Airlines are expanding premium seating and paid upgrades as they seek to earn more from each flight. The changes range from extra-legroom seats and upgraded economy options to redesigned business-class cabins and airport lounges, according to a Euronews report.
The shift reflects the higher revenue airlines can make from premium products. Volodymyr Bilotka, an aviation economics professor at Purdue University, said business-class seats can occupy the floor space of four standard seats while selling for five or six times the price.
American Airlines said premium revenue rose 18.5% year over year in its most recent quarter. The company said those products account for roughly half of its ticket revenue while occupying about 30% of its seats. Customers can also pay for individual extras, such as more legroom or priority disembarking.
New seating options and cabin plans
United Airlines said it more than doubled its premium-seat capacity between 2015 and 2026. It plans to introduce an Economy Plus option that leaves the middle seat empty on some flights toward the end of 2026. In 2027, its planned Relax Row will let passengers turn three economy seats into a space to lounge or sleep on some wider Boeing aircraft.
JetBlue has announced BlueFirst, a first-class service for domestic flights. Delta is developing its Delta One offering with upgraded food, wine and larger entertainment screens for new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. A Delta executive said premium seats could make up as much as 70% of seats on some of the airline’s flights.
Other carriers are also committing to higher-end cabins. British Airways announced that the upper level of its two-tier A380 would be entirely premium, while Singapore Airlines disclosed a €1.4 billion investment to upgrade its long-haul cabins.
Industry figures cited in the report put premium seats at 19% of capacity among 42 airlines in major alliances and Middle Eastern carriers, up from 17.1% in 2019. In the United States, premium seats have grown faster than standard main-cabin seats since 2020, adding to the prospect of fewer economy seats on some routes.
Clayton Ward