In recent years, business class cabins have become increasingly luxurious, offering sliding privacy doors, lie-flat beds, and excellent dining options. On the other hand, many airlines have reduced service in economy class and continue to opt for increasingly dense configurations. As a result, Premium Economy has gained popularity among airlines and passengers worldwide, bridging the gap between business class and economy class.

The cabin class provides passengers with benefits such as extra legroom, wider seats, enhanced dining options, and other premium amenities that improve the long-haul travel experience. For airlines, the cabin offers a high-yield product that meets passenger demand for comfort at a lower price than business class. It is a product designed to attract both leisure travelers seeking more comfort and price-conscious business travelers. However, the value for money of premium economy is heavily discussed among frequent travelers and depends heavily on the airline and passenger expectations.

And whether you love or hate premium economy, it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Over the past decade, widebody aircraft featuring premium economy cabins have more than doubled, with it now installed on around 45% of aircraft. Most premium economy cabins are available in North America and Europe. In North America, 90% of widebodies feature a premium economy cabin. Airlines such as KLM, SWISS, and United Airlines are investing heavily in premium economy, while others, such as Korean Air, Thai Airways, and Alaska Airlines are about to enter the market. In this article, we will look ahead and explore the best transatlantic premium economy class seats for 2026, based on last year’s Skytrax World Airline Awards.

British Airways

Across The Pond In Comfort

British Airways‘ World Traveller Plus cabin is the seventh-best premium economy cabin in the world in 2025. Furthermore, it ranks tenth for best premium economy seat, making the airline’s premium economy class one of the best options for crossing the Atlantic. In British Airways’ World Traveller Plus cabin, passengers enjoy increased legroom with a seat pitch of 38 inches (97 centimeters) and wider seats of 18.5–19 inches (47–48 centimeters). The seats also provide passengers with better recline, lumbar support, headrests, and footrests, ensuring a comfortable flight. It is important to note that some seat features may vary by aircraft type.

Upon boarding, British Airways premium economy passengers can use a dedicated priority lane, and after takeoff, a glass of sparkling wine is served, ensuring a comfortable start to any long-haul flight. Passengers also receive an amenity kit made from recycled materials with all the essentials for a comfortable flight. During the dining service, passengers are provided with a starter, main, and dessert, and throughout the flight, snacks and (alcoholic) beverages are available. Furthermore, passengers won’t get bored throughout the flight as the inflight entertainment system (IFE) provides access to Paramount+, offering hundreds of the most recent movies and TV shows as well as music, audiobooks, and games.

Lufthansa

Europe’s Future Best Premium Economy Seat?

The German flag carrier Lufthansa has the 14th best overall premium economy product in the world. For premium economy catering and seats, the airline ranks eighth and ninth, respectively. However, this might soon change as the airline is introducing its new Allegris product. According to Lufthansa, its premium economy cabin offers passengers up to 50% more space than regular economy, with 39 inches (99 centimeters) of legroom in the new Allegris cabin and 37 or 38 inches (94 or 97 centimeters) in the old cabin. Although slightly different per aircraft type, both the old and new premium economy cabins are around 19 inches (48 centimeters) wide. The new Allegris premium economy cabin also offers passengers additional privacy, a reading light, and a cocktail tray. But perhaps the best part of the new seat is its hard-shell design, which allows passengers to recline without disturbing the passenger seated behind.

 » Small details that feel big – experience more comfort, more space and more privacy. « 

– Lufthansa –

Furthermore, the Allegris seats are equipped with large 15.6 inch (39.6 centimeters) 4K-quality IFE screens, noise-canceling headphones, a cocktail tray for drinks, and multiple options for charging your phone or other electronic devices, including wireless charging in the armrest. In the older cabin, passengers find seats with fewer features as well as a smaller IFE screen. Upon boarding, passengers will find an amenity kit, or « practical travel kit » as Lufthansa calls it, on their seat, as well as a bottle of water. Furthermore, passengers receive a welcome drink and enjoy a quality meal served on real china tableware. Lufthana’s new Allegris cabins can be found on its Airbus A350s and Boeing 787s.

Delta Air Lines

The Best Premium Economy Product In North America

Delta Air Lines‘ Premium Select product is considered to be the leading premium economy cabin in North America. However, at spot 11, the airline ranks outside the top 10 best overall premium economy airlines, according to Skytrax. Despite this, Delta’s premium economy product excels in other areas, with the airline ranking fifth for Best Premium Economy Class seat. The seats in Delta’s premium economy class offer generous recline and foldable foot and leg rests, ensuring enough space to stretch out on a long flight. Each seat has a seat pitch of up to 38 inches (97 cm), a width of 19 inches (48 cm), and a 13.3-inch (33.8 cm) IFE screen.

Passengers traveling in Delta’s premium economy cabin receive Sky Priority service, including access to special check-in and security lanes, as well as priority boarding and baggage service. During the flight, passengers will receive an amenity kit and a hot towel before receiving an elevated inflight meal curated for Delta’s premium economy product. Passengers also receive more comfortable blankets and pillows, as well as noise-canceling headphones to guarantee a good night’s sleep.

Virgin Atlantic

The Best Premium Economy Product In The World

Virgin Atlantic knows how to do premium economy right. The airline was recognized as the best in the world for its premium economy product at the Skytrax World Airlines Awards. This also makes Virgin’s premium economy the best in Europe. Besides this, the airline was also named the best in premium economy catering and received a respectable third for its premium economy seat behind Emirates and Japan Airlines. The comfortable leather seats in Virgin’s premium economy class offer a generous seat pitch of up to 38 inches (97 cm) and a width of around 18.5–19 inches (47–48 cm). All seats offer a generous recline and feature an adjustable footrest and headrest, as well as a large 13.3-inch (33.8 cm) inflight entertainment screen (IFE) with over 300 hours of entertainment.

At the airport, passengers traveling on Virgin Atlantic’s premium economy can expect dedicated check-in and bag drop as well as access to fast-track security. Onboard, passengers receive a welcome drink and essential amenities for night flights to help them settle in comfortably. As mentioned earlier, Virgin Atlantic leads in premium economy catering, and passengers can expect a high-end, refined menu served with proper china and cutlery. Unique on Virgin flights from the United Kingdom is its exclusive on-demand high-tea, and for passengers still hungry, the airline has the « Wander Wall » full of premium snacks and beverages.

Emirates

The Best Premium Economy Seat In The World

According to the Skytrax World Airlines Awards, Emiratesis the airline with the world’s best economy class seat. Its entire premium economy offering scores a solid third place worldwide, and the onboard catering a fourth place. According to Emirates, the cabin provides passengers with a higher level of comfort, with more space and a premium dining experience. The seats in the premium economy cabin have a sophisticated design. Each seat offers up to 40 inches of pitch (101.6 cm), 19.5 inches (49.5 cm) in width, and 8 inches (20.3 cm) of recline, providing significantly more space than the carrier’s standard economy class seating. Furthermore, the seats offer adjustable leg rests, headrests, footrests, and a 13.3-inch (33.8 cm) HD screen featuring Emirates’ renowned ICE entertainment system. Another important benefit for passengers traveling in premium economy on the A380 is that the seats are installed at the front of the aircraft’s lower deck, providing passengers with priority disembarking upon arrival.

Onboard passengers experience a gourmet-style dining experience with a carefully curated menu inspired by regional and seasonal ingredients. The multi-course meal is served on real china with real stainless steel cutlery and fine glassware. As of writing, the airline’s premium economy product is not yet available on all aircraft, and Emirates continues to retrofit its Airbus A380 and Boeing 777-300ER fleets with the new product, whereas new aircraft such as the Airbus A350 are delivered from the factory with the cabin already installed.