The popularity of premium economy has boomed in recent years. The product often bridges the gap perfectly between economy class and business class. Premium economy has been a hit with all types of passengers, particularly with premium leisure customers looking to upgrade their experience and business passengers constrained by strict travel budgets.

Last year, the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2025 selected its most comfortable premium economy seats. In this article, we will take a closer look at the top six airlines and their premium economy offerings, as well as considering the role of premium economy in the wider aviation industry.

6

Cathay Pacific

Credit: Cathay Pacific

The world’s sixth-best premium economy is offered by Cathay Pacific, according to the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2025. For the oneworld carrier, based at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), its premium economy product boasts a generous seat pitch of 40 inches, complemented by leg and foot rests, ample recline, and adjustable calf support. The seats also feature leather headrests with privacy wings, as well as innovative storage compartments.

Cathay Pacific’s premium economy product is available onboard its Boeing 777-300ERs, Airbus A330-300s, A350-900s, and A350-1000s. The latest version is offered onboard the carrier’s recently refurbished Boeing 777-300ERs and features 15.6‑inch 4K displays with Bluetooth audio, representing a dramatic leap forward in inflight entertainment compared to the previous 12.1-inch screen.

5

EVA Air

Credit: EVA Air

Going back to where it all began, EVA Air was the first airline ever to introduce a premium economy product back in 1992, known as Evergreen Deluxe Class. Today, EVA Air’s premium economy has been recognized as the fifth-best in the world at the 2025 Skytrax World Airline Awards. EVA Air’s premium economy product can be found onboard the airline’s Boeing 777-300ER, and in 2025, the Taiwanese carrier launched its fourth-generation of its premium economy offering on its 787-9s.

This latest iteration features 28 seats in a 2-3-2 layout, each with an above-average seat pitch of 42 inches. Each premium economy seat onboard EVA Air’s Boeing 787-9s features a cradle-motion recline that moves the cushion forward and up, providing up to 8 inches of recline without encroaching on the space of the passenger behind. The seats have premium leather headrests, armrests, and footrests, and the overall passenger experience is complemented by a 15.6-inch screen.

EVA Air initially launched its latest premium economy product on the carrier’s relatively short hops between its hub at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) and Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK). The airline later rolled out the product on flights to other destinations, including Munich Airport (MUC), Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

4

Singapore Airlines

Credit: Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines offers the world’s fourth-best premium economy product, according to the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2025. With a standard 38-inch seat pitch and widths of up to 19.5 inches, the Star Alliance carrier’s premium economy seating offers a noticeable upgrade from economy class. It can be found on its Airbus A350-900s, A350-900ULRs, A380s, and Boeing 777-300ERs.

Entertainment is delivered through a 13.3-inch HD touchscreen loaded with the airline’s industry-leading KrisWorld IFE system, which offers over 1,800 options including movies, TV, music, and games. Noise-canceling headphones are also provided, and passengers have access to two USB ports and a universal power outlet.

Dining in Premium Economy reflects Singapore Airlines’ high service standards, with meals served on porcelain tableware and accompanied by a choice of premium wines and champagnes. The experience is rounded out with priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling, plus a 35 kg baggage allowance.

Among the destinations served with a premium economy cabin from the carrier’s hub at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) are London Heathrow Airport (LHR), Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO), Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), Auckland Airport (AKL), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). Curiously, premium economy is the lowest travel class found onboard Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A350-900ULRs.

3

Emirates

Credit: Emirates

A relative newcomer to the premium economy market, Emirates only introduced its premium economy cabin in August 2022. However, the product has already been rolled out to a sizable proportion of the carrier’s fleet of Airbus A380, A350, Boeing 777-200LR, and 777-300ER aircraft.

Seats in Emirates’ premium economy cabin are mostly configured in a 2-4-2 layout (2-3-2 on the A350), offering up to 40 inches of seat pitch, 19.5 inches of width, and an 8-inch recline. Passengers also enjoy adjustable leg and headrests, making some of the carrier’s longest flights that little bit more comfortable. The soft leather seats and wood-grain accents create a relaxing ambiance onboard, reflecting Emirates’ luxury brand.

From its hub at Dubai International Airport (DXB), Emirates operates premium economy-equipped aircraft to a wide variety of destinations, near and far. These include London Heathrow Airport (LHR), São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM).

2

Japan Airlines

Credit: Japan Airlines

According to the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2025, the world’s second-best premium economy product is offered by Japan Airlines. Japan Airlines took the crown for World’s Best Premium Economy Class at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2024, but has since slipped one place.

One of the reasons why Japan Airlines’ premium economy product has consistently scored so highly with passengers and industry professionals alike is its generous seat pitch of 42 inches and width of 19 inches, offering travelers enhanced legroom and personal space. Just like EVA Air’s latest premium economy seat, it also features a sliding seatback mechanism, which allows the seat to be reclined without impacting the passenger behind.

Japan Airlines offers a premium economy cabin onboard its Boeing 777-300ERs, 787-9s, and Airbus A350-1000s, with the latter being the most up-to-date version. Passengers onboard the oneworld carrier’s A350-1000s can pass the time with the latest 16-inch personal entertainment screen – one of the largest in the industry for premium economy.

1

Virgin Atlantic

Credit: Virgin Atlantic

The world’s best premium economy product is offered by Virgin Atlantic, according to the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2025. The carrier was one of the first to introduce the concept of a premium economy product back in the early 1990s, and today, it offers a premium economy cabin on all of its aircraft, with the number of seats and configuration found onboard each aircraft outlined in the table below.

Virgin Atlantic is investing more than $17 billion in modernizing its fleet, with its latest premium economy offering found onboard the Airbus A330-900. The airline’s hard product features a fairly standard 38-inch seat pitch and a width of up to 20 inches. However, it is the onboard service and experience that really sets Virgin Atlantic’s premium economy experience apart from the rest, helping it to win the title.

Once onboard, premium economy passengers enjoy a welcome drink of sparkling wine or juice, an enhanced dining experience, a luxurious amenity kit, and a number of cozy extras, such as a large pillow and a soft blanket. Virgin Atlantic captures the essence of its premium economy product, saying that:

“Where little extras make a big difference. Those extra few inches of space, a glass of bubbly as you board, and a tasty meal served on china crockery with proper cutlery. Just enough to give you a big lift before you get to your destination.”

The Top 10 & The Future Of Premium Economy

Credit: American Airlines

As airlines across the world continue to invest in the space between economy and business, capitalizing on a rapidly growing market, the premium economy is evolving from a basic upgrade to a distinct product offering with its own identity and appeal. The ten most comfortable premium economy seats in the world, according to the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2025, are summarized in the table below.

One of the most exciting developments lies in seat innovation. Concepts like double-deck, lie-flat seating are being tested. These could allow passengers to lie flat without sacrificing overall cabin density, potentially revolutionizing comfort on long-haul routes.

However, more realistic, near-term upgrades to premium economy products include ever-wider seats with more pitch. When it comes to soft products, airlines are introducing healthier meals, ambient lighting designed to reduce jet lag, and even mindfulness or sleep programs integrated into the seatback entertainment.

With more and more ultra-long-haul routes being launched, premium economy products are only likely to become even more popular. Qantas’ upcoming Project Sunrise flights connecting Australia with destinations across Europe and North America are the perfect example of where premium economy comes into its own.