A Deep Dive for Best Deals: China Southern, EVA Air, and Singapore for Best Fares, and Japan Airlines for Lowest Miles.
[aside headline="When to Consider Premium Economy Elite" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"]
- When sleep is secondary to working or not important. (Why pay for 180-degree recline in Business Class on a day flight?)
- When Business Class fares are high.
- When upgrade or free mileage-award inventory is not available in Business Class.
- On a family vacation. (Do the kids really need to fly up front?)
- When you do not have enough miles for a free Business Class mileage award—unless you’re willing to buy the miles needed.
For Business Travel
- When company travel policy or client’s budget forbids Business Class.
- When you want to give your employees a perk.[/aside]
Premium Economy is a caste system: There’s Premium Economy Elite (PE Elite) and Premium Economy Lite (PE Lite). The former refers to airlines that have created a separate cabin and an upgraded seat; the latter are airlines that have just put in a bit more legroom at the front of economy. (See March’s detailed Premium Economy seat comparison chart.) In April, FCF started a comprehensive survey, by region, of Premium Economy Elite to Europe and in July the South Pacific.
This month we look at U.S.-Asia, a route that often has high Business Class fares, especially on the top carriers: Cathay Pacific and Singapore.
Using Miles to Upgrade: From Economy to Premium Economy Elite
In a nutshell: not worth it. FCF found that "upgradeable economy fares" on airlines offering PE Elite seats often costs more, or almost the same, as the PE Elite fare.
Mileage Award Cost Difference: Between Economy & Premium Economy Elite
Flying to/from Asia allows you to take advantage of award-chart anomalies. Having the right credit cards, meaning one from Amex Rewards, Chase, Citi ThankYou, or Starwood, enables you to leverage these anomalies.
This means you can sometimes book a PE Elite award at or less than the cost of economy (think free upgrade) on a U.S. carrier on flights to Asia.
One Example: On New York-Tokyo, Japan Airlines only charges 65,000 miles for PE Elite. This is one of the lowest PE Elite awards to Asia from the U.S. (The second best is Cathay Pacific's, starting at 72,000 miles on Los Angeles-Hong Kong.) It costs even less if you use Starwood points: only 55,000 Starpoints—15,000 fewer miles for PE Elite than for economy (think free upgrade). United charges 70,000 miles on this route for economy. In other words, if you have a Starwood card and book via Japan Airlines, as opposed to booking using a United credit card, you’re getting a free upgrade.
Deep Dive on PE Elite Airlines to Asia
Seven airlines offer a PE Elite product. Here’s a quick rundown on how they stack up using both miles and cash.
Air Canada: Mileage-award cost varies, Vancouver-Tokyo in Premium Economy is 125,000 (up to 130,000) miles; Business Class is only 25,000 miles more, so go Biz using miles if you can. Cash on this route is US$1,787 / CAD$2,254 (off-season) to US$2,062 / CAD$2,614 (high-season) versus US$4,305 / CAD$5,544 in Business Class.
All Nippon: While it offers a PE Elite seat, ANA does not offer Premium Economy mileage awards. Cash on this route for PE Elite starts at $1,841 (off-season) to $3,061 (high-season) from Los Angeles to Tokyo, and $1,991 (off-season) to $3,165 (high-season) from New York, compared to $3,441 to $6,746 in Business Class.
Cathay Pacific: Mileage-award cost varies based on flight distance: Los Angeles-Hong Kong is 72,000 miles (Business Class is 120,000) and New York-Hong Kong is 108,000 (Business Class is 145,000). The cash fare is $1,925 (off-season) to $2,532 (high-season) on LAX-Hong Kong, compared to $6,433 in Business Class. The decision: save up to $4,508 (70%) over Business Class or up to 48,000 (40% fewer) miles.
China Southern: Los Angeles- and New York-Guangzhou costs 77,000 KMs (the equivalent of 62,000 Starwood points); Business Class is only 28,000 more Starpoints. Cash on this route is $1,350 from LAX and $1,448 from NYC (off-season) to $1,933 from LAX and $2,029 from NYC (high-season), compared to $4,083 in Business Class from LAX and $4,183 from NYC.
EVA Air: Cost of award miles varies by route. Los Angeles-Taipei is 110,000 miles (Business Class is 150,000) and New York-Taipei is 120,000 (Business 160,000), so it pays to use miles for Business Class travel if availability is the same. Cash is $1,567 on the Los Angeles-Taipei route and $1,307 from NYC (off-season) to $1,925 from LAX and NYC (high-season), compared to $4,800 in Business Class from LAX and $4,920 from NYC.
Japan Airlines: 65,000 miles in Premium Economy to Tokyo. Business Class is 35,000 miles more. Cash is $1,843 (off-season) to $2,917 (high-season) on LAX-Tokyo and $1,993 NY-Tokyo (off-season) to $3,167 (high-season), compared to $3,443 in Business Class from LAX and $4,993 from NYC. Your choice: save up to $3,000 (60%) over Business Class or up to 35,000 (35% fewer) miles.
Singapore Airlines: Cost varies by route; San Francisco-Singapore is 130,000 miles (Business 160,000) and New York- Singapore is 140,000 (Business 170,000). Remember awards booked online are discounted 15%. Cash is $1,477 on the SFO-Singapore route and $1,724 from New York (off-season) to $1,957 from SFO and $2,084 from NYC (high-season), compared to $4,467 in Business Class from SFO and $4,604 from NYC.
Premium Economy Deep Dive for Travel to Asia
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How PE Elite Fares Typically Behave
Almost identical to economy: To get the lowest fare, you must travel midweek, Monday through Thursday, or low season (varies by airline, usually the summer months). Airlines offering PE Elite often have fare promotions throughout the year. Forget Christmas and the rest of high season because economy fares are highest then, as are PE Elite fares.