Flying Qantas Long hauls can be a painful experience, especially in the back of the plane. But what about those cute seats you passed on your way to the back the last time you boarded a Qantas flight to London? No, not the razzamatazz business class armchair bedbut these comfortable recliners.

Say hello to Qantas premium economythe reasonably affordable compromise between the rear and front of the aircraft. What does the cabin offer and how does it compare to your economy class seat?

Economy class seats are available on all Qantas aircraft and premium economy seats on Qantas A380 and B787-9 aircraft. These aircraft provide long-haul routes to North America, South America, Europe, Africa and some services to Asia.

What is the biggest difference between Qantas Economy Class and Premium Economy Class?

It all depends on the seat. Premium Economy offers a wider, more comfortable seat with better recline and legroom. On board the A380, the premium economy seat is 19.5″ wide and has a pitch between 38 and 42″. In contrast, the economy class seat is 17.5″ wide and has a pitch of 31″.

The seat width is self-explanatory. Seat tilt is an airline industry term for the distance between any point on a seat and the same point on the seat in front of or behind it and is often used to measure legroom .

The Qantas B787-9 premium economy seat is 20.5″ wide and has a pitch of 32″. Compare that to a seat width of 17.2″ and seat pitch of 32″ in an economy class seat on the same plane. This difference may seem small, but on long-haul flights, every inch counts. Premium economy offers a greater feeling of space.

Is Qantas premium economy food better than economy class food?

Qantas passengers can expect better food and beverage service in premium economy than in economy, although there is some overlap. Menus vary depending on route, length and departure time. But next to the seat, meals are one of the biggest differentiators between premium economy and economy on Qantas.

For lunch or dinner, Qantas currently serves its options for long-haul economy passengers like lemon herb pearl couscous, kung pao chicken and beef burgundy. They come with the standard slice of focaccia and ice cream chaser. None of it is terrible and the crew is generally good with snack and drink runs. Drinks are free in both courses.

While meal containers and plastic cups in economy class are replaced by china, glasses and written menus in premium economy, main courses in premium economy are often the same as those in premium economy. economic. However, they are better presented and come with extras like salad and a choice of desserts. In fact, Qantas’ premium economy dining service often feels more like business class than economy class, suggesting it’s not what you serve but how you serve it.

Is the service better in Qantas premium economy?

Qantas premium economy passengers will first notice the differences at the airport. They have a dedicated check-in area and benefit from priority boarding before economy class passengers.

A premium economy ticket on Qantas is not secure access to the lounge. However, if it matters, lounge access is easily gained through frequent flyer status, paid lounge membership, having the right type of credit card, or simply paying at the door.

On board, Qantas premium economy cabins are small and have a higher crew-to-passenger ratio than economy. That comes with more attentive service, more time to refill drinks, coffee in a china cup, and a bit of casual chit-chat. Qantas brings the nuances of its business class product to premium economy via more personalized service.

Is more personalized service important? It depends on each individual, but it enhances the flying experience, which one would expect when paying extra to fly premium economy.

How much does a premium economy flight cost on Qantas?

Enjoying the comfort of premium economy class will cost between two and three times the price of an economy class flight if you pay in cash. As an example, the Qantas website shows Sydney-LA return fares in June 2025 for around AUD2,000 in economy and just over AUD5,000 in premium economy. You can also use your Qantas Frequent Flyer Points to exchange a seat in either cabin.

Whether the fare difference is worth it depends on the individual, but the premium economy experience is unquestionably better than economy. It’s about knowing how much value you place on that experience.

Qantas is improving its in-flight reliability and service, including in economy and premium class. More by chance than design, the airline also offers one of the best premium economy products on the market. For example, he tours the premium economy cabin of Singapore Airlines.

Is Qantas premium economy worth it?

Without a doubt, premium economy is a good way to travel, and if moving from economy to business class is a step too far for your wallet, moving to premium economy might be a happy compromise – at least less to try once.