It’s one of the most common questions in travel: should you pay extra for premium economy on the long flight to Australia? You’re looking at a 15–24 hour journey depending on where you’re departing from, a significant difference in comfort, and a price that could easily fund a week of activities once you arrive. Is it worth it?
I’ve flown premium economy on four different airlines on the London to Australia route, and my view has evolved considerably. The short answer is: it depends — but there are specific circumstances where premium economy is a brilliant decision, and others where you’re better off saving the money.
📋 TL;DR — the quick version
- ✅ Premium economy is worth it if the price gap above economy is less than 80% of the economy base fare.
- 💺 Seat recline is the biggest practical difference — premium economy seats recline significantly more than economy.
- 🍽️ Food and drink are notably better — dedicated menus, real glassware, better wine.
- 🎬 Entertainment is often the same as business class — just a different seat.
- 💰 Price sweet spot: premium economy is often poor value at full price; look for sale fares.
- 🛏️ Sleep is better but not transformative — you still won’t sleep as well as in a flat-bed business class seat.
- ✈️ Best premium economy products: Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Japan Airlines.
✈️ What exactly is premium economy?
Premium economy is a distinct cabin class, sitting between economy and business class. It was pioneered by Virgin Atlantic in the 1990s and has since been adopted by most major long-haul carriers. The specific product varies significantly between airlines — which is one of the key things you need to research before booking.
At its best, premium economy offers a wider seat (typically 18–21 inches vs 17 inches in economy), significantly more recline (up to 8 inches vs 4 inches), more legroom (typically 37–40 inches pitch vs 31 inches), a dedicated cabin with fewer passengers, better food and drink service, priority boarding, and often a dedicated overhead bin space. At its worst, premium economy is essentially economy with a few extra inches and a slightly nicer meal — not worth the significantly higher fare. Knowing which product you’re booking is essential.
💺 Seat comparison: economy vs premium economy vs business
The numbers tell part of the story. In economy on a typical long-haul aircraft, you’re looking at 31–32 inches of seat pitch and about 17 inches of width. In premium economy, this typically rises to 37–40 inches of pitch and 18–21 inches of width. Business class offers 60–80 inches of pitch (a full flat bed) and 22–26 inches of width.
The recline difference is significant in real terms: economy seats recline about 4 inches, which barely changes your angle. Premium economy seats typically recline 8 inches or more — approaching a proper rest position. Some premium economy seats (notably Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines) recline almost to a flat position, genuinely approaching business class sleep quality. In premium economy, you can sleep in something closer to a supported reclining position. You’re not flat, but you’re not sitting bolt upright either. For a 24-hour journey, this difference is material.
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🌟 Best premium economy products flying to Australia
Singapore Airlines Premium Economy is the gold standard. The seat reclines to a deep 8-inch angle, the seat itself is 19.5 inches wide, and the food service uses dedicated premium economy menus with better wine and real glassware. The dedicated cabin feels noticeably more exclusive. If you’re going to fly premium economy to Australia, this is the one.
Air New Zealand Premium Economy (on 787s) is excellent — wide seats, generous recline, and outstanding New Zealand food and wine. The overall product has a distinctively warm, kiwi character that makes the service feel genuinely enjoyable rather than corporate.
Japan Airlines Premium Economy is superb if you’re routing via Tokyo. The seat width is generous (21 inches), the recline is deep, and JAL’s food service is exceptional. Tokyo is also one of the world’s great stopover cities, adding an extra dimension to the journey.
Qantas Premium Economy is solid but expensive at the full fare. The seat reclines to a good angle and the dedicated cabin is noticeably quieter than economy. Watch for the airline’s regular sale fares on this cabin — the value proposition improves significantly during promotions.
Emirates Premium Economy launched relatively recently on A380 aircraft. The seat is wide (18.5 inches), the entertainment screen is 13.3 inches, and the food and drink service is a significant upgrade from economy. It’s a newer product and represents good value when fares are competitive.
🍽️ Food, drink and service: how different is it really?
On most airlines, the premium economy food experience is meaningfully better than economy. You’ll typically receive a dedicated menu, better portion sizes, and real glassware for wine and champagne. On Singapore Airlines and JAL, the food quality approaches what you’d find in business class. The drinks service is more attentive in premium economy — your glass will be refilled proactively, and the wine selection is usually better than what’s offered in economy. Service levels are higher too, with fewer seats and dedicated crew.
💰 The price question: when is premium economy worth it?
Premium economy fares are typically 1.5 to 3 times the cost of economy. For the London–Sydney route, you might pay £700-£900 return in economy and £1,800-£3,000 in premium economy. At £2,500+, the premium economy fare is starting to compete with discounted business class fares.
The sweet spot is when you can find premium economy at around 1.5x the economy fare — which does happen, particularly in airline sales and if you book far enough in advance. At that price point, for a 22-hour journey, the upgrade is genuinely worthwhile. At 2.5-3x the economy fare, you’re better off either making economy as comfortable as possible or pushing slightly further to discounted business class. Watch for airline sales in January-February, where premium economy fares can be exceptional. Frequent flyer points can also make premium economy excellent value.
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🛏️ Can you sleep in premium economy?
Better than economy, but still not easily. The significant recline improvement (8 inches vs 4 inches) makes a real difference — you’re no longer fighting the seat to find a comfortable angle. Combined with a neck pillow and eye mask, sleep is achievable on most premium economy products. It’s not the flat-bed sleep of business class, but it’s meaningfully better than economy for most people.
The dedicated cabin helps too — fewer people means less ambient noise and movement during the flight. On longer journeys to Australia, the ability to actually rest is the main reason to consider the upgrade. Think about what you’re planning to do on arrival: if you’re heading straight to the best national parks in Australia for active adventures, arriving rested is genuinely worth paying for.
🏆 My verdict: when to upgrade and when to skip it
Upgrade to premium economy if: you find a fare that’s less than double economy, you’re a tall person who genuinely struggles with economy legroom, you have a health condition that makes sitting in a limited recline seat painful, or you’re celebrating something special.
Skip premium economy if: the fare is 2.5x+ the economy price, you can sleep anywhere and don’t mind economy, you’d rather spend the money on experiences in Australia, or if pushing slightly more to discounted business class is a realistic option.
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