Nowadays flights offer a variety of seating and services depending on what you are looking for and to better understand the different cabin options, we will briefly run through what the typical economy, premium economy, business and first class seats offer. However, one should keep in mind that all seat specifications and perks, depend on the airline and plane model you’re flying, and whether you are on a short or long-haul flight.
We’ll break down the main differences between flying economy, premium economy, business and first class seats so you can see what you get in each of them.
Economy Class
Usually in economy class you will get the most basic seats that get you to your destination without frills. However, there are some differences in economy seats between flights and plane models, the most important of which are seat width and legroom or pitch. With legroom options varying more than six inches, anything from 28-34 in and width of the seats from 17-33 in, choosing the correct flight makes a difference when you’re in that seat for longer periods. Other factors that vary between airlines are Wi-Fi, food, in-flight entertainment, power outlets, TV screen, and the level of service.
Premium Economy Class
This first came about in the early 90s and has been steadily gaining popularity over time. Though Premium Economy can cost a little more, travellers should be expecting to pay anywhere between 30% -100% more, depending on airline, route and how far in advance you’re booking, for those looking for a little extra comfort, it is well worth the price. Your seat will feel a bit more spacious and who knows, there might even be a few extra perks like food and drink service or extra luggage allowance or other perks depending on the airline you are flying.
Business Class
Completely different from economy, airlines have increased the offering within this category so much, making it so good that certain airlines have replaced first class with business class. The business class experience ranges from super comfortable seats with widths as wide as 34 in and legroom going n all the way to 87 in, to a seat that converts to a full lie-flat seat, personal minibar, multi-course restaurant-style dining experience served on fine china and a full bar area complete with bartender and canapés on some flights. The seating setup in business class configurations means you have plenty of personal space.
Quite a few airlines offer a chauffeured pick-up and drop-off service within a certain radius of the airport, and most airlines offer a dedicated lounge in the airport where you can enjoy a pleasant buffet and drinks.
Other perks some airlines offer are faster check in, greater luggage allowance, priority boarding, complimentary beverages both in the lounges and throughout your journey, designer amenity kits, larger personal space with personal storage, dedicated flight attendants, and more travel mileage.
First class
The epitome of luxury air travel offers all the perks from the best of business class swathed in a thick layer of luxury. The greatest difference in the level of service, comfort,and privacy, keeping in mind that many first class flights don’t so much have seats, as individual suites. The other difference is price, with first class seats costing up to five times more than business class seats.
The level of service is incomparable in first class, with highly trained crew able to anticipate a passenger’s every need. The dining offerings are unmatchable with fine personalised fine dining offering menus and dishes created by Michelin starred chefs.
Over the last few decades, the number of airlines offering first class has dwindled. Many airlines including Turkish Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, and China Airlines to name a few have chosen to discontinued their first class product in favour of other seating classes. The main reason for this is the improvement in business class products. With most airlines offering full-flat seats in business class these days and a whole host of other perks, it is getting much more difficult to differentiate a first class product from business class. The greater difference lies between the economy and business class these days however travellers should always keep in mind that the level of services differs among different airlines. This holds true for both hard products like seats, and setup and for soft products such as onboard service, meals, and the like with seating varying greatly even within an airline.