Is premium economy a ripoff?

For this week's No More Ls, we’re looking at whether Canadians want to pay extra for economy seat upgrades and whether premium economy is worth the additional fare.

The more I fly, the more I become a bit of a travel princess. Chalk it up to dwindling baggage allowances, mediocre meals, and seats that seem snugger every flight, but I often find my finger hovering over the “premium” option, debating whether I can justify the price.

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I’m not even talking about business class, which can cost five times the economy fare. Premium economy (a fare tier born in the 1990s for those who want a bit of luxe on a budget) is a friendlier temptation. More legroom, extra baggage and a welcome cocktail? Yes, please. At some airlines and routes, you can also find basic levels for premium tiers (confusing right?) meaning you get access to some perks but not all, such as no refunds or free seat selection.

But there’s a price to those perks—anywhere from a few extra hundred dollars to $1,000 or more, depending on the airline and route. And I’m not always sure these seats are worth it. So, I asked a few frequent flying Canadians what they think: is premium economy a ripoff?

“Not worth it”

Pamela Chase, an online language teacher in Sylvan Lake, Alta., has travelled to 81 countries and says she never books premium economy. “I’ve looked at it closely and always decide it’s not worth it,” she says. “The price doesn’t seem justified for the minimal benefits.”

And yeah, the benefits can be limited. You’re not getting a private pod or lie-flat seat in premium. What you will get varies by airline, route and plane, but expect upgrades like a slightly wider seat, more legroom, priority boarding, free baggage and reduced change fees.

Plus, if you need a perk like priority boarding due to age and/or health, you don’t have to pay the premium. Pamela says she’s made mobility requests for her mother, which enabled them to board early and snag coveted overhead bin space. “My mother was met by a wheelchair, and we were taken through a special customs area to save her having to walk.” When Pamela travelled with a broken hand, she got luggage help and was able to board early.

Injuries aside, whenever she wants more legroom, she books the emergency exit row, which does costs extra, but not nearly as much as premium economy—likely an extra $50 to $200.

“It really is worth it”

The first time Brooke Smith, a freelance writer-editor and professor at Seneca Polytechnic in Toronto, booked premium economy was on an Air Canada flight to Edinburgh. “What a difference,” she says. “I had the middle seat. But it never felt like the middle seat because there was so much room.”

She says her six-foot husband also loved the extra space, and they both appreciated the little perks like real cutlery and glassware, and an overall nicer experience. “I felt like I was treated like a human,” she says. “The flight attendants were lovely. They seem to treat you nicer. Not that the other ones aren’t nice, but it’s almost like they go the extra mile in the premium section.”

She now goes for premium economy whenever she can, especially if it’s a night flight, so she can try to get some sleep. Her most recent booking was a WestJet red-eye flight to Glasgow that cost an additional $500 for the upgrade.

“Yes, it’s pricey, but sometimes you just want more leg room and to not feel cramped in like cattle. I wouldn’t book it for a short flight of two to three hours. Maybe I could do a five-hour flight in regular economy. But for anything overnight or over six hours, it really is worth it.”

Is premium economy worth it for you?

There’s no denying you do get better service and more comfort in premium. But as a frequent flyer myself and a travel journalist, I can’t financially justify it every time and usually book an exit row instead. Here’s what I consider:

• Any fare difference? Depending on the route and airline, it could be a few hundred dollars more or thousands more. If it’s more than double the price of regular economy, I’m not booking it.
• Is there a seat sale? You can sometimes get premium economy fares that are only slightly more than basic economy.
• Do I have miles to redeem? I collect travel credit card rewards—if I have enough for the flight, I’ll sometimes pay the cash difference to upgrade.
• What time is the flight? If it’s an overnight flight and I want to hit the ground running, I may opt for comfort in the hopes of catching a few ZZZs.
• How long is the flight? A five-hour flight to Mexico may not justify a pricey premium seat, but 20+ hours to Singapore could very well be worth it.

It all comes down to what you think is reasonable for a (slightly) nicer ride, the length of your legs, and whether you’d rather spend more money in destination than in the air.

What other Canadian travellers say about premium economy

Here are the results of an unscientific survey of Canadians about their views on upgrades.

• “A long flight from Thailand to Toronto is worth it in my opinion. You get more room to lean back, and it’s just more comfortable overall for the 16-hour leg.”—Jess Gallant
• “As a carry-on-only, 5'2" traveller, there’s nothing valuable in premium economy for me. I’d rather economy, or business class if it’s for work travel.”—Marissa Anwar
• “We rarely book premium economy, but it was very worth it for our Vietnam trip. Although, I still didn’t sleep.”—Jaclyn Law
• “All I can say is that we went premium economy on a flight to Europe once, and it was the only time I slept on an airplane for more than 10 minutes.”—Peter Tomlinson
• “Waste 100%. But I have bought more-leg-room seats for my partner because his legs are long and he has hip problems.”—Caroline Elias
• “I love premium economy on long-haul flights, as you can stretch your legs out with the drop-down footrest and get great deals when using points.”—Andrew Dobson
• “It was worth it on a 16-hour flight to India. But the doubled price was a lot.”—Adrienne Montgomerie

Turns out, it’s only a rip-off if you don’t value the perks.