Originally Posted by
FlyingEgghead
It's important to be precise about this. Rather than "preferred economy", I think you mean Main Cabin Extra. On this plane and route, the premium economy hard product (not only more legroom but more width, 2+4+2 versus 3+4+3) is sold as part of Main Cabin Extra. The soft product there will still be coach.
So, do you expect to be able to get this 2+4+2 MCE for free? If so, it reduces the incremental hard-product benefit of the paid upgrade. Many people consider the premium economy seat quite comfortable for a TCON (or even TATL) day flight.
Oooh, interesting. Sorry, I expect I'd be able to find my way into Main Cabin Extra for free, I've never not gotten it even as a lowly gold this year. Did not pay attention to the fact that there's actually a premium economy in addition to business and first on this plane. AA hasn't offered me a paid upgrade into that level yet, and I don't even remember seeing it when I booked this flight (3 weeks from now, plane approx half empty, but anything could happen... then again it's a Wednesday mid-day flight).
Current prices for this flight on Google Flights are $89 coach, $499 flagship business, and over $900 for actual first. Even now on AA's website I don't see an option to purchase premium economy? Ah, in the app in my existing booking I can pay $52 to reserve a seat now in rows 16-19, the premium economy section, but they're still labeling them as MCE. (2-4-2, the seat map almost suggests its really 1-1-4-1-1, lol)