American Airlines Premium Economy

[M_Six]

Anyone fly this yet? Looks like comfy seats and better meals and free drinks. Not too much more than standard fare, either.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...um-economy.jsp

[2000cs]

Like Delta Comfort+ A new effort by airlines to re-establish three classes of service. Comfort+ has become what economy used to be, economy is now much tighter seats, later boarding (after First and C+) and minimal snacks/sodas. Once established, price differentiation will come.

We are wrestling with whether to allow reimbursement for these “middle” classes of tickets at work - we don’t reimburse first class. For a while there was essentially an automatic upgrade to C+ but now that class is pretty full and buying the seat (still pretty cheap, but as I said I think higher pricing is coming) is the only way to ensure good seat and leg room, especially on a longer flight.

[ScottyRyan2019]

It is a big step above Delta's Comfort+ that is for sure, and unlike Delta's Comfort+ (which is pretty much on all of their aircraft)it is only on certain AA medium to long range aircraft. My wife has flown it and says it is pretty nice, but costly.

[RickFLM4]

Sounds like an oxymoron.

[chiro444]

Being a big guy like me at 6'3", it's the only way we fly to Hawaii or other long trips. Once in a while though, for a few bucks more than Economy Plus, you can score First Class tickets which I found for the trip back last year. No such luck this year though.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

Sounds like an oxymoron.

Was thinking the same thing.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by chiro444

Being a big guy like me at 6'3", it's the only way we fly to Hawaii or other long trips. Once in a while though, for a few bucks more than Economy Plus, you can score First Class tickets which I found for the trip back last year. No such luck this year though.

I'm 6'3" as well, so I appreciate every inch of legroom I can get. R/T from Chicago to Heathrow in Premium Economy is around $4k for the two of us. Much less than first, but a good bit more than regular economy even after you add in Main Cabin Extra fees. But the two seat option vs three seat in economy is also a huge plus.

We always take AA 90 to Heathrow because it leaves early morning from O'Hare and gets into Heathrow just before 11PM. So it's easier to just get there and spend the first night in one of the Heathrow hotels and start out fresh the next morning. The flight always had a 2-4-2 seating arrangement, so MCE seats were fine as long as we got one of the 2-seat rows. But they've changed the aircraft now so if you want a 2-seat row, you have to go with Premium Economy.

[///M4ster Yoda]

American Airlines is terrible. I avoid like the plague.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by ///M4ster Yoda

American Airlines is terrible. I avoid like the plague.

I feel the same way about any airline. I avoid flying like the plague. But sometimes you gotta do it.

[///M4ster Yoda]

Originally Posted by M_Six

I feel the same way about any airline. I avoid flying like the plague. But sometimes you gotta do it.

I like to travel and fly a few times a year. The biggest mistake I've made is let my wife talk me into business class a few years ago on an international flight. It's so much better and she doesn't wanna go back to flying economy.

American Airlines and it's customer service has been so bad over the years that we refuse to fly them.

[rohitsja]

Originally Posted by 2000cs

Like Delta Comfort+ A new effort by airlines to re-establish three classes of service. Comfort+ has become what economy used to be, economy is now much tighter seats, later boarding (after First and C+) and minimal snacks/sodas. Once established, price differentiation will come.

We are wrestling with whether to allow reimbursement for these “middle” classes of tickets at work - we don’t reimburse first class. For a while there was essentially an automatic upgrade to C+ but now that class is pretty full and buying the seat (still pretty cheap, but as I said I think higher pricing is coming) is the only way to ensure good seat and leg room, especially on a longer flight.

Originally Posted by ///M4ster Yoda

I like to travel and fly a few times a year. The biggest mistake I've made is let my wife talk me into business class a few years ago on an international flight. It's so much better and she doesn't wanna go back to flying economy.

American Airlines and it's customer service has been so bad over the years that we refuse to fly them.

Same here, it was my wife who made me fly Business once and oh man its such a different experience, especially, on long international flights.
I have done Premium Economy enough, my company pays that for flights longer >2 hrs and now I do it for personal trips as well, so it felt meh after the last trip in Apr but still better than Economy/ Coach for sure.
Next international flight is Business as well just because its that much nicer !!

[N54Yankee]

We just booked our flight to Maui. We’ve been going there almost every year for the past 8 or 9? We always fly Hawaiian Air and it’s often free on annual miles then we just a small price for upgraded legroom seats. Mandatory For us to have on those 10 hour nonstops.
I’ll have the wife look into this American deal for our other travel plans and see if it works for us.

[ASAP]

I will say I am on the other hand of the spectrum... having flown Lufthansa, Lot Polish and Air France business class; I will argue it is the most over rated and waste of money experience around... yeah sure; let me go ahead and pay 4x for my flight so that I can get a similarly ratchet experience in the front of the plane as in the back...

Flying these days is like taking a greyhound bus... there is extremely little glamor to it; especially on the US and European airlines... you want to get on and get off as soon as possible... everything these days is made to reach max profits and its a total waste of $$. If you are paying with points or travel weekly for business and your company pays for it; then its worth it... otherwise forget it.

Some of the premium + offerings are quite decent though and for cheap... SAS for example offered me a premium plus experience for an extra $150 before the flight and it was well worth it... free wifi whole flight, better food, much more space etc.

[M_Six]

Some of you guys say your wife loves Business or Premium, so you fly that. I'm still trying to convince my 5'6" wife that my 6'3" ass would be far more comfortable in PE than back in coach. The $800 increase in cost over Main Cabin Extra is well worth it for me considering we'll be spending over 18 hours in the air for this round trip. While I love that my wife doesn't waste money frivolously, it'd be nice if she'd accept the fact that we're doing very well and can easily afford these perks. I don't see them as a waste of money.

[kscarrol]

What’s the old saying, it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission! Book it!

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by kscarrol

What’s the old saying, it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission! Book it!

I took that route at work this past week and got beamed up because of it.

[kscarrol]

Come on Mark, who's the boss here?

[Fender150]

The only reason I fly business or first is I'm always about to get a stroke watching people deplane and get their carry ons out like they've never seen luggage before, so I cant be in the back or something is gonna happen to me lol

[ScottyRyan2019]

Originally Posted by M_Six

I feel the same way about any airline. I avoid flying like the plague. But sometimes you gotta do it.

My wife flies every week for work. She flies mostly Delta because of their hub here in the Twin Cities, but also AA and United. She has learned how to work the airlines over the years and is on the phone with them often and it is amazing the free upgrades she gets from them with a little time, effort and kindness.

[kscarrol]

And miles! Seriously though when you are flying that much you are a known customer who generally will be taken care of. Most of us don’t fly that often and so upgrades etc are almost nonexistent.

[The Libertine]

Originally Posted by M_Six

I feel the same way about any airline. I avoid flying like the plague. But sometimes you gotta do it.

Very true. But when it is inevitable will agree to pay more - and upgrade class, if it means a more comfortable (and relaxing) flight.

[ASAP]

I think my record for negative experiences definitely is owned by Delta... holy shit I can't even add up the number of instances where they have royally screwed me. Little experience with United, have only flown them a number of times... AA while not great is the go to out of MIA for me here and while I have never been impressed; they've never actually screwed me.