China Airlines Premium Economy — is it worth it?
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When I was younger and shorter, I used to fly China Airlines Economy from California to Taiwan to visit my family. One day, my dad upgraded my flight to Business Class, and I was amazed by how comfortable it was. However, now that I'm older and taller (I'm 5'6"), I found it difficult to fly Economy on longer flights like the 17.5-hour trip from New York to Taiwan because the space was so small and barely any legroom, it’s “saving money”, but not your time being on the flight.
That's why I was super excited to learn about China Airlines' Premium Economy from my boyfriend, Gabriel, who showed me videos and reviews of the service. I decided to upgrade my Economy ticket - which costed about $1,800 including taxes - to Premium Economy for a total of $2,200 including taxes. It’s a bit pricey but with the specs that Premium Economy had to offer, it seemed like it was worth it.
The benefits of Premium Economy were immediately apparent when I boarded the plane. Elite members, Premium Business, and Premium Economy passengers were called to board first — which was a HUGE change from the long lines in Economy. Once I settled into my seat when I boarded, I was soooooo excited. I noticed that there was so much more space than in Economy. The rows were arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration.
* NOTE * China Airlines still requires you to fly with a face mask. If you don’t have one, they will pass one out for you before taking off. You can take off your face mask when you’re drinking or eating, but other times you must wear your face mask.
early boarding & deplaning
One the most important perk of flying Premium Economy with China Airlines. With priority boarding, you can board the plane earlier along with business class passengers, avoiding long lines AND get settled in quickly. Plus, when the plane lands, you can leave the aircraft before other economy passengers and proceed to customs much faster. This is super important if you don't like to wait!
the fixed recline seating
The fixed seats reclined without disturbing the person behind you. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the option to lay flat like a bed like in Business.
noise cancelling headsets & slippers
Once the airplane starts flying, the flight attendants pass out slippers and noise canceling headsets! I tried the headsets and they actually worked very well with the noise cancelling function. I played some jazz and fell right to sleep without hearing the airplane noise.
you get a menu
Another perk of Premium Economy was the food menu, which was presented in a glossy white paper. Although I had pre-ordered a Chinese vegetarian meal when I was booking my flight ✈️ , the menu offered two dinner options and a two breakfast options for the two hours before landing.
toiletries
The flight attendants also pass out a bag of toiletries that included: eye mask, ear plugs, travel-sized lotion, hand sanitizer, a toothbrush, and toothpaste.
snacks
If you wake up or can’t sleep, they provide snacks! On my flight, they offered turkey sandwiches, but since I had pre-ordered a vegetarian meal, they made me with a vegetarian sandwich 🥪
bathroom
The bathrooms in Premium Economy was also a step up from Economy and were cleaned regularly. The bathroom was much bigger, nicer, and seriously so much cleaner than economy. I appreciated the amenities like hand soap, lotion (that was very drying), and perfume spray just in case you go 💩
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was it worth it?
Overall, the experience of flying Premium Economy felt like a more luxurious version of Economy. Honestly, it felt like an older version of the China Airlines Business Class. There was more space, better service, and a better selection of meals. It was especially worth it for the 17.5-hour flight from New York to Taiwan. I don't think I could go back to flying economy on long flights after this experience. Space is so important to me especially when you’re flying for a long time. I highly recommend anyone who is tall and feels claustrophobic easily to ride Premium Economy!
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Last Updated: 04.24.2024
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