WHAT IS UNITED AIRLINES "PREMIUM ECONOMY SEAT" ON AN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT?

@mdvmitarashi

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United Airlines

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Why it worked

The video succeeds by combining high-utility travel advice with radical financial transparency, addressing the common viewer anxiety about the cost of premium travel.

Summary

The creator reviews their experience flying in United Airlines' Premium Economy class on an international flight to Japan. They detail the seat features, amenities, and overall value compared to the cost.

Structure

1Introduction to Premium Economy
2Seat features and amenities tour
3Comparison to economy class
4Discussion of food quality
5

Original caption

What to expect on a 14 hr flight to Tokyo from the US flying in premium economy with United Airlines ⚠️This is a bean soup video. I’m not saying United is the best Airline ever to go to Japan, however it’s one of the best options where I personally live. ⚠️⚠️I’m not here to debate budgets, all budgets are personal to each person and whether the budget is small or large they are all budgets and valid. Live within YOUR financial means and be KIND to others. As you can see these are NOT cheap tickets but they also aren’t as bad as first class seats. We budgeted for these seats to see if they are worth the cost. Long story short; for us they are. Everyone’s situation is different, some favor economy because they would rather save the money for the trips destination, and some people (like us) budget to afford the extra space because it’s something they want or need. We flew economy to Japan in 2024 and this past fall, premium economy in 2025. We had a good baseline of what we expected with these seats. Things that we expected: - Better food - More left and right space - More leg room - More reclining Things that were delivered: - Plane food is plane food I’m not sure what to really expect. The only food that was really good was the warm sandwich we got midway into the flight all the rest really didn’t leave any marks on me. - There was definitely WAY more overall space and leg room. I was able to recline pretty far back and curl into a ball. It was just two seats next to each other whereas in economy last time we had three people sitting in a row so I could not do that. It was also a good gauge that these premium economy seats are essentially one and a half economy seats in average space. Overall we value comfort on long haul flights because of our needs and wants for faster recovery when we travel overseas. If you’re in the fence about spending the money on upgraded seats then this is your sign to go for it! #japantravel #premiumeconomy #unitedairlines #japan #internationalflight

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On-screen text

WHAT IS UNITED AIRLINES "PREMIUM ECONOMY SEAT" ON AN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT? THIS ONE WAS SPECIFICALLY GOING TO JAPAN WITH UNITED AIRLINES PREMIUM ECONOMY TICKETS ARE NOT SEATS LIKE FIRST CLASS THAT YOU SEE HERE THAT ARE ABLE TO LAY FLAT I'M GONNA SHOW YOU EVERYTHING THAT IS IN THE AMENITIES KIT THAT IS GIVEN TO YOU WITH THE PURCHASE OF THE SEAT WHILE I CONTINUE YAPPING PREMIUM ECONOMY TICKETS ARE TYPICALLY ONLY AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE FOR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL SEAT SIZE TWO OF THESE SEATS SIT NEXT TO EACH OTHER IN THE SAME SPACE THAT THREE SEATS SIT NEXT TO EACH OTHER IN THE ECONOMY SECTION SO TWO SEATS IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF THREE SEATS BEFORE YOU COMMENT I WIPED IT DOWN WITH A SANITIZING WIPE THAT'S WHY IT'S WET IT IS CLEAN WET LEAVE ME ALONE EACH SEAT ALSO HAS A DECENT SIZED CUBBY HOLE WHERE THE CHARGER IS LOCATED EACH SEAT DOES COME WITH A COMPLIMENTARY PILLOW AND FLEECE BLANKET I'M 5'2" SO THERE'S A LOT OF LEG ROOM FOR ME ANYWAY BUT THIS IS PRIMARILY A COMFORT FOR MY SPOUSE WHO IS NOT 5'2" IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT CLASS YOU ARE ON THIS FLIGHT EVERYONE GETS SNACKS AND FOOD THE WHOLE TRIP I'VE FLOWN WITH ANA ONCE AND UNITED MULTIPLE TIMES INTERNATIONALLY AND I WILL SAY THAT THE FOOD NO MATTER WHERE I'VE GONE ALL AIRPLANE FOOD I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M PICKY BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THESE MEALS ARE SOMETHING TO REMEMBER NOW SPEAKING ON THE TOUCHY SUBJECTS OF BUDGETS AND COST THESE SEATS ARE NOT CHEAP SEATS THEY ARE NOT FIRST CLASS EXPENSIVE BUT THEY'RE DEFINITELY NOT BASIC ECONOMY FARE PRICED SEATS WITH THAT I'M ABOUT FULL FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY ON MY PAGE AND FOR TWO ADULTS WITH TWO PREMIUM ECONOMY ROUND TRIP TICKETS TO JAPAN MY PERSONAL TOTAL COST: 2 ADULTS PREMIUM ECONOMY SEATS ROUND TRIP US TO JAPAN & BACK WE SPENT 3,848 U.S. DOLLARS AND YES THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY BUT IT WAS STILL WITHIN OUR BUDGET WHICH IS WHAT MATTERS EVERYONE'S FINANCIAL SITUATION IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT LET'S BE RESPECTFUL TO BOTH ENDS OF THE SPECTUM NOW THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED GOING ECONOMY ONE TIME AND THEN DOING PREMIUM ECONOMY THE SECOND TIME 100% I CAN SAY THAT IT IS WORTH THE MONEY IN OUR THIRD TIME WE WILL BE PURCHASING PREMIUM ECONOMY TICKETS AGAIN

Transcript

Let's go over what premium economy really means whenever you purchase tickets for an international flight. This one was specifically going to Japan with United Airlines. Premium economy tickets are not seats like first class that you see here that are able to lay flat. I'm gonna show you everything that is in the amenities kit that is given to you with the purchase of the seat while I continue yapping. Premium economy tickets are typically only available for purchase for international flights. In terms of the actual seat size, two of these seats sit next to each other in the same space that three seats sit next to each other in the economy section, so two seats is about the size of three seats. Before you comment, I wiped it down with a sanitizing wipe. That's why it's wet, it is clean wet. Leave me alone. Each seat also has a decent sized cubby hole where the charger is located. Each seat does come with a complimentary pillow and fleece blanket. I'm 5'2" so there's a lot of leg room for me anyway, but this is primarily a comfort for my spouse who is not 5'2". It doesn't matter what class you are on this flight, everyone gets snacks and food the whole trip. I've flown with ANA once and United multiple times internationally and I will say that the food, no matter where I've gone, all airplane food, I don't feel like I'm picky, but I don't think that these meals are something to remember. Now speaking on the touchy subjects of budgets and cost, these seats are not cheap seats. They are not first class expensive, but they're definitely not basic economy fare priced seats. With that I'm about full financial transparency on my page and for two adults with two premium economy round trip tickets to Japan, my personal total cost: 2 adults, premium economy seats, round trip, US to Japan and back, we spent 3,848 U.S. dollars. And yes that is a lot of money, but it was still within our budget, which is what matters. Everyone's financial situation is going to be different. Let's be respectful to both ends of the spectrum. Now that I have experienced going economy one time and then doing premium economy the second time, 100% I can say that it is worth the money and in our third time we will be purchasing premium economy tickets again.