Skytrax has released the rankings for its annual World Airline Awards. Within the World’s Best Premium Economy Class Airlines award is the sub-category Best Premium Economy Class Airline Seats. This award zooms in on the seats available in each carrier’s premium economy cabin, rather than on the entire premium economy product. Unsurprisingly, the results are broadly similar, although not identical. For example, the top three in the overall premium economy award are Virgin Atlantic in first, followed by Japan Airlines and Emirates.

Meanwhile, the top three for the seats sub-category are Emirates in first, then Japan Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. However, not all the carriers placing high in these awards offer transpacific flights, including Emirates and Virgin Atlantic. This article explores the top airlines in Skytrax’s premium economy seat classification that offer them on transpacific flights: Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Air New Zealand, and Cathay Pacific Airways. It observes what makes each of these airlines offer such an incredible premium economy seat. The article finishes by exploring the world’s best premium economy seat, Emirates, which is not available on any transpacific flights.

Japan Airlines

Credit: Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines offers the best transpacific premium economy seat. It remains the only major transpacific carrier to offer over 40 inches of pitch in premium economy for transpacific aviation. 38 inches (96.5 cm) of pitch is considered the industry standard, but Japan Airlines’ passengers enjoy 42 inches (107 cm) of pitch aboard its Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 787 fleets. That means passengers well over six feet tall can enjoy plenty of legroom. Seat width is between 18.9 and 19.3 inches (48 cm and 49 cm), and there is a substantial divider between each seat. For additional comfort, passengers have a three-step adjustable footrest and a large leg rest. You can use these features to get into a position that may feel close to business class products that don’t lie flat.

Another important feature of the seats is their fixed-back shell design. The premium economy seats recline into this shell, rather than into the personal space of the passenger behind. That makes it far easier to work on a laptop or enjoy a meal.

Japan Airlines’ updated premium economy product centers around the Airbus A350-1000. The carrier received its first of this aircraft type in December 2023 and hopes it will become its future flagship aircraft. These aircraft have 24 premium economy seats in an eight-abreast layout. The carrier utilizes the latest articulated fixed-shell seats from Safran.

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Singapore Airlines

Credit: Singapore Airlines

Premium Economy can be found on Singapore Airlines A350-900s, A380s, and 777-300ERs, which have the fourth-best premium economy seats in the world according to Skytrax. However, you can’t fly premium economy aboard the airline’s 787-10s. Singapore’s 777s are equipped with Safran Z535 recliner seats. They have a pitch of 38 inches (96.5 cm), a width of 19.5 inches (50 cm), and a recline of 8 inches (20 cm). The premium economy seats available on Singapore’s A350-900 are identical, but have a 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) less pitch.

Alongside width and comfort, Singapore Airlines’ transpacific premium economy seat also includes an excellent range of additional features. It includes two USB ports to keep your devices operational, an adjustable reading light, dedicated stowage areas, and a fantastic leg rest.

Singapore Airlines’ premium economy product was hanging in the balance before the carrier decided to commit to it. The carrier’s executives were initially skeptical, believing that premium passengers would choose business or first class instead. It took significant market pressure for Singapore to launch a premium economy product, but the strength of its offering indicates just how committed it is to it.

Delta Air Lines

Credit: Delta Air Lines

The only Western Hemisphere carrier that flies transpacific on this list is Delta Air Lines, which previously utilized a hub at Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) as the center of its transpacific operations. However, its busiest transpacific route is now Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to Seoul Incheon (ICN). The carrier operates this route twice daily with 275-seat Airbus A350-900s. In the ’39H’ configuration, this aircraft has 40 Premium Select seats available. The carrier ranks fifth in the Skytrax Best Premium Economy Class Airline Seats 2025 awards.

The table below shows the five most frequently flown transpacific routes for Delta Air Lines A350s in the winter, based on data collected for December 2025. Please note that there are many more routes flown 121 times in December than there is space for in the table:

Aboard Premium Select, passengers can enjoy 38 inches (96.5 cm) of pitch, 18.5 (47 cm) to 19 inches (48 cm) of width, and seven inches (17.8 cm) of recline. The typical layouts are 2-4-2 for Delta A350s and 2-3-2 for A330s. The denser 2-4-2 layout can feel more crowded than what passengers often expect from a premium product.

Cathay Pacific Airways

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Placing sixth in the Skytrax ranking for premium economy seats is Cathay Pacific. Its premium economy is available on some A330-300s, all A350-900s, A350-1000s, and 777-300ERs. Yet, it is not available on the carrier’s 777-300s. The A350s have 28 to 32 premium economy seats, and 32 to 34 aboard its 777-300ERs.

There is some variation in what is available depending on the aircraft that you are flying on. The A350-900s use the Collins Aerospace MiQ seats, which have 40 inches of pitch, 18.5 inches of width, and nine inches of recline. The dimensions differ for the 777-300ER’s Recaro R5 seats, which have 38.2 inches of pitch, 19.5 inches of width, and six inches of recline. If possible, choose the aircraft you will be flying on for a premium economy seat that is more appropriate for your body type.

In its marketing materials for the premium economy product, Cathay Pacific details what they believe sets them apart from their transpacific competition: “Across all fleets, our Premium Economy seats offer a generous recline and more legroom, as well as a supported headrest. Full-length calf rests and leather-padded footrests ensure your journey is even more comfortable.”

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Air New Zealand

Credit: Air New Zealand

Some Australasian carriers also have superb premium economy products. The best seat among them belongs to Air New Zealand, placing seventh in the relevant Skytrax rankings. The carrier drops to 12th in the overall premium economy rankings, suggesting that it is let down by other aspects of the product.

Layouts and seat dimensions vary across the Air New Zealand widebody aircraft that offer premium economy. The standard Boeing 787-9 has premium economy seats in rows 23 to 25 for a total of 21 seats, with a pitch of 41 inches (104 cm). The V2 Boeing 787-9 configuration has 33 premium economy seats from rows 23 to 27. The pitch is 41 to 42 inches (104 to 106 cm). The Boeing 777-300ER has the same pitch. However, premium economy seats are available in rows 23 to 30 for a total of 54 seats.

New Zealand flies to a huge variety of destinations from its hub at Auckland International Airport (AKL), many of which are transpacific. Examples of US destinations include Honolulu (HNL), Houston (HOU), Los Angeles (LAX), and San Francisco (SFO). The carrier also flies transpacific to Vancouver (YVR).

The World’s Best Premium Economy Seat Isn’t Available On Transpacific Routes

Credit: Emirates

Ranked first is Emirates, but due to the airline flying from the Middle East, you can’t get it for any transpacific flights. Avgeeks will love Emirates’ premium economy for flights to Europe, America, Asia, and Africa because it is available on rare aircraft. For example, in October 2025, Emirates rolled out premium economy on every Airbus A380 flight between Dubai and New York. This product has also been rolled out on flights with the same aircraft to London, Sydney, and Auckland. It’s all part of a $2 billion cabin upgrade initiative.

These seats are particularly spacious, with a width of 19.5 inches (50 cm), an eight-inch (20 cm) recline, and a pitch of 40 inches (102 cm). The seats are in cream and feature leg rests, leg support cushions, and foot rests. The adjustable headrests allow passengers to customize the experience for their needs. This room is essential for comfortable long-haul flying. The layout aboard an A380 is 2-4-2, meaning fewer passengers get stuck in the dreaded middle seat. Aboard Emirates’ A380s, these seats are located in the forward section of economy class. However, they are still on the main deck, so you won’t get the unique experience of upper-deck flying.