As more airlines adopt Premium Economy, it’s becoming increasingly popular on busy routes. Just look at Sydney-Los Angeles, for example. Four different airlines – Qantas, American Airlines, Delta and United – connect the two cities, and all of them offer Premium Economy.
Back in late 2016, American Airlines became the first major US carrier to introduce this middle-of-the-road cabin. How does it stack up, almost eight years later? We used Qantas Points to find out.
Check-in, lounge and boarding
The day before, I zip through online check-in and confirm my main meal pre-order is locked in. The website throws up an impressive offer of just $775 to upgrade to Business Class – considering I booked this flight with Qantas Points. I’m not sure if the price is in Australian or US Dollars; either way, it’s tempting. But as I’m committed to reviewing Premium Economy, I grudgingly close the tab.
Sydney Airport is bustling at 6:30am, though the American Airlines check-in counters are relatively calm. Business Class and Premium Economy share a few Priority counters and there’s barely any wait. To be fair, the Economy line isn’t heaving either. It later turns out to be a very busy flight, so I suspect I’m just here earlier than most.
Except for a handful of (mainly) Japanese carriers, most airlines don’t offer lounge access with Premium Economy. That’s where airline status or a lounge pass comes in handy.
On an American Airlines ticket, Qantas Gold/oneworld Sapphire-grade members can access the Qantas International Business Lounge, while Platinum/oneworld Emerald flyers can head to the First Lounge. If you have an Amex Platinum Card and corresponding Priority Pass membership, you could also access the Centurion Lounge, the Plaza Premium Lounge, or The House Lounge as well.
As American Airlines Premium Economy does not include lounge access by default, the overall score is not affected by any lounges we visited.
Boarding is efficiently handled by group numbers at the gate. Premium Economy usually boards in Group 4, although my Qantas status boosts me to Group 2.
American Airlines Premium Economy seat
You’ll find just 28 Premium Economy seats onboard American Airlines’ Boeing 777, arranged in a 2-4-2 layout. That translates to roughly 4cm more width, up to 17cm more knee space and double the recline (6″ instead of 3″) of a standard Economy seat.
As these Collins Aerospace MiQ seats are typically what airlines use for regional Business or US domestic First Class, they’re a good fit for Premium Economy. The front row also comes with an extendable leg and footrest, while the other rows just have a swing-down footrest.
I’ve booked quite late so only middle seats are available. Thinking that I’ll at least have more space in the front row, I pick 16G and it’s quite roomy. My bag has to go up in the overhead locker during take-off and landing, but for the rest of the flight, I can keep it in front of my seat for easy access.
Storage by the side of the seat is also surprisingly good. I’m able to fit my power bank, earbuds, charging cables, pocket camera and phone there. The side armrest folds up for easy access to a USB and AC power outlet, although the space is too narrow for my charging plug. Luckily, my phone stays topped up through the USB outlet just fine.
Overall, it’s quite a comfortable seat. I’m still a tad too tall to make full use of the legrest, but I eventually figure out a system that works, involving a slight recline and my bag as a makeshift ottoman.
American Airlines Premium Economy dining
With online pre-ordering, I’m able to choose exactly what main meal I’ll tuck into onboard. Unfortunately, there’s no printed or digital menu, though you can view available beverages through the inflight entertainment system. On this flight, the options are:
- Apricot and olive chicken breast (my choice)
- Thai yellow vegetable curry
- Chilled smoked salmon
Dining in Premium Economy is definitely a step up from Economy in terms of presentation and quality. The lean apricot chicken breast is well-cooked and pairs well with the sauce. Don’t ever leave me alone with a mashed potato because it will get demolished! I also appreciate the side salad – it balances out the apple crumble cake, right?
Getting into the spirit of flying to the States, it only makes sense to choose a Dr Pepper to go with lunch.
Mid-way through the flight, the cabin crew walk around with warm beef pies and a refreshing Splice ice cream. I’m quite impressed with these Aussie-made pies, but they’re missing the crucial tomato sauce. On the side, an ice-cold whiskey and soda hit the spot.
Galley snacks are also available in the rear Economy section. Selections include Red Rock Deli crisps and Tim Tams, along with water and juice. But other beverages are available on request.
Another five hours pass and it’s suddenly time for breakfast. I’m not usually one to enjoy ‘aeroplane eggs’, so the continental fruit platter is perfect. There’s no espresso coffee onboard, but a standard American drip coffee with milk, a muffin and yoghurt with granola is more than enough to revive me.
American Airlines Premium Economy amenities
Another improvement over standard Economy is the goodies waiting at each seat. Inside a zippered bag is a blanket, sculpted pillow, noise-cancelling headset and an amenity kit. That’s a pretty good haul, though I wish the pillow could latch onto the headrest like they do in Qantas Premium Economy.
The amenity kit features all the essentials I’d expect – a dental set, eyemask, socks, lip balm and body lotion. As the Boeing 777 cabin air is quite drying and I forgot to pack my moisturiser, the lotion is especially appreciated.
There are two lavatories for Premium Economy at the front of the cabin, but I don’t notice any disturbance from them in my seat 16G.
From a tech perspective, it’s unfortunate that the in-armrest AC port can’t accommodate my plug. Perhaps putting it on the outside of the seat, near the footrest, could work better. But even with a single USB cable, I have no problems keeping my phone and various gadgets charged.
Inflight Wi-Fi comes at a cost – US$29 for 2 hours or US$35 for the whole flight. Naturally, it makes sense to get it for the entire journey right from the start, so I stump up the ~A$53 for this review and to stay productive in the air.
Speeds aren’t bad throughout the 13-hour journey. With 3.6 to 4.6 Mbps in upload and downloads, I’m able to keep in touch with others and work without any page hanging for too long. I suspect that the high cost of connecting preserves the bandwidth for those who do fork out for the package.
Finally, the 11.5″ (29cm) entertainment touchscreen is vibrant and easy to use, even though the graphical interface is clunky by today’s standards. There’s a solid range of movies and TV episodes on offer, but no complete seasons. Between working and trying to sleep, I only watch Dune: Part Two over lunch and a few episodes of Bob’s Burgers during breakfast.
How to book this flight with points
Using Qantas Points, we paid 81,300 pts + A$262 for a Premium Economy reward seat between Sydney and LA. That’s not too bad for a 14-hour flight with a bit more comfort than Economy.
But Business Class (which I fly on the way back) is only 27,100 Qantas Points more than Premium Economy. With the vast difference in comfort and perks that Business Class affords, I strongly suggest going for that if available.
American Airlines is one of a very select group of partner carriers that sits on the ‘Qantas’ reward table, so you’ll pay the same number of points for an AA reward seat as a Qantas flight.
You could also redeem points and miles from other oneworld partner airlines, such as:
- Cathay: 55,000 Asia Miles + HK841 (~A$161)
- Alaska Airlines: 55,000 miles + US$98 (~A$146)
- British Airways: 103,000 Avios + AU$271
If you have transferrable points to Cathay’s Asia Miles program, that could be a good way to book American Airlines Premium Economy as you only need 55,000 miles and will pay less in charges than with Qantas Points. However, note that Cathay doesn’t always show American Airlines availability correctly, so be sure to check before transferring.
Summing up
American Airlines Premium Economy is a fine way to fly if you want more space and a more polished dining experience over the Main Cabin. The seat fits the bill without having any ‘wow factor’; the same can be said about the meals.
Service is also generally friendly. In fact, it’s better on this flight than on my return flight in Business Class. A particular cabin crew member shows us the seat controls in a very light-hearted and humorous way. He also makes sure we’re happy and well-fed throughout the journey.
The price between Premium Economy and Business isn’t huge when using Qantas Points. But the difference in experience – flatbeds, lounge access and more – makes Premium Economy a difficult sell over Business Class. To be fair, this isn’t a reflection of American Airlines. It’s a common issue across all partner airlines.
Ultimately, there’s still a place for Premium Economy. Availability is generally better than in Business Class and if your points can unlock this better-than-Economy experience for a 14-hour flight, go for it!
Photography by Brandon Loo, who travelled at Point Hacks’ expense.
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