Most airlines follow reasonably accepted standards for premium economy and economy class fares for long-haul routes, although there is variance by airline, aircraft type, and whether the cabin class is being updated in that particular airline. Contrary to what many articles may imply, there is essentially no scope for airlines to offer economy passengers wider seats in the sense of passengers being more spread out. However, they can offer more spread-out passenger seating.

Premium class seats are designed to offer economy class passengers a comfortable, but also affordable upgrade option. They are designed and priced in a way to encourage upgrades from economy, but discourage downgrades from business. They are the “sweet spot” between affordability and comfort. Here is what to know about how much bigger premium economy seats are than economy seats as a generalized global industry standard.

Seat Pitch & Width: The Game Of Inches

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Most mainline carriers give economy class seating an average seat pitch of 30–31 inches (76-79 cm) on long-haul flights. This can fall to 28 inches, particularly with low-cost airlines and short-haul flights. When it comes to seat width as measured between the armrests, economy class seating is typically 17–18 inches (43–46 cm), with the average being around 17.0 to 17.5 inches (43–44.5). Some premium carriers, particularly East Asian carriers, have seat widths of 18 or more inches.

Premium economy seats are typically recliner seats, but they typically don’t convert into lie-flat beds like business class. It’s common for the class to offer 38 inches (97 cm) in seat pitch, although this can rise to 40 inches (102) or more with premium carriers like Emirates and Cathay Pacific. It’s common for the seat width to be 19.0 to 19.5 inches (48–49.5 cm), with it ranging from 18.5 to 21 inches.

One of the main ways premium economy seats differ from economy class is in seat recline. Many short-haul economy class seats are “prereclined,” which is marketing jargon for not reclining. Economy class seats on mainline long-haul airlines typically have a limited amount of recline, although this is often awkward as they recline into the passenger’s limited space behind them. Premium seats normally recline 7–8 inches more than economy seats, and they recline without making one feel guilty about intruding into someone’s personal space.

Airlines Can’t Alter Economy Width

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It’s useful to keep in mind that airlines have essentially no control over the effective width of economy-class seats; this is determined by the aircraft’s internal cabin width. Almost all aircraft have the same fixed number of passengers seated abreast in economy class. Airlines can play with things like aisle width and armrest width a bit. But this is very constrained.

Reducing the armrests and thereby increasing the space between them does not increase the spacing between passengers. That remains constrained by the design of the aircraft. There are exceptions, but these are the exceptions that prove the rule. Some Asian carriers like Japan Airlines, Korean Air, and Singapore Airlines configure their long-haul Boeing 777-300ERs nine-abreast instead of the typical 10-abreast.

This was once common, but has almost disappeared, even Emirates seats its economy passengers ten-abreast. Most eye-catchingly, Japan Airlines still has Boeing 787s seated eight-abreast, but it is alone in this now. Going the other way, the low-cost leisure carrier French Bee famously has its A350-1000s seated ten-abreast (nine-abreast is industry standard). It packs its A350-1000s with 480 seats, its maximum certified capacity, meaning these jets often carry more passengers than A380s.

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What Airlines Can Do With Premium

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What is important with premium is not so much that they are wider between armrests, but that the number of seats abreast is reduced. This means passengers are physically more spaced out. For example, Emirates configures its economy class passengers on its new A350s 3-3-3 or nine abreast (industry standard). But it configures premium economy 2-3-2 or seven-abreast.

On its Boeing 777s, Emirates configures economy in a 3-3-3 configuration and premium in a 2-4-2 configuration. Once again, Japan Airlines excels by configuring its Boeing 777’s in a 2-3-2 or just seven-abreast, compared with Emirates’ eight-abreast. That said, Japan Airlines’ A350-1000s are configured as 2-4-2 in premium economy. Other benefits of premium economy seats typically include leg or foot rests, adjustable headrests, larger 13–16 inch touchscreens, and larger tray tables.

It goes without saying that high-class passengers don’t actually get anywhere faster. Boarding the aircraft sooner means passengers can relax on the flight sooner or just be couped up on the flight sooner, depending on how they rationalize it. The only part of getting there sooner is that premium economy passengers deboard the aircraft sooner, have the chance to get in the immigration queue before economy passengers arrive, and get their bags a bit sooner.

Other Premium Services

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Besides the seats themselves, premium economy passengers can expect upgraded catering compared with economy class. Meals are typically served with porcelain dishware and metal cutlery, while also being greeted with a welcome drink (sometimes juice, sometimes sparkling wine). They can select from an enhanced beverage menu. Premium economy amenities have also been improved, including a large pillow, a thicker blanket, and noise-reducing headphones.

Before getting on the aircraft, premium class passengers have a dedicated check-in counter at many airline hubs, boarding priority after business class, and more. Some airlines might allow passengers to access their lounges, but this varies and may depend on elite status. Premium economy passengers normally have double the baggage allowance of economy passengers, generally two 50 lbs (23 kg) allowance, but this also varies, and some offer a greater allowance.

Baggage allowance is affected by not only the class type and airline, but also the route being flown. Another benefit is that premium economy passengers may be given priority for upgrades, though this may compete with elite status. Premium class passengers often have the option to upgrade to business, while economy passengers do not.

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Upgrade From Economy, Not Downgrade From Business

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According to Skyscanner, “A premium economy fare is generally more than 50% less expensive than a business class fare” adding, “there are significant savings to be had.” This is an odd way to view things, as it is also 50-100% more expensive than economy. In Europe, long-haul premium economy seats are typically 1.5x to 2.3x the typical economy class fare and 2.5x to 3.5x the typical business class fare.

That said, this can vary widely. While there are variations between airlines, as a rule, airline algorithms want to maximize the load factor in economy class while protecting higher-fare buckets. For premium, the primary object is to upsell from economy without cannibalizing business-class fares. Load factor is a secondary factor to maximizing yield per seat in business class.

Business fares are particularly sensitive to short booking windows. Algorithms are particularly tuned to identifying likely business travelers, rather than leisure travelers, traveling in business class. Leisure travelers are typically more price sensitive, book earlier, and have round-trip tickets. Business travelers are typically less price sensitive, book late, and book one-way. It can be more expensive to book a one-way business-class flight than a return business-class flight. Premium fares are still sensitive (e.g., one-way vs. round-trip), but less so compared with business class.

Premium Economy & Economy Demands

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The airline industry has been facing significant seating pressures due to shifts in passenger preferences. As flying has lost its higher-class status and become something “everyone does,” passengers have moved away from first class. This was also due to improvements in business class over the years. Today, first class has disappeared from US-based carriers and has contracted on other airlines. Emirates has at least 40% of the world’s remaining first-class seats.

While the trend has been against first class, it has been towards economy class. Specifically, it has been to the ultra-low-cost economy class offered by low-cost and ultra-low-cost airlines. This has led to the market share of low- and ultra-low-cost carriers growing worldwide at the expense of mainline carriers (e.g., Spirit, Frontier, Ryanair, easyJet, Allegiant). Another global trend has been the demand for something in between business and economy.

For many passengers, flying needs to be affordable and comfortable. Many see it as financially irresponsible to splurge on business class, but economy is unappealing for those with the means to pay more. As stated, for these passengers, premium economy class with big, comfortable seats and a reasonable price is the perfect solution. The first premium class rolled out with Taiwan’s EVA Air in the 1990s, and now airlines are rushing to retrofit their aircraft with more premium economy seats. In late 2025, Delta’s revenue from premium economy surpassed that from economy for the first time.