EVA Air Premium Economy Boeing 777-300ER — is it worth the upgrade?
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Ever since I tried China Airlines Premium Economy, I’ve been wondering
— is EVA Air’s version actually better?
As a Taiwanese-American visiting family yearly, I’ve endured my fair share of brutal long-haul flights. Back when I lived in the Bay Area, 12 hours from SFO to TPE was tough enough. But ever since moving to New York? We’re talking 16 – 18 hours… 🥴
While I grew up flying China Airlines, all my Taiwanese friends swear by EVA — raving about the service, the food, and the premium perks. So, I decided to finally give it a try.
In this post, I’ll break down whether EVA’s Premium Economy truly lives up to the hype — from booking to boarding and everything in between — to help you decide if the upgrade is worth your cash (and comfort).
brief overview
Alright, buckle up because we’re about to dive into the features of EVA Air’s Premium Economy!
SEATS
Plush and spacious, 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 touchscreen 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 tech? Check!
FOOD
Exclusive meals for you to choose and preorder online, red & white wines, famous beers, and a selection of non-alcoholic drinks.
booking
All about where and how I booked my flight along with the money-saving tips for EVA Air’s Premium Economy tickets.
When the time finally came to book my flight to Taiwan, I went onto Chase Travel in Chase Sapphire and compared Premium Economy prices between EVA Air 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 of 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 when I booked through Chase is that I had to call to reserve my seat, which I did not have to pay for. 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! (It’s now $65 to choose your seat! Thank you, Ella, for the update on the price!)
I found the Premium Economy price quite high, and I was disappointed to discover an additional $60 charge to reserve a seat. However, I later learned that with Premium Economy Basic (the type of ticket I had), I could select my seats for free 48 hours before the flight, either online or via the EVA Air app.
Since EVA Air's Premium Economy flights tend to fill up quickly, I would suggest paying for your seat if you're flying with someone else. If you're flying alone, I recommend using the 48-hour window to avoid the additional charge.
download EVA Air's app
Alright, here's a pro tip — download the EVA Air app (Apple / Google Play).
Trust me, it’s super beneficial for you when you’re traveling with EVA.
I won’t dive into all its features, but here are some important features in the app that stood out to me and might benefit you as well:
MY TRIP/CHECK-IN
This is crucial intel for planning when to get to the airport. Now, the online check-in was a bit redundant because, surprise, you still need to check in at the airport, especially if you’re flying internationally.
But, picking seats, meals, and browsing the e-menu? That’s where the app shines.
MEALS
Here’s where things get 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.
Gabriel pre-booked the Exclusive Gourmet Meal made by Michelin-star chef Paul Lee’s beef, and according to him, it tasted amazing.
NOTIFICATIONS
What do I love 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 on which stage your luggage is at!
THE CONS
Here’s the not-so-fun part. The app can be a bit slow.
You tap into the EVA Air App, and sometimes the app just loads. Generally, after a few minutes of loading nonstop, I close the app and reopen it, and the app runs normally.
check-in
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 entering TSA.
lounge access?
Unfortunately, EVA Air Premium Economy does not include complimentary lounge access unless you hold elite status with EVA or Star Alliance — which, like me 🙋🏻♀️, most casual flyers who don’t regularly fly EVA won’t have.
Oriental Club Lounge in TPE
Flying out of New York, I waited at the assigned gate since lounge access wasn’t available.
At Taoyuan Airport (TPE), I had a somewhat similar experience before. Since the gate didn’t open until closer to boarding, I spent time at the airport food court getting some work done before heading over once boarding approached.
On more recent trips, I’ve been able to access airport lounges thanks to my Capital One Venture X, which includes lounge access through affiliated programs like Priority Pass.
While lounge access isn’t included with Premium Economy, there are ways to access lounges at TPE depending on your airline status, credit cards, or paid lounge passes — something worth planning ahead if airport comfort matters to you, especially on long-haul flights!
boarding
So, here's the deal with boarding EVA Air’s Premium Economy — there’s nothing special about it. There is no priority boarding for EVA Air’s Premium Economy. Even with the “fancy” name, the boarding process was still basic and I found myself boarding in Zone 4.
The zones range from 1 to 5. Zone 1 is the first to board, and then, there's me in Zone 4. Economy was in Zone 5.
I was just confused as to why EVA Air Premium Economy didn’t have priority boarding like China Airlines.
in-flight experience
Seats
The Premium Economy cabin features a 2-4-2 row configuration, with cushioned, soft, and spacious seats that are generally comfortable.
One downside is the lack of fixed-seat reclining. When the person in front of you fully reclines, it can feel intrusive and encroach on your personal space.
Toiletries
The 2026 Hunter Premium Economy toiletry kit is super cute and a nice upgrade from the 2023 version.
Inside, you’ll find the essentials for refreshing mid-flight: an eye mask, earplugs, body cream, chapstick, comb, socks, and a toothbrush with toothpaste.
If you don’t need the kit, you can return it to a flight attendant and free up some extra space at your seat — just like I did!
Entertainment
Movies, music, TV shows — there are endless options to keep you entertained.
I must admit they have a ton of great movies to watch.
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. 😴
Noise-Canceling Headset
The noise-canceling headphones remained the same as the 2023 version — no major visual updates.
Functionally, they do cancel noise, but I found them uncomfortable after wearing for a while. The tight fit around my head often gave me a headache, so I had to take breaks from wearing them.
Meals
You can preview your meal options up to two weeks before your flight and make your selections online.
If you have dietary restrictions, the Special Meals section lets you customize your order. For a luxury touch, EVA Air also offers Exclusive Gourmet Meals curated by celebrity chefs for an extra charge (availability may vary).
Pre-ordering your meal comes with a nice perk: you get served first!
I pre-ordered the Seafood meal, which was tasty for the first service, but the second meal wasn’t great.
They still handed out Häagen-Dazs dessert, but I decided to pass on ice cream this time because I realized I’m not a big fan of ice cream! 🍨
Nothing really changed except that EVA’s Premium Economy originally had glass cups, which were later replaced with paper cups, while everything else remained consistent.
Late-night snacks
To help adjust to jet lag flying back from TPE → NYC, I tried to sleep mid-flight and wake up gradually so I could sleep once home.
During this time, the crew passed around drinks (water, apple juice, and orange juice) and two rounds of snacks. Later, they served a heated seafood snack, which they handed out with a tissue paper — no option to decline, haha.
Overall, it was a thoughtful touch for passengers trying to rest while still offering a little bite during the night.
WiFi
One of the biggest changes on EVA Air Premium Economy is the availability of WiFi on board! I love that airlines are implementing this so you can keep your loved ones at home updated and feel more connected.
That said, EVA’s WiFi is free but a bit spotty.
You can easily send texts and messages, but streaming videos or browsing Instagram can be slow, with occasional lags. After periods of inactivity, you might need to reconnect, and sending or receiving videos can take a long time.
Bottom line: it’s great for staying in touch with messages, but don’t expect smooth streaming or heavy uploads.
Other standout amenities
previous EVA Air photos
final thoughts
Flying EVA Air Premium Economy again after three years felt like visiting an old friend.
Here’s my take on the highlights (and a few standouts):
1️⃣ Recline still isn’t fixed. I’ve read that EVA updated this on shorter flights (like the 787-9), but long-haul still feels a bit awkward. I’d happily switch from China Airlines Premium Economy if EVA rolls this out for long-haul soon.
2️⃣ No priority boarding. Honestly, it’s not a dealbreaker for me, but a more organized boarding process would make life so much easier.
3️⃣ Service remains top-notch. The crew, amenities, and attention to detail are easily 20/10 — arguably better than China Airlines Premium Economy.
Overall, EVA delivers comfort, excellent service, and thoughtful touches — now it just needs a seat update for long-haul flights so I can actually sleep like a human. 😅
what's your experience?
Enough about me and my experience!
Have you flown EVA Air’s Premium Economy before? What was your experience like?
Drop a comment below — I’d love to hear your thoughts!
FAQ
Q: Do you still have to wear face masks when riding on EVA Air?
A: No, it’s completely optional.
Q: What is the difference between EVA Air Premium Economy Up vs Standard?
A: Both Standard and Up fares in EVA Air's Premium Economy offer a comfortable travel experience. However, the Up fare provides more flexibility in choosing your seat in advance, potentially allows you to earn more frequent flyer miles, and may give you a better chance of securing a seat with extra legroom (depending on availability).
Q: What's the baggage allowance for EVA Air Premium Economy?
A: When flying in Premium Economy with EVA Air, you get a generous baggage allowance. Here's the breakdown:
CARRY-ON
One piece weighing up to 15 pounds (7 kg). Make sure it fits in the overhead bins (23 x 36 x 56 cm). There are testing units at the airport for a quick check. Plus, you can bring a personal item like a small backpack or purse measuring no larger than 40 x 30 x 10 cm.CHECKED BAGGAGE
If you're flying between Asia and the United States, you can check two bags, each weighing up to 50 pounds (23 kg). This applies to both directions. If you're flying within Asia, the same two-bag rule applies with the same weight limit.
Q: China Airlines Premium Economy vs EVA Air Premium Economy — which do you recommend?
A: Both China Airlines and EVA Air offer a comfortable premium economy experience that can elevate your travel journey. I particularly appreciate EVA Air PE's quality of food, flight experience, amazing service, and comfort. However, I really like China Airlines PE for its priority boarding and fixed-recline seating. Ultimately, the best choice depends on your priorities.
my EVA Air Premium Economy overview!
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EVA Air: Baggage Information
EVA Air: Premium Economy Class
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10112023 01:23 | 11132023 16:44 | 01232026 19:00
Last Updated: 01.27.2026
Considering EVA Air's Premium Economy? Let's explore the seat comfort, service, and benefits to see if it’s worth the extra cost!