… or perhaps for free, once you add in the extra-leg room in coach.
This report at a glance:
- Where to look for American’s low-cost Premium Economy (PE) upgrades, starting at $7 per flight hour
- Perspective of free upgrade to PE once extra leg-room seat is added
- Benefit of American’s PE seat compared to coach
- What routes offer a free elite upgrade to PE on AA
- Routes and aircraft with PE seats
American Airlines kicked off the Premium Economy (PE) juggernaut last year in the U.S. (the Europeans have been at it for 20 years). AA offers PE on routes to Asia, South America, the South Pacific, Hawaii, and Europe.
With United joining the PE fray later this year, stand by for some premium powered competition. Last month we looked at Delta’s PE offering and found that it’s a hot topic among First Class Flyer readers. For less per hour than the price of a Skinny Vanilla Latte and a Cheese Danish at Starbucks, you can get a very tasty upgrade out of cattle class.
THE $7-AN-HOUR UPGRADE
Dallas to Shanghai and back is about 28 hours in the air. We’ve found a low-cost upgrade that equates to about $7 an hour, given coach is $858, and PE is $1,058. Divide the difference ($200) by flight hours (28), and there you go.
Free upgrade to PE once extra leg-room seat is added
Now, if you fly “Main Cabin Extra” on American, which is economy with a bit of extra legroom, then the upgrade to a Premium Economy seat is free. The screenshot shows “Main Cabin Extra” on American, priced at $1,251.
As already mentioned, the cost for Premium Economy on American is $1,058 (see below), or $193 cheaper than Main Cabin Extra—a seat that only gives you a bit more leg-room.
EXAMPLE ROUTES WITH low-cost upgrades
Asia: AA has lots of routes to Asia with Premium Economy. Three examples with with low-cost upgrades: Dallas-Shanghai (see sample above) and Los Angeles-Beijing, where the upgrade is about $150 each-way in PE starting at $885 round-trip. And for Los Angeles-Shanghai, the upgrade is about $200 each-way in PE starting at $947 round-trip.
South America: Miami-Santiago is only about $175 more each-way in PE with fares starting at $1,442 round-trip.
Hawaii: AA has two routes that offer a low-cost upgrade: Dallas-Honolulu, where the upgrade is about $150 each-way in PE with fares starting at $1,228 round-trip; and Dallas-Maui, where the upgrade is about $200 each-way in PE starting at $1,346 round-trip.
Europe: Philadelphia-Dublin costs only $175 more each way in PE with fares starting at $888 round-trip.
Current American routes that offer PE
Here’s a list and map of every current American Airline non-stop route that offers Premium Economy. Please note that they can change quickly, especially since airlines frequently adjust aircraft schedules. Also note that you can connect to—or beyond—these cities as well to get a better seat for the all-important transoceanic legs.
Asia: Dallas to Beijing, Seoul, Shanghai, and Tokyo; Los Angeles to Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo
South America: Los Angeles-São Paulo; Miami to Buenos Aires, Santiago, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo; Dallas-Buenos Aires; and New York-Buenos Aires
Hawaii: Dallas to Honolulu and Maui
Europe: Charlotte to Barcelona, Dublin, Frankfurt, Madrid, and Paris; Chicago-Paris; Dallas to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Rome, and Paris; Miami to Barcelona, London, Madrid, Milan, and Paris; Philadelphia to Barcelona, Dublin, Frankfurt, Madrid, Manchester, Munich, Rome, and Paris
South Pacific: Los Angeles to Auckland and Sydney
What’s so premium about Premium Economy?
- Comfort: additional recline and an adjustable footrest and leg rest
- Wider seats: PE is 18.5 to 19 inches, while coach is 17 to 18 inches; that’s up to 2 inches more depending on the aircraft
- Legroom: up to 7 inches more than coach
- Extras: an amenity kit, and pillow and blanket created by sleep technology company Casper; you get checked bags first when you land; Priority privileges includes a faster check-in, security and boarding process
- Upgraded Premium dining
- Other improved items: larger monitors, noise-reducing headphones and expedited baggage handling and security (the same as offered in Business Class)
- Earn award miles: this varies, as earning is based on fare paid; so, because the PE fare costs more, it will earn more miles
- Elite bonus: elites earn 150% EQMs (Elite Qualification Miles), general economy only gets 100% EQMs
Routes that offer a free elite upgrade to PE on AA
For flights to and from Dallas and Honolulu and Maui, Executive Platinum and Platinum Pro members may receive complimentary upgrades if seats are available from coach to PE on the day of departure.
Aircraft with PE seats: B777-300, B787-9, A330-200, and some B777-200.
American Airlines will be adding the Premium Economy product to 787-8s early next year. Expect those retrofits to be completed mid-2019, we’re told.
Side Note: American has been offering special low PE fares to Asia over the last few months. Take the Los Angeles-Tokyo route for example: AA is undercutting oneworld partner Japan Airlines by almost $900. It’s $1,215 on AA, while JAL charges $2,097, a difference of $882. Who’s going to win that battle? You.
Same holds true for the South Pacific, on the Los Angeles-Sydney route for example: AA is undercutting oneworld partner Qantas by $731. It’s $1,813 on AA, while Qantas charges $2,544.