It’s the most talked about premium economy in the air so I stepped onboard to check it out.
The low down
I’m flying from Sydney to Dubai with Emirates on flight EK413 in premium economy on an A380 that has been completely refurbished under the airline’s US$2billion retrofit program. There are three daily flights out of Sydney, one at the rather disagreeable time of 6am, followed by a more respectable 810pm and 910pm (I’ve chosen this flight). It’s peak European summer so the flight is full and from Dubai I’ll have an onward connection to Athens.
Check in
I arrive at Sydney International Airport three hours early and am stunned to find a virtually empty check-in desk. The Emirates attendant remarks that I am indeed on a full flight, but it seems most flyers are leaving their check-in until later. There’s a dedicated premium economy check-in line and I have my boarding pass and bag tag within minutes. Premium economy passengers are entitled to a baggage allowance of 35kg compared to 20kg in economy. The airport in general seems to be quiet for a Friday night, and I cruise through security. This is made especially fast by the new security screeners recently installed at the international airport which mean you don’t have to take anything (laptops or liquids) out of your carry-on.
Lounge
I’m an Emirates Skywards Gold member so I have access to their business lounge at Sydney Airport. Despite the interiors feeling a little dated, the self-service buffet and drinks are top notch. Think cheese plates, cold cuts, soup of the day, a selection of hot meals and a wagyu steak pie. You can always count on champagne in the Emirates lounge and today’s choices are Veuve Clicquot or Laurent Perrier (I go for the latter).
Hot tip: The lounge can get busy as two Emirates flights depart within an hour of each other. I find the section when you turn left much quieter than the area around the food and drinks.
If you’re transiting in Dubai and an eligible Skywards member you’ll have access to the Emirates business class in Dubai. It’s enormous with multiple buffets, bars, showers and rest areas.
Seat and cabin
Firstly – wow. The new premium economy has me checking I haven’t walked straight into business class. The cabin is ultra-luxe with wood paneling around the windows, sparkling clean cream leather seats and the feeling of serious space thanks to its position at the front of the lower deck (which means you’ll also be one of the first to disembark).
The seat layout is a 2-4-2 configuration with the best pick being a seat in the two section. I’m in seat 35B (I always choose an aisle seat) that has a pitch of 40 inches (101.6cm), a width of 19.5 inches (50cm) and most importantly – a recline of eight inches (20cm), which is an extra 10cm more than in economy.
Other premium economy touches included a button that pops out a cushioned leg rest as well as a foot bar beneath the seat in front, adjustable head rests, USB ports and a side table for drinks.
Food
More similar to a business class offering, passengers are given menus to choose from and meals are served on fancy Royal Doulton China tableware. Being a night flight, our dinner menu offers the choice of braised beef cheeks or chicken biryani, cheese and crackers and a cookies and cream cheesecake for dessert. A basket of warm bread is presented to choose from plus premium white and red wine and sparkling Domaine Chandon brut. Should you get peckish throughout the night (I didn’t), light bites are on offer including a beef and mushroom calzone. Breakfast was a choice of mushroom omelette or pineapple loaf (think banana bread) and fruit. Verdict: the inflight meals are excellent and the portions generous.
Service
The cabin crew were exceptional, showing me the ropes and features of the premium economy seat. Passengers are offered a non-alcoholic drink before takeoff and a hot towel before meal service.
Amenity kit
Complimentary amenity kits are handed out just after takeoff. The reusable kits are washable and made with kraft paper and come with socks, an eyeshade and dental kit. I pop the socks on and later the eye mask – it’s 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 huge at 13.3 inches. I particularly like the ice top 5 selection as you could spend hours sifting through all the options.
Loyalty
The airline’s loyalty program is called Emirates Skywards but if you’re a Qantas frequent flyer you can choose to put your points towards your Qantas account but note you won’t receive any status credits this way. As a gold Skywards member I was entitled to complimentary seat selection, lounge access and perhaps one of the biggest perks for those that like to stay connected – free wi-fi onboard.
Verdict
While nothing beats a lie flat seat seat, Emirates’ new premium economy is the best in the business. 10/10
