Points Panda has partnered with a variety of financial companies including CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. Points Panda and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. For more information please read our full Advertiser Disclosure.
British Airways has its own Premium Economy product called the World Traveller Plus and it comes with wider seats, personalized services, and better food options.
It’s perfect for flyers who want an upgraded cabin experience from World Traveller (BA economy class) but with the cost still cheaper than Club World (BA business class) or first class.
If you’re planning to fly on British Airways premium economy, here are some things that you need to know.
Read More: Your Guide To American Airlines Premium Economy
(Image courtesy of Canva Pro)
What Is British Airways Premium Economy?
British Airways Premium Economy, officially known as World Traveller Plus, was first launched in 2000 on a few select routes.
The product has undergone a lot of enhancements over the course of many years with the latest ones made in 2018 where new seats were installed on the Airbus a350 and a few Boeing 777 aircraft.
In early 2019, British Airways also enhanced its in-flight services particularly its menus, hygiene kits, and sleeping amenities.
(Image courtesy of Canva Pro)
On-the-Ground Benefits
All British Airways flights pass through London since most of its primary hubs are located at the Heathrow and Gatwick airports. For some of you who aren’t familiar with London airports, security protocols here can be very strict and excessive which can sometimes cause delays for passengers.
But you don’t have to deal with all these stressful experiences if you’re a Premium Economy passenger because you’ll get priority boarding, priority check-in, airport transfers, and many more on-the-ground benefits. Let’s dive into the details!
Priority Boarding & Check-in
BA premium economy passengers will get dedicated check-in desks whenever they pass through airport security making wait times shorter, especially during peak days.
As for priority boarding, premium economy passengers will be assigned to boarding group 3, along with British Airways Executive Club Bronze members and OneWorld Ruby members. Here’s the order of boarding on British Airways:
- Boarding Group 1
- First Class
- Executive Club Gold Members
- OneWorld Emerald members
- Boarding Group 2
- Business (Club World)
- Executive Club Silver Members
- OneWorld Sapphire members
- Boarding Group 3
- Premium economy (World Traveller Plus)
- Executive Club Bronze Members
- OneWorld Ruby members
- Boarding Groups 4 -9
- Economy (World Traveller)
Baggage Allowance
BA premium economy passengers are also entitled to two free bags with a maximum weight of 23 kg per bag. Additional bags can be added for a fee.
(Image courtesy of British Airways)
Take note that some routes have and fares may offer greater baggage allowance so make sure to check the baggage policy page first.
Baggage Pick-up Services
In partnership with AirPortr, BA premium economy passengers will get free bag pick-up and check-in services so they can travel to the airport luggage-free. They can choose any location where they want their baggage picked up and AirPortr will the bags to the airport and have them checked in. This service is available for passengers flying out of Heathrow, Manchester, and Gatwick.
Read More: United Premium Plus: Flight Guides & Tips
(Image courtesy of Canva Pro)
On-the-Air Benefits
Flying BA premium economy comes with numerous perks that will make your trips a much more relaxing and luxurious experience. From its upgraded seats, delicious meal options, in-flight entertainment, to its customer service, you’re definitely in for an amazing flight experience.
Dining Experience
Passengers will get a complimentary starter, main, dessert, and beverages all throughout the flight. You can pick from a wide selection of British food options and have them delivered straight to your seat.
For those who have allergies and specific dietary requirements, make sure to inform customer service ahead of time so they can prepare it for you. They usually have various diet options such as halal, kosher, and vegan.
Spacious Seats
BA premium economy seats have 38 inches of pitch and 18.5 inches of width. It comes with a footrest and more recline giving you more space to stretch and find a comfortable position during long-haul flights. It’s more spacious compared to BA economy seats which only have 31 inches of pitch and 17.5 inches of width.
(Image courtesy of Seat Guru)
Depending on the aircraft that you fly with, there are about 20-55 seats in the premium economy cabin. For example, the Boeing 777-200 above has 40 premium economy seats while the Airbus A380-800 has 55 premium economy seats.
In-flight Entertainment
BA premium economy seats have a built-in entertainment system so that you can binge-watch your favorite shows while waiting for landing. Here are some of the features that it has:
- Power outlet for charging your devices
- Flat-screen monitors and noise-canceling headphones
- Wide selection of the latest films, programs, music, and audiobooks
Hygiene and Sleeping Amenities
Passengers will get a free special amenity kit to keep them comfortable all throughout the flight. Here’s what you can expect:
- Comfortable quilt and cushion
- Hygiene kit that includes all the essentials like lip balm, socks, toothbrush, toothpaste, earplugs, and pen.
Booking British Airways Premium Economy Flights With Miles
Using your British Airways Avios is the most cost-efficient way to book or upgrade a flight and there are three ways how you can use your Avios to pay for your flights.
- Avios Part Payment – Pay for flights using a combination of cash + miles with a minimum requirement of 1,000 miles per transaction.
- Reward Flights – Regular award flights where you have to pay taxes, fees, and carrier charges separately using cash.
- Reward Flight Saver – Cheap reward flights with prices that already include taxes, fees, and carrier charges. Reward flight saver flights start at 18,500 Avios. You must earn at least one Avios in the past 12 months to be eligible for this fare.
Here’s a list of regions you can visit using your Avios:
- Africa – starting from 60,000 Avios
- Europe, UK & Ireland – from 8,500 Avios
- Far East – from 70,000 Avios
- Latin America & Caribbean – from 60,000 Avios
- Middle East – from 50,000 Avios
- North America – from 50,000 Avios
- South and Central Asia – from 60,000 Avios
British Airways is a Oneworld alliance member which means fliers can earn and redeem Avios points through airline partners. Reciprocally, members from other airline partners can also earn and redeem miles from British Airways.
Earning British Airways Avios Through Credit Cards
The British Airways Visa Signature Card is the airline’s co-branded credit card and it comes with a welcome bonus of 100,000 Avios after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
One of its major perks is the Travel Together Ticket which allows you to bring a companion with you in the same cabin class. You just need to pay taxes and fees.
Apart from co-branded cards, you can also earn Avios through credit card transfer partners. British Airways is a transfer partner of multiple loyalty programs giving you more options to earn Avios. Check the following transfer partners below and see which cards best suit your needs.
- Chase Ultimate Rewards (1:1 ratio)
- American Express Membership Rewards (1:1 ratio)
- Marriott Bonvoy Rewards (3:1 ratio)
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card
- Capital One Venture Rewards (2:1.5 ratio)
The great thing about Marriott, Chase, Amex, and Capital One is that they also transfer to other airline and hotel loyalty programs. This means that you have a lot of options on how you want to use your points.
Read More: Delta Premium Select: Delta’s Premium Economy Class Explained
Bottomline
BA premium economy is a great option for BA loyalists who want to experience a more spacious and exclusive cabin whenever they fly long-haul flights. However, it’s way behind when compared to its competitors like Emirates and Virgin Atlantic.
To simply put it, British Airways literally offers its World Traveller Plus cabin to consumers as a premium economy product, rather than a business class light product.
Advertiser Disclosure
PointsPanda Deal of the Week!
Looking for the best flight deals? Each week we'll send you updates with the best deals on flights and hotels both using points and cash.
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.