Premium Plus (Premium Economy) seats and Experience
Oct 5, 2019, 2:29 pm
#826
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,220
I think they are very deliberating trying to hook a new set of leisure travelers on PE with the fire-sale pricing, so they can gradually reel them in back to break-even and profitable fare levels.
Uncertain how well it works, although I think FT has a selection bias that makes sampling here useless - many regular Y flyers here saying "this product was okay for $99 more but no way would I ever pay real money for it".
Uncertain how well it works, although I think FT has a selection bias that makes sampling here useless - many regular Y flyers here saying "this product was okay for $99 more but no way would I ever pay real money for it".
Oct 5, 2019, 3:47 pm
#827
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,480
Actually, I think PE is more attractive to a certain set of leisure travelers who have plenty of money but are inherently frugal and view business class as an irrational (and borderline immoral) luxury. They are however willing to spend up for a better "economy" product because they don't view it as an extravagance.
Oct 5, 2019, 3:56 pm
#828
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: HOU
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K
Posts: 285
I just had the PP experience last week on EWR-LHR. Completely full cabin, but quick and efficient service from the FAs to maximize sleep time. I got a good few hours of solid sleep in the seat (22F so no risk of people climbing over me). The pillow and blanket were the best quality I've seen in PE. Slept through breakfast, but dinner was of decent quality (especially important since I don't bother going to the United Clubs in EWR because of the ridiculous crowding these days).
I have flown PE on NZ, UA, BA, and LH this year and honestly liked the UA experience above all.
I have flown PE on NZ, UA, BA, and LH this year and honestly liked the UA experience above all.
Oct 5, 2019, 4:48 pm
#829
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 2,350
Oct 5, 2019, 4:53 pm
#830
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,424
Actually, I think PE is more attractive to a certain set of leisure travelers who have plenty of money but are inherently frugal and view business class as an irrational (and borderline immoral) luxury. They are however willing to spend up for a better "economy" product because they don't view it as an extravagance.
Oct 5, 2019, 4:58 pm
#831
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: HOU
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K
Posts: 285
Oct 5, 2019, 6:24 pm
#832
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Dulles, VA
Programs: UA Life Gold, Marriott Life Titanium
Posts: 2,757
I just paid about $380 more for PE itin on a UA/NH combo from IAD to BKK, both ways. That seemed decent to me, since I got PE on all four segments and all flights are pretty long . I find the ANA 787-9s to be just fine in regular economy, but I was not looking to make a 14 hour flight in 10-wide 777 on UA. I'll report back next month on if I think it was worth the dough or not.
Oct 8, 2019, 6:33 pm
#833
fomerly known as LandingGear (not Landing Gear)
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 833
Flew NH PE IAD-NRT and UA P+ NRT-EWR. NH PE was very good. Though they gave just the economy meals and trays, made no difference to me as I didn't eat. UA on the other hand was nothing even close to what I paid extra. I would have been better off in an E+ exit row seat. Every time I got up and saw those seats vacant, I told myself never to pay for P+ again. First and last time for me. YMMV.
Oct 9, 2019, 12:28 am
#834
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1MM, Marriott LTP, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,003
Flew NH PE IAD-NRT and UA P+ NRT-EWR. NH PE was very good. Though they gave just the economy meals and trays, made no difference to me as I didn't eat. UA on the other hand was nothing even close to what I paid extra. I would have been better off in an E+ exit row seat. Every time I got up and saw those seats vacant, I told myself never to pay for P+ again. First and last time for me. YMMV.
Oct 9, 2019, 4:58 am
#835
fomerly known as LandingGear (not Landing Gear)
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 833
The main issues for me were two. The legrest does not come out to align with the footrest. The footrest barely comes down. So, essentially, it's one or the other, unlike what I found in NH. Second, I am not sure if it was just this particular crew, but every time meal service was in effect, they asked people in my row to put seat-backs upright. I did not eat. I was trying to sleep and tried P+ for this. Didn't work for me. Never happened in NH. I could stay asleep during meal service.
But on the bright side, the video cameras on the UA screens were covered (had a black sticker or cap on them). Cameras in NH were not.
But on the bright side, the video cameras on the UA screens were covered (had a black sticker or cap on them). Cameras in NH were not.
Oct 9, 2019, 6:59 am
#836
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,471
The main issues for me were two. The legrest does not come out to align with the footrest. The footrest barely comes down. So, essentially, it's one or the other, unlike what I found in NH. Second, I am not sure if it was just this particular crew, but every time meal service was in effect, they asked people in my row to put seat-backs upright. I did not eat. I was trying to sleep and tried P+ for this. Didn't work for me. Never happened in NH. I could stay asleep during meal service.
But on the bright side, the video cameras on the UA screens were covered (had a black sticker or cap on them). Cameras in NH were not.
But on the bright side, the video cameras on the UA screens were covered (had a black sticker or cap on them). Cameras in NH were not.
It has been a while since I got the PE seat on NH sadly, but I do remember sleeping more comfortably on that than on UA's. I'm not sure of the reason, though; I thought maybe the recline was more generous.
Oct 9, 2019, 10:43 am
#837
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 209
Same here. PP hits a sweet spot for me -- in my industry (higher ed), most of us can't book business class fares, and for personal travel, I can rarely justify Polaris seats. PP provides a level of comfort I'm willing to pay for, without the luxury of higher cabins I don't need/want to pay for ... as well as a decent miles & $ upgrade path to Polaris for personal travel.
Last edited by zoned_post_meridiem; Oct 9, 2019 at 10:49 am
Oct 9, 2019, 7:48 pm
#838
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: AA,UA,AS
Posts: 319
Flew Premium Plus last week CDG-SFO, overall worth the ~$200 over economy would defiantly not pay more than that for the product. Food was lacking in quantity, but an improvement compared to economy. Breakfast was bread pudding or omelet and a bowl of fruit, pre arrival meal was a deli plate or pizza and a bowl of fruit. It was nice having the wider seat, but wish there was more recline and more height in the leg rest. There was no charging or limiting of free alcohol on the flight.
Oct 10, 2019, 1:17 am
#839
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,350
On the LHR-SFO-LHR I might be tempted to pay an extra $200, but I have never seen it at that price differential. I know it's a popular route, timings, supply and demand, etc, so quite what I am doing to miss out on this I do not know ! 
Oct 10, 2019, 5:03 am
#840
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 5,001
For what it's worth, FAs weren't limiting drinks on LHR-EWR on Friday. The crew was surprisingly delightful, particularly since they struck me as bunch with relative seniority.
As for the PP experience itself, it was nice enough, but I can't say that I was wowed. The meal service was definitely improved over economy (and the meal was served unwrapped and nicely plated), and the TV screen was large and crisp. The seat, however, didn't seem dramatically more spacious than the economy exit row I had on the outbound, the footrest was basically useless, and I *hated* the placement of the support bar for the seat in front of me -- by placing the support bar directly in the middle of the seat, it essentially made it impossible to have any floor storage during the flight.
I'd fly PP again if it's a modest premium from the equivalent economy fare, but if the premium is too high, I'd be nearly as happy buying economy and paying extra for an exit row if one is available at booking.
As for the PP experience itself, it was nice enough, but I can't say that I was wowed. The meal service was definitely improved over economy (and the meal was served unwrapped and nicely plated), and the TV screen was large and crisp. The seat, however, didn't seem dramatically more spacious than the economy exit row I had on the outbound, the footrest was basically useless, and I *hated* the placement of the support bar for the seat in front of me -- by placing the support bar directly in the middle of the seat, it essentially made it impossible to have any floor storage during the flight.
I'd fly PP again if it's a modest premium from the equivalent economy fare, but if the premium is too high, I'd be nearly as happy buying economy and paying extra for an exit row if one is available at booking.