According to the SKYTRAX World Airline Awards 2025, Emirates offers the world’s most comfortable premium economy seat. Based at Dubai International Airport (DXB), the airline only introduced its premium economy cabin in 2021, yet it has already earned accolades for its innovative design and exceptional onboard service.

In this article, we will take an in-depth look at Emirates’ premium economy seat and explore what makes it stand out in the crowded world of long-haul travel. From its thoughtful design and extra comfort to the enhanced dining and service experience, we will examine the features that have helped it earn widespread acclaim. We will also consider the growing popularity of premium economy more broadly, placing Emirates’ offering in the context of a wider trend across the commercial aviation industry.

The World’s Most Comfortable Premium Economy Seat

Credit: Emirates

Emirates’ premium economy is a relatively new addition to the airline’s award-winning service, designed to bridge the gap between economy class and business class. Officially launched in January 2021, the cabin made its debut on the carrier’s Airbus A380 and has since become a key part of Emirates’ fleet modernization strategy. The introduction of premium economy marks an important milestone for Emirates, offering passengers a more comfortable and refined travel experience without the higher cost of splurging on a business class ticket.

Emirates’ premium economy seat is designed with comfort and style in mind. Each seat offers up to 40 inches of pitch, 19.5 inches of width, and 8 inches of recline, providing significantly more space than the carrier’s standard economy class seating. The cabin’s cream leather seats feature adjustable leg rests, headrests, and footrests, along with a six-way adjustable seat design for added comfort, and passengers can also enjoy a large 13.3-inch HD screen loaded with Emirates’ award-winning Ice entertainment system, as well as easily accessible charging ports and wide dining tables.

The Experience Beyond The Seat

Credit: Emirates

The onboard experience in Emirates’ premium economy cabin goes beyond just the seat itself. Firstly, passengers are welcomed onboard with a drink in fine glassware, followed by upgraded dining options served on real china with stainless steel cutlery. Dining is a key highlight of the premium economy experience, with the carrier serving gourmet-style meals.

Menus are inspired by regional and seasonal ingredients, with dishes that reflect Emirates’ global network, accompanied by a selection of beverages that includes fine wines, beers, and spirits. The presentation and quality are closer to business class than economy class, giving passengers a premium feel without the premium price tag. The premium economy cabin also has its own dedicated cabin crew and a quieter, more exclusive environment that further enhances the sense of comfort and personal space.

Emirates initially offered its premium economy cabin on routes to high-profile destinations, such as London Heathrow Airport (LHR), Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), and Sydney Airport (SYD). Since then, the carrier has expanded the service to more destinations, with the airline continuing to retrofit many of its Airbus A380s and Boeing 777-300ERs with its award-winning premium economy product.

Ahead Of The Competition

Credit: Japan Airlines

According to the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2025, Japan Airlines has the world’s second-most comfortable premium economy seat. The oneworld carrier offers one of the most spacious and well-designed premium economy seats in the industry, emphasizing comfort, privacy, and functionality. The airline’s premium economy seat is designed by RECARO, and can be found onboard most of its long-haul aircraft, including the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350.

Each Japan Airlines premium economy seat provides a generous seat pitch of 42 inches, giving passengers significantly more legroom than in standard economy class, and even more than first-placed Emirates. The seat width is around 19 inches, and the seat reclines between seven and eight inches, achieved through a shell-style design. This means that the seat slides forward and reclines without encroaching on the space of the passenger behind, offering a major advantage on long flights. Additional comfort features include a leg rest and footrest and wide armrests, as well as a center console with storage, a reading light, power outlets, and USB charging ports for convenience.

Virgin Atlantic comes in third place when looking at the world’s most comfortable premium economy seat, combining generous space with elegant design. Each seat has a pitch of around 38 inches and a width of 18.5 to 21 inches, depending on the aircraft type, with a recline of seven to eight inches.

Virgin Atlantic’s premium economy seats are upholstered in high-quality leather, with adjustable headrests and footrests to enhance comfort during the journey. Each seat also includes personal power outlets and USB ports, enabling passengers to charge their devices easily throughout the flight. The seat itself is complemented by thoughtful design details such as large tray tables, ample storage space, while soft mood lighting and a quieter atmosphere contribute to a more relaxing experience overall.

Rounding Out The Top Ten

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The rest of the world’s top ten most comfortable premium economy seats are made up of airlines from across the world, with all three major global airline alliances represented, as shown in the table below:

Delta Air Lines is the only North American carrier to feature in the top ten. The carrier’s premium economy seats offer a seat pitch of 38 inches, and the layout varies depending on the aircraft type – for example, on Delta Air Lines’ Airbus A350-900s, the premium economy seats are arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration, while on its Boeing 767-400ERs, they are in a 2-2-2 configuration, offering more direct aisle access. Other major North American carriers to offer a premium economy product include American Airlines, United Airlines, Air Canada, and WestJet.

The Rise Of Premium Economy

Credit: Emirates

In recent years, premium economy has emerged as one of the fastest-growing areas of commercial aviation. What was once a niche option between economy and business class has evolved into a popular choice for travelers looking for more space and comfort without the premium price tag. It strikes a balance that appeals to both leisure passengers seeking a better experience and business travelers mindful of their budgets.

The appeal is easy to understand – premium economy typically offers wider seats, extra legroom, upgraded dining, and priority services, all at a fraction of a business-class fare. For long-haul travelers, these small luxuries make a big difference, especially as standard economy cabins have become denser and less comfortable.

Emirates is not the only airline to have noticed this shift. Many other major carriers, including Cathay Pacific, American Airlines, and British Airways, have all expanded their premium economy offerings in recent years, either by adding or refreshing existing premium economy cabins or increasing capacity in existing ones.

About Emirates

Credit: Simple Flying

Emirates is one of the most recognizable airline brands in the world, known for its luxury, innovation, and global reach. Founded in 1985, the Dubai-based carrier started with just two aircraft but has since grown into a global aviation giant, flying to more than 140 destinations across six continents. Its rapid growth has been closely linked to Dubai’s rise as an international hub for travel and commerce.

The airline operates an all-widebody fleet, made up almost entirely of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, with a small (but growing) number of Airbus A350-900s. Emirates is the world’s largest operator of both the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 777-300ER, which has helped it build a strong reputation for comfort and quality. The A380, in particular, has become an icon of the brand, offering passengers features such as an onboard bar, private suites in first class, and even shower spas on select routes. The Boeing 777s, meanwhile, serve as the backbone of its long-haul network, serving regional and long-haul routes from the carrier’s hub at Dubai International Airport (DXB).

Emirates’ in-flight entertainment system, ice, remains one of the best in the industry, offering thousands of channels of movies, TV shows, and music. Combined with high-quality dining and attentive service, the airline consistently ranks among the top carriers globally for passenger satisfaction. The latest data from ch-aviation shows that Emirates currently has a total of 256 passenger aircraft in its fleet, with a further 294 on order, as outlined in the table below:

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Beyond passenger flights, Emirates also operates Emirates SkyCargo, a major player in global air freight. Together, these operations contribute significantly to Dubai’s economy and the UAE’s position as a global aviation hub.