EVA Air Premium Economy Review — is it worth it?
Ever since I’ve flown on China Airlines Premium Economy, I've been curious about how Eva Air's version stacks up.
As a Taiwanese-American, I try to visit my family in Taiwan every year. Back then, the flight from San Francisco was already a bit of a marathon (12 hours), but ever since I’ve moved to New York, it's turned into an epic journey (16-18 hours – yikes!).
All my Taiwanese friends swear by EVA Air, praising about their service and their amenities. I grew up flying with China Airlines, so I'm just here for an honest and no-judgment comparison.
Let’s see if EVA Air’s Premium Economy lives up to the hype, shall we?
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EVA Air’s Premium Economy Brief Overview
Alright, buckle up, because we’re about to dive into some details on EVA Air’s Premium Economy features.
Seats: More comfortable than Economy with it being more spacious and plush. With 38 inches of length and a generous 19.5 inches of width. Yes, you read that right – room to stretch those legs!
Entertainment: An 11-inch touch screen TV with a huge selection of movies, TV shows, and music. And guess what? Noise-canceling headphones.
Toiletries: Overnight kits in case you need it — moisturizing cream, lip balm, comfy socks, a comb, earplugs, and a sleep mask.
In-Flight Amenities: A super soft and plush blanket and pillow. USB plugs and 110V AC outlets for your gadgets? Check!
Food: Exclusive meals for you to choose and preorder online, red & white wines, famous beers, and a selection of non-alcoholic drinks.
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Booking Process
I’ve been super excited to try out EVA Air’s Premium Economy and when the time finally came to book flight to Taiwan, I went onto Chase Travel and compared Premium Economy Prices between EVA Airways and China Airlines from NYC to TPE. Surprisingly, EVA’s Premium Economy was cheaper than China’s by $600!
Once I found the best dates to fly to Taiwan, the price for EVA Airway was originally $2179.95, but thankfully I’ve accumulated some points and viola! I saved $617.61 and ended up only having to pay $1562.34 for EVA Airways Premium Economy — round trip. 🎉
One of the best perks booking through Chase? Refundable tickets. Yep, if life decides to randomly throw a curveball, I can get a full refund.
One thing that I noticed that when I booked through Chase is that I had to call to reserve my seat — which I did not have to pay. But, when I was heading back to New York from Taiwan and they allowed me to choose my seats online, I had to pay an additional $60 to choose my seat!
Premium Economy’s price was already hefty and having to pay an additional $60 to reserve your seat was a huge turnoff!
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Download the EVA Air’s App
Alright, here's the insider tip – get the EVA Air app. Trust me, it’s super beneficial for you when you’re traveling with EVA. I won’t dive into all its features, but here’s what stood out to me:
MY TRIP/CHECK-IN: Crucial intel for planning when to hit the airport. Now, the online check-in was a bit redundant because, surprise, you still need to check in at the airport.
But, picking seats, meals, and browsing the e-menu? That’s where the app shines.
Meals: Here’s where things gets exciting. In the MY TRIP/CHECK-IN zone, after punching in your info, you get a front-row seat to your meals.
Two weeks before liftoff, you can even peek at or change your meal choices.
And guess what? They recently teamed up with Michelin-star chef Paul Lee for some fancy options.
Gabriel went all in with the Michelin-star beef, and according to him, it was a tasted amazing.
Notifications: What I loved most? The app's notifications before the flight. It's like having a personal assistant — it tells you which terminal to go to, your gate, and the boarding times. Plus, if you're checking your bags in, the app gives you updates which stage your luggage is at!
The App Dilemma: Here’s the not-so-fun part. The app can be a bit slow.
You tap into EVA Air App, and it plays the loading game for a while. Normally after 3 minutes of loading nonstop, I close the app and re-open it again — which loads a lot faster. But this doesn’t always happen.
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Check-In Process
The check-in process from New York and Taiwan was smooth, fast and efficient.
If you’re checking-in your luggage(s), the EVA staff will ask you to wait at the side and watch the TV screen to make sure your luggage goes in before you enter to TSA.
TIP: download the EVA Air app so you can track your bag’s status through the app notifications
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Waiting Process and Lounge Access?
Unfortunately if you’re not a frequent flyer with EVA, like myself, you don’t have access to the EVA lounge.
Yeah, a bit of a bummer, right?
In New York, my waiting game was right at the assigned gate. No lounge, just me and my anticipation of flying to Taiwan.
In Taiwan, was a different story. The gate didn’t open until later, so I sat at the Taoyuan airport food court, and did some work until the boarding time was nearing and headed over to the gate.
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Boarding Process
Premium Economy or... Not So Premium Boarding?
So, here's the deal with boarding EVA Air’s Premium Economy – no red carpet, my friends. Despite the fancy name, the boarding process was still basic — I found myself boarding in Zone 4. There is no priority boarding for EVA Air’s Premium Economy.
The zones range from 1 to 5. Zone 1 being the first to board, and then, there's me in Zone 4. Economy was in Zone 5.
I was just confused why EVA Air Premium Economy didn’t have priority boarding like China Airlines.
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In-Flight Experience
the seats
The Premium Economy setups a 2-4-2 row configuration.
Seats are all cushioned and soft, comfortable to sit on.
Adjustable headrest? Check.
The biggest bummer for me is that there’s no fixed-seat reclining. A bit of a personal bubble bummer when the person in front decides to recline.
Despite the spacious vibe, sleeping was super difficult. The foot rest situation often made your legs go numb, and, trust me, numb legs aren't the best sleep companions.
toiletries
Cute and practical! Small, thin, and totally reusable.
Inside? The essentials for mid-flight freshening: eye mask, earplugs, body cream, chapstick, a comb, socks, and a toothbrush and toothpaste combo.
water bottle
Stay hydrated. Thumbs up for the regular-sized water bottle!
fluffy pillow & blanket
The pillows and blankets are so nice. Fluffy, warm, and just perfect when the temperatures drop during your flight.
slippers
It’s definitely a sweet touch.
You can take off your shoes and wear slippers! You also don’t have to worry about putting your shoes back on again and wear these slippers when using the bathroom.
entertainment
Movies, music, TV shows — there are endless options to keep you entertained.
I must admit they have a ton of great movies.
And, if you’re you’re having a hard time falling asleep you can listen to some nice tunes they have available. My favorite was the sleep meditation to help me fall asleep. 😴
refreshing wet towel
The crew members will hand out a refreshing towel that has antibacterial ingredients which is perfect to wipe your hands and tables.
It’s a bit cold, which I thought it would be nice and warm, but still a nice little touch.
refreshments
If you’re thirsty – apple/orange juice or water?
They make their rounds about three times during the flight separately from your meals.
meals
Two weeks before your flight, you can peek at the meal options and make your choices.
Michelin-star chef, Paul Lee’s creations are currently on the menu, but be ready to pay a little extra for the culinary fancy.
Special meal options for dietary restrictions? Check.
Pre-ordering means you get your food first – a little perk for the planners.
Cute glass cups for your drinks add a touch of luxury.
If you want another round of bread after your meal? Why not!
And yes, dessert is a thing – Häagen-Dazs caramel biscuit & cream ice cream, anyone
Meal Verdict: Okay, not a WOW, but hey, it's airplane food. We're not expecting a Michelin-star dining experience at 35,000 feet, right? 😉
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Final Thoughts
Overall, my flight on EVA Air was pretty good. Here are three big things that stood out to me:
No Fixed-Reclined Seating: My personal bubble struggle was real. No fixed-recline seating meant a perpetual guessing game of when the person in front might decide to recline.
Small Bathroom: A a bit cramped, even with the cute decor and complimentary goodies. I just thought it would be a BIT bigger than Economy, but it was still the same size.
Amazing Service: Now, let's talk about the shining star – the service. A round of applause for the top-notch crew. Professional, kind, and navigating those long flights with a smile.
To fly or not to fly?
The SERIOUS question: Would I fly with EVA’s Premium Economy again? The answer is no for now — not until the seating situation gets a glow-up. Service? A+! But without Lounge Access or Priority Boarding, it's a bit of a head-scratcher.
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Watch My EVA Air Premium Economy Overview!
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How was your EVA Air's Premium Economy experience?
Share your thoughts below! ✈️🌟
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EVA Air: Premium Economy Class
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FAQ
Do you still have to wear face masks when riding on EVA Air?
No, it’s completely optional.
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