Premium Economy Or Economy Plus?

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When booking a flight today, you're presented with a lot of options - some say too many - sometimes it's hard to figure out which is right for you. For the uninitiated, it's probably a confusing mess to choose between first, business, premium economy, economy plus, main cabin, and basic economy.

For the most part, the prices dictate fairly clearly the delineation between these seat choices, except for premium economy and economy plus. We’ve broken down the differences to help you pick when you book your next flight.

Economy Plus


The cabin category, usually found on domestic carriers, has many names - but what sets these seats apart from the rest is a few extra inches of legroom, priority boarding, a better location at the front of the cabin, free alcoholic beverages, and free meal service, depending on your specific airline.

If you have status with an airline, you might be eligible for a complimentary space-available upgrade from regular economy to economy plus.

If you don’t have status with an airline, you’ll have to pay up and sometimes this is as low as $30 to upwards of $200. The extra legroom and amenities are usually worth it if the flight is over four hours, and definitely worth every penny when the flight time is over six.
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Premium Economy


Premium Economy is the class that is likely to get the most blank stares when you're telling people which ticket you've booked. It's neither business nor is it basic economy - it sits right between these two. This cabin is offered on all major airlines that fly internationally, although some may have a slightly different name for it.

Depending on the airline, passengers can expect extra leg room, extra recline, extra seat width, priority boarding, priority luggage allowances, extra earned miles, amenity kits, larger in-flight entertainment screens, upgraded headphones, and plated premium meals.

This class is most likely not worth it if you're on a budget. Take the extra money and spend it on an upgraded hotel or experience at your destination. However, if you're looking for a special perk before you arrive, or simply need to not slog into your destination it's definitely a step up from regular economy and it might be worth a look at business class if you're on an extra special trip.