Originally Posted by Kate_Canuck

BA's WT+, with 38" seat pitch (which I pay for), is why I stick with BA's Executive Club,

Originally Posted by krug

Here are the service differentiators for WT+ (World Traveller Plus, or Premium Economy):


• WT+ fares start as low as $650 (sales in September and January) return including taxes,
• Can be obtained for between $800-$1100 for most US-LON itineraries using the fare explorer, year round.
• Cheapest fares sometimes need 42 day advance purchase.
• All fares earn tier points (75 for each transatlantic sector, you need 600 for Silver tier).
• All fares are eligible for joining the BAEC.
• All fares earn 125% of miles flown fro BA Miles purposes.
• All fares are upgradeable to Club World for 25,000 BA Miles return (MFU). No co-payment.
• A side trip to from London to Europe can be added for a modest premium.
• There is no lounge acess for WT+ tickets, unless you have MFU'd to Club World or have Silver or Gold BA/oneworld equivalent status.
• If you have MFU’d and the European capital is in Zone 1 (France, Germany, Benelux) no additional miles are needed beyond 25k.
• MFU’d European flights are in Club Europe, including lounge access, and 20 tier points per sector.

On board the offering is distinctive from World Traveller (Economy) but it is not a Business Class cabin (or even, as have been rumoured, the old business seats). You will find:


• Dedicated Check-in at some US airports (LAX, SFO, SEA and BOS confirmed, there are others).
• Dedicated Cabin.
• 2-4-2 layout on 747.
• Ideal if travelling with your partner a deux for added privacy (no need to share the row with a third person).
• Best seats (see above) available using OLCI (On Line Check In) at 24 hours prior to boarding.
• All seats have seatback TVs (same as economy), Exit rows have in seatrest TVs which swing up as in old fashioned J seats..
• All seats have laptop power (unlike economy).
• Complimentary newspaper/s. Usually only the Daily Mail, but ask for something else and you may receive.
• Complimentary bar (same as economy).
• Wine served in proper glasses unlike economy which has plastic tumblers.
• Priority meal choice preference.
• Marginally more personalised service than in economy.
• Recaro purpose designed seats, with legrest (generally accepted to be crap), headrest and lumbar support.
• 38” pitch
• 7" recline
• 17.5" seat width

As mentioned above it is great if you are only used to Economy (World Traveller) less good if you are downgrading from Club World.

One downside is that especially on family holiday routes and seasons, the front row of WT+ are all bassinet positions, and the front row of WT is right behind you, which is similarly a bassinet position, so stereophonic screaming children could be an issue, but certainly no more so than on any other flight..

With ex-US ticket prices in the $800-$1100 range most days, and upgrade availability from the East Coast generally good (except Florida routes) you would be crazy not to cash in 25kBA Miles (half of what it costs on AA, and you get a proper flat bed, and Molton Brown spa in NYC and London…).

If you have no BA Miles, you can apply for the BA Visa at the US site of www.ba.com which gets you 15,000 BA Miles and then purchase the remaining 10,000 BA Miles online, if you have no eligible spend on the CC or AA/AS flights to credit in the interim period.

The flight itself will generate about 10,000 BA Miles (depending on whether East Coast or West Coast, how you pay for the flight - BA Visa gets double miles – and whether you take a European side trip).

So after the journey you are already 40% of the way to having enough miles for another upgrade next year.

Other airlines who offer Premium Economy are:

• BMI www.flybmi.com from LAS, ORD and sometimes IAD (not currently, as they are using a leased 757) to MAN. More like E+ on United, though.
• Virgin www.virgin-atlantic.com from LAX, SFO, LAS, ORD, NYC, MIA, MCO, BOS. Marginally better than WT+.
• Air New Zealand, EVA Air, China Southern and United Economy Plus are other products, about which I have limited knowledge.

For cheapest fares, always price a simple itinerary US-LON using the fare explorer to fin cheapest days for your transatlantic sector, and then reprice for you European destination, inputting the dates you know to be least expensive across the Atlantic, using the "one-way and multi city" option on the booking home page.

One tip: be careful to avoid LHR-LGW transfers if you are not having a stopover anyway in London.