The words Economy, Premium Economy, Business, and First refer to different physical cabins on an aircraft. Behind each is a different seat, meal, baggage allowance, and service level. Here is how they actually differ in practice, and how the booking class codes on your ticket map to what you will experience.

Economy, the workhorse

Most seats on most aircraft are economy. Typical features on a long haul aircraft.

  • Seat pitch of 30 to 32 inches, slim recline.
  • One checked bag, usually 23 kg, plus one carry on.
  • Two meal services on long haul, snacks on short haul.
  • Seatback entertainment, personal screen on most long haul aircraft.

Premium Economy, the middle ground

Premium economy is a separate cabin, not a fancy economy seat. Typical features.

  • Seat pitch of 36 to 40 inches, deeper recline.
  • Wider seat and better armrests.
  • Two checked bags of 30 kg in many carriers, plus priority boarding.
  • Improved meals, sometimes with a printed menu.

Premium economy is usually priced at 1.8 to 2.5 times economy. Some carriers offer it only on long haul. Short haul premium economy is often just the front rows of economy with a blocked middle seat.

Business class

Business is where the cabin experience changes fundamentally. On long haul wide body aircraft.

  • Lie flat bed, often with direct aisle access from every seat.
  • Two to three checked bags at 32 kg each.
  • Multi course meal service with printed menu and wine list.
  • Lounge access before departure.
  • Priority check in, security, boarding, and baggage.

Short haul business on narrow body aircraft often uses the same seat as economy with a blocked middle seat, which disappoints first time business travellers expecting the long haul experience.

First class

First class is now offered by fewer airlines than ten years ago. Where it exists on modern wide body aircraft, you can expect.

  • A fully enclosed suite with a sliding door.
  • A separate bed, sometimes a standalone seat and bed.
  • A la carte dining, caviar, champagne selection.
  • Chauffeur transfer to the airport in some cases.
  • Dedicated first class lounge and sometimes a private terminal, as at Lufthansa Frankfurt.

Booking class codes, Y, J, F and more

On your ticket the letter in parentheses next to the class name is the booking class code. These fall into published families.

  • First, booking codes F and A. R is sometimes used for discounted first.
  • Business, booking codes J, C, D, I, Z. Higher letters are flexible, lower letters are restricted sale fares.
  • Premium Economy, booking codes W, P, or E, varies by carrier.
  • Economy, booking codes Y, B, M, H, K, L, Q, T, V, X, N, O, S. Y is full fare, the letters after are progressively more restricted.

This system exists so that airlines can sell the same physical cabin at many different price points, each with different rules about changes, baggage, and upgrades.

Try each class on a sample itinerary

Pick Economy, Business, or First in the builder and see how baggage and fare basis change.

Open the builder

When is each class worth it

  • Short haul under four hours. Economy is almost always fine for most travellers.
  • Medium haul four to eight hours. Premium economy starts to pay off for comfort.
  • Long haul eight hours plus. Business class pays back heavily if sleep matters for the day after landing.
  • Ultra long haul thirteen hours plus. If you can afford it, business or first is justifiable.

Upgrade paths

  • Paid upgrade at check in, cash or miles.
  • Bid upgrades, offered by some airlines.
  • Operational upgrades, when economy is oversold.
  • Status upgrades, automatic for top tier frequent flyers.

For the alliances that govern cross airline upgrades and benefits, read global airline alliances explained. For the aircraft types that determine what cabin products are available, see aircraft types you see every day.