I book (and audit) a lot of long-hauls for crews and colleagues. More than once I’ve watched a traveler “save” $80 by skipping Premium Economy—then spend $180 checking two bags and arrive wrecked from a 10-hour upright sit. In 2025, the math favors Premium Economy if you value sleep, shoulder room, and predictable ground perks. Here’s the no-nonsense ranking—plus the small print that changes which airline wins for you.
How we scored (100 points total)
- Seat comfort & ergonomics (40%): pitch, width, recline, leg/footrests, headrest, IFE, AC/USB.
- Soft product (25%): meals, welcome drinks, amenity kit, pre-order, service touches.
- Bags & priority (20%): included checked bags, priority check-in/security/boarding/bag delivery.
- Consistency & coverage (15%): how widely PE is offered across long-haul routes and fleets.
Sources: airline product and baggage pages (linked), recent fleet usage, and spot checks on current seat maps. Aircraft vary—always confirm your tail type.
2025 podium (quick take)
- Delta Premium Select — best seat + service polish
- United Premium Plus — best inclusions + availability
- American Premium Economy — solid seat; verify route & amenities
1) Delta Air Lines — Premium Select
Why it wins: Delta’s recliner is consistently generous (≈ 38″ pitch, up to ≈ 19″ width) with deeper recline plus leg and footrests, large IFE, and those “business-lite” touches—hot towel, welcome beverage, curated menus, branded amenity kit. Sky Priority smooths check-in, security lanes (where offered), boarding, and bag delivery.
- Product page: Delta Premium Select
- Baggage overview: Delta baggage
Seat/amenities highlights: leg rest + footrest; bigger screens; solid headset; growing meal pre-order on key routes.
Bags/priority: Sky Priority ground flow. Caveat: free checked bags are not universal for Premium Select—benefits depend on route/fare/elite/credit card; check your booking flow.
Score (est.): Seat 36/40 • Soft 22/25 • Bags/Priority 14/20 • Coverage 11/15 → 83/100
From my logbook: On DTW–CDG, Premium Select’s recline + leg rest let me sleep 4.5 hours straight—something I rarely manage in standard economy. The hot towel/welcome drink sounds minor; it’s not after a 90-minute de-ice.
2) United — Premium Plus
Why it’s #2 (and a co-winner for many): Competitive seat with footrests and two checked bags included by default, plus Premier Access (priority check-in, lanes where available, priority boarding). Coverage across 777/767/787 is excellent—easy to find on Europe, Pacific, and South America.
- Product page: United Premium Plus
- Baggage policy: United baggage
Seat/amenities highlights: wide recliner, footrest, power + USB, ≈ 13″ IFE (varies), amenity kit; many aircraft place PP in a quiet mini-cabin.
Bags/priority: Two 50-lb bags included + Premier Access. For families or gear-haulers, that’s real cash.
Score (est.): Seat 33/40 • Soft 19/25 • Bags/Priority 18/20 • Coverage 13/15 → 83/100
Tie-breaker: Delta edges United on seat/soft refinement; United edges Delta on guaranteed bag inclusion and breadth. Choose what you value more.
Anecdote: I moved a film duo SFO–FRA with 3 checked cases each—United Premium Plus saved $400+ vs buying Main Cabin + bags. Sleep wasn’t business-class level, but they arrived functional.
3) American — Premium Economy
Why it’s #3: A comfortable recliner (pitch/width competitive), legit long-haul meals, amenity kit, and growing coverage on 777/787/Airbus widebodies. On many long-hauls, two checked bags are included—always confirm for your market/ticket.
- Product page: American Premium Economy
- Baggage policy: American checked bags
Seat/amenities highlights: wider than Main Cabin, enhanced dining, amenity kit; service is improving on flagship routes.
Bags/priority: Commonly 2 bags included on PE long-hauls; priority benefits vary by airport/ticket.
Score (est.): Seat 31/40 • Soft 18/25 • Bags/Priority 17/20 • Coverage 10/15 → 76/100
Note: AA’s soft product is route-sensitive—Asia/Trans-Atlantic gets the best of it. On some secondary routes you’ll see fewer touches.
At-a-glance: What you actually get
- Bigger seat + leg/footrests: Delta and United advertise both across most long-hauls; AA varies by aircraft but is competitive.
References: Delta Premium Select • United Premium Plus • American Premium Economy - Amenity kits & upgraded meals: All three include them; Delta leans hardest into the “business-lite” service cues.
- Priority on the ground: United = Premier Access; Delta = Sky Priority; AA = priority varies by station/ticket.
- Checked bags included: United = 2 included; AA = typically 2 on long-hauls; Delta = route/status/card dependent—check the fare line item.
Baggage pages: United • American • Delta
Traveler-type picks (make it personal)
- Two checked bags every time? Pick United Premium Plus.
- Best recline/leg-rest + soft touches? Pick Delta Premium Select.
- Deep in AAdvantage / on AA’s latest PE routes? American Premium Economy can be the sweet spot—just verify bag inclusion on your exact fare.
A fictional but realistic case study (NYC → Tokyo, 10–12 hours)
- Photographer with two Pelican cases (NYC–NRT): United PP wins on 2 bags included + mini-cabin hush.
- Couple prioritizing sleep (ATL–HND): Delta PS wins—recline + leg/footrest + welcome service; they’ll carry-on.
- AA-loyal solo traveler (DFW–NRT): American PE wins if their fare shows 2 bags included and the latest amenity kit—plus miles + credit-card stack.
Fine print that changes the math
- Dimensions vary by aircraft. A 787 and a 772 won’t feel identical. Check your specific seat map before buying.
- Baggage fees move. U.S. majors tweaked fees in 2024; always re-check your fare’s bag rules in the purchase flow.
- Branding shifts. Delta rolls out new “Travel Experiences” packaging in late 2025; the cabin doesn’t disappear, but how benefits display may change at checkout.
- Choose Delta if your top priority is seat comfort and onboard polish.
- Choose United if you want two checked bags included and wide availability.
- Choose American if you’re AA-loyal or on a route fielding AA’s latest PE soft product—double-check bag and priority lines for your fare.
