It’s the most talked about premium economy in the air, so I hopped in to check it out.
Low down
I’m traveling in Premium Economy on Emirates flight EK413 from Sydney to Dubai on an A380 that has been fully refurbished under the airline’s US$2 billion retrofit programme. There are three daily flights from Sydney, one at the rather inauspicious time of 6am, followed by 810pm and 910pm (I chose this flight). It’s the height of the European summer, so the flight is full and I’ll be connecting from Dubai to Athens.
Check in
I arrive at Sydney International Airport three hours early. The Emirates attendant notes that I’m actually on a full flight, but most fliers leave their check-in later. There is a dedicated premium economy check-in line and within minutes I have my boarding pass and bag tag. Premium Economy passengers get a baggage allowance of 35 kg compared to 20 kg in Economy. Normally the airport seems to be quiet on a Friday night as I travel through security. This is done much faster thanks to the new security screeners recently installed at the international airport, which means you don’t have to take anything (laptops or liquids) out of your carry-on.
lounge
As I am an Emirates Skywards Gold member, I have access to their business lounge at Sydney Airport. Although the interiors feel a little dated, the self-service buffet and drinks are top notch. Think cheese plates, cold cuts, soup of the day, hot entrees and a wagyu steak pie. You can always have champagne in the Emirates Lounge, today’s picks are Veuve Clicquot or Laurent Perrier (I’m going for the latter).
Top tip: With two Emirates flights departing within an hour of each other, the lounge can be busy. I find the area where you turn left is much quieter than the area around the food and drinks.
If you’re traveling to Dubai and are an eligible Skywards member, you’ll have access to Emirates Business Class in Dubai. It is huge with several buffets, bars, showers and rest areas.
Seat and room
First – wow. The new premium economy checks that I’m not walking straight to business class. A sense of serious space thanks to the wooden paneling around the window, the shiny clean cream leather seats and its position at the front of the lower deck (which means you’ll be one of the first to get off).
The seating layout is a 2-4-2 configuration, with two-section seating being the best option. I am in seat 35B (I always choose an aisle seat) which is 40 inches (101.6 cm), width 19.5 inches (50 cm) and most importantly – eight inches (20 cm) of recline. 10 cm more than economy.
Other premium economy touches include a cushioned leg rest and foot bar under the front seat, adjustable head rests, USB ports and a side table for drinks.
Food
As with the Business Class offer, passengers are offered menus to choose from, and meals are served on luxurious Royal Doulton china tableware. Being an overnight flight, our dinner menu offers braised beef cheeks or chicken biryani, cheese and crackers and cookies and cream cheesecake for dessert. A basket of warm bread is served to choose from premium white and red wine and sparkling Domaine Chandon Brut. If you’re nervous all night (I wasn’t), light bites are on offer, including beef and mushroom calzones. Breakfast was a choice of mushroom omelette or pineapple bread (think banana bread) and fruit. Verdict: Flight meals are excellent and portions are generous.
Service
The cabin crew were exceptional as they showed me the ropes and features of a premium economy seat. Passengers are provided with a non-alcoholic beverage prior to take-off and a hot towel prior to meal service.
Convenience kit
Complimentary amenity kits are provided immediately upon departure. The reusable kits are washable and made of kraft paper and come with socks, eyeshades and dental kits. I put on socks and then an eye mask – this is my best tip for sleeping on a plane.
Entertainment
The inflight entertainment system is called Ice and offers thousands of movies, TV shows, music and podcasts. The screen size is 13.3 inches. I especially like the Ice Top 5 selection because you can spend hours going through all the options.
Faith
The airline’s loyalty program is called Emirates Skywards, but if you’re a Qantas frequent flyer, you can choose to put your points into your Qantas account, but note that you won’t earn any status credits this way. As a Gold Skywards member, I get complimentary seat selection, lounge access and one of the biggest perks for those who want to stay connected with free Wi-Fi on board.
Judgment
Emirates’ new Premium Economy is the best in the business. 10/10
