Hello Jetsetters! I’ve seen some folks in the comments ask why we chose to use the term “Premium Economy” in this video. As I mentioned in Denver, there are distinct “Premium Economy” cabins on some long-haul flights. However, we believe the term “Premium Economy” is also the right way to fairly, accurately, and universally describe Delta’s “Comfort +,” American’s “Main Cabin Extra,” and United’s “Economy Plus” offerings on narrow body, domestic flights. The technical terms in aviation can be confusing, for sure. Thanks so much for watching!
Then why are you using the term premium economy? It's bull crap. You are lying to every single one of your viewers. These are not premium economy seats. They are economy main cabin seats with slightly extra room. Both American and United even call them what they are economy plus Or main cabin extra. They are not premium at all. They are just slightly extra legroom that's it. The real premium economy seats from American are actually called premium economy. They are not called main cabin extra. So how about you stop calling them a fake name and lying to everybody on here and change the title of your stupid video.
Interesting comparison should I ever fly economy in the US again... I had to give up on any flying with American years ago and my job has subsequently banned us from traveling them for business along with Southwest, Frontier, Allegiant, and Spirit. They by far have the worst customer service in aviation, rudest flight attendants, and the number of cancellations and delays on mainline legs in the US compared to the same trips on Delta, United, and even Alaska is mind-boggling. The last straw was a JFK to ORD flight where American delayed and delayed (claiming weather in Chicago).. Surprisingly all other airlines flights from JFK to ORD were departing without delay... We used points on Delta and were home in bed before American had finally cancelled at JFK.. Crazy and considering I can fly upwards of 300 days a year, far and away its Delta, JSX or Alaska (if its an option), United, then American.
I think the video should be titled based upon the fare class you paid for. Y = Economy. O = Premium Economy. J = Business. F = First. For transparency, please let us know the fare class of your bookings....this will indicate if the airline classifies your seat as Economy or Premium Economy. The right way to describe your seats is a "More Space/Room etc." of economy. The only difference you are getting is in hard product, there is no difference in service , which is distinct from actual Premium Economy.
The most frustrating part of flying is when you have a tight connection and you are in the back of the plane. By far, the biggest perk of flying in Premium Economy is that it is right behind First Class which gets you off of the plane much faster than in Economy and gives you a much better chance of making your connection.
xr6lad, sometimes your comfortable 90 minute connection becomes a tight 10 minute connection. If you are stuck at the back of the plane 4 rows behind the petite woman trying to wrestle her giant rollaboard out of the overhead she alone can consume all of the time you need to make your connection. Sitting further forward in Premium Economy can make all of the difference between making your connection or spending the night in the airport.@@xr6lad
You asked about pilots making announcements pre flight. I fly primarily on Delta and recently a pilot stood facing the passengers and thanked us for flying. He was very funny and engaging telling us to keep flying Delta so he can continue working as he has three children who want to go to college. Made the great experience even better. Thanks for all your videos.
As a 34 year Captain, I have to comment. People buy tickets based on Price, Convenience, loyalty points, and cabin experience. No customer will ever buy a ticket on a nonsensical PA by a busy flight crew
Oh how sad 😢, that Delta isn't paying pilots enough to be able to save up and send their children to college. He has to appeal to flyers' conscience...MOVE OVER TO AMERICAN AIRLINES PILOT!!. 😤😠😁
I was a loyal Southwest passenger for many years, but I really enjoyed the extra room and newer planes on Delta and AA. I've upgraded to premium on both lines.
@@jonathantitus2629 I remember for a time after 9-11 American removed them (which, IMO, was moronic especially if 9-11 was the blame, because the change wouldn't do anything to help safety or security, and everything to fuel paranoia). Damn, now I want to hunt down old copies of the American Way magazine to see how the fleet page evolved ovcer time - the only one I have from pre-2003 was a Jan 1997 issue where the Shorts 360 turboprop (apparently also known as the flying barn to many, heh) was still listed as part of American Eagle's fleet.
I saw an American Airlines plane in the old fashioned colors and it looked so cool. It had a bare metal body with a red lightning bolt stretching the entire length of the plane. I was saddened that this isn't a widespread practice.
Can you be more specific? I am always flying at minimum premium economy due to being 6’5” and I’ve never had even close to a pleasant experience when compared to business class. Premium economy should be more along the lines of business light at the prices the crooks charge
@@CongressSux1776 I have disabilities and am moderately overweight, so economy seats are narrow and uncomfortable. The premium economy seats I sat in were noticeably wider, hence they were more comfortable.
@@davidp2888 You lost me “am overweight” I’m 6’5” and struggle to fit in seats in any class, my excuse is I was born this way. You on the other hand had to preface with “I have medical failures”
@@Bluetangg ummm. That's how the world works. Want a more comfortable car? You're going to pay more. Want more comfortable seat on an airplane? You're going to pay more. Want a bigger hotel room with more comfortable beds? Pay more. Welcome to the world and how stuff works.
Yep. That's why these domestic reviews are so important. Premium economy on a short flight via A319/320/737 or something even smaller like a CRJ or ERJ is worth checking out before you buy a ticket. Most seating on regionals or narrow body aircraft are totally different than a large wide body experience.
These aren’t premium economy. These are extra legroom economy seats, basically the same as if you were sitting in an emergency row. They are worth it if you’re tall and that’s about it.
I always loved it when the captains used to make a small pre flight announcement about theflight plan, current time and weather at the current location and destination as well as give you a warm welcome.
I don’t fly much, but I never understand pilot’s announcements. They’re muffled, low volume or both. I usually hear cabin steward announcements, which are the important ones.
@@miketravels I remember them being much better when back in the 80s-90s (for whatever reason). They'd always come on, talk about the time difference, our flight path and what kind of weather some of the cities along the way are having, then finish off with the whole pre-landing procedure and stuff. Having said all that this was memories from when I was a kid 30+ years ago so it could just be rose tinted memories. Nowadays I have to agree most of the captain's announcements sound muffled and hard to understand and I tend to ignore them 99% of the time.
Another great video. I really love the content. Offering a strong co-sign to comments from those who are tall or have a larger frame. I am 6'2" and have broad shoulders. I recently traveled from DC to Burbank. The first leg to Denver (4 hours) was an economy window seat and it was brutal. Even the seatback IFE couldn't make up for the lack of knee room. The second leg was premium economy in a bulkhead widow seat. Pure heaven.
Important to note, Delta's extra cost for Comfort+ is not consistently that much extra. It appears to depend a lot on the route. I've seen plenty of flights where Comfort+ is only about $40 extra.
The route and the timing of your booking. I've gone back to see if I could modify a reservation and noticed that the price differences are more drastic the closer to the date of departure.
Yes, this is all part of dynamic pricing. As the planes fill up, the airlines’ algorithms alter the prices to maximize profit. Everything is becoming more like a Middle Eastern bazaar wherein the price is whatever you are willing to pay.
@@Andrew-iv5dq This is false. There's no algorithm that auto-increases the price to maximize profit. It's a first come first served fare availability for airlines, so if there are 20 seats at X price and that sells out, it goes up to the next tier of prices. Be careful in spreading false information about airlines; I'm told airline employees get screamed at and abused by people who dont understand the pricing rules
Yep. Premium Economy would be something like, a United flight from LAX-EWR on a 787-9. This video needs to be re-labelled as these are NOT Premium Economy class.
I've been flying AA for well over 20 years and have zero interest flying any other. I honestly don't comprehend WHY so many people cry & whine about not having IFE in the seat back. I do pay my way, and DO fly Business (dom 1st). I don't need to spend an upwards of $300 for a video screen lol. I have a 10.1" tablet that works just fine. My content at my leisure. Also, it astounds me why anyone would willingly pay for MCE (they do!) and not just go F. Matter of fact, I booked our upcoming trip (April) for CHEAPER than MCE. I'm just fine getting a flight credit vs a cash refund. Last years trip was free and clear (ok fine, $8 total) because we had trip credits piling up. I book and hawk the rate. Matter of fact, we have $358 in credits to next spring which we'll be using. There was a flash sale on F and I called right after I took a screen shot. $179 each. Sale was over less than 6 hours later. I almost missed it lol. But back to it. If people would just pay attention, they'd see it's 100% worth it flying dom 1st. Checked bags: 30x2 each way so 120r/t. Speedy check-in and security: we qualify it for $40 each as that's what it used to cost before they got rid of it. (160r/t) Adult beverages: we each average 3 on direct and 4 with layover (2×2). At 10 per, that's another 120-180. Meal cost is roughly $20 so there's another 80. We're already at or just over $400 in "extras". Finally, seating. Standard MCE rate is 25 (from MC) for a 17.3" seat. Being in F, it's a 20.5-21" seat so qualify that for 35 per segment, so with layover, another 140/rt. $550!!!! We only paid an overage of less than $20 at the finish line.
I don't fly often on American, but when I do, I've faced one problem after another. I certainly wasn't impressed by so-called "First Class," the one time I splurged.
@@guidonagle5075 what now?? You're reaching so far with this claim. Your device clips onto the seat back in front of you. The exact same spot that 9" monitor would be. Kindly explain your discomfort.
Last year, I flew on Delta and was in the Comfort + cabin. I was pleasantly surprised by it. Seat was plenty wide enough (and I could be considered a Customer of Size), did not require a seat belt extension and there was plenty of leg room (I'm 6'2"). Normally, I fly in First Class, but if need be, I will use the Comfort + on Delta again.
As a person of similar height, I always fly 10C on the Airbus 220s. Lots of legroom but you might get bumps here and there from people walking down the aisle.
This is a nice comment! First international trip next year and booked comfort + for more room and overhead and priority boarding over the economy. Looking forward to it!
I can’t complain with American. Flew back home to Las Vegas today from Dallas and just for being military got priority boarding even before being bumped up to first class and the pilots were very informative the whole flight with announcements. I may be an American fan from now on.
I have mixed opinions about them because sometimes they're okay but pricing can be hard on the wallet. However, their accountants understand this and sometimes have fire sales. My last vacation was on American because by coincidence they were doing an after-Xmas fare war and I couldn't refuse the offer. The flight was PACKED full. Well, that's the price you pay for cheap tickets. They actually matched Southwest's price for that flight (DFW/MCO).
Choosing my seat is the key. I sit in the aisle when available, hopefully in the first row. I’ve often had to remind people sitting in my paid-for seat that they were in the wrong seat.
I have a story.... I agree with you; first row, bulkhead, on the aisle. It costs a bit more, but I am of an age and skrimped for years to pad my travel account - and I'm determined that a bit of financial padding will not stop me from being comfortable while checking off my bucket list. So the plane is filling, and this 20-something, very polite guy says to the flight attendant, "if no-one sits in that seat (aisle center across from me), can I move up?" I was rather impressed to hear the attendant tell him, "sir, I'd like to fulfill your request, but these passengers paid extra to sit in these seats.. so, no, I can't let you do that (as he was coming from way back in economy). " Huh.. thank you, flight attendant. Next, they announce that the doors are closing. And here comes a 40-something, bar-fly looking woman with short shorts and a tight top. She says to (not asks) the man who would be in the center section next to her - as her butt hits the chair, "hey, you don't mind I crash here." There were no attendants around, and I say, " another guy came from back a few rows and asked the attendant, and she told him no. Sorry." Oh my gosh. The people looked at me (some laughed) and acted like I was the rudest person ever. Shocked I wasn't called Karen and some would have started filming. So much for..... oh, forget it. I think she was bought a few drinks and may have given out a phone number to a couple before we got to London. I put on my headphones and keep my mouth shut now.
4 days ago I booked a flight thru Delta for me and my elderly father. I was debating on economy plus so that he could be more comfortable but the cost seemed a little much. It will take two flights to reach our destination with each being less than 2 hours, and the upgrade seemed unnecessary for the flight times, but I was still debating. So glad I watched this video! Main Cabin, we’re staying with you! Thanks, Jeb!!
United airlines business class is the true first class. First class passengers are immediately offered choice of water/sparkling water/Prosecco/white wine while waiting for everyone to board. When in flight, FA’s walk around handing hot towels to refresh yourself, prior to meal service. During meal service, food is served in plates, with silverware and cloth napkins. Delta and American meals are served in pre made boxes with bamboo utensils, paper napkins and cold food. If I’m paying more than $800 dollars, I’d like my food served warm and with real cutlery.
@@Khrissy1220not sure when you’ve flown AA biz/first but I have never seen what you’re describing unless you’re talking about a short flight. Hope you are comparing apples to apples. On AA it’s always been exactly what you’re describing for United, except FAs walking around constantly distributing hot towels 😂 except at the beginning of service.
What’s nice is when you book basic economy with AA and they randomly assign you main cabin extra seat. I’ve had that happen to me before. Granted I boarded almost last but there was still room for my carry on.
I've never had a good delta experience, not once. United has only let me down a handful of times and when I let them know about it, they usually give me some flight credit or extra miles for compensation. None of the 3 big ones are perfect, but Delta is also has the most delayed or cancelled flights. No thanks!
DEI is not what you think it is, the standards of hiring are still really high and yet I still see a lot of white, male and straight folks flying their planes so I disagree that this is affecting anything. You need to do some research on this whole DEI thing because is not what some news agency are describing it like. Just an FYI :)@@neutralcommenter7800
I have never flown on Delta and I have had poor experiences with American. My favorite airline is United being based near ORD. In both July 2023 and October 2023 I was on one of United’s newer Boeing 737 MAX 8s, and both times I really loved it. In April, I will be flying with American again, glad to give them another chance after a poor experience in July 2022
For short haul and transcontinental, a regular economy seat will do, but if you are flying long-haul, then economy plus/comfort plus/main cabin extra may be the better option
That is a true statement over the long haul. It's, do you get there more relaxed or do you get there? As a 1/2? A person extremely tired for all the things in economy. When I fly across the nation , I either get you're a bit premium comma or business class for those reasons. My clients are paying me to hit the floor running. And I certainly have a hard time doing that. When I travel economy across the nation.
They used to include free alcohol. I guess thats gone. My best experience in economy anyway was on a milk run on ASA. They had to use a bottle start at Deadhorse. Got really cold in cabin as it was winter. But they gave me 2 free rum plus a cheese tray. Plus it was on a 734 combi! Ive flown emirates and singapore as well. Didnt compare to regular economy on ASA.
@@Furiousbanner - yes, its what's on long haul wide body aircraft. It's a completely different product/seat. It's not sold domestically, in most cases. These are simply extra legroom seats and it's what they are sold as.
Hi Jeb! I would love to see a southwest “hub” hopping video. They obviously dont have hubs but i would love to see a hopping video on their crew bases. Happy flying!
@@CongressSux1776 yes, they do have a lot of crew bases but some of them are definitely not as prominent. They have a crew base at atlanta but i certainly wouldn’t call that a southwest hub as much as say MDW. I think Jeb could do it
@@jameswinward4354 What do you consider a “hub”? Tampa is one of the largest “mid-size” airports and southeast makes up 54% of their daily flights. So I don’t think you are very accurate
some of the hubs are ones other airlines have already like denver, atlanta, phoenix, Orlando and Los Angeles and overall there are quite a bit compared to others
We are doing Delta Comfort + on an international flight to Japan this summer. Thank you for giving us the view of the actual room. It was a pricey upgrade but I feel worth it on a 14 hour flight. Especially since the next level up is out of our reach and First Class is no where on the radar for us.
This was a great video. You and Suzanne Have come to be one of my three traveling videos that I watch on a regular basis. This one I enjoyed very much because when i have to fly across the nation. Premium business class are the first two that I choose and because of my miles I do use upgrades for them. It's the difference of getting there a half of a person because you are dead tired of facing all of the things that come with just economy. But you can arrive a lot more rested and ready to hit the floor running as your clients expect you to do when you use either premium or business class. I do use first class but I have found the airlines that do have business class are my favorite beat. Because you get almost the same benefits as first class. And what you don't get I don't really care about. This great job this was one of my favorites. You too are my favorite team keep up the good work.
I’m a new subscriber. I’ve ALWAYS wanted to do a cross-country train trip ever since I was a little girl and watched that “I Love Lucy” episode, lol, and after seeing your video on that, I booked my own cabin on a trip for next year. I’m SO STINKIN’ EXCITED!!!!! Now, I have a trip planned and it was kind of last minute and first class was out of my budget this time, so I booked Comfort+ and this video popped up to help me get a feel for what to expect. I adore you both for the time and quality you put into your videos ❤
This is why I prefer your videos to ones like TrekTrendy. You talk about what the average person can do and experience and not just upload mindless 'most expensive flight/train/cruise' videos one after the other, replacing actual personality with 'once again I eat caviar' and 'look at me drinking Dom Perignon again.'
I’m fortunate in that I’m Platinum on Delta for lifetime. So, anytime i book an economy flight i automatically get myself and my travel companion upgraded (for free) to comfort plus. It makes flying domestically doable for me in Economy. If i didn’t have that perk, I’d book everything in first class. Economy nowadays is just brutal. And i will NEVER book even comfort plus to Europe or Asia. Either Premium Select or biz class on long haul flights. I just couldn’t imagine having to fly in base economy for more than 3 hours.
I took a Delta A321 from LGA to MIA in "comfort plus" and in regular economy on the return. For me (a relatively big guy) having the seats farther apart made a difference to me. On my flights, there was drink service -- and several times the flight attendants walked through the plane with trays offering cups of water.
On a United wide body plane it is a different set up. There are THREE economy classes. regular economy, economy plus which is an economy seat with 3=4 inches more legroom. Then there is Premium economy with more legroom, real food on real plates, and with totally different seats. On a 777 economy is 3-4-3 and Premium Economy is 2-4-2. I found Premium Economy on a United 777 to be wonderful and worth the premium price.
Got to admit Delta does a great job keeping old planes modern and fresh. Overall I think Delta has the most "premium" experience although all three just offer more legroom in reality.
We flew premium economy to Hawaii from DFW. We got an amenity kit, blanket, pillow, one meal, one snack and sat in a two, three, two configuration. It was fabulous. On American!
I enjoyed this but ever since you mentioned the idea of a Southwest, JetBlue, and Breeze comparison as an idea in your “America’s Worst Airlines?” video I’ve been looking forward to that one. Given that you just did this one I understand if it’s not on the immediate horizon, but I’ll still look forward to it. As a Southwest customer I’m curious how you’d think those others compare. Also as a Southwest customer I enjoyed this one since I’ve never flown them and I was curious if a little extra was worth trying another airline. Nice work. Keep it up!
You can't use price as a criteria because it varies and depending on what type of plane you're in, all rhese metrics change - even within the same airline. So, basically this review is bogus and not representative or comprehensive.
Just flew Delta today. I'm 6'5" 370 lbs flew a 4hr flight. Let just say I was snugg. I didn't need a extension but I know going into everything I'm never going to be comfortable. I might check out comfort plus next time. I've watched many of your videos so i knew what to expect. Love your videos keep it up.
For short domestic flights, I typically save the money and fly main cabin. For international flights, I now almost will always try to fly Premium Economy.
For Delta Comfort plus you also get your dedicated overhead storage bin and you also get to choose your seat at the time you purchase your ticket online which is something I like to do.
I'm a former flight attendant and I can explain the box under the seat. You were on an EOW aircraft (extended over water). That box contains the life vest. The first two flights were on land only aircrafts, which are authorized to go 170 miles over the ocean and only require a floating seat cushion.
7:27 Fun fact! AAL and UAL don’t market it as a separate cabin like DL does because of union contract scope. At my airline, management can’t implement a new cabin without prior negotiations. Internally, this was a hot button topic when it first came out!
What a brilliant idea for a video, Jeb & Susan. I like your combination of Science and English Language Arts: the quasi- experiment comparing the 3 airlines, and the neat 5-paragraph essay format + bloopers.😊 For me, premium economy > economy whenever available, regardless of flight duration.
I have only booked an upgraded seat on a US Domestic flight once, and it had little to do with the actual quality of the seat. Some backstory, In June of 2022, I was flying into the US, landing in LAX on a Qantas A380, however my ultimate destination was SF but All of the American connections were actually Skywest flights and I wasn't feeling that. So I took a bold action & booked a Delta A220 into SFO, canceling my Qantas itinerary after LAX. When it came to paying for my two checked suitcases, the fee was roughly the same as a First Class ticket which included two checked bags, and that's the reason I upgraded. By this point in my journey, between when I had woken up in NZL, flown to SYD, crossed the Pacific, passed through CBP, collected luggage, walked to the Delta terminal, checked back in, reentered security, found the gate & gotten to my First Class seat, I would have been awake for the better part of 24hrs, meaning that I might not have been as appreciative of any extra amenities on offer.
As a somewhat tall human, United’s new main cabin is uncomfortably tight. Their extra legroom seats are a must for me. Delta isn’t a huge difference as far as I can tell. Except I like the early boarding. I haven’t tried American’s yet but I am this next week!
When I flew Delta Comfort + from STL to MSP, it was only $10 more each way, well worth the upgrade for more space. However, the crew never offered me premium drinks, either on the way up to MSP or on the way home. Maybe it's because it was only a 45-minute flight. That was a letdown. But I'd fly it again, especially for the price.
On short (i.e 2 hours or so) we usually pick just regular economy, but longer flights and international we go premium economy or even the next step. We found our last flight from Cincinnati to London on BA was well worth what we paid. Soon we will test Delta Comfort plus on two flights--Cincy to Paris and later Munich to Detroit. For us it is about seat comfort/room on those longer flights more than anything else. Thanks for this info as we may well have a longer domestic flight next year...
As someone that's 6'4", economy plus is a requirement. Economy seats simply don't have enough legroom for me. I got stuck flying Southwest a while back and it was a painful flight. It was like driving a car where your knees are pressed against the dashboard.
It was significantly more comfortable to fly the Major U.S. Airlines back in the 80's and 90's. Legroom has shrunk over the past 20 years in economy and I feel like it is less safe to cram more people into these domestic jets. I believe the FAA began a study on the reduction of legroom over the past 20 years so hopefully something will come of it. Sitting in regular economy if you're over 6 foot tall is just about unbearable.
@@phantomjosh2148at 6'4 im forced to pay extra for my knees to touch the seat or pay standard pricing to be uncomfortably wedged into a seat that I can't really fit into
Delta comfort plus overhead bin space is dedicated to your seat as in first class. Yes it’s truly enforced- if there is open space at end of boarding attendant will offer it up
Delta’s Comfort Plus GUARANTEES space for your carry on bag. That is what made it worth it to me. I started booking Comfort Plus with Delta when my bag was gate checked by a message from the cabin crew on another flight. And I had to collect it at baggage claim (not right outside the plane door on departure).
i'm personally a pretty small dude and only 5'10 and i fit perfect inside the basic economy seats, i am very happy for local US Flights sitting economy, but for them longer flights as i do 3x a year, i book premium economy or first class on United, i only treat myself to first class once a year though when i do the super long 16 hour flight from Washington Dulles to Cape Town South Africa! cuz that extra comfort is needed in my opinion, hope this gave an insight to you Jeb! awesome video as always! united polaris is a must!
I routinely upgrade on DL from TPA to SAN & SLC FREE meal box and drinks, priority boarding LOVE this product Delta also offers upgrade possibilities after you have purchased main cabin Love you guys and am a long time follower Wish you could have compared longer flights. I get a lot of band for my buck going nonstop to SLC ! Love you guys ❤
I love Delta Comfort+ overall. Free Drinks and dedicated overhead bin space and more leg room. Worth the price for me! Idk if those feature have changed or not but that’s what they were when I used Delta last.
Just got back to Winnipeg from Orlando through Atlanta. Atlanta is huge and we travelled economy. Plane from Orlando to Atlanta was a B757-200 Huge plane by Westjet standards. Nice
Jeb, great video as always. I'm surprised that the Delta pilots didn't make a preflight announcement; I'd say that is exceptionally rare. Also, have you tried Delta's "Premium Economy" on the widebody fleet? It's actually a higher class than "Comfort Plus" and is more like a domestic first-class seat. As for Wifi speed, there are so many different systems in use depending on aircraft type and when the equipment was installed; your internet on a given day might be really fast or really slow.
I had a long haul international flight from Ireland (Dublin) to Boston with Delta last year. We booked the Premium Select seats, they were incredible! Having that extra room and comfort seriously helped my fear of flying.
As someone who is 6'-3 and a larger set person. yes it's worth it in my opinion for the extra leg room. Boarding slightly earlier with guaranteed bin space in some cases is pretty nice as well as someone who at times is traveling with expensive camera gear.
Can't beat the comfortable feeling of travelling Briggs & Riley. My 750,000 mile bag has made a couple of warranty repair trips to them, and it's as sturdy as ever.
The first time I was in Premium Economy, I flew from Boston to Seattle, and I was placed there for free, as I didn’t choose my seat at the time. It was surprisingly comfortable, and the extra leg room was worth it. The free drinks were a plus. I’ve not sat anywhere else since, and am willing to pay for the upgrade every time, especially on non stop cross country flights. FWIW, I pretty much fly Alaska exclusively.
I agree with your conclusion. For American, it's worth it, for the others when you factor in cost and what you are getting, not so much based on the value. Usually the best compromise on Delta is an exit row that reclines and on some of their planes with a 2 - 3 configuration, on the 2 side, you can find what I call "the thrown" with only one exit row seat! Since you now have to pay extra to pick your seat in main cabin which is another rip off on Delta, expect to pay at least an extra $50 over what they advertise.
I flew United Premium Economy from Moline to Denver and then on to Sacramento and I am so grateful that I did that. 65 years old, about 2 and 1/2 hours, and 3 hours per flight. Ugh on a 2-hour flight I wouldn't care but 3 hours and 2 and 1/2 hours it makes a difference. Also United does not play. You know from the minute you step on the plane they are in charge. There is no wiggle room for hijinks from any of the passengers and that made me feel an extra measure of safety. I hadn't flown in over 20 years and I had seen videos about some other airline's flights with some misbehaving passengers and really to be quite frank, I was a little nervous to fly but United was professional across the board. I let them know that after I got back.
Service wise really depends on what kind of crew is working on the flight. I fly AA the most, and so far there has been just one significant delay for me, and I have encountered only one crew member who looked so done for work.
Seeing Suzanne wearing the shirt from one of my biggest inspirations and fellow Washingtonians, Rick Steves, made me smile a bit. Always enjoy your videos and the analysis of the experience your various flights provide! - Gary
I fly delta from Atx to Atl frequently, comfort + is a very cheap upgrade and for the most part worth it. Flying international I’ll always upgrade, on the 767s it’s only two to a row on the sides so that’s nice. But the best feature for delta is having the tv and being able to put your phone away and just relax
Jeb & Suzanne, thank you for sharing this video with us. I'm a Delta SkyMiles member, so I normally book with them. The only time I would book with another airline, is if Delta didn't go to a certain location. That being said, if I'm going a short distance, say the Carolinas, (2hrs +) then I would book Delta's Main Economy. If Delta Comfort for a reasonable price R/T, I may take that. But I'm looking to using Delta's Comfort seats in the near future for longer flights of (3hrs+). Because, as a SkyMiles member, I need to build my miles back up to the different statuses, so that eventually I can book a trip to Italy using some of my miles. I appreciate your time in checking out this info as it's really helpful.
I took Main Cabin Extra at American Airlines from Las Vegas to back home. It's worth it for the boarding priority and free alcohol drinks (whiskey/gin & coke for me). For a 3 hrs flight, I don't mind pressing the service button twice to get 3 drinks during transit!
For my family, the Premium Economy is our choice, specifically with Delta. This is because we live in Hawai’i and take longer flights. I can deal with regular Economy for a 2 hour flight. Plus, both Delta and Hawaiian charge extra for specific Economy seats these days, so the difference in price is not as large as in your Delta flight. I usually travel with a family member with both physical and mental disabilities. The Premium Economy seats lessen his anxiety and are definitely more comfortable. And when we have connecting flights, being seated near the front is very helpful.
Nice and informative film as usual. My wife and I have a plan when we order plane tickets (we are now retired, previously I worked around the world for more than 40 years) We live 50% in Thailand and 50% in Sweden. When we fly trips shorter than 4.5 hours, we order economy class tickets. If the trips are longer than 4.5 hours, we fly Business class. It is certainly important to have good legroom, but within Europe there is no major difference. The price difference is too great. Here (in Asia as we are at the moment) the normal flight times for us are 2-3 hours so have never tried Premium. When we are going back to Sweden, the first leg is Chiang Mai to Bangkok with Bangkok airway this leg is what I want to believe "premium economy We get three seats and food including alcohol drink (if we want it) the same leg space but thankfully we get an empty seat between us, it feels good
Hello Jetsetters! I’ve seen some folks in the comments ask why we chose to use the term “Premium Economy” in this video. As I mentioned in Denver, there are distinct “Premium Economy” cabins on some long-haul flights. However, we believe the term “Premium Economy” is also the right way to fairly, accurately, and universally describe Delta’s “Comfort +,” American’s “Main Cabin Extra,” and United’s “Economy Plus” offerings on narrow body, domestic flights. The technical terms in aviation can be confusing, for sure. Thanks so much for watching!
I’ve been on American in regular economy and I’ve seen both pretzels and biscof cookies
Then why are you using the term premium economy? It's bull crap. You are lying to every single one of your viewers. These are not premium economy seats. They are economy main cabin seats with slightly extra room. Both American and United even call them what they are economy plus Or main cabin extra. They are not premium at all. They are just slightly extra legroom that's it. The real premium economy seats from American are actually called premium economy. They are not called main cabin extra. So how about you stop calling them a fake name and lying to everybody on here and change the title of your stupid video.
Interesting comparison should I ever fly economy in the US again... I had to give up on any flying with American years ago and my job has subsequently banned us from traveling them for business along with Southwest, Frontier, Allegiant, and Spirit. They by far have the worst customer service in aviation, rudest flight attendants, and the number of cancellations and delays on mainline legs in the US compared to the same trips on Delta, United, and even Alaska is mind-boggling. The last straw was a JFK to ORD flight where American delayed and delayed (claiming weather in Chicago).. Surprisingly all other airlines flights from JFK to ORD were departing without delay... We used points on Delta and were home in bed before American had finally cancelled at JFK.. Crazy and considering I can fly upwards of 300 days a year, far and away its Delta, JSX or Alaska (if its an option), United, then American.
In addition to your tape measure it would help us tall folks to know how tall each of you are for comparison.
I think the video should be titled based upon the fare class you paid for. Y = Economy. O = Premium Economy. J = Business. F = First.
For transparency, please let us know the fare class of your bookings....this will indicate if the airline classifies your seat as Economy or Premium Economy.
The right way to describe your seats is a "More Space/Room etc." of economy. The only difference you are getting is in hard product, there is no difference in service , which is distinct from actual Premium Economy.
Suzanne adds so much to your videos. Very genuine!
Yes she does!! Thanks!!
I had the same thought
i think the opposite. makes it seem like a scripted tv show
The most frustrating part of flying is when you have a tight connection and you are in the back of the plane. By far, the biggest perk of flying in Premium Economy is that it is right behind First Class which gets you off of the plane much faster than in Economy and gives you a much better chance of making your connection.
Great point!!
Most frustrating part of flying is flying in general. People have gone butt crazy and get set off over the smallest little thing.
Don’t book tight connections
@@xr6lad Waiting for the next day's flight isn't a luxury that everyone has
xr6lad, sometimes your comfortable 90 minute connection becomes a tight 10 minute connection. If you are stuck at the back of the plane 4 rows behind the petite woman trying to wrestle her giant rollaboard out of the overhead she alone can consume all of the time you need to make your connection. Sitting further forward in Premium Economy can make all of the difference between making your connection or spending the night in the airport.@@xr6lad
You asked about pilots making announcements pre flight. I fly primarily on Delta and recently a pilot stood facing the passengers and thanked us for flying. He was very funny and engaging telling us to keep flying Delta so he can continue working as he has three children who want to go to college. Made the great experience even better. Thanks for all your videos.
So a former SouthWest pilot?
As a 34 year Captain, I have to comment. People buy tickets based on Price, Convenience, loyalty points, and cabin experience. No customer will ever buy a ticket on a nonsensical PA by a busy flight crew
@@petrovichbauer5105 as a person who buys tickets, i agree
@@petrovichbauer5105true, but a personable flight crew *does* add a certain something to overall experience.
Oh how sad 😢, that Delta isn't paying pilots enough to be able to save up and send their children to college. He has to appeal to flyers' conscience...MOVE OVER TO AMERICAN AIRLINES PILOT!!. 😤😠😁
I was a loyal Southwest passenger for many years, but I really enjoyed the extra room and newer planes on Delta and AA. I've upgraded to premium on both lines.
Leg room is the most important for me when flying then cost . Drinks , snacks and in-flight entertainment is less important. Love watching your videos
More leg room = more comfort.
More comfort = better sleep 😴😴😴
Agree
16:03 - 16:04 The fleet and route maps part of inflight magazines was always my favorite part. 😂
Amen--I still look for them...sadly don't always find them. A victim of COVID I suppose.
@@jonathantitus2629 I remember for a time after 9-11 American removed them (which, IMO, was moronic especially if 9-11 was the blame, because the change wouldn't do anything to help safety or security, and everything to fuel paranoia).
Damn, now I want to hunt down old copies of the American Way magazine to see how the fleet page evolved ovcer time - the only one I have from pre-2003 was a Jan 1997 issue where the Shorts 360 turboprop (apparently also known as the flying barn to many, heh) was still listed as part of American Eagle's fleet.
I'm not one to geek out over liveries but seeing that retro southwest one at 14:50 made me pause the video. Amazing.
I saw an American Airlines plane in the old fashioned colors and it looked so cool. It had a bare metal body with a red lightning bolt stretching the entire length of the plane. I was saddened that this isn't a widespread practice.
After flying economy for all of my life, I was finally able to afford premium economy. Really good experience.
Can you be more specific?
I am always flying at minimum premium economy due to being 6’5” and I’ve never had even close to a pleasant experience when compared to business class.
Premium economy should be more along the lines of business light at the prices the crooks charge
@@CongressSux1776 I have disabilities and am moderately overweight, so economy seats are narrow and uncomfortable. The premium economy seats I sat in were noticeably wider, hence they were more comfortable.
@@davidp2888
You lost me “am overweight”
I’m 6’5” and struggle to fit in seats in any class, my excuse is I was born this way.
You on the other hand had to preface with “I have medical failures”
Airlines have made us think we have to pay more to be comfortable. So irritating. Paying customers are in a hierarchy.
@@Bluetangg ummm. That's how the world works. Want a more comfortable car? You're going to pay more. Want more comfortable seat on an airplane? You're going to pay more. Want a bigger hotel room with more comfortable beds? Pay more. Welcome to the world and how stuff works.
Transoceanic, South American and some transcontinental flights have true Premium Economy.
Yep. That's why these domestic reviews are so important. Premium economy on a short flight via A319/320/737 or something even smaller like a CRJ or ERJ is worth checking out before you buy a ticket. Most seating on regionals or narrow body aircraft are totally different than a large wide body experience.
Suzanne is a great addition to the channel.As she carves out her own niche it expands the experience really well.
These aren’t premium economy. These are extra legroom economy seats, basically the same as if you were sitting in an emergency row. They are worth it if you’re tall and that’s about it.
Exactly. If someone is short they don't need one of these seats. For tall people though they make all the difference.
I always loved it when the captains used to make a small pre flight announcement about theflight plan, current time and weather at the current location and destination as well as give you a warm welcome.
I don’t fly much, but I never understand pilot’s announcements. They’re muffled, low volume or both. I usually hear cabin steward announcements, which are the important ones.
@@miketravels I remember them being much better when back in the 80s-90s (for whatever reason).
They'd always come on, talk about the time difference, our flight path and what kind of weather some of the cities along the way are having, then finish off with the whole pre-landing procedure and stuff.
Having said all that this was memories from when I was a kid 30+ years ago so it could just be rose tinted memories. Nowadays I have to agree most of the captain's announcements sound muffled and hard to understand and I tend to ignore them 99% of the time.
Another great video. I really love the content. Offering a strong co-sign to comments from those who are tall or have a larger frame. I am 6'2" and have broad shoulders. I recently traveled from DC to Burbank. The first leg to Denver (4 hours) was an economy window seat and it was brutal. Even the seatback IFE couldn't make up for the lack of knee room. The second leg was premium economy in a bulkhead widow seat. Pure heaven.
Important to note, Delta's extra cost for Comfort+ is not consistently that much extra. It appears to depend a lot on the route. I've seen plenty of flights where Comfort+ is only about $40 extra.
Agree, it will depend on the route, etc! Can’t hurt to check!
The route and the timing of your booking. I've gone back to see if I could modify a reservation and noticed that the price differences are more drastic the closer to the date of departure.
I’ve paid as little as $20 extra too so it really varies
Yes, this is all part of dynamic pricing. As the planes fill up, the airlines’ algorithms alter the prices to maximize profit. Everything is becoming more like a Middle Eastern bazaar wherein the price is whatever you are willing to pay.
@@Andrew-iv5dq This is false. There's no algorithm that auto-increases the price to maximize profit. It's a first come first served fare availability for airlines, so if there are 20 seats at X price and that sells out, it goes up to the next tier of prices. Be careful in spreading false information about airlines; I'm told airline employees get screamed at and abused by people who dont understand the pricing rules
would love to see one of these for the actual PE products on these airlines’ wide body aircraft! United Premium Plus etc
Yeah, Jeb's video is really just clickbait. I've never seen the US 3 call their extra legroom seats "Premium Economy".
@@JuanWayTripsSHUSH IT AINT CLICKBAIT HE GOAT
GOAT = Greatest of All Time
Exactly! United's 'Economy Plus' isn't Premium Economy.
Yep. Premium Economy would be something like, a United flight from LAX-EWR on a 787-9. This video needs to be re-labelled as these are NOT Premium Economy class.
As a long-time American Airlines flyer, I'm glad to see they do some things right. :)
I've been flying AA for well over 20 years and have zero interest flying any other. I honestly don't comprehend WHY so many people cry & whine about not having IFE in the seat back.
I do pay my way, and DO fly Business (dom 1st). I don't need to spend an upwards of $300 for a video screen lol. I have a 10.1" tablet that works just fine. My content at my leisure.
Also, it astounds me why anyone would willingly pay for MCE (they do!) and not just go F. Matter of fact, I booked our upcoming trip (April) for CHEAPER than MCE. I'm just fine getting a flight credit vs a cash refund. Last years trip was free and clear (ok fine, $8 total) because we had trip credits piling up.
I book and hawk the rate. Matter of fact, we have $358 in credits to next spring which we'll be using. There was a flash sale on F and I called right after I took a screen shot. $179 each. Sale was over less than 6 hours later. I almost missed it lol.
But back to it. If people would just pay attention, they'd see it's 100% worth it flying dom 1st.
Checked bags: 30x2 each way so 120r/t.
Speedy check-in and security: we qualify it for $40 each as that's what it used to cost before they got rid of it. (160r/t)
Adult beverages: we each average 3 on direct and 4 with layover (2×2). At 10 per, that's another 120-180.
Meal cost is roughly $20 so there's another 80.
We're already at or just over $400 in "extras".
Finally, seating. Standard MCE rate is 25 (from MC) for a 17.3" seat. Being in F, it's a 20.5-21" seat so qualify that for 35 per segment, so with layover, another 140/rt.
$550!!!! We only paid an overage of less than $20 at the finish line.
I don't fly often on American, but when I do, I've faced one problem after another. I certainly wasn't impressed by so-called "First Class," the one time I splurged.
But removing the entertainment screens wasn't one of them. Watching movies on my device is just not comfortable.
@@guidonagle5075 what now?? You're reaching so far with this claim. Your device clips onto the seat back in front of you. The exact same spot that 9" monitor would be. Kindly explain your discomfort.
I like American. We usually chose them for overseas flights
At 14:50, that was cool seeing that Southwest plane with the really old livery and paint scheme.
I was so happy to wake up and see this video in my notifications! I am flying delta comfort + in a couple days and am stoked! I love your videos!
Hope you enjoy it! Have a great trip!
@@GreenerGrassomg you replied to me!!! I am so happy
Last year, I flew on Delta and was in the Comfort + cabin. I was pleasantly surprised by it. Seat was plenty wide enough (and I could be considered a Customer of Size), did not require a seat belt extension and there was plenty of leg room (I'm 6'2"). Normally, I fly in First Class, but if need be, I will use the Comfort + on Delta again.
As a person of similar height, I always fly 10C on the Airbus 220s. Lots of legroom but you might get bumps here and there from people walking down the aisle.
@@ScienceKnight yea the only downside I have with an aisle seat is people keep banging into my arm. If you have wide shoulders its more pronounced.
This is a nice comment! First international trip next year and booked comfort + for more room and overhead and priority boarding over the economy. Looking forward to it!
I can’t complain with American. Flew back home to Las Vegas today from Dallas and just for being military got priority boarding even before being bumped up to first class and the pilots were very informative the whole flight with announcements. I may be an American fan from now on.
I have mixed opinions about them because sometimes they're okay but pricing can be hard on the wallet. However, their accountants understand this and sometimes have fire sales. My last vacation was on American because by coincidence they were doing an after-Xmas fare war and I couldn't refuse the offer. The flight was PACKED full. Well, that's the price you pay for cheap tickets. They actually matched Southwest's price for that flight (DFW/MCO).
Honestly one of the best trip report UA-camrs out there 👍
I love Suzanne’s deadpan “what do Qatar and Emirates have to do with US Premium Economy?”
I mean she does have a point……beautiful planes though
She married Jeb, so it's part of the video.
With delta best thing to do is book economy and than specifically upgrade to premium if available day before you can get it so much cheaper
Choosing my seat is the key. I sit in the aisle when available, hopefully in the first row. I’ve often had to remind people sitting in my paid-for seat that they were in the wrong seat.
I have a story....
I agree with you; first row, bulkhead, on the aisle. It costs a bit more, but I am of an age and skrimped for years to pad my travel account - and I'm determined that a bit of financial padding will not stop me from being comfortable while checking off my bucket list. So the plane is filling, and this 20-something, very polite guy says to the flight attendant, "if no-one sits in that seat (aisle center across from me), can I move up?" I was rather impressed to hear the attendant tell him, "sir, I'd like to fulfill your request, but these passengers paid extra to sit in these seats.. so, no, I can't let you do that (as he was coming from way back in economy). "
Huh.. thank you, flight attendant.
Next, they announce that the doors are closing. And here comes a 40-something, bar-fly looking woman with short shorts and a tight top. She says to (not asks) the man who would be in the center section next to her - as her butt hits the chair, "hey, you don't mind I crash here." There were no attendants around, and I say, " another guy came from back a few rows and asked the attendant, and she told him no. Sorry."
Oh my gosh. The people looked at me (some laughed) and acted like I was the rudest person ever. Shocked I wasn't called Karen and some would have started filming. So much for..... oh, forget it. I think she was bought a few drinks and may have given out a phone number to a couple before we got to London.
I put on my headphones and keep my mouth shut now.
4 days ago I booked a flight thru Delta for me and my elderly father. I was debating on economy plus so that he could be more comfortable but the cost seemed a little much. It will take two flights to reach our destination with each being less than 2 hours, and the upgrade seemed unnecessary for the flight times, but I was still debating. So glad I watched this video! Main Cabin, we’re staying with you! Thanks, Jeb!!
I also can't wait for a Delta-United-American Business Class comparison
United airlines business class is the true first class. First class passengers are immediately offered choice of water/sparkling water/Prosecco/white wine while waiting for everyone to board. When in flight, FA’s walk around handing hot towels to refresh yourself, prior to meal service. During meal service, food is served in plates, with silverware and cloth napkins. Delta and American meals are served in pre made boxes with bamboo utensils, paper napkins and cold food. If I’m paying more than $800 dollars, I’d like my food served warm and with real cutlery.
@@Khrissy1220not sure when you’ve flown AA biz/first but I have never seen what you’re describing unless you’re talking about a short flight. Hope you are comparing apples to apples. On AA it’s always been exactly what you’re describing for United, except FAs walking around constantly distributing hot towels 😂 except at the beginning of service.
What’s nice is when you book basic economy with AA and they randomly assign you main cabin extra seat. I’ve had that happen to me before. Granted I boarded almost last but there was still room for my carry on.
Delta is my personal favorite US airline.
I think they are the best as well. But I don't like that they are incorporated DEI into their pilot hiring practices. That's scary.
Jet blue is the best if you want lower fees better service and want to upgrade at a reasonable price.
It used to be my favorite but I switched to United after delta changed their loyalty program
I've never had a good delta experience, not once. United has only let me down a handful of times and when I let them know about it, they usually give me some flight credit or extra miles for compensation. None of the 3 big ones are perfect, but Delta is also has the most delayed or cancelled flights. No thanks!
DEI is not what you think it is, the standards of hiring are still really high and yet I still see a lot of white, male and straight folks flying their planes so I disagree that this is affecting anything. You need to do some research on this whole DEI thing because is not what some news agency are describing it like. Just an FYI :)@@neutralcommenter7800
I have never flown on Delta and I have had poor experiences with American. My favorite airline is United being based near ORD. In both July 2023 and October 2023 I was on one of United’s newer Boeing 737 MAX 8s, and both times I really loved it. In April, I will be flying with American again, glad to give them another chance after a poor experience in July 2022
For short haul and transcontinental, a regular economy seat will do, but if you are flying long-haul, then economy plus/comfort plus/main cabin extra may be the better option
That is a true statement over the long haul. It's, do you get there more relaxed or do you get there? As a 1/2? A person extremely tired for all the things in economy. When I fly across the nation , I either get you're a bit premium comma or business class for those reasons. My clients are paying me to hit the floor running. And I certainly have a hard time doing that. When I travel economy across the nation.
Unless you are tall. Regular economy is cruel for most Americans
Always excited when I get the notification! Thanks for a great video! ✈️✈️✈️
Personally with my UAL status I pretty much always sit in Economy+ and sometimes get upgraded to first but still…Love the vid!
No because this is not premium economy. It's simply extra legroom seats.
Exactly why the seats are called premium economy seats duh
These seats aren't marketed as or sold as premium economy seats, duh.
They used to include free alcohol. I guess thats gone. My best experience in economy anyway was on a milk run on ASA. They had to use a bottle start at Deadhorse. Got really cold in cabin as it was winter. But they gave me 2 free rum plus a cheese tray. Plus it was on a 734 combi! Ive flown emirates and singapore as well. Didnt compare to regular economy on ASA.
@@Furiousbanner - yes, its what's on long haul wide body aircraft. It's a completely different product/seat. It's not sold domestically, in most cases. These are simply extra legroom seats and it's what they are sold as.
correct. comfort plus is not the same as premium select. same with economy plus and premium plus. very different.
I liked the Rick Steves t-shirt! Great video as always Jeb and Suzanne.
Thanks!
I would say American is worth it because it's only like 40 more dollars than their regular economy
These videos where you compare the big 3 U.S. carriers are my favorite!
Hi Jeb! I would love to see a southwest “hub” hopping video. They obviously dont have hubs but i would love to see a hopping video on their crew bases. Happy flying!
Don’t they have too many “operating bases” for this?
Currently at eleven and Nashville later this year will be a dozen
Southwest actually does have HUBs they are just not very loud about promoting them. Examples BWI.MDW. “AND DAL.
@@CongressSux1776 yes, they do have a lot of crew bases but some of them are definitely not as prominent. They have a crew base at atlanta but i certainly wouldn’t call that a southwest hub as much as say MDW. I think Jeb could do it
@@jameswinward4354
What do you consider a “hub”?
Tampa is one of the largest “mid-size” airports and southeast makes up 54% of their daily flights.
So I don’t think you are very accurate
some of the hubs are ones other airlines have already like denver, atlanta, phoenix, Orlando and Los Angeles and overall there are quite a bit compared to others
We are doing Delta Comfort + on an international flight to Japan this summer. Thank you for giving us the view of the actual room. It was a pricey upgrade but I feel worth it on a 14 hour flight. Especially since the next level up is out of our reach and First Class is no where on the radar for us.
Susan, I loved your quote at 11:42, '...not superstitious, but a little 'stitious." 😂 Stealing that!
First time I heard that was from the show “The Office” 😂
This was a great video. You and Suzanne Have come to be one of my three traveling videos that I watch on a regular basis. This one I enjoyed very much because when i have to fly across the nation. Premium business class are the first two that I choose and because of my miles I do use upgrades for them. It's the difference of getting there a half of a person because you are dead tired of facing all of the things that come with just economy. But you can arrive a lot more rested and ready to hit the floor running as your clients expect you to do when you use either premium or business class. I do use first class but I have found the airlines that do have business class are my favorite beat. Because you get almost the same benefits as first class. And what you don't get I don't really care about. This great job this was one of my favorites. You too are my favorite team keep up the good work.
I commute on delta alot and have tried other airlines. The customer service levels at Delta is just level above everyone else.
I’m a new subscriber. I’ve ALWAYS wanted to do a cross-country train trip ever since I was a little girl and watched that “I Love Lucy” episode, lol, and after seeing your video on that, I booked my own cabin on a trip for next year. I’m SO STINKIN’ EXCITED!!!!!
Now, I have a trip planned and it was kind of last minute and first class was out of my budget this time, so I booked Comfort+ and this video popped up to help me get a feel for what to expect. I adore you both for the time and quality you put into your videos ❤
Have a wonderful trip!
This is why I prefer your videos to ones like TrekTrendy. You talk about what the average person can do and experience and not just upload mindless 'most expensive flight/train/cruise' videos one after the other, replacing actual personality with 'once again I eat caviar' and 'look at me drinking Dom Perignon again.'
I’m fortunate in that I’m Platinum on Delta for lifetime. So, anytime i book an economy flight i automatically get myself and my travel companion upgraded (for free) to comfort plus. It makes flying domestically doable for me in Economy. If i didn’t have that perk, I’d book everything in first class. Economy nowadays is just brutal. And i will NEVER book even comfort plus to Europe or Asia. Either Premium Select or biz class on long haul flights. I just couldn’t imagine having to fly in base economy for more than 3 hours.
I LOVE these sort of videos. Your hub hopping ones I enjoy so much!
Glad to see the AA love! Great video as always
I took a Delta A321 from LGA to MIA in "comfort plus" and in regular economy on the return. For me (a relatively big guy) having the seats farther apart made a difference to me. On my flights, there was drink service -- and several times the flight attendants walked through the plane with trays offering cups of water.
Loved the economy and business comparisons, I didnt even think about a premium economy comparison!
I took Premium Economy recently from Chicago to Munich--- one of the best international flights I've taken. Helped that middle seat was empty!!!
I can't believe I was so close to seeing you. I work on the ramp right by Delta at DFW!
Thanks for all you do to keep us moving! Hopefully next time!
Yes sparkling wine is definitely a breakfast drink, especially when flying!
I love Rick Steves also. He has a Travel Center in Edmonds WA (1/2 hour north of Seatte) if you ever have extra time in Seattle
I learned a lot from Rick Steves books when I started traveling Europe like 25 years ago.
@@red2977 I watched a lot of his travel tip videos when I was a teen. He's a very good host and should have his own TV show.
It's always a great day when Jeb Brooks posts! I love these videos! Don't stop what you guys do
That’s main cabin extra or comfort plus. Not Premium economy. We want the review for the real premium economy 👀
On a United wide body plane it is a different set up. There are THREE economy classes. regular economy, economy plus which is an economy seat with 3=4 inches more legroom. Then there is Premium economy with more legroom, real food on real plates, and with totally different seats. On a 777 economy is 3-4-3 and Premium Economy is 2-4-2. I found Premium Economy on a United 777 to be wonderful and worth the premium price.
Agreed
Got to admit Delta does a great job keeping old planes modern and fresh. Overall I think Delta has the most "premium" experience although all three just offer more legroom in reality.
We flew premium economy to Hawaii from DFW. We got an amenity kit, blanket, pillow, one meal, one snack and sat in a two, three, two configuration. It was fabulous. On American!
Korean Air looks like Pepsi.
This is such a random but true comment.
yep never really thought about it but you are absolutely right
I enjoyed this but ever since you mentioned the idea of a Southwest, JetBlue, and Breeze comparison as an idea in your “America’s Worst Airlines?” video I’ve been looking forward to that one. Given that you just did this one I understand if it’s not on the immediate horizon, but I’ll still look forward to it. As a Southwest customer I’m curious how you’d think those others compare.
Also as a Southwest customer I enjoyed this one since I’ve never flown them and I was curious if a little extra was worth trying another airline.
Nice work. Keep it up!
You can't use price as a criteria because it varies and depending on what type of plane you're in, all rhese metrics change - even within the same airline. So, basically this review is bogus and not representative or comprehensive.
Just flew Delta today. I'm 6'5" 370 lbs flew a 4hr flight. Let just say I was snugg. I didn't need a extension but I know going into everything I'm never going to be comfortable. I might check out comfort plus next time. I've watched many of your videos so i knew what to expect. Love your videos keep it up.
For short domestic flights, I typically save the money and fly main cabin. For international flights, I now almost will always try to fly Premium Economy.
For Delta Comfort plus you also get your dedicated overhead storage bin and you also get to choose your seat at the time you purchase your ticket online which is something I like to do.
I'm a former flight attendant and I can explain the box under the seat. You were on an EOW aircraft (extended over water). That box contains the life vest. The first two flights were on land only aircrafts, which are authorized to go 170 miles over the ocean and only require a floating seat cushion.
This makes sense, thanks for sharing!
7:27 Fun fact! AAL and UAL don’t market it as a separate cabin like DL does because of union contract scope. At my airline, management can’t implement a new cabin without prior negotiations. Internally, this was a hot button topic when it first came out!
What a brilliant idea for a video, Jeb & Susan. I like your combination of Science and English Language Arts: the quasi- experiment comparing the 3 airlines, and the neat 5-paragraph essay format + bloopers.😊 For me, premium economy > economy whenever available, regardless of flight duration.
Comfort+ on Delta is always worth it if you are booked on a wide body (aside from A350-35L which is Delta One, normal Comfort+ and MC)
ABSOLUTELY TRUE!!! I love Delta's Comfort+ !!
I have only booked an upgraded seat on a US Domestic flight once, and it had little to do with the actual quality of the seat. Some backstory, In June of 2022, I was flying into the US, landing in LAX on a Qantas A380, however my ultimate destination was SF but All of the American connections were actually Skywest flights and I wasn't feeling that. So I took a bold action & booked a Delta A220 into SFO, canceling my Qantas itinerary after LAX. When it came to paying for my two checked suitcases, the fee was roughly the same as a First Class ticket which included two checked bags, and that's the reason I upgraded. By this point in my journey, between when I had woken up in NZL, flown to SYD, crossed the Pacific, passed through CBP, collected luggage, walked to the Delta terminal, checked back in, reentered security, found the gate & gotten to my First Class seat, I would have been awake for the better part of 24hrs, meaning that I might not have been as appreciative of any extra amenities on offer.
As a somewhat tall human, United’s new main cabin is uncomfortably tight. Their extra legroom seats are a must for me.
Delta isn’t a huge difference as far as I can tell. Except I like the early boarding.
I haven’t tried American’s yet but I am this next week!
Purely anecdotal. Ive flown multiple airlines and far and away prefer United.
When I flew Delta Comfort + from STL to MSP, it was only $10 more each way, well worth the upgrade for more space. However, the crew never offered me premium drinks, either on the way up to MSP or on the way home. Maybe it's because it was only a 45-minute flight. That was a letdown. But I'd fly it again, especially for the price.
On short (i.e 2 hours or so) we usually pick just regular economy, but longer flights and international we go premium economy or even the next step. We found our last flight from Cincinnati to London on BA was well worth what we paid. Soon we will test Delta Comfort plus on two flights--Cincy to Paris and later Munich to Detroit. For us it is about seat comfort/room on those longer flights more than anything else.
Thanks for this info as we may well have a longer domestic flight next year...
As someone that's 6'4", economy plus is a requirement. Economy seats simply don't have enough legroom for me. I got stuck flying Southwest a while back and it was a painful flight. It was like driving a car where your knees are pressed against the dashboard.
I’m 6’3” I feel you.
It was significantly more comfortable to fly the Major U.S. Airlines back in the 80's and 90's. Legroom has shrunk over the past 20 years in economy and I feel like it is less safe to cram more people into these domestic jets. I believe the FAA began a study on the reduction of legroom over the past 20 years so hopefully something will come of it. Sitting in regular economy if you're over 6 foot tall is just about unbearable.
So you always pay extra
@@phantomjosh2148at 6'4 im forced to pay extra for my knees to touch the seat or pay standard pricing to be uncomfortably wedged into a seat that I can't really fit into
Domestic premium economy is the sweet spot IMO. ❤ Rick Steves. Thanks for the info + video!
Delta comfort plus overhead bin space is dedicated to your seat as in first class. Yes it’s truly enforced- if there is open space at end of boarding attendant will offer it up
Delta’s Comfort Plus GUARANTEES space for your carry on bag. That is what made it worth it to me. I started booking Comfort Plus with Delta when my bag was gate checked by a message from the cabin crew on another flight. And I had to collect it at baggage claim (not right outside the plane door on departure).
i'm personally a pretty small dude and only 5'10 and i fit perfect inside the basic economy seats, i am very happy for local US Flights sitting economy, but for them longer flights as i do 3x a year, i book premium economy or first class on United, i only treat myself to first class once a year though when i do the super long 16 hour flight from Washington Dulles to Cape Town South Africa! cuz that extra comfort is needed in my opinion, hope this gave an insight to you Jeb! awesome video as always! united polaris is a must!
I routinely upgrade on DL from TPA to SAN & SLC
FREE meal box and drinks, priority boarding LOVE this product
Delta also offers upgrade possibilities after you have purchased main cabin
Love you guys and am a long time follower
Wish you could have compared longer flights. I get a lot of band for my buck going nonstop to SLC !
Love you guys ❤
I love Delta Comfort+ overall. Free Drinks and dedicated overhead bin space and more leg room. Worth the price for me! Idk if those feature have changed or not but that’s what they were when I used Delta last.
Thank you for this authentic perspective!
Just got back to Winnipeg from Orlando through Atlanta. Atlanta is huge and we travelled economy. Plane from Orlando to Atlanta was a B757-200 Huge plane by Westjet standards. Nice
Jeb, great video as always. I'm surprised that the Delta pilots didn't make a preflight announcement; I'd say that is exceptionally rare. Also, have you tried Delta's "Premium Economy" on the widebody fleet? It's actually a higher class than "Comfort Plus" and is more like a domestic first-class seat. As for Wifi speed, there are so many different systems in use depending on aircraft type and when the equipment was installed; your internet on a given day might be really fast or really slow.
Great video as always Jeb! I'm team Delta all the way! BTW, that Calatrava Pilot and 'Economy' does not belong in the same sentence ;-)
I had a long haul international flight from Ireland (Dublin) to Boston with Delta last year. We booked the Premium Select seats, they were incredible! Having that extra room and comfort seriously helped my fear of flying.
As someone who is 6'-3 and a larger set person. yes it's worth it in my opinion for the extra leg room. Boarding slightly earlier with guaranteed bin space in some cases is pretty nice as well as someone who at times is traveling with expensive camera gear.
As a 6'4" guy... any flight over 4 hours I always go for the premium economy seat, that extra leg room and plugin is huge.
Can't beat the comfortable feeling of travelling Briggs & Riley. My 750,000 mile bag has made a couple of warranty repair trips to them, and it's as sturdy as ever.
The first time I was in Premium Economy, I flew from Boston to Seattle, and I was placed there for free, as I didn’t choose my seat at the time. It was surprisingly comfortable, and the extra leg room was worth it. The free drinks were a plus. I’ve not sat anywhere else since, and am willing to pay for the upgrade every time, especially on non stop cross country flights. FWIW, I pretty much fly Alaska exclusively.
I agree with your conclusion. For American, it's worth it, for the others when you factor in cost and what you are getting, not so much based on the value. Usually the best compromise on Delta is an exit row that reclines and on some of their planes with a 2 - 3 configuration, on the 2 side, you can find what I call "the thrown" with only one exit row seat! Since you now have to pay extra to pick your seat in main cabin which is another rip off on Delta, expect to pay at least an extra $50 over what they advertise.
I flew United Premium Economy from Moline to Denver and then on to Sacramento and I am so grateful that I did that. 65 years old, about 2 and 1/2 hours, and 3 hours per flight. Ugh on a 2-hour flight I wouldn't care but 3 hours and 2 and 1/2 hours it makes a difference.
Also United does not play. You know from the minute you step on the plane they are in charge. There is no wiggle room for hijinks from any of the passengers and that made me feel an extra measure of safety. I hadn't flown in over 20 years and I had seen videos about some other airline's flights with some misbehaving passengers and really to be quite frank, I was a little nervous to fly but United was professional across the board. I let them know that after I got back.
I'm about to fly for the first time in 7 years. This is incredibly helpful. I used to fly so much they upgraded me every time! Those days are gone
American Airlines is so underrated. I went on a flight from JFK to MIA and I had inflight entertainment. It’s a very good airline
Service wise really depends on what kind of crew is working on the flight. I fly AA the most, and so far there has been just one significant delay for me, and I have encountered only one crew member who looked so done for work.
Seeing Suzanne wearing the shirt from one of my biggest inspirations and fellow Washingtonians, Rick Steves, made me smile a bit.
Always enjoy your videos and the analysis of the experience your various flights provide!
- Gary
I literally love getting on my delta flights no matter how short they are and having a screen on them
I fly delta from Atx to Atl frequently, comfort + is a very cheap upgrade and for the most part worth it.
Flying international I’ll always upgrade, on the 767s it’s only two to a row on the sides so that’s nice.
But the best feature for delta is having the tv and being able to put your phone away and just relax
Jeb & Suzanne, thank you for sharing this video with us. I'm a Delta SkyMiles member, so I normally book with them. The only time I would book with another airline, is if Delta didn't go to a certain location. That being said, if I'm going a short distance, say the Carolinas, (2hrs +) then I would book Delta's Main Economy. If Delta Comfort for a reasonable price R/T, I may take that. But I'm looking to using Delta's Comfort seats in the near future for longer flights of (3hrs+). Because, as a SkyMiles member, I need to build my miles back up to the different statuses, so that eventually I can book a trip to Italy using some of my miles. I appreciate your time in checking out this info as it's really helpful.
I took Main Cabin Extra at American Airlines from Las Vegas to back home. It's worth it for the boarding priority and free alcohol drinks (whiskey/gin & coke for me). For a 3 hrs flight, I don't mind pressing the service button twice to get 3 drinks during transit!
For my family, the Premium Economy is our choice, specifically with Delta. This is because we live in Hawai’i and take longer flights. I can deal with regular Economy for a 2 hour flight. Plus, both Delta and Hawaiian charge extra for specific Economy seats these days, so the difference in price is not as large as in your Delta flight.
I usually travel with a family member with both physical and mental disabilities. The Premium Economy seats lessen his anxiety and are definitely more comfortable. And when we have connecting flights, being seated near the front is very helpful.
Nice and informative film as usual. My wife and I have a plan when we order plane tickets (we are now retired, previously I worked around the world for more than 40 years) We live 50% in Thailand and 50% in Sweden.
When we fly trips shorter than 4.5 hours, we order economy class tickets. If the trips are longer than 4.5 hours, we fly Business class. It is certainly important to have good legroom, but within Europe there is no major difference. The price difference is too great. Here (in Asia as we are at the moment) the normal flight times for us are 2-3 hours so have never tried Premium. When we are going back to Sweden, the first leg is Chiang Mai to Bangkok with Bangkok airway this leg is what I want to believe "premium economy We get three seats and food including alcohol drink (if we want it) the same leg space but thankfully we get an empty seat between us, it feels good