Is it worth paying more for Premium Economy on a flight?

[MrsPresley]

I want to go to Memphis, either this year or next year.

Was looking at flights with BA, which means going Edinburgh - London - Chicago - Memphis, in total roughly 17/18 hours.

London to Chicago is around 8.30 hours. Booking Premium Economy will cost around £800 extra and will also mean I have to wait till next year I'm impatient and want to go NOW

Is it worth paying for the extras? I'm thinking more of the extra space with the seats, also this will be my once in a lifetime holiday and I've waited years to go, so do I make the most of it, go later and travel a bit more comfortably or do I go this year and save some money and have more to spend on Elvis stuff

Why not go out standard class, thereby avoiding the UK government huge tax hike on log haul 'premium seats' and treat your self on the way back. It is IMe
OK going out but v. tiring coming back.

I think it's worth it if it's an overnight flight. Not so much for a daytime flight.

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, I think treating myself one way might be good compromise

They will be daytime flights, but it will be a very long day, probably getting up around 4am, if I manage to sleep at all I will be very excited

Hopefully though I will fall asleep on the London - Chicago flight

Yes, inbound flight from US is much tougher than outbound. I would fly out economy but treat myself to an upgrade for coming back. Assuming you can afford it.

Adversecamber

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be anywhere in the UK straight to Memphis , so it's either via Chicago, Newark or Dallas.

But I really really want to go and I'm going to be 50 this year, this is my special birthday treat to myself.

I've even looked at going from Amsterdam but still have to go via somewhere else

I don't rate premium economy at all. The seats and legroom are not that much bigger for the money and you still get the same food and no lounge access. Having said that, I am 5ft2 and can fit quite happily in an economy seat (and actually find premium economy seats are more uncomfortable as I can't touch the floor and my head doesn't reach the headrest). If you are tall it would probably make more of a difference.

It depends how much the original flight cost is
I might pay 10% - 20% more for premium but I'd rather spend the cash elsewhere

Most direct flight looks like EDI - EWR - MEM

I was also going to suggest that alternative routing through Newark, that would also cut out using O'hare.

Chicago O'Hare is a massive airport and you would have to allow plenty of time (say around 3 hours) before boarding the next flight. Also you would likely have to leave one terminal to enter another terminal thus going through security again.

Would use PE on return flight to UK; not worth it going outbound. Bear in mind too that on BA the armrests in PE do not move at all.

I agree you don't get a great deal more for your money in PE but you do get a degree of privacy and it's quieter. It's usually the smallest cabin and you don't have to put up with people endlessly walking up and down the aisles as they do in economy. Just a bit more tranquil.

I agree. PE is a better bet on a night flight unless there's a really good deal. Are you flying BA?
Sometimes they do good offers on upgrades but you do have to keep checking the website.
I also agree that it's worth paying more for the shortest possible journey time.

Is it worth it to you to pay £800 for a slightly more comfortable flight? That's a lot of cool Elvis stuff you could buy!! In my experience, what leaves you feeling awful isn't the flight itself, it's all the stuff before & after: waiting in airports, waiting in immigration, shuttling to and from the airport, dragging bags through the airport, having to change from one flight to another (twice) is stressful and makes you worry about connections. If you go Edinb-Chic-Nashville, then the worst part will be Chicago-Nashville.

I'd be tempted to spend a fraction of the £800 on making the journey from Nashville airport to hotel as easy as possible, and on a better class of hotel across the whole holiday. Find a hotel with a spa and book a massage!

I would be willing to spend the £800 on a more direct flight. But if that's not going to happen, then no, premium economy isn't worth it.

If you are really tall then it might be worth it for the extra legroom, but otherwise I wouldn't really bother for a transatlantic flight. I've flown longhaul (to Asia & Australia) in a variety of economy, premium economy & Virgin upper class, and I didn't find I had any better chance of getting any sleep in premium rather than standard economy. The flat beds in upper class are another matter - but you'd pay thousands more for that.

I certainly don't think it's worth postponing a trip for a year just to afford premium economy.

What dates do you want to go?

you should look at the flights from Edinburgh to New York and then connect.

1-14OCT
Easyjet Edinburgh to LHR ~£80
Virgin LHR to NYC premium economy ~£900
United NYC to Memphis economy (there's no premium eco on US domestic flights) ~£450

Total fare ~£1450 + perhaps a Travelodge at LHR if the flights don't match

US carriers don't have Premium Economy. Edinburgh to NYC is business class on United and is....wait for it.... ~£2050.

United is the only carrier that goes direct Edinburgh to NYC.

Hmmmm. I would come back PE if it has to be only one way. Night flights are better in PE. I agree with the poster who said PE is just a bit more peaceful, they clear trays quicker and little or no queueing for loos. Although we came back from the USA a couple of years ago and treated ourselves to a PE upgrade as it was a nightflight. A couple in the seats in front of us had a baby that yelled the whole 8 hours!!!!!

Thanks again for even more replies, I had to go to work.

kalidanger only £2050 are you sure that's not the cheap seats

Seriously though ,

Anyway I'd like to go either 30 September this year (my birthdays the 29th) or maybe April/May next year before it gets too hot for me.

The BA flights I've been looking at are around £600 for PE based on prices this May here and £400ish for economy

Dont know if that link will work

we went to usa in December. the flight out was full so PE was great. on the way back PE was full but the rest of the flight was empty so we had to sit in just one seat whilst economy had rows each to sleep in! not sure i would go PE again if going on a quiet flight out of season tbh. you certainly dont get any better service or food.

Mrs P, no advice re flights but just wanted to say.....you will LOVE Memphis! I went there many years ago now and it was brilliant and yet surreal

This any good?

30SEP DEP: Edinburgh 0615 ARR: Paris 0920 DL8677 operated by Air France
30SEP DEP: Paris 1045 ARR: Atlanta 1405 DL8504 Operated by AF
30SEP DEP: Atlanta 1600 ARR: Memphis 1627 DL1778
7OCT DEP: Memphis 1140 ARR: Paris 0610 DL28
8OCT DEP: Paris 0715 ARR: Edinburgh 0815 DL1286 Operated by City Jet

Economy on short legs, Premium Economy on longhaul £2310

I flew back from New York on the red eye with Virgin Atlantic a few years ago in a P.E seat. In hindsight I think it was a mistake because going in economy with Virgin is fine and like others have said, you don't get much for your money in PE. Service was the same as usual and the food was only slightly better. Yes there's a bit more room and it's more quiet but I wish I'd used the £250 extra I'd paid on spending money instead. I'd rate the whole experience 7/10 compared to 6/10 when I flew back in economy a few times before. I think I'd feel the same about a longer flight.

I wish they'd give you lounge access.

I think PE is useless. I didn't notice any difference to economy on BA. I think you need business or above for a truly comfortable flight.

For me comfort = a seat big enough to curl up and kip in!