Is there a difference between legroom economy and premium economy?

Premium economy offers more legroom than regular economy, which is a real perk of the product. Legroom differs from airline to airline, though. The industry standard is 38 inches, but this may only be 4 to 6 inches more than in regular economy — so not a huge difference.



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Premium economy's big selling point is more space. The seats are an inch or two wider on average than the typical coach seat, and the rows are farther apart, offering several more inches of legroom. Most premium economy seats recline, and many have footrests. How much space you actually get depends on the airline.

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One of the biggest differences between premium economy and economy is the seating and legroom. In premium economy, you can expect more spacious seats with extra legroom, making those long haul flights a little more bearable, especially for taller passengers and those with back or joint pain.

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The best airlines for the most legroom
  • US: JetBlue Airways (32” — 34”)
  • Europe: Eurowings (30” — 32”)
  • US: Alaska Airlines (32” — 34”)
  • Europe: TUI Airways (33” — 34”)
  • South America: Aerolíneas Argentinas (32” — 33”)
  • Asia: ANA, Emirates, EVA Airways, Singapore Airlines (32” — 34”)
  • US: United (30” — 34”)


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Bulkhead seats The bulkhead is essentially the wall that separates one plane cabin from another, and the seats here have extra legroom since there's no other seat in front of them. Bulkhead seating can either be at the front of each cabin or at the front of flights that offer a business class.

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Answer: Premium economy seats do not have the feature of lying flat but have additional features like extra legroom, spacious reclining seats, and headrests for a comfortable journey.

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Personal space, in the form of wider seats, deeper recline and smaller cabins, also adds to the appeal. Plus, in an industry where passengers are used to paying extra for everything, premium economy often bundles perks like checked bags, priority boarding and in-flight beverages.

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How do you sleep on a premium economy plane?
  1. Bring your own pillow and/or blanket.
  2. Wear comfortable clothes.
  3. Use a sleep mask.
  4. Follow your usual bedtime routine as close as possible when you're on the plane.
  5. Invest in a pair of noise-canceling headphones or earplugs.


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Benefits of Extra legroom Extra legroom perks vary significantly from one airline to the next. In general, however, customers seek Extra legroom for the additional space. Even a few inches can deliver a more relaxing in-air experience, particularly for tall flyers.

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On almost every flight, the passengers who get upgrades are either the ones who pay for them (whether in dollars or miles) in advance or frequent fliers with elite status who receive complimentary upgrades as part of their perks. There are very few exceptions, so don't expect to score a free upgrade by just asking.

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If luxury and extra legroom is really important to you, book it in advance. However, if you're perfectly willing to fly economy class, and willing to roll the dice, a last-minute upgrade can be the cheapest option. You may even get lucky and score a free upgrade.

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In premium economy, the last row of the cabin is the only one that doesn't recline into someone else, and since people use this cabin to eat and often to work, this is huge on overnight flights.

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U.S. Airlines with the Best Legroom In the U.S., the airlines JetBlue and Southwest consistently offer the most legroom with an average of around 32 inches per seat, although you can find a few JetBlue planes with 33 inches of legroom. Alaska and Hawaiian seats typically have 31 or 32 inches of legroom, too.

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Worst of all for legroom are ultra-low-fare carriers Spirit and Frontier Airlines. In at least this case, you get what you pay for: Passengers get as little as 28 inches of legroom when flying with these airlines, which are known for cheap airfare that comes with a bare minimum of amenities and loads of fees.

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Best seat for legroom: A bulkhead or exit-row seat. Best seat for sleeping: A window seat in a bulkhead row. Best seat for extra space without a seatmate: A seat towards the back. Best seat for a tight connection: A seat closest to the front exit.

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