Main Cabin Extra vs World Traveller Plus

Old Sep 28, 2016, 4:37 am
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Main Cabin Extra vs World Traveller Plus

What is the main difference, your experience and is it worth paying more for WT+? I'd like to hear your opinion as I haven't tried either and I find them to be an attractive alternative to normal economy.

Last edited by umbyboy; Sep 28, 2016 at 5:01 am Reason: Spelling mistake
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 4:42 am
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Firstly, MCE is free to status holders!
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 4:43 am
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MCE is just economy with more legroom, and can be selected for free by oneworld status holders. WTP is a separate class with wider seats and more legroom but must be purchased.
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 4:49 am
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WTP is a separate class of service, whereas MCE is economy with a little more legroom. I believe that WTP is always worth paying for, however, if you don't want to spend extra over economy then MCE is not a bad way to travel.
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 5:03 am
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Originally Posted by ajeleonard
MCE is just economy with more legroom, and can be selected for free by oneworld status holders. WTP is a separate class with wider seats and more legroom but must be purchased.
From my understanding seats in MCE recline more than regular economy. What is the difference between MCE and WTP when the seat is reclined?
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 5:04 am
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If food provisions concerns you, remember the second "meal" on the shortest East Coast flights will be a mini mars bar, even in WTP
On AA in MCE i believe it'll be a warm pizza slice or similar.
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 5:09 am
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Originally Posted by umbyboy
From my understanding seats in MCE recline more than regular economy. What is the difference between MCE and WTP when the seat is reclined?
I did not notice any additional recline in MCE. There is more legroom and that's pretty much it. WTP does have additional recline. Also note that AA has 9 seats across in MCE (similarly to BA in WT in B777), and 10 across in Main Cabin.
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 5:09 am
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Originally Posted by ENTP
If food provisions concerns you, remember the second "meal" on the shortest East Coast flights will be a mini mars bar, even in WTP
On AA in MCE i believe it'll be a warm pizza slice or similar.
Oh yeah, the "enhancements"
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 5:12 am
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Originally Posted by umbyboy
From my understanding seats in MCE recline more than regular economy. What is the difference between MCE and WTP when the seat is reclined?
WT+ has wider seats than any version of economy.

The fact that there is a real difference is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that although AA has offered MCE for a long time now, it is in the process of introducing true premium economy.
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 5:24 am
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There seems to be a general consensus that WTP is in another league. Is this due to the seat being a lot better and food?
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 5:29 am
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Remember that WTP will get you 90 TPs on a transatlantic flight, regardless of fare class.

MCE is a bolt-on for an economy ticket (essentially paid-for seat selection) - it doesn't have a different fare class, so could only get you a few as 20 TPs, if the underlying economy fare is one of the cheapest nonrefundable economy classes.
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 5:31 am
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Originally Posted by umbyboy
There seems to be a general consensus that WTP is in another league. Is this due to the seat being a lot better and food?
Yes, the seat is a lot better - wider, a little bit more legroom and bigger recline. As mentioned before - it is a different class of service, while MCE is not. Food is better in WTP (you get a main from CW). 2nd service is not great on short flights on either carrier - BA serves pretty much nothing, while AA serves a piece of something resembling pizza (which is basically heated dough with nothing on top).
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 5:34 am
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And remember WT+ on BA ticket can be upgraded to Club World using Avios (availability needed of course)
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 5:38 am
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Originally Posted by umbyboy
There seems to be a general consensus that WTP is in another league. Is this due to the seat being a lot better and food?
For me, it's more than that, but in ways that are harder to define (or guarantee) and can only be described in generalisations that are inevitably imprecise and not entirely accurate.

Because the WT+ cabin is usually relatively small, and because those who are in it are often more experienced travellers or older people, it's usually a quieter and calmer place compared to economy, which is often full of infectious and jittery nervous energy. I'm not sure that much about travel can truly be relaxing, but WT+ is less un-relaxing than economy.

I don't have any experience of MCE, but have been in UA's equivalent - and it didn't seem to me that there is the same differentiation from standard economy.
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 5:43 am
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I love WT+. As a window sitter, it's good to only have one row mate rather than two.

The extra legroom makes all the difference and being in a small cabin is much better.
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