How to book premium economy on emirates

U.S. travelers looking to add a little more comfort and glamour to their in-flight experience got a bit of good news this week: Emirates announced it will begin flying its brand new premium economy class to the U.S. for the first time in December. 

The Dubai-based airline, known for its opulent aircraft cabins and friendly flight crew, has been slowly rolling out its new premium economy cabin—which features spacious seats, calf-and-foot rests, and other perks—across its route network since early 2021. 

Now, Emirates premium economy service is being expanded to New York's John F. Kennedy airport starting December 1. The cabin will be available on flights EK203 and EK204 between Dubai and JFK. Following the launch at JFK, the airline says it will make San Francisco International airport the second U.S. hub to have access to the seats, starting on flights between Dubai and SFO on February 15, 2023.

Emirates' premium economy cabin uses similar design elements as its business class seats.

The expansion of Emirates premium economy class is part of a larger fleet refresh Emirates is undertaking, which will see 120 of its aircraft refurbished with updated interiors. The initiative includes adding more premium economy seats to its Airbus A380 planes—the double-decker superjumbo jet that only a handful of airlines still fly. 

Emirates' premium economy cabins are located at the front of the main deck, or first level, of its A380s. The cabin has 56 seats set in a two-four-two layout. At each seat, travelers will find similar design elements as the airline's iconic business-class cabin, like cream-colored leather and gleaming wood accents. The seats offer a roomy 40 inches of legroom pitch (for comparison some basic economy seats in the industry offer a measly 28 inches) and are 19.5 inches wide with eight inches of recline. Other features include a throw pillow, six-way adjustable headrest, calf-and-foot rests, and an in-flight entertainment screen measuring 13.3 inches wide, as well as a dining table with side cocktail table, and charging ports. 

Premium economy passengers also have access to a specialized in-flight dining menu, which always features a dish local to their destination, as well as selections from the business-class wine list not available in regular economy. A ticket in the cabin also affords perks at the airport, like a separate check-in desk, larger carry-on bag allowance, and free seat selection. 

For its first flights from JFK in December, roundtrip airfares to Dubai clock in at about $5,300 USD, before dipping to $3,190 later in January.

Over the last few months, the airline has been flying its premium economy seats to Paris, London, and Sydney. Emirates says feedback from customers "has been overwhelmingly positive with demand exceeding expectations.” In 2023, the carrier plans to bring the cabin class to routes serving Auckland and Christchurch in New Zealand; Melbourne, Australia; and Singapore.

Emirates premium economy is considered one of the best premium offerings in the business. It features large, comfortable seats with luxe details like wood paneling, a six-way adjustable headrest, and a cocktail tray table. It offers comparable seat size, leg room and a similar reclining distance to other leading premium economy airlines such as Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines, Qantas and British Airways. Some of those airlines offer premium economy passengers their business class amenity kit and serve meals on real dishware, while Emirates offers the regular economy amenity kit and regular economy dining experience. Emirates is the only Middle Eastern airline with a premium economy option. 

What to know about Emirates premium economy

Emirates Premium Economy is available on Airbus A380 flights between Dubai and Paris and Dubai and New York. In December 2022, the airline will launch premium economy on additional A380s and Boeing 777s, to have 111 total aircraft with the option flying routes to Frankfurt, London, New York and Paris. 

Emirates is currently updating its premium economy service, and this guide will be updated periodically to reflect any changes. 

How Emirates premium economy compares to regular economy 

Premium Economy seats have a pitch of about 38 inches, compared to 34 inches in regular economy. Seats are also wider––19.5 inches compared to 18 inches. While regular economy seating follows a 3-4-3 layout, premium economy seats are laid out in rows of 2-4-2. Seats recline eight inches and there is a padded calf rest that can pop up at the front of the seat, as well as a metal foot rest. The winged leather headrests adjust six ways, compared to only adjusting on the sides in regular economy. Dining and entertainment options remain the same between both cabins, as does the welcome kit. 

How Emirates premium economy compares to business class 

Aesthetically, Emirates premium economy looks more similar to business class than to regular economy. It features the same cream colored leather seating and polished wood tray tables, as well as a small cocktail table built into the armrest. The main tray table is 16 inches wide and 10 inches long, large enough to fit most laptops. Window shades in premium economy have a wood grain paneling (unlike plastic in regular economy) and are electronic. Throughout the cabin you’ll see motifs of the ghaf tree (the national tree of the UAE), which you’ll also see in some business class cabins. 

The main differences are that the seats do not lie flat, as they do in business, and there is less storage space than in business. The dining options and level of service in business class are superior, featuring real silverware, more meal options, higher-end beverages, and more dedicated service. The welcome kits on business class feature designer amenities such as lip balm and lotion, while the kits on premium economy are the same as regular economy and include a toothbrush, socks, ear plugs and an eye mask. There is also no lounge access included with premium economy, while there is for business. 

Examples of previous deals we've found on Emirates

• Dallas to Dubai for $781 roundtrip nonstop in economy
• New York to Milan for $2,561 roundtrip nonstop in business class
• Chicago, NYC, or DC to the Maldives for $2,487 roundtrip in business class

The Emirates premium economy experience at the airport 

Lounge access

Emirates premium economy does not include lounge access 

Emirates premium economy check-in

There is no designated check-in area for premium economy, but premium economy ticket holders do get priority boarding (after business, before regular economy).

Baggage allowance

The baggage allowance remains the same as regular economy: two items up to 50 pounds each for international flights between the UAE and US.

The Emirates premium economy experience in the air

Emirates premium economy seats

• 777: Emirates plans to launch 24 premium economy seats per aircraft on select 777s by the end of 2022. 
• A380: There are 56 premium economy seats on the lower deck front cabin of A380 flights, configured in a 2-4-2 set up. They are a plush cream leather, 19.5-inches wide with a eight-inch recline, cushioned calf rests, a metal foot rest, and a 38-inch pitch. Note that window seats are not flush with the walls, so resting your head is not possible. 

Benefits

Comfort is the most obvious reason to book premium economy over regular economy. The seats are larger, there’s more legroom, a bigger pitch, and the six-way adjustable headrests and pop-up footrests make it easier to get some sleep. If you use your laptop on long flights, you’ll appreciate the larger tray tables and additional cocktail table to hold your beverage while working. The section of the plane also looks more luxe, with cream colored leather seating and wood paneling.

Emirates premium economy meals

Dining is the same as Emirates regular economy, featuring multi-course meals and snacks. Generally, there are a range of options, from Italian to Indian and Middle Eastern-inspired dishes. Meals come with fruit, salad, crackers and cheese and a dessert. 

Alcohol

Like in economy, wine, beer and spirits, including Beefeater, Bacardi, Dewar’s, Jack Daniel’s Cointreau and more are available at no extra charge. Champagne is available for a fee.

How to book Emirates premium economy

How much does it cost for a premium economy ticket on Emirates? 

Premium economy can only be booked as an upgrade on economy tickets, for around $400. 

How to upgrade to premium economy of Emirates for free

Because Emirates is not currently accepting miles for premium economy upgrades, free upgrades are random and depend on the flight. If there is extra space on a flight or if your flight is delayed or there is another mishap, flight attendants might upgrade you for free as a courtesy. 

How much does it cost to upgrade to premium economy on Emirates? 

Upgrades to premium economy from New York to Dubai (the only route currently offering the service from the U.S.) cost about $400. 

How many miles to upgrade to Emirates premium economy? 

Emirates is not currently offering upgrades to premium economy via miles. 

Summary

Emirates premium economy is one of the nicest premium economy options on the market. The seats are significantly more comfortable than regular economy. If you’re taking a long-haul flight, the addition of the calf and foot rest, along with the deeper recline, is very helpful for getting sleep. That said, dining options and amenities remain the same as regular economy, so if you are not hoping to sleep the extra fee may not feel worth it. 

Can I book premium economy with Emirates?

How to book Emirates premium economy class?

How much does it cost to upgrade to premium economy on Emirates?

How many Emirates planes have premium economy?