American Airlines Premium Economy
My family of four recently flew in American Airlines Premium Economy, our first experience with this carrier’s version aboard a 787-8 from Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) to Maui (OGG). It was quite a booking adventure beforehand, where we first booked with AA at 48.5k miles each but subsequently booked with Alaska Airlines currency at 22.5k miles each. After finding the outstanding deal on the latter, I brought my expectations back down before the flight. What we experienced was a bit of a mixed bag, but one I would easily sign up for again.
Seating
Our favorite aspect of this premium economy experience was the seating. From our small to midsized regional airports, we generally fly on with narrow-body planes. First class seating on these Boeing and Airbus aircraft is fine but nothing special. American Airlines Premium Economy on the 787 was similar to what we’ve experienced on first class narrow bodies.
But in one regard with AA, this premium economy product outperforms narrow-body first class. Unlike the latter, the former provides in-flight entertainment, something AA misguidedly eliminated from their smaller aircraft which may be returning.
Food and Beverage
Our American Airlines Premium Economy food and beverage experience was inconsistent. American touts “chef-inspired dining” for premium economy flyers, and we reserved such dishes before our flight. We each picked the lemon-herbed chicken with green beans and mashed potatoes, the sole pick beyond the vegetarian option. My chicken was a gummy consistency, so I quickly gave up on it. The sides were on-point, though. It was the opposite for my other three: thoroughly-cooked, tasty chicken but terrible sides.
Later in the flight we received a cute, little snack with a few pieces of fruit, cheese, and a Lindt chocolate in addition to another round of beverages. I actually preferred the quality of this secondary service to the first.
Service and Additional Observations
As I had expected, service was on par with what I’ve experienced in economy. That is, AA flight attendants were warm enough but nothing out of the ordinary. I had a couple recognizing outstanding service coupons to get rid of, anyway, and I had no problem providing them to these attendants.
Two bathrooms were available in front of the four rows of premium economy passengers. I appreciated the relatively-spacious bathrooms, particularly the one on the right. While these weren’t exclusive to premium economy, I noticed very few passengers from economy used them. Perhaps this was due to the aircraft’s layout offering four additional bathrooms farther back, luck, or both.
We each got great use of the blanket, pillow, and amenity kit which came at our seats.
American Airlines Premium Economy – Conclusion
I will continue to prioritize premium economy for our long-haul family travel needs. It’s the optimal balance for us – a touch of fancy while also promoting a sense of togetherness. That latter part is key, as more premium products discourage that vibe beyond pairs traveling together.
I’d also like to point out our experience wasn’t on AA’s newer premium economy product. Kudos to the airline for keeping up a respectable offering even if it’s not the updated one.
Have you flown American Airlines Premium Economy? How was your experience?
