catmndu

I'm currently crossing the Atlantic in November via AA premium economy. I may be changing that flight and a likely option would be BA WT plus. In the current era would BA WT plus be better than AA premium economy? At the time of the flight I'll be oneworld ruby, which really won't make any difference.

I appreciate the input any of you can offer.

Additional info: It would be PE or WTP over the Atlantic in both directions.

theeney

Hello,

I flew with AA Premium economy DUB-PHL in Feb and found it great, the main different was AA served a lot of food. Lunch was a full meal, they came around with ice cream and snacks during the flight, and then there was another full meal before landing. At the time they were only serving beer and wine in PE but that might have changed by now.

South London Bon Viveur

I wouldn't say BA WTP is better than AA Premium, no.

jayjaygee

If given the choice I would also take AA PE over BA WTP, for nothing else than to just have a proper meal which I find important depending on the time of the flight

mikeyfly

I'd choose which ever one would allow me to upgrade into Business using Avios etc !

BA6948

you have better chances of being upgraded at the gate with AA than we BA.

DaveNCL

I flew AA out and BA back in April and the difference was stark, even whilst sleeping for 6 hours on the BA flight back. As a result, I’m doing AA both ways later this month.

As a quick summary there was more food and drink runs on AA, better main meal, wider seat, water at seat on arrival, better pillow and blanket. I find the crew more direct on AA but I fly KLM a lot so I’m used to that. The one pain on AA is the amount of time the seat belt sign can be on.

Centurion

It was a no brainer when BA WT+ flew from PHX>LHR as they always oversold WT+

London Dude

I flew PE on AA for the first time four months ago on FCO-PHL and DFW-MAD and I was impressed. The seats are similar to domestic first seats and were extremely comfortable, particularly for a daytime flight. I'd definitely go with AA. The food was OK and the only booze options were wine or beer, no spirits. I found the PE experience to be slightly better in the 787 cabin with a 2-3-2 config than on the 777, with a 2-4-2 config. Also the 787 seemed to offer quite a bit more space in the overhead bins than the 777.

tjcxx

BA puts the seat belt sign on as little as possible, but really means it. AA leaves the sign on for extended periods but doesn't generally mind if you get up and walk around.

AJA_

OP doesn't say in which direction they are travelling. If I have a choice I travel outbound from LHR on AA and inbound on BA for EC/UK261 protection.

And on the ground at LHR I get to do a lounge crawl at T3 on the outbound.

World Traveller Fuss

Premium economy is my most common cabin on transatlantics. I felt like AA was better given the restrained covid catering, but on my last trip I think I’m going back all-BA wherever possible.

The plus for AA:
- Lounges can be better, airport depending
- 2nd meal service has fresh food (great plates of salad or fresh fruit) and larger portions
- Smaller premium economy cabins. Current 787s board/exit straight to door 2L
- 787 cabin position also attracts some crew from Business

The plus for BA:
- Much much better seat for sleeping. Soft seats, non-leather with substantially more recline in all current versions
- Consistent service standard. Drinks, meal, tea/coffee, light meal 90-minutes prior to arrival. (AA regularly miss things)
- Crew standards of service are much higher
- Headrests, quilted blanket and pillow are much better for sleeping (than the AA Casper log pillow and blanket)
- Wider, better wine and gin selection
- Lights out sooner and more predictably on overnights. Same with seatbelt signs.

Both suffer from being served as part of economy vs a “separate” cabin (the mid-J WTP cabin on the 747 had its own crew and felt much more special as a result).

I notice AA PE can be a lot cheaper on routes where a BA flight is going too. That said, it would have to be substantially cheaper to do, particularly on an overnight.

Hopefully the restored WTP service won’t make me think otherwise!

PxC

The food on transatlantic AA was absolutely abysmal in J (which seems to be by reputation) so I’m shocked it’s even passable in PE.

CKBA

It's a while since I've done AA Econ+, more recently BA WT+.
AA certainly had more food - not necessarily 'better' for the main meal (I recall copious amounts of lettuce), but yes, the second meal - at least for breakfast - is far superior with fresh fruit and a decent croissant (certainly for the US). I seem to remember that the 2nd meal for the East Coast destinations was a pizza slice. Drinks-wise, when I flew with them it was platic red cup territory - with wine sloshed in. (See WT+ catering thread for details on the BA WT+ food!).
Seats - I think the AA ones were slightly better, although many of the BA WT+ seats (787's here!) are getting rather dated to the stage that they now resemble the seats at the end of the 767's on that route.

drwook

Anyone know if that's the general offering? My first AA PE next month and didn't even consider it might not be possible to get a G&T or scotch to encourage me to get a little sleep...