AtlanticXpat

I flew PE on the 787 from LHR-YYZ last Friday. Second time I've done so since it was introduced. At $400 or so premium over the flex ticket on that leg it was worth it. (and permitted by my employers travel policy). Leg room and comfort felt significantly better IMHO, small cabin nicer. Food was meh. Booze service OK. I'll be flying that route again in reverse again next month. 125% AQM also uselful!

Prior to the wider roll out of PE across the fleet, the benefit could be that when there was an equipment swap, you stand a reasonable chance (loads, status notwithstanding) at getting bumped up to J. I suspect thats not so likely these days.

Innocent Abroad

Just got upgraded after biding the lowest amount (360 CAD) on TLV-YYZ.

Flybunny13

Don't want to divert this thread yet again, but I am going to India March.

I can fly AC PE from LAX -YYZ - DEL for slightly more than flying PE on CX -- LAX - HGK and then economy to DE (they don't offer PE on that flight).

Is it better to fly PE for the long flight on CX or fly the entire way in PE on AC?

yyznomad

Is timing/duration important to you as well? Any other factors? Or are you simply and solely looking at a cost-benefit when it comes to comfort/service?

Flybunny13

The flights are very similar in time, perhaps the AC is an hour or so less.

I have 10 days, so I want to make the best of it. There are some other flights, but are about 8 hours longer.

I really just want to have the most comfortable flight.

jc94

I assume you mean HKG by HGK?

While I'd quite like to try CX PY and imagine it would beat AC PY, (I think it did on the recent survey where AC came 8th) ... I would do much to avoid a 6h Economy flight HKG DEL, so would personally fly AC if costs were broadly equal and times were negligible. I believe you said AC was more, so it depends if more is $50 or $500 and what else that money means do you (I'm assuming it's not $$$$ more or you'd be going J).

CX does do PY on that route, not sure if that meets your needs (award?) or price. You could also look at HKG to DEL with AI or 9W, possibly in J.

leisurefly

I have flow premium economy on a number of transatlantic trips, always nicer than economy.

jc94

rankourabu

Well duh.
Of course its better than any other economy seat, just by the seat being bigger/more legroom.
But its scraping the bottom premium economy product if you compare it to others.

Flybunny13

There is a Black Friday sale today, so I was able to get a the PY on CX for 3 of the 4 legs (and I got a bulkhead for the one 6 hour leg) for almost $900 less than AC PY. Whoohoo!
And I will hopefully, get tons of miles on AA.

Mikey Mike Mike

Paying for a higher cabin has to be viewed in the context of what you're prepared to pay, what you get and what you'd do with the delta!

If the fare difference is between 200 and 400 bucks. I'd do it every time. (the equivalent of a decent hotel room for the night in London. The space in the cabin, the seat, and the (relative) peace and quiet (depending on presence of babies) is worth it. There is no fight for overhead space, early service for drink and food and the meal is better. You need to realise that PE morphs into economy after the first drinks and meal service and so don't rationale the difference in cost equating to better food throughout.

`if the cost starts to nudge above 400 bucks a sector and therefore heading towards a grand return - I then start asking myself how many meals that grand would buy someone.

In a more extreme example, my partner and I paid for PE from Toronto to Sydney in February this year. at $4500 each return, we couldn't afford biz, but on this 16 hour flight PE was worth every cent. Bear in mind on the densified 777 (either 200LR or 300) that economy is 10 across to london (and Sydney) - so when I walked back into economy after 8 hours en route from YVR to SYD - that economy was plain awful! Folk wedged in to seats looking forward to another 8 hours

if th price is right - DO IT!! (and forget the extra cost) - just write it off as a good investment

Flybunny13

Funny, the price difference was pretty much $400 more than the economy on CX.
Because of the sale, the PE on CX was actually less than economy on AC.

It is about a 24 hour flight, so I figured that the extra money for PE was worth it, especially with the sale.

Mikey Mike Mike

do it! - Especially with CX PE

42000ft

I flew PE on YYZ-DEL and the comfort level was definitely quite superior to Economy. I slept so well in PE for hours straight, in a way that I never have in Economy. I would say it is worth it if you need to sleep/rest well on an ultra-long haul flight, that's the biggest benefit.

yyznomad

I've slept quite well in AC PE. Maybe I was really exhausted.
It's the soft product that some don't like, and I don't necessarily disagree. It just needs a few tweaks to make it competitive, IMHO.