Delta Premium Select
TPGer: Nicky Kelvin.
Route: Dublin Airport (DUB) to New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
Plane: Boeing 767-400.
Cost: 925.80 British pounds ($1,170 USD). The fare included Dublin to New York in premium economy and a return flight from Charlotte to Paris in economy.
Pros:
- Even though the aircraft was over 20 years old, it was retrofitted with a new cabin inside, and it felt very modern and fresh.
- Priority check-in and security were offered with Delta, which isn’t the case with all premium economy products. This meant I had a very efficient, quick and smooth airport experience.
- The food served inflight was fresh, tasty and plentiful. The paratha flatbread was an interesting and welcome addition to the curry that was served.
Cons:
- The Boeing 767 is significantly noisier than other more modern aircraft, and the premium economy cabin is close to the engines.
- The food felt like an upgraded economy-class meal rather than a slightly downgraded business-class meal. For example, there was no proper crockery.
American Airlines Premium Economy
TPGer: Maren Gimnes.
Route: London's Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).
Plane: Boeing 777-200.
Cost: 53,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles, plus 259 British pounds ($327) and tax.
Pros:
- The legroom was very generous, and the seat was comfortable with a nice leather finish.
- I liked that the cabin was quite small, which made it feel more exclusive.
- The food was lovely and well presented — I received metal cutlery and a fabric napkin, which was a nice upgrade from economy.
Cons:
- The table was very unstable, and I didn’t like that it folded down into the armrest as it made it hard to move around or get up without having to fold it down every time.
- The charging points and USB ports were not in a convenient location.
- I paid $37 for the Wi-Fi, but it didn’t work at all.
- I didn’t have fast-track security.
United Premium Plus
TPGer: Liam Spencer.
Route: LHR to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
Plane: Boeing 767-300.
Cost: $1,152.15. Fare also included onward flight from Newark to Charlotte.
Pros:
- The seat was incredibly comfy, with a good amount of personal space and excellent depth of recline. On a long-haul flight, this makes a huge difference when it comes to grabbing a few hours of sleep.
- I was really impressed with the size and quality of my lunch. It included harissa chicken, chickpeas, a huge side salad, bread and delicious chocolate truffles.
- The small cabin, consisting of just four rows, felt secluded, private and peaceful.
Cons:
- The toilet facilities were shared with the much larger economy cabin, meaning they were often occupied and busy.
- I was disappointed not to receive a menu ahead of the meal service and instead given a very economy-feel choice of chicken or vegetable. The food turned out to be very tasty and plentiful but I would have appreciated a wider range of options.
Check out the full video comparison on TPG's YouTube channel.
