On this blog, I primarily review first and business class experiences. However, that’s not to say that I always fly in a premium cabin. A reader recently asked me how often I actually end up flying in economy, so I want to address that in this post…
Continue reading: How Often Do I Fly Economy? My Strategy…
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I think many people who fly with any frequency have a similar approach.
Personally, I am perfectly happy in Y for up to 4 hours at a time and will only pay nominal amounts extra for a higher class of service unless I need the status points/miles. For sector lengths around 4-8 hours, I'll weigh up the options- if I'm not in a rush, I will typically buy a Y ticket with a connection around the midpoint of the journey, if I need to get somewhere fast I'll likely look for a redemption or perhaps a deal in premium economy. If it's 8+ hours, I will do my absolute best to avoid Y, even if it means taking a positioning flight and/or paying a decent premium (but not thousands extra).
What I won't normally do is go out of my way for a better premium product. If I'm flying FRA-PTY and I can choose between business class redemptions involving FRA-JFK on SQ then JFK-PTY on COPA and FRA-AMS-PTY on KLM, I'd go for KLM without a second thought even though they're far from my favourite airline.
No need to justify or explain to anybody how often you fly economy versus business. Those people that can afford to fly business whether with miles or money, good for them. The reality is those that never fly business, once you do, you wouldn't want to go back to fly economy, unless you have no other choice, especially if you can afford to pay business with miles or money. Why should you? Would you rather drive if you can afford to take Uber everywhere?
Ben, what a lovely piece of writing. You took the time to explain when you would take a flight in economy. So, we know this now and we know your preferences for first/business class flights. Though, what about premium economy? I do not think we know if you have flown in premium economy much and if you like it. Do you think that premium economy is still overpriced compared to economy? Is it worth it? Which airlines does premium economy best and of those which ones have you flown in PE? It would be nice to see you do some premium economy flight reviews.
I’m 41 and this is exactly how I travel too. I don’t have a trust fund and I’m middle-class, but I am flexible in my travel and most importantly put in the work to find good deals, just as described here.
People have different priorities when it comes to travel, and that’s okay. Some of us prioritize our comfort and don’t mind spending extra time to secure it, while other people like yourself have different priorities and will fly a red eye in coach. No need to criticize one another for differing preferences.
I’m 41 and this is exactly how I travel too. I don’t have a trust fund and I’m middle-class, but I am flexible in my travel and most importantly put in the work to find good deals, just as described here.
People have different priorities when it comes to travel, and that’s okay. Some of us prioritize our comfort and don’t mind spending extra time to secure it, while other people like yourself have different priorities and will fly a red eye in coach. No need to criticize one another for differing preferences.
I agree with your ideas on your travel habits and such are similar to mine. I would suggest that you review some of the economy and premium economy segments that you fly too.
As one who flies intra Europe multiple times per month, on LH, my wife and I find euro-biz comfortable. I am 5'10" and 165 LB. Speaking only for LH, FA and their service excellent. Full course breakfast(hot), lunch, and dinner. Wine is good. Every year in December, all flights leaving FRA, over 1hour 45 min. serve roast goose with all trimmings.
I mention the food/wine because many/most of your readers continually whine about domestic service, food, and wine.
The pricing of premium economy is all over the place. LATAM's basically the only airline which has consistently logical pricing for it in my experience.
KLM are literally charging more for premium economy to N. America ex-WAW than they do for business class on the same long-hauls ex-ARN. Emirates charge more for it than their competitors charge for business. BA have said it's their most profitable cabin per square metre. I think what's happening is that a lot of large employers mandate premium economy as the default cabin for staff travel and that means that those flying there may be among the least price-sensitive pax on the entire plane.
Other than when PE is sold as coach I avoid coach. Upgrade offers if you wait are usually pretty generous. Yes a two hour flight in coach might be bearable but then thunderstorms come along and you're stuck in that metal tube for another 60-90 minutes. If your traveling alone you don't choose your seatmate and therefore you might be crowded in by someone with girth.
@Throwawayname
That really wouldn't surprise me, but it absolutely sucks as somebody trying to fly family long-haul in something more comfortable than econ. I had good luck getting PE seats on points in November last year for round trip, but this year I could only get reasonable points prices one-way on KLM/AF. So we're all booked in econ coming home and I'm hoping we'll all get the cheap paid upgrade to PE. Even the up-front cash prices have been absolutely eye-watering, basically the the level of the cheaper J fares pre-COVID.
There are so many versions of economy tho.
I'll happily pay €15 for a Ryanair exit row vs flying BA in 30" business class for 5x the money.
I'll fly E+/MCE/C+ no problem but won't sit in crappy 31" Y.
I got i to points game thanks your articles. Been about 15 years now! And i agree with the economy and comfort level. Long trips i need BC. Short trips economy all the way.
I do have one question, its generally BC or Economy that you can find “favorable” points redemption, with how common PE is now, why is it so hard to find on most major point programs?.
Premium Economy is generally the most profitable part of the plane for airlines, so unsurprising that they're reluctant to let these seats go for points.
PE is the most profitable, ergo worst value for money.
Everyone should avoid this cabin.
How often are you able to write off these flights as business expenses though?
You can safely assume that 98 to 100 percent of Ben's travel costs are legitimate business expenses.
Changes the decision calculus a little bit if paying for business class simultaneously decreases your taxable income 😉
I have no problem flying Ryanair. Why would I want to connect when they can provide cheap n/s flights? I have no choice but to fly Y on NZ domestic or trans-Tasman flights. Thst's fine. I'm unwilling to pay the high extra to go from Y to F within Australia. My US domestic-only itineraries are F from miles. I've yet to see an eventual TATL or TPAC J fare that I hesitated paying.
Give me truth serum and I'd likely say flying J over PE isn't worth what I pay. But, I still do it.
I was glad to see your comment about factoring in the cost per hour for flying premium, as that is something I place a great weight on when making a decision between business or first on international flights. I use a threshold of $250 Canadian per hour as the max I’ll pay for first versus business on Etihad, Emirates or ANA
On the ‘upgrades’ topic, gotta say, unless it’s confirmed in-advance, like RUCs or GUCs, or Move to Mint, at booking, I don’t find Waitlists, like SWUs or PlusPoints, reliable. As our pal, Gene, says: Want First, Buy First (WFBF). But, that can be pricy…
Great advice. Full disclosure, I am a small human that generally is fine with premium economy space. ( probably one of the only advantages of being around 5 something) But long haul this goes may also go out the window. Plush is nice but costing a fortune is not.
“I don’t mind flying economy but I’d rather not suffer “
I’m a grown ass man. I fly economy for 18 hours. I’d even do standing room only with the handle bar outside the lavatory if given the option.
I'm a grown ass man and I don't fly economy unless it's the only class of service on the aircraft. I worked for 30 years so I could afford comfort when I retire, so 18 hours in economy class sounds like pointless self-flagellation to me.
All the time because I'm cheap and don't want to pay for business class.
Up to 3 or 4 hours economy exit row is fine for me. Beyond that I value business class up to $3k. That's the limit of the value I place on it so if it's more than that I wait till I find something at that price or I book one way in PE to stay under the limit.
This is where extra legroom economy seating enters the conversation. Especially when flying with the family.