Premium Economy offers a better experience than economy travel and costs lesser than business class flight tickets. Precisely, this travel class that gained a larger market share during the pandemic offers an ideal blend of both, comfort and affordability. Elevated comfort, wider seats, greater recline, ample legroom, adjustable seating position, generous baggage allowance, better inflight dining, and of course, priority service are the perks of flying premium economy airlines to India and back to USA.

With Air India and Emirates having entered this segment and heightening the competition, Premium Economy is the future of travel between USA and India. Indian Eagle, the most trusted air-ticketing partner of Indians in America, is here to guide you through top 7 airlines offering the best premium economy class seats to India and USA.

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Emirates’ Premium Economy Class 

Emirates, one of the best airlines for USA to India travel, is the only Middle East carrier with premium economy offering. Emirates Airlines’ Premium Economy on double-decker A380 flights to Mumbai, Bengaluru, New York, San Francisco, Houston, and Los Angeles has won Skytrax World Airline Awards for the best-in-class seats, amenities and services. Our comparative guide on Premium Economy: Emirates vs Air India will enlighten you more.

Emirates’ Premium Economy cabins have 19.5-inch wide seats with 40 inches of legroom and 8 inches of recline – which is the best in this category. The golden beige hued interior oozes sophistication. You can rest your back against a fluffy pillow and adjust the headrest in six different ways to elevate your comfort level for some good sleep during a long-haul flight.

Premium Economy travel with Emirates flight tickets is worth an upgrade from standard economy also for superior inflight entertainment on 13.5-inch HD screens, and certain privileges like priority check-in and expedited boarding.

Japan Airlines Premium Economy

“JAL SKY Premium Economy seats are second to none in functionality and privacy. Among the airlines with best premium economy travel cabins, Japan Airlines takes the lead by offering 42-inch legroom and 16-inch personal screens – the best in class. The best of JAL SKY Premium is available on the airline’s brand-new A350-1000 that is deployed for flights to Dallas and New York,” said the chief ticketing officer of Indian Eagle Travel.

Japan Airlines’ A350-1000 aircraft has Premium Economy seats with significant upgrades from that on other aircraft in the fleet. You get to relax on electric seats with effortless recline and motorized leg rests that rise up to 90 degrees. Your privacy is taken better care of with larger dividers between seats as in the business class. The same fold-out divider between seats is available in the JAL Premium Economy cabin on B787-9 that the airline uses to operate flights to New Delhi.

The perks of booking Japan Airlines Premium Economy tickets to India or USA include access to JAL lounges at Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda, and Osaka Kansai airports in Japan. ENCALM Prive Lounge at Indira Gandhi Airport, and 080 Lounge at Kempegowda BLR Airport are also accessible to premium economy passengers of JAL flights to/from Bengaluru and New Delhi. Special check-in counter access and priority baggage service are cherries on the cake for those flying premium economy with JAL.

Singapore Airlines’ Premium Economy Class

Singapore Airlines is the one that can compete with Emirates Premium Economy on long-haul routes. It has all the makings of best premium economy class seats to India and USA, such as ample room to stretch out, adjustable personal reading light, in-seat USB ports, noise-cancelling headphones, etc. The seats with soft leather upholstery are cozy enough to make you feel at home in the sky. Singapore Airlines’ premium economy seats come with a dedicated stowage area where you can store your laptop, headphones, water bottle and other personal items.

The USP of Singapore Airlines Premium Economy cabins is restaurant-like inflight dining service at the cruising altitude. Starting from April 2024, the airline has been serving meals from its enhanced menu designed by award-winning chefs from different countries, including India. You can pre-order a main course of your choice from Singapore Airlines’ Book the Cook menu, at least 24 hours prior to your flight (with minimum 15 hours of travel time). The airlines pampers the tastebuds of premium economy travelers to/from India with chicken biryani, garlic roasted prawns, apple crumble cheesecake and likes from its new menu of over 200 dishes.

Hours of absolute entertainment over a vast content library consisting of 1800 movies, TV programs, music, and games on 13.3-inch HD touchscreen monitors complement the experience of flying Premium Economy on Singapore Airlines flights to India and USA.

Lufthansa’s Premium Economy Class 

More room, more comfort, more attention, and more free baggage define Lufthansa Airlines’ Premium Economy cabins. Each seat has a cocktail table at the armrest, adjustable footrest, and 11-12 inch inflight entertainment screen. In Lufthansa Premium Economy, the seats offer 8 inches of recline, 38 inches of pitch, and width of 18-19 inches for optimum comfort. The seat lets you recline without encroaching the space of the passenger behind you. The headrest, leg rest and armrest can be adjusted as per your convenience.

Lufthansa’s new Allegris travel cabins with pod-like Premium Economy seats have set a benchmark for other premium economy airlines. The Allegris Premium Economy cabins being rolled out on Airbus A350s and B787 Dreamliners have 15.6-in 4K entertainment monitors with discreet screen. You can relax in a comfy position and tune in to nonstop streaming of content or read/work under a personal reading light during long-haul travel on Lufthansa flights.

“Bengaluru and San Francisco are the first to see the brand-new Allegris cabins with premium economy seats, among the destinations of Lufthansa flights to India and USA this year. You can check-in two bags for free when traveling Lufthansa Premium Economy; a great advantage over Lufthansa’s economy flights with one piece of checked baggage,” said the chief customer experience officer of IndianEagle.com.

Air India’s Premium Economy on Nonstop Flights 

In a very short time following its launch in June 2023 for nonstop US-India flights, Air India’s Premium Economy has earned rave reviews. All thanks to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson’s vision and Tata Group’s takeover of the airline! Everyone from regular travelers to celebs like Chef Vikas Khanna praised Air India’s service on Boeing 777-200LRs (leased from Delta Airlines) which have 48 leather-upholstered Premium Economy seats with big IFE screens, better seat pitch and greater seat recline.

The blue-hued premium economy cabins are available on Air India flights from New York to Mumbai, and San Francisco to Bengaluru, as well as Mumbai.

With its brand new A350-900s taking to the skies, Air India is all set to up its Premium Economy game by late 2024. This long-range, widebody aircraft has 24 Premium Economy seats other than 28 full-flat luxury beds in Business Class. Read our in-depth coverage for more details of Air India’s A350s and take a walk through the aircraft in our short video. Once it hits long-haul international routes, it will be among the best premium economy airline cabins for travel between USA and India.

Cathay Pacific’s Premium Economy 

Of the best premium economy airlines, Cathay Pacific stands out for offering such perks as dedicated check-in lines and priority boarding, other than super comfy seats with 40 inches of legroom on board. The airline has started rolling out newly designed premium economy seats with 20 inches of width – the best in the industry – on its fleet of B777-300ERs. The leather-padded seats come with full-length leg rests, USB ports, spacious tray tables, and 15-inch wide monitor screens with Bluetooth audio pairing.

The larger tray table makes dining and working a lot more comfortable in Premium Economy on Cathay Pacific flights to India, USA and other destinations. In 2023, Skytrax Awards (the Oscars in aviation) ranked Cathay Pacific as one of the top 10 airlines with best premium economy class seats.

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JAL, one of the best airlines with premium economy cabins, has made a strategic move to expand its reach across India starting from the winter 2024 schedule. It has signed a codeshare agreement with IndiGo, the biggest Indian airline in terms of domestic network. The codeshare alliance with IndiGo will provide international passengers of Japan Airlines with seamless connectivity to 14 Indian cities from New Delhi and Bengaluru.

In the first phase of the codeshare partnership, IndiGo will add Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Amritsar, Chennai, Kochi, Tiruchirappalli, Thiruvananthapuram, and Coimbatore to Japan Airlines’ India network. IndiGo will also connect Pune, Goa, Lucknow, and Varanasi with JAL flights from Indira Gandhi DEL Airport and Kempegowda BLR Airport.

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Currently, New Delhi and Bengaluru are the only destinations of JAL flights to India from USA and other countries via Tokyo. Japan’s flag carrier operates daily flights to New Delhi from/via Tokyo Haneda Airport and weekly three flights to Bengaluru from/via Tokyo Narita Airport. The codeshare route to India, exploring more options other than Delhi and Bengaluru, will generate more traffic and better deals for JAL flights.

The JAL-IndiGo codeshare agreement will enable Indians from the US network of Japan Airlines to travel seamlessly to the above-mentioned 14 Indian cities with one ticket. Boston, Dallas, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York JFK, and San Diego are among the global destinations of JAL airlines.

“Precisely, IndiGo is the wind beneath the wings of several international carriers, including Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, British Airways, and American Airlines, for their market growth in India. While Air India is eyeing expansion in key international markets, such as the USA, through more nonstop flight routes from India, IndiGo is flexing its revenue muscle through codeshare agreements with more and more major airlines,” said Sourav Agarwal, the Editor of Travel Beats.

Reportedly, IndiGo, which is primarily branded as an economy airline, is looking to reposition itself with billion-dollar plans to add premium economy and business class to its product portfolio. Thirty A350-900 planes with premium economy and business class seats, which IndiGo has recently placed an order for, will help the airline align with premium passengers of its foreign codeshare partners and their expectations.

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With cramped seating, vanishing legroom and stale air, cheap economy flights are becoming the bane of long-haul air travel for budget travelers who care more about airfares than comfort. On top of that, some people sniff at the thought of flying economy for various reasons, including crying infants, screaming toddlers, nosey co-passengers, middle seats, snorting adults, passengers with multiple cabin bags; the list goes on.

According to a study by IndianEagle.com on what many of its customers find the most annoying about flying, crying infants, prancing kids and seat kickers top the list. Akin to the find by Indian Eagle Travel is the result of the surveys that several airlines have conducted among their frequent flyers, digging deeper to know what annoy them the most on board.

Some of the survey participants having kids admitted to feeling like the most annoying people aboard on seeing the agitated faces around. Neither bearing with kids throwing tantrums much to the annoyance of others, nor child-free travel for those who hate sitting next to kids can be justified. Not all airlines are as generous Etihad Airways to offer onboard nanny service.

No airlines can promise child-free travel; but Japan Airlines has taken the middle of the road to help grownup travelers avoid sitting next to a crying baby or a kid screaming demands at the top of voice.

Japan Airlines has rolled out a baby seat map, a first of its kind in air travel, to show the seats reserved by flyers with infants or toddlers on a flight, so that not-so-much-fond-of-onboard-kids travelers can seek safe refuge in any corner of the cabin for peaceful journey. Integrated to Japan Airlines’ web check-in system, the ‘baby seat map’ feature will display seats with a child icon for those traveling with kids between 8 days and two years. This helps other travelers seeking child-free travel pick their seats at a safe distance from those with kids.

However, Japan Airlines’ baby seat map is not absolutely foolproof. The Japanese carrier says that the new feature may not display the child icon in certain cases like a change in aircraft. If a jet deployed for a scheduled flight is replaced by a jet with different seating configuration in the last hour, Japan Airlines’ baby seat map may not work for the baby-averse passengers.

There is a mixed response to Japan Airlines’ ‘Baby seat map’ feature. While some travelers thanked the airline for giving a clue about where babies may sit and scream, some others denounced it as an anti-human feature.

One Twitter user went on to tag Qatar Airways in his tweet about Japan Airlines’ new tool for the baby-averse folks and wrote that there were three screaming babies next to him on his flight from New York JFK two weeks ago.

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2019 seems to open up a new horizon for expansion of air travel within and from the United States, with some of the major airlines strengthening their domestic and international networks by adding scores of new routes and launching tens of new flights. While United and American Airlines are busy proliferating across the USA with nonstop flights from their respective hubs to small airports, non-US airlines are looking to grab a larger pie of the US travel market by operating more and more routes from the US to their hubs. Travelers are likelier to benefit from myriads of new options and choices when it comes to flying nonstop within and from USA.

A leading travel booking partner of Indians in the US, Indian Eagle takes on the upcoming air travel routes which promise cheap flights to, from, via and within USA in 2019.

United Airlines to Launch New Domestic Routes from its US Hubs 

In 2019, United Airlines will be connecting to 22 new regional, small airports from six of its international hubs in the United States. With 40 new routes added to the domestic network and connected with the hub airports, United Airlines is expanding within the US a lot more than any other US airline and offering more choices for travelers to go international via its hubs.

United Airlines announced to connect Hilton Head Island in South Carolina to Washington DC, Chicago and New York/Newark with nonstop flights next year. Recently, United Airlines added nonstop service to Anchorage in Alaska and Pensacola in Florida from New York. Soon Indians in Detroit, Michigan; Richmond, Virginia; Omaha, Nebraska, and St. Louis and Kansas City; Missouri will be able to board United Airlines flights to India from Greater New York as United Airlines is mulling expansion of its domestic network to those cities.

Among the upcoming routes from California, United Airlines will commence nonstop service between Columbus, Ohio and San Francisco on June 6, 2019. Also, United Airlines will connect its Los Angeles hub to Madison in Wisconsin, Eugene in Oregon, and Pasco in Washington with nonstop flights commencing March 31, 2019. United Airlines’ proposed nonstop weekend flight from its Chicago O’Hare Airport hub to Hilton Head Island will hit the sky on April 6, 2019.

Furthermore, United Airlines announced the upcoming launch of nonstop service connecting its hub at Denver International Airport to Eureka in California, Charleston in South Carolina, and Fairbanks in Alaska.

Singapore Airlines to Operate Nonstop Flights to Seattle

Among the upcoming nonstop flights to and from USA, Singapore Airlines’ direct Seattle service will commence in September 2019. The nonstop Singapore-Seattle flights will be operated three to four times a week. Seattle will be the fifth US city in Singapore Airlines’ international network. The nonstop service from Seattle will also provide travelers with faster connectivity to India and other countries in South Asia from Singapore Changi International Airport. Singapore Airlines flights are currently available to and from Houston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York JFK and Newark Liberty EWR. Seattle Indians having valid Indian passports can avail the 4-day free transit visa to Singapore, on producing confirmed air tickets to India or any other country from Changi International Airport.

British Airways to Fly Daily between Nashville and Heathrow 

Among the increased number of services from the United States, British Airways flights to and from Nashville, Tennessee will be upped by two extra services per week in summer 2019. To be precise, British Airways will be operating a daily service between Tennessee and London Heathrow next summer, and the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner will be deployed for the same. It means that Indians of Tennessee will be able to board British Airways flights to India from London Heathrow seven days a week, beginning summer 2019.

Japan Airlines to Return to Seattle for a Daily Service in 2019

Japan Airlines is all set to make its comeback to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for a daily service from Seattle to Tokyo in March 2019. To be operated by the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, the new daily flight is a joint venture of Japan Airlines and its Pacific business partner American Airlines. With a daily service to Narita International Airport in place, Seattle Indians will be able to board Japan Airlines flights to India via Tokyo if they prefer Japan Airlines (JAL) to any other international carrier.

Air France to Return to Dallas for a Daily Service in 2019 

Not only Japan Airlines, but also Air France announced its comeback to a leading US airport in 2019. Starting March 31, Air France will operate five weekly flights from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Air France’s Dallas to Paris nonstop service will be another way for Dallas Texas Indians to board Air France flights to India via Paris CDG airport. Cheap Air France deals to India are available for Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Amritsar, Chennai and Goa.

American Airlines to Launch New Routes from Dallas Fort Worth

Like United Airlines, American Airlines is on an expansion spree within the United States. The airline announced to strengthen its domestic network by operating eight new routes from Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport in 2019. Harlingen in Texas, Augusta in Georgia, Gainesville in Florida, Yuma and Flagstaff in Arizona, and Bakersfield, Monterey and Burbank in California are the proposed additions in the domestic travel network of American Airlines. Those preferring American Airlines flights will have more connecting options at DFW International Airport.

Lufthansa to Connect Austin to Frankfurt in 2019 

The flag carrier of Germany, Lufthansa announced to commence a new direct flight between Austin and Frankfurt in May 2019. Initially, five weekly flights will be operated from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to Frankfurt Airport. In addition to Dallas and Houston in Texas, Austin will now be connected to India via Lufthansa’s hub at Frankfurt. Cheap Lufthansa flight tickets to India are available for Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. Lufthansa is all set to resume its service to Pune this October 28.

Taos Regional Airport Launches Service to Austin and Dallas 

The Town of Taos in New Mexico will soon get connected to Austin International Airport and Dallas-Love Field Airports. Beginning December 20 this year, Taos Regional Airport will be operating direct charter flights to and from Austin, AUS and Dallas Love Field, DAL. Known as Taos Air, the new charter service will continue through the end of March 2019. The winter service will include six round trips per week. The service is said to be reasonably priced compared to commercial flights.

Air Canada Ups Vancouver to Delhi Nonstop Flights

Of all Canada to India nonstop flights, Air Canada flights from Vancouver to New Delhi will now be operated daily instead of five times per week only during the winter. To be precise, Air Canada will continue operating the Vancouver-Delhi route daily until June 2, 2019. The Vancouver to Delhi nonstop flights are suitable alternatives if Indians in New York, Chicago and Boston do ever find Air India’s nonstop flights to India, particularly Delhi IGI airport overbooked or overpriced, as Air Canada operates nonstop flights between these US cities and its hubs in Canada.

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Japan Airlines joined the league of British Airways, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines which constantly seek innovation in the cabin interior of aircraft in their fleet. Japan Airlines has lifted the screen from the interior of the new cabin to be installed on its B787-8 Dreamliner.

The new cabin for premium travelers to be flying on the airline’s B787-8 and B787-9 aircraft is named JAL Sky Suite. Japan Airlines’ Tokyo Narita to Frankfurt is the first route that the cabin will be rolled out on in December 2014. Tokyo Narita to New York is the next route that the Dreamliner aircraft with the new cabin will fly on. Then, the new cabin will gradually be available on flights on the rest of the routes in Japan Airlines’ global network.

JAL will be reducing the number of seats in each of the travel classes to offer spacious seating with more comfort in the new cabin. The total number of seats in the B787-8 Dreamliner will be reduced from 186 to 161. Premium Economy seats will number only 35. The number of Business Class seats will fall from 42 to 38. In order to flights more comfortable for the Economy Class travelers, Japan Airlines has proposed to cut the number of seats from 144 to 88.

Fully flat beds with direct aisle access will be installed in the Business Class cabin. The Business Class seats will be configured in a 2-2-2 layout. Each bed cum seat will come with ample space for storage of cabin bags, a large swivel tables for dining and a 23-in TV for personal entertainment in the Business Class cabin.

Seats will be arranged in a 2-3-2 layout in the Premium Economy cabin. The seat design will remain the same as on Japan Airlines’ B777 aircraft. The fixed back of Premium Economy seats will recline without causing inconvenience to the passenger behind. Each seat will come with a center divider for additional privacy and a 12.1 inch touchscreen monitor.

Japan Airlines’ Economy Class passengers will benefit from the new cabin design than other passengers as the reduction in the number of Economy seats will allow more legroom.

Indian Eagle books the cheapest flights to India from the US with Japan Airlines. The lowest airfare to India is guaranteed at Indian Eagle. 

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