Is British Airways Premium Economy Worth The Upgrade?

Premium economy has become increasingly popular in recent years, with more and more airlines introducing the cabin between economy and business class. British Airways is no exception, and the airline has a good, but not top-rated, cabin and service on offer.

British Airways World Traveller Plus

Like many airlines, British Airways offers a premium economy cabin on long haul flights. It was one of the first airlines globally to do so. The cabin is now offered on all its long-haul widebody aircraft and routes.

British Airways names its cabin products differently. Premium economy is known as World Traveller Plus (with economy class being World Traveller, and business class Club World). The World Traveller Plus cabin is an upgraded offering over an increasingly cramped World Traveller cabin, but it is far from the flatbeds and better service in Club World.

Photo: Justin Hayward | Simple Flying

Of course, the value of any cabin upgrade depends on the price. As with any airline, there are large variations in this. On many routes, however, British Airways prices World Traveller Plus very competitively (this is not usually the case with Club World). The cabin can be available for a relatively small price increase, especially during regular sales and promotions.

It is also possible to upgrade to World Traveller Plus using Avios – see our guide to using Avios for more details.

Better seating and a smaller cabin

The main reason to upgrade to the World Traveller Plus is for the improved seating. This generally makes for a much more comfortable flight and is a major consideration on long routes. A day flight to New York might not be worlds apart, but you will really notice the difference on a 14-hour overnight Asian flight.

Photo: Robin Guess | Shutterstock

While there can be small differences between aircraft, British Airways typically offers reclining seats with 38 inches of legroom (seat pitch) and a seat width of around 18.5 inches. This compares with a standard in World Traveller of 31 inches pitch and 17.5 inches width. Seating information here is based on seatguru.com.

Photo: British Airways

The cabin is also smaller, leading to a (hopefully) more relaxing experience and better service. On the Boeing 787-9 there are 29 seats (compared to 127 seats in World Traveller), rising to 56 on the A350-1000 (against 219 in the World Traveller cabin).

Photo: British Airways

There are other small improvements over the World Traveller seat. There is a fold-out leg rest, a larger tray table, and larger fixed armrests. There is no real additional storage (the exception being on the Airbus A380 where there are side storage panels for the window seats).

The seat-back screen is slightly larger, and you are (usually) offered better noise-canceling headsets. The entertainment system is the same (albeit very good) as other cabins, and there is no included WiFi or additional benefits.

Read about the best premium economy cabins on offer

Better service – on the ground and in the air

On the ground, there are some important differences. World Traveller Plus fares (paid or upgraded) offer an additional luggage allowance (of two checked-in bags). This could be an expensive addition if needed on a normal economy fare. Mid and top-tier Executive Club members (and oneworld equivalents) can take an additional bag as well. You will also get faster check-in (usually with dedicated World Traveller Plus desks) but not access to fast-track security or any departure lounges.

Photo: Justin Hayward | Simple Flying

In the air, the differences are arguably smaller. There is no pre-departure drinks service (although this was offered in the past, so may change again). Main meals in theory have more choice (although in recent experience, I have come across very limited loading of some options), and the drinks menu is largely the same. With the smaller cabin, service is usually much faster (especially useful on a night flight when you want to rest as soon as possible).

Related

Flight Review: Hong Kong to London In Premium Economy On British Airways’ Boeing 787-9

British Airways World Traveller Plus is a great option on a longer flight, but with a full cabin and longer routing, it is not perfect.

Don’t forget Avios and Tier Points

As a final consideration for upgrading, bear in mind the value of the additional Avios and Tier Points. Now that British Airways Executive Club has switched to a revenue-based earning method for Avios, this is much less of a consideration. But if you want to be strategic (and are not interested in status with Executive Club), you could credit flights to many alternative oneworld loyalty programs (such as Qatar Airways) and earn based on the cabin and flight length. Premium economy traditionally earns much higher here than economy fares.

If you are chasing status with Executive Club, choosing a World Traveller Plus fare will make a big difference. On a return flight from London to Hong Kong, for example, any World Traveller Plus fare will earn 200 Tier Points – in the lowest World Traveller fares, this would be just 40 Tier Points (rising to 160 Tier Points for expensive full-fare tickets).

Have you flown British Airways World Traveller Plus? Would you like to share your experiences and value you see in the upgrade to the cabin? Feel free to do so in the comments section below.