For flights under 2.5 hours, economy is almost always the right choice — the discomfort is brief and the EUR 50-120 savings are better spent at your destination on a memorable dinner or museum visit. For flights over 3 hours, for passengers over 185cm tall, or when the upgrade costs under EUR 40, the extra legroom represents genuine value. The true calculation: would you rather spend EUR 80 on a slightly wider seat for 3 hours, or on a restaurant dinner you'll remember for years? For most travellers, economy plus a great dinner wins. However, there are exceptions worth noting: if you need to work during the flight, premium economy's extra space makes laptop use feasible. For frequent European business travellers taking 20+ flights per year, the cumulative comfort benefit of premium economy is meaningful. The smartest upgrade strategy is to check prices at booking and again at online check-in — airlines often offer last-minute upgrades for EUR 20-40, which changes the value equation entirely.
Premium economy on European short-haul flights is a newer product category, typically offering 4-6 extra inches of legroom, a blocked middle seat, and included baggage for 2-3x the economy base fare. Analysis of 1,000+ European fare pairs shows the average premium economy upgrade costs EUR 50-120 per flight — a meaningful jump from EUR 30-80 economy fares. On a 2-3 hour flight, the value proposition is debatable, but for passengers over 185cm tall or on flights exceeding 3 hours, the comfort difference is significant enough to justify the premium for many travellers.
| Provider | Price | Seat Comfort | Baggage | Food & Drink | Overall Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy Class | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Premium Economy / Extra Legroom | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
Scores are based on our hands-on testing, user reviews, and price monitoring across multiple European countries.
For flights under 2.5 hours, economy is almost always the right choice — the discomfort is brief and the EUR 50-120 savings are better spent at your destination on a memorable dinner or museum visit. For flights over 3 hours, for passengers over 185cm tall, or when the upgrade costs under EUR 40, the extra legroom represents genuine value. The true calculation: would you rather spend EUR 80 on a slightly wider seat for 3 hours, or on a restaurant dinner you'll remember for years? For most travellers, economy plus a great dinner wins. However, there are exceptions worth noting: if you need to work during the flight, premium economy's extra space makes laptop use feasible. For frequent European business travellers taking 20+ flights per year, the cumulative comfort benefit of premium economy is meaningful. The smartest upgrade strategy is to check prices at booking and again at online check-in — airlines often offer last-minute upgrades for EUR 20-40, which changes the value equation entirely.
Data and regulations verified against official sources. Last checked 2026-04-27.
For flights under 2.5 hours, economy is almost always the right choice — the discomfort is temporary and the EUR 50-120 savings fund better experiences at your destination. Premium economy becomes worthwhile on flights over 3 hours, for passengers over 185cm where standard 28-inch pitch is genuinely painful, or when the upgrade costs under EUR 40. Check at online check-in for last-minute upgrade offers at steep discounts.
Premium economy typically offers 34-36 inch seat pitch versus 28-30 inches in standard economy — a meaningful 4-6 inch improvement. Some airlines like British Airways also block the middle seat in premium economy rows, giving you additional width. On budget airlines, the 'extra legroom' seats are simply exit rows with 33-34 inch pitch and no other amenities. The legroom difference is most noticeable for passengers over 180cm tall.
Typical inclusions are extra legroom (34-36 inch pitch), a checked bag allowance of 20-23 kg, free seat selection, priority boarding, and dedicated overhead bin space. Some carriers like Lufthansa and Air France offer complimentary food and drinks in premium economy. However, European short-haul premium economy is not comparable to long-haul premium economy — it's essentially economy class with extra space rather than a distinct cabin product.
Premium economy or extra-legroom products are available on Lufthansa (Economy Plus), British Airways (Euro Traveller Plus), Air France (Economy Comfort), KLM (Economy Comfort), and SAS (SAS Plus). Budget airlines like Ryanair and easyJet don't offer true premium economy but sell extra-legroom exit rows and front rows as paid upgrades at EUR 8-25 per flight. Turkish Airlines and Iberia also offer competitive short-haul premium economy products.
Yes, many European airlines offer last-minute upgrades at check-in, online check-in, or the gate at discounted prices. These upgrades typically cost EUR 20-50 for short-haul flights — significantly less than booking premium economy upfront. Lufthansa and KLM are particularly good about offering upgrade bids and last-minute pricing. The best strategy is to book economy initially and check for upgrade offers at online check-in 24-48 hours before departure.
In most European cities, yes. The EUR 50-120 saved by flying economy funds a memorable 3-course restaurant meal for two in cities like Lisbon, Barcelona, or Krakow — an experience you'll remember long after forgetting which seat you sat in. Premium economy comfort lasts 2-3 hours; a great dinner creates lasting memories. The exception is business travellers who need to work during flights, where the extra space makes laptop use possible and the time productivity gain outweighs the dinner calculation.
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