Paying the upgrade wasn't worth it and the one bad flight attendant didn't help. I would have probably booked regular economy or if feeling flush with money would have paid business class. Thanks Paul for sharing your experience😀😀♥️♥️

I have just recently flown PE from Vancouver to London and back.The food was good, the seats were comfortable and roomy. i have no complaints.

great video paul

Always fly BA WTP/PE LGW to Tampa & every single flight outbound & inbound have been superb, I'm 6'4'' & have a spinal injury from military service & I have always found the seating to be very good. As there are 2 of us we always book window & aisle which makes the flight more comfortable. The extra cost is definitely worth it for us & we grab the return flights as soon as the return date is released so plan ahead fellow travellers ! We also book an SUV with the flights & as BA flying club members it's just a minimal deposit until much nearer your vacation 👍 We sometimes fly LHR to San Diego also direct with BA but pay for Business class/Club World for that distance & that cabin & flat bed/seat are superb though about 4 inches short for me when flat 😂 The prices tend to be very good if you get them early enough & maybe we have been lucky but we didn't pay much more than Premium on the California run ! Once we grab our seats & pay we book assisstance, phone BA & they kindly refund the extra seat choice money which TBH most if not all airlines do but it's very much appreciated by us. The food is what it is people, do you really expect a 5* gourmet meal as opposed to something that's at the very least decent & edible ? Your on a plane not in a posh restaurant & how long are we up there ..... You'll live ! Like most of you we book for that bit of extra space, legroom & width & that little bit more privacy but that said our last flight the food was steak from business class & it was superb ! One more thing & maybe it's my "past" but if there isn't an actual PE check in desk just use business, they don't mind but remember be polite & respectful & check the name tag on the person your speaking with & call them by their name & thank them, manners maketh man...... As someone once said ! BTW if your flights within an hour departure & landing of its scheduled time then that's as damn near on time as is possible when you think of herding passengers, luggage loading, flight slots, weather etc... Safe travels 👍

I always thought premium economy was basically just a slightly bigger seat and more legroom ? However for an overnight flight full enough that I'm not going to have 2 or more seats to curl up on, I definitely consider a PE upgrade. But a semi empty flight where you can lie down in the middle 3 or 4 seats is better!

Great video

great vid thank you

*For 2021 and most of 2020 all my flights were 75 percent empty at the back on long haul flights so i could just stretch across all the seats*

Flown BA premium economy several times, generally to the USA. I have never been able to fault the service, much more legroom, storage bins, good meals, proper cutlery, the whole experience was excellent and well worth the reasonable increased cost. Maybe you were unlucky?

just sat down to eat. perfect timing!

We had a BA Premium Economy flight a few years ago from Gatwick to Tampa. To our surprise, we were upgraded to Business Class at checkin. I still remember that flight…it was great!

I had a similar experience when I flew to the Caribbean with BA. The FA was so rude I decided I would never fly lh with BA ever again.

Having just flown Premium Plus on United from IAD to BRU last week, I am reminded that this middle class of seat is not generally worth it for me, but for other reason than Paul. United's seats on a 787 in this class are also wider, but the hard sides containing the tray tables extend further forward, which confines my lower thighs considerably. Also, their tray tables do not extend as far forward as on BA, meaning they stick in my gut whilst trying to eat. Finally, the footrest tends to just get in the way more than providing a lift for my legs. So different airline, but same bottom line decision - not worth it unless it gets me an upgrade to the true business class seats in front. Luckily, United has Economy Plus seats with a larger pitch than normal on its flights, and with the reduced load under current conditions, I don't think I'll have a neighbor on my flight home this week.

I completely agree! I am traveling internationally for the first time this summer, going to Paris (from the USA) and I don't leave for 4 months and I've already watched tons of videos about my seat (United Polaris on a 777-200, business class seat), tons of walking tours about the places I want to go when I'm there, etc. Getting ready for the trip is always just as much fun as going for me.

Flown all other cabins with BA several times (last week I experienced both the old club world and club suites within 6 days of each other so that was an interesting comparison). Flying premium economy in October due to limited availability in club (787-8 so very limited options) so although not my preferred choice I am looking forward to checking off the final cabin choice that BA offer.

Paul you absolutely need to give Air New Zealand's premium economy. That is an entirely different PE experience

I flew with BA in World Traveller to New York at Christmas on a 777 and the flight was good and meal was delicious (rare for food on a plane) but this is strange for premium economy considering you got a mediocre breakfast

Came across your channel today insightful

Thanks for sharing

I entirely agree in general as the hike in cost is not reflected in the extra product from economy. One exception was Cathay Pacific however, who went quite far in making it extra special, especially at meal time. JAL premium economy was good too and included lounge access!

Really surprised by the surly staff. Have flown BA Premium Economy a lot on transatlantic routes, and found staff always excellent. The food though is often much worse than you got - the breakfast things are properly inedible (and I'm not a fussy eater).

Thank you for your video! I’m flying to Cape Town (first time) from London Premium Economy so was interested to see the difference ☺️

Thanks for showing. I've flown BA Y+ once - on that occasion it was actually cheaper than regular economy! JNB-LHR, the A380 was subbed for a 747 so our pre-booked seats were all over the place. Very similar to regular eco, but for me (quite tall) the extra legroom is easily worth a few £. And for someone who has only flown business a few times, the little uplift was certainly welcome! And as for delays, very often JNB is the chosen route to sub the aircraft from, as it sits on the ground for the day, so swapping an aircraft from another route and moving the delay to JNB to eat up the time is relatively common. With family in SA I've flown this route a lot!

I feel like Japan Airlines' Premium Economy might be worth it. The benefits of JAL are not just the larger and well-designed seats, but the fact that you can recline without bothering the person behind you. For me, that's worth its weight in gold. Plus JAL Premium Economy pax get lounge access as well. Of course JAL's basic economy product is so good it's still questionable whether the upgrade is worth it - I find 12 hour day flights in JAL's 787 Skywider economy seat quite comfortable as it is. A later afternoon flight though, or perhaps on aircraft with a 3-3-3 economy configuration, I might be tempted to JAL Premium Economy.

I think it depends on the airline. On some it's worth the extra money and on others it's not. Best to look at reviews like this when making the decision.

I’ve just traveled long haul to San Diego. I chose to go premium both ways and loved it. The foot and leg rests were incredibly comfortable and the seat tilted back a good distance. China crockery, metal cutlery and a linen napkin go a long way. Cannot fault the BA staff. Oh and screens were absolutely fine. We had quilted blankets plus the pillows were so soft. My granddaughters loved the toiletry bags which I saved for them. I slept on the red eye flight which I normally am not able to do. Now considering upgrading for Orlando in October.

I was shocked when you said plane was 10 years old because it looked like 20-30 years old to me. What a great video and honest review. Keep up the good work.

My wife and I travelled BA Premium Economy on two trips to China (and back) to visit family in recent years. The extra space was well worth the extra money, as was the extra free baggage allowance (we were taking things for our family). The service was good, but the food was nothing particularly special. BA's in-flight catering has definitely gone downhill in recent years.

I personally wouldn't buy *any* ticket on BA unless I had no options. They have worked very hard to plumb the bottoms. Their First, is, well, the World's best Business Class although it is shaping up to challenge AA's Flagship First as at least BA has kept full table service, while AA tries its own First Class race to the bottom.

Thank you Paul🌞

I always look forward to the build up of traveling it’s the best bit

BA are now well behind rivals, in a number of service areas. I’ve also flown BA for decades and have always been underwhelmed, in any class.Enjoyed the video, and now subscribed.

No Premium Economy is worth it except Air NZ trans Pacific. Whose seats are incredible wide - almost like old BC seats. But other than that the cost versus benefit is not there on any airline.

Excellent video.

Nice travel report.

As a bloke of lets say, larger stature, I will only fly Premium Economy. Having suffered BA WT on JFK-LGW in their densified config, it was just too uncomfortable. Business Class being too far out of my reach as a normal every day peasant, Premium Economy is the only option if I need space. Even extra legroom seats aren't much more comfortable. I feel BA let themselves down though, on the hard product. TUI, for example, often charge less than BA for their premium product, yet does include seat selection and lounge access. Why a legacy carrier such as BA, still charge for seat selection in supposedly premium cabins, and don't offer lounge access, is beyond me. I've just booked LHR-DXB with BA in WT+, and the seat selections alone come to a third of the overall flight cost... It is ridiculous.

As I would expect from BA (sadly, a once-great airline) there is nothing “Premium” about this Premium Economy product.

Lovely video I have flown the Johannesburg london Johannesburg route many times with BA and generally the crew have been fantastic 👍 thanks Paul

After 747 flight from sfo in 2011, i pretty much never flew long haul with them again except i did book a flight in nov 2020 which got cancelled just before the gov announced travel bans. I only dare to take them for short haul now because no other airline flies where i need.

I was very on-board with your criticisms until i saw the fare breakdown. An extra £129 for the extra space on an 11 hour flight is something i'd be very tempted by. I think overall you got a good value flight for the distance travelled.

‘Service is better that Wetherspoons’ lol. I would hope so!!

I flew Premium Economy (LAX-LHR) on an older A380 (double decker) and loved it (pre-pandemic) - both directions (return). Worth it for me - better seating, unlimited alcohol, and food choices. I did use Amex points to upgrade from Economy....

First time ive visited your channel - i have to say you have the perfect voice for presenting - you should be on tv doing voice overs for similar to shows that you are doing here

The BA lounge - "better than Wetherspoons" says Paul. But the fights aren't as good in the lounge.

I was upgraded to Premium Economy Chicago/London. While I enjoyed it, as I told some friends, I would have been disappointed if I had to pay.

Irrespective of the food, the extra room is what I pay for in Premium. Also the smaller cabin is also less distracting and easier to get a bit of shut eye on. The group 3 boarding also ensures you get your bag in the overhead bin. That being said, I've always found the service and the food to be very good in Premium!

I flew WTP on the 777-300ER about a year after this video was uploaded and happily they’ve refreshed it - lighting, IFE etc.

Hi Paul, greetings from Bremen/Germany. I just had to write to u. I found your KZfaq videos about 1 year ago n follow u ever since. In my humble opinion you are one of the best transport (air n rail) bloggers. I hunger each day for a new report. Thanks for keeping us all informed n entertained. Marc

Premium economy seems like the business class that was on 747s in the 90s. I was able to fly business international as a kid in the 90s so it reminds me of those seats. I was able to afford it as someone else was paying lol.

Great flight.

I love watching night flight videos

I think the food that was served during your premium economy experience looked dismal and as you noted, was not much better than standard economy fare. As you made your way through business class, I noticed the bizarre arrangement of adjacent seats aimed towards each other, which forces passengers to stare into their nearest neighbor’s face. I’d hate that, particularly if I’d paid thousands for the seat.

Premium economy on Virgin just outmatches BA in every way. In fact, every cabin on Virgin destroys BA - they are so lagging, embarrassing. That’s just one airline comparison, there are so many more…

We flew BA Premium Plus last week from India to UK and although the A350 was new the service from staff was lacking . Emirates Premium economy is much awaited .

That drink in lounge looked good Paul

We tried the new premium economy from BA before Xmas, never again. The photos you see do not ever show the seat in front reclining, I now know why. It was an awful experience with mediocre food and pretty much nothing premium. Luckily we paid for a new Club World seat back and it was fantastic. Don't waste your money on PE, save it for Club and actually enjoy it.

The B 777-300 fleet is undergoing a comprehensive midlife refresh.. new club suite, first, and a tighter 10 across in economy. .. you travelled on a B777 awaiting refresh... Sorry to hear crew not great on this trip, they should know you were a gold cardholder and made extra effort. BA seem to have a policy of only upgrading by one cabin class, and WT+ is a small cabin, I think £129 is a bargain... I have been upgraded 3 times from WT+ to Club World due to over sales, which would not have happened had I been in Traveller....

The premuim economy on virgin Atlantic to manchester to las vegas was excellent, great service food n drinks