With long-haul fares sitting at record highs, business class is out of reach for many of us. The good news: a handful of airlines now run premium economy cabins that feel like a genuine half-step up, not a money grab. A recent roundup from Condé Nast Traveller UK highlights the ones worth your cash — and the differences between them are bigger than you'd think.
Emirates is the flashiest of the bunch. Its premium economy, launched in 2021, flies on the lower deck of Airbus A380s and select retrofitted Boeing 777s, now serving more than 30 routes out of Dubai including New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Miami and San Francisco. Think cream leather seats with wood accents, calf and foot rests, a 13.3-inch screen, and three-course meals on Royal Doulton china — plus a pour of 2012 Chandon from the business class list. Ground perks include a separate check-in desk and free seat selection.
Qantas takes a clever approach to comfort on its 787s and A380s: instead of tilting backwards, the seat's recline motion shifts you forward and up, elevating legs and back into a more natural position. The cabin holds 32 to 40 seats in a 2-3-2 layout, with welcome sparkling wine, David Caan tableware, wool blankets and noise-cancelling headphones. It's available from at least 13 airports including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas-Fort Worth, New York JFK and Honolulu.
ANA arguably offers the most generous package of all. Premium economy passengers get lounge access at Tokyo Haneda, Tokyo Narita, Osaka Kansai and Honolulu — a perk most airlines reserve for business class. New 787-9 seats arriving from November 2026 add two inches of pitch and recline (40 and nine inches respectively), a full-calf leg rest, and a 15.6-inch Bluetooth-enabled screen. On board you'll order from the business class drinks menu, including sake and Champagne, and snack on petit fours or cup noodles. Priority baggage handling seals the deal.
Other strong showings: Virgin Atlantic's Premium seats stretch to 21 inches wide with up to 38 inches of pitch, plus a welcome glass of bubbly and afternoon tea with scones on select flights. Singapore Airlines lets premium economy fliers use its "book the cook" service from 27 cities, and its A350-900ULR planes even have six single seats. Cathay Pacific's refreshed 48-seat cabin offers 39-inch pitch, a 15.6-inch screen and its own touchless lavatory, with two free checked bags. Air France is rolling out wider, re-foamed seats with herringbone fabric across 80 per cent of its fleet by the end of 2025, Champagne included. Lufthansa's Allegris cabin (on nine A350-900s from Munich to cities like New York, Chicago and San Francisco) adds 4K screens and wireless charging, while British Airways' World Traveller Plus keeps things simple: 38-inch pitch, real glassware, and two checked bags.
Who should care? Anyone facing eight hours or more in a middle seat. The sweet spots differ — ANA for lounge access, Emirates for food and theatre, Qantas for that recline — so it pays to match the cabin to your route before you book.