There is a gulf in comfort between a slightly reclining economy seat and a lie-flat business class seat. This is matched by an enormous difference in pricing. Into the breach steps premium economy, where passengers can pay a little more to fly with a decent level of comfort.
Skytrax has ranked airlines by their premium economy products as part of its 2025 awards. Virgin Atlantic comes out on top, followed by Japan Airlines, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines. In this article, discover what makes each of these premium economy products so strong.
The World’s Best Premium Economy Class Airlines 2025 Awards
The world’s best premium economy seats have been defined by Skytrax in the 2025 edition of their Skytrax World Airline Awards. Since 1999, these awards have acted as the “Oscars of the aviation industry.” Passengers are invited to vote for any airline they like across a range of categories, including premium economy. The data here comes from the September 2024 to May 2025 voting period. Across this time, thousands of people from over 100 nationalities participated. 325 airlines received votes, meaning an airline from almost every country was included. Any carrier can be nominated, and there is no cost for voting or for being included. To improve neutrality, there is no third-party funding for the awards. All funding comes from Skytrax’s paid services.
The table below features the top-ten airlines in the World’s Best Premium Economy Class 2025 rankings:
|
Position |
Airline |
|---|---|
|
1 |
Virgin Atlantic |
|
2 |
Japan Airlines |
|
3 |
Emirates |
|
4 |
Singapore Airlines |
|
5 |
EVA Air |
|
6 |
Cathay Pacific Airlines |
|
7 |
British Airways |
|
8 |
Air France |
|
9 |
Qantas Airlines |
|
10 |
ANA All Nippon Airlines |
Unlike most of the other voting categories, these standings significantly diverge from the overall standings. Qatar Airlines topped these standings, yet does not feature in the top ten for the premium economy award. Similarly, Cathay Pacific ranks third in the overall category, but has achieved just sixth place for the premium economy award. Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic has the best premium economy product, but is not in the top ten for Skytrax’s overall award.
Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy
Premium economy for a Virgin Atlantic flight will mean better food, priority services, a smaller cabin, and more comfortable and roomy seats. Layout and space available will vary depending on the aircraft, and there will be a 2-3-2 or a 2-4-2 arrangement. A seat on a 787-9 will have a 21-inch (53.5 cm) width and a 38-inch (96.5 cm) pitch. This is substantially better than the 18-inch (45.7 cm) width and 31-inch (78.7 cm) pitch in economy. Meanwhile, the tighter A350 layout will have a width of 18.5 inches (47 cm) and a pitch of 38 inches (96.5 cm).
Outside the aircraft, premium economy passengers have a smoother traveling experience with a dedicated check-in queue, additional baggage allowance, and early boarding. You still have to go through regular security, but you should still have a 30-45-minute shorter airport experience.
The table below shows the number of seats available in the premium economy for four of Virgin Atlantic’s widebody aircraft:
|
Aircraft type |
Number of seats in the premium economy cabin |
|---|---|
|
Airbus A330-300 |
48 |
|
Airbus A330-900 |
46 |
|
Airbus A350-1000 |
56 |
|
Boeing 787-9 |
35 |
Traveling in premium economy means balancing comfort with affordability. An upgrade to premium economy can cost as little as 7,500 Virgin points plus taxes and fees. The latter will be $180-200, depending on the route. Another cheap way of getting an upgrade is to bid. Simple Flying’s Alexander Mitchell writes: “From personal experience, bids for premium economy usually begin at around £200 ($240) and can rise to up to £500 ($605) at the maximum.”
What Simple Flying Writers Think Of Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy
Some of our talented writing team have embarked on premium economy trips with Virgin Atlantic and reported back. Four years ago, Pranjal Pande took a Boeing 787 Premium Economy Flight from Delhi to London. He describes how “the entire cabin is bathed in a signature purple hue from the intense mood lighting.” Pranjal was impressed by the premium feeling of the entire experience and the high standard of catering. A comfortable seat allowed him to get over five hours of uninterrupted sleep, which is more than most people achieve on a flight. Meanwhile, he was slightly disappointed by the poor quality headphones and the lack of space available when the seat reclines forward.
But what were Pranjal’s overall takeaways? He wrote: “Virgin Atlantic offers a compelling premium economy product on its Dreamliner. The seats are a major step up from economy and allow for uninterrupted sleep, while the service standards were those seen in Upper Class, especially with meal service.”
Pranjal also flew aboard a Virgin Atlantic A350 in premium economy in 2022. However, he found this to be an inferior product due to the denser layout. That makes it harder to stretch out properly and get a great night’s sleep.
Flight Review: Virgin Atlantic A350 Premium Economy – Not The Winner
While Virgin Atlantic offers a compelling premium economy product, it is surprisingly beat out by its own fleet.
Japan Airlines Premium Economy
Second in Skytrax’s premium economy rankings is Japan Airlines. This carrier’s premium economy product is defined by a fantastic seat and quality on-board amenities. Each seat has a three-step adjustable footrest and a center divider that gives additional privacy compared to normal premium economy. Passengers also have access to a 12.1-inch IFE monitor to keep them entertained. The amenity kit makes advances on what is available to economy passengers by including a moisture mask and slippers.
Japan Airlines’ premium economy also offers perks while you are waiting for your flight. Passengers have access to the Sakura Lounge at selected airports. With all this combined, it is no surprise that the carrier won the premium economy award in 2024.
Japan Airlines has also been recognized by Skytrax for its economy-class product, winning the award for that category. Much of this award is due to its spacious economy class seat, with a pitch of 33 to 34 inches compared to the standard long-haul economy-class pitch of 29 to 31 inches. These seats, known as Sky Wider, are available on the airline’s Boeing 787-8, 787-9, 777-300ER, and 767-300ER.
Emirates Premium Economy
As with all premium economy, the main perk to mention is better seats. The seats have a pitch of up to 40 inches (102 cm) and a width of around 19.5 inches (50 cm). Other comfort advances include adjustable headrests, calf rests, and footrests. As well as being bigger, the seats also have lumbar support, reducing the issues associated with remaining seated for extended periods. A larger tray table is also a critical feature, facilitating easier laptop work.
This product is available on a host of routes, including flights to Christchurch (CHC), Dammam (DMM), Geneva (GVA), Houston (IAH), Kuwait City (KWI), London Heathrow (LHR), Los Angeles (LAX), Melbourne (MEL), and Mumbai (BOM).
Emirates’ premium economy came to even more customers this fall. The carrier rolled out its premium economy product on every Airbus A380 flight it operates between Dubai and New York. The carrier had to complete a full interior strip to make them compatible with a four-class layout. The efforts were part of a $2 billion cabin upgrade initiative. The product could now be expanded onto further A380 routes to North America.
You Can Now Fly Premium Economy On All Emirates Airbus A380 Flights To New York
Travelers on the Dubai-New York route are in for a treat as Emirates rolls out its highly praised Premium Economy product across all A380 flights.
Singapore Airlines Premium Economy
The final premium economy product is of Singapore Airlines’, which has earned the fourth position. This product was initially launched in 2015 to make its iconic premium experiences accessible to those who aren’t on a business-class budget. Mr Yeoh Phee Teik, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience at Singapore Airlines, explained the value that the product has given to customers: “[They have] appreciated the added amenities, heightened comfort, and the extra personal space it offers, all at an excellent value.” You can access the product on select A350s, A380s, and Boeing 777s.
To start with the seating upgrade, premium economy passengers can enjoy an excellent pitch of 38 inches (96.5 cm) and a width of 18.5 to 19.5 inches (47 to 49.5 cm). Seats can recline an impressive 125 degrees, facilitating easier sleeping. Each seat is fully leather, and the cushion and blanket help passengers to get cozy. Each seat also has a reading light, stowage areas, and a cocktail table. The in-flight entertainment system is also an upgrade on the economy product. Passengers have access to a 13.3-inch (33.8 cm) screen, which is 2.2 inches (5.6 cm) larger than the economy screen. The system also comes with noise-canceling headsets.
The experience is also made by a revamp of the premium economy onboard menu. The airline claims that there are now over 200 new main courses, desserts, and appetizers available. The main course also comes with bread, cheese, and crackers. A range of alcoholic and soft drinks can also be ordered. The wine menu is particularly impressive, having been curated by a panel of experts put together by the carrier.
