world traveller class british airways

World Traveller Plus: What Do You Get For Your Money In British Airways' Premium Economy Cabin?

• World Traveller Plus offers upgraded seats with more space & comfort, ideal for long-haul flights.
• British Airways provides premium dining, extensive entertainment, & technology enhancements.
• World Traveller Plus balances cost and comfort, making it a popular choice for travelers.

British Airways' World Traveller Plus offers an enhanced flying experience between standard economy and business class. It is an attractive option for travelers seeking extra comfort and amenities without the premium cost of business class. We're taking a closer look at what passengers can expect when flying in British Airways' premium economy cabin, covering seat specifics, in-flight services, and overall value.

Seat specifications and comfort

Seat dimensions and layout.

One of the standout features of World Traveller Plus is the upgraded seating compared to standard economy. The seats offer more space and comfort, which are highly desirable attributes on long-haul flights.

• Seat Pitch: 38 inches
• Seat Width: 18.5 Inches
• Seat Recline: Approximately 7-8 inches
• Legroom: Increased legroom compared to standard economy, providing approximately 7 inches more space.

British Airways operates World Traveller Plus on several long-haul aircraft, each offering a slightly different experience due to their unique configurations and features. According to British Airways :

Boeing 777-200ER and 777-300

• Configuration: 2-4-2 layout
• Unique Features: The Boeing 777-300 offers mood lighting and advanced air filtration systems in an effort to reduce jet lag and deliver a comfortable cabin environment.

Airbus A380

• Configuration: 2-3-2 layout
• Unique Features: The A380 is known for its quiet cabin, which is particularly appreciated during long-haul flights. The more spacious cabin layout also contributes to a more relaxed atmosphere.

Boeing 787-8 and 787-9

• Unique Features: The Boeing 787 Dreamliner series has larger windows, providing more natural light and a better view. The advanced humidity control and improved air quality systems on the Dreamliner fleet also enhance passenger comfort on long-haul flights.

Enhanced Comfort Features

Seats in World Traveller Plus come equipped with several features specifically designed to enhance passenger comfort:

• Adjustable Headrests and Footrests: These allow passengers to customize their seating position for optimal comfort.
• Additional Recline: More recline compared to standard economy seats helps passengers relax better during long flights.
• Lumbar Support: Built-in lumbar support to reduce strain on the lower back during extended periods of sitting.

In-flight amenities and services

Dining experience.

World Traveller Plus passengers enjoy a more premium and refined dining experience, and it includes:

• Welcome Drink: A complimentary glass of juice or water upon boarding.
• Meal Service: Upgraded meal service with a multi-course menu. The meals are prepared with high-quality ingredients and include options tailored to various dietary needs, though they do differ substantially from business-class and first-class offerings.
• Complementary Beverages: An extensive selection of wines, spirits, beers, and non-alcoholic beverages are available throughout the flight.

Sparkling wine may be available in-flight but is not typically available as a Welcome Drink while the aircraft remains on the ground before take-off.

World Traveller Plus On British Airways: 5 Things To Know Before Flying

Entertainment options.

British Airways ensures that passengers in World Traveller Plus have access to a comprehensive entertainment system:

• Personal Screens: Larger in-flight entertainment screens, typically 10 to 12 inches or more, compared to standard economy.
• Noise-canceling Headphones: These are provided to enhance the audio experience and reduce cabin noise.
• Extensive Content: A wide selection of movies, TV shows, music, and games with new releases regularly added to the mix.

Technology enhancements

British Airways offers in-flight WiFi on many of its long-haul aircraft. Passengers in World Traveller Plus can stay connected throughout their flight, whether for work or entertainment, but they'll likely still have to pay for the service. Also, each seat is equipped with both power outlets and USB ports, ensuring passengers can keep their devices charged and ready to use.

Additional amenities

Amenity kits ( made from recycled bottles ), which include essentials like a toothbrush, toothpaste, socks, an eye mask, and earplugs, are provided to passengers in the premium economy cabin. Additionally, high-quality blankets and pillows are provided to help ensure a comfortable sleep during the flight. World Traveller Plus passengers also benefit from priority boarding, allowing them to settle in ahead of the main cabin passengers.

Cabin environment and additional perks

Cabin atmosphere.

The World Traveller Plus cabin is designed to be more peaceful and spacious compared to the main cabin:

• Fewer Seats: The reduced number of seats per row and per cabin makes for a quieter, more exclusive atmosphere.
• Dedicated Cabin Crew: A dedicated team of cabin crew attends to World Traveller Plus passengers to ensure prompt and personalized service.
• Ambient Lighting: Mood lighting helps create a relaxing environment and reduces the effects of jet lag.

Extra luggage allowance

Passengers in World Traveller Plus can take advantage of an increased luggage allowance, making it easier to travel with all the necessities (and then some):

• Checked Baggage: Two checked bags, each up to 23kg (51lbs).
• Cabin Baggage: One cabin bag and one personal item, with a combined weight limit that offers more flexibility than standard economy.

British Airways Makes Great Changes To World Traveller Plus Cabin

Value for your money, cost comparison.

While British Airways' World Traveller Plus tickets are more expensive than standard economy, they are significantly less expensive than business class. The added comfort, enhanced dining experience, and additional amenities serve to justify the cost difference for many travelers:

• Competitive Pricing: Often, the price of a World Traveller Plus fare is about 50% more than standard economy, but much less than the cost of a business class or first class ticket.
• Frequent Flyer Benefits: For British Airways Executive Club members, booking World Traveller Plus can earn more Avios points and Tier Points, contributing to faster tier progression and additional benefits in the future.

Passenger satisfaction

According to NerdWallet , feedback from passengers flying in World Traveller Plus is generally positive, with many highlighting the comfortable seats, better meal options, and overall enhanced travel experience. Customer reviews indicate that many travelers appreciate the balance of cost and comfort, making it a popular choice for long-haul flights. Typically, passengers who try World Traveller Plus often choose to book it again for future travels, indicating that they do, in fact, value the extra space and amenities provided.

Is World Traveller Plus worth it?

British Airways' World Traveller Plus offers a substantial upgrade from standard economy with enhanced comfort, better dining options, and additional amenities, making it a worthwhile investment for long-haul travelers. The cabin's spacious design, top-tier in-flight entertainment, and priority services enhance the overall travel experience, providing excellent value for the money.

Stay informed with our in-depth reviews and comparisons of airline offerings. Share your World Traveller Plus experiences with us in the comments, and follow us on social media for the latest updates and insights into premium travel options.

British Airways

IATA/ICAO Code: BA/BAW

Airline Type: Full Service Carrier

Hub(s): London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport

Year Founded: 1974

Alliance: oneworld

Airline Group: IAG

CEO: Sean Doyle

Country: United Kingdom

Loyalty Program: British Airways Executive Club

Region: Europe

Flight Review: British Airways World Traveller Economy Class from London to Houston

Departure Airport

Boarding is from gate A18. There is a short delay but this is well communicated by the gate staff. Various stages of priority boarding are applied. This begins with First Class and Emerald / Gold card holders, followed by Club World and Sapphire / Silver and finally Ruby / Bronze. After this, general boarding begins and there is no zonal approach for this. There is no priority boarding for families, elderly etc. The gate service is quite polite and efficient and despite the delay boarding is complete on-time.

Airplane & Cabin flown

Boeing 747-400 in Economy Class was at approximately 70% capacity. This aircraft is the renovated cabin with new seats and IFE.

Baggage Allowance

According to www.britishairways.com the free checked baggage allowance for a World Traveller standard fare is 1 bag (max. 23kg / 51lb per bag). Onboard, customers can take 1 handbag / laptop bag (max. 23kg / 51lb and up to 40x30x15cm / 16x12x6in) plus 1 additional cabin bag (max. 23kg / 51lb and up to 56x45x25cm / 22x18x10in).

The Economy Class Seat

The Economy Class seat has a 32-inch seat pitch and the living space feels comfortable without the forward seat reclined. The width is good and comfortable and there is also an adjustable headrest. The seat has a 9-inch PTV (widescreen) and integrated USB socket – there is no 110v socket for larger devices. The seat condition is satisfactory – the covers are clean with strong colours (e.g. not faded), there are some marks on the armrest and when I try to adjust the headrest it comes clean off the bracket – which is a surprise.

Cabin & Toilets

The cabin is clean on boarding. The seat covers are well presented, as are the carpets and these appear to have been renewed. The overhead bins and other cabin panels have not and as such not as presentable. There are 4 washrooms for the Economy Class cabin at the rear of the aircraft – these are clean on boarding but again, have older fixtures and fittings but are well presented.

The flight pushed back about 25-minutes late and departed 45-minutes behind schedule however, the captain mentioned that we should arrive with just a short delay into Houston.

Food & Drink

About 30-minutes after departure 2 carts enter the cabin – 1 per aisle and a bar service is offered. This offers a full range of beverages including beer, wine and spirits – as well as soft drinks, water and juices. I was intrigued by BAs recently introduced “Book the Cook” style service for Economy Class passengers and ordered the “Taste of Britain” option prior to the flight for 16 GBP. This is marketed as an upgraded dining experience and offers 6 options – Gourmet, Taste of Britain, Healthy, Asian, English Breakfast and Vegetarian meal trays. Having tried and been impressed by the service on BA’s sister airline Aer Lingus, I was keen to see how it matched-up. Unfortunately, despite reconfirming with BA customer service prior to the flight, the meal is not loaded.

I reported this to the cabin crew and they are quick to offer a meal from Club World. Whilst it was not what I ordered it was an obvious upgrade from the standard Economy Class fayre. Being fortunate enough to travel in Business Class on many trips, I was surprised by what British Airways is passing off as a long-haul premium catering nowadays. It tasted fine, but in my opinion, the presentation and quantity of food is pretty basic by business class standards of 2017.

For the second “meal” I was back to the standard Economy Class offer, and this is an afternoon tea snack box, which is quite nicely presented in a faux picnic hamper and miniature gingham rug. It contains half a coronation chicken sandwich and scone with jam and clotted cream – again, the quality of food is good but I cannot help but feel this is the bare minimum food for a 10-hour flight, particularly as BA has cut the free galley snacks. However, one can purchase a cinema priced bag of sweets from the cabin staff.

Entertainment

This Boeing 747-400 offers personal AVOD IFE at each seat with a 9-inch screen. The programming selection is extensive – not only in terms of Hollywood / British movies but there are also a vast range of foreign language options. TV programming is also wide ranging with a number of boxset options of the most popular US / TV series. Headsets are the in-ear type and given complimentary.

Pillows and blankets are available on each seat prior to boarding and the quality is meeting a satisfactory standard – there is no comfort pack (eye mask etc). There is standard pipe soap in the washroom.

Staff Service

I was quite happy with the staff service overall, and the crew were quite cheerful and polite. They respond very quickly to my missing meal order and said they had reported the issue. In fairness, I was refunded without having to chase up customer service, which I was surprised about. Outside of the main services they did tend to stick to the galley, so for any additional drinks you had to fetch them yourself. As the flight wasn’t too busy this was fine as it was easy to move in and out of my window seat. It was an above average experience in terms of the crew interaction, but it was just a shame there wasn’t a bit more of it.

Arrival Service

Upon arrival into Houston, there is the usual throng of ground staff with wheelchairs that are an inevitable presence for any US arrival nowadays. Once past this, it was a short walk to immigration which took about 20-minutes – bags have started to arrive as I reach baggage claim and my own luggage comes out less than 5-minutes after this.

Overall, the missing meal order aside, the flight experience wasn’t bad. The staff dealt with this issue well. They were very apologetic and as it turned out, their internal reporting system meant that I didn’t have to again deal with the BA call centre, which I found the experience to be consistently poor leading up to this trip.

I like the Heathrow Terminal 5 experience – it is nearly always efficient for departure which is my main concern.

In terms of the aircraft, I am a fan of the Boeing 747-400 and it is always a treat (albeit quite rare) to come across one nowadays. It is nice that the seats and IFE have been upgraded but there are certainly areas where the aircraft is showing its age.

Having travelled with many of the transatlantic majors in the last 12 months, British Airways Economy Class catering is pretty average in terms of the quantity and quality is fine. For those that partake, it is nice that one can still get a decent gin and tonic without being charged extra, but it remains to be seen if BA will remove this perk in the future!

In terms of value for money, I just fail to see it any more with the fares that British Airways charge. They have almost cut back to the bare essentials in Economy Class and aside from the IFE / bar product, everything is average or below. The fare was north of 750GBP return from a travel agent. From BA, it was more than 1000GBP. This was not, by any means a last-minute reservation (6 weeks in advance). I didn’t get my original afternoon flight (on the newer Boeing 787) as it was cancelled and I was moved to a less sociable early morning departure. For this I received a standard copy / paste non-apology from BA stating they had fulfilled their T&Cs – despite the inconvenience to me. It was a disappointingly poor, non caring response.

Ranked as a 4-Star Airline, the continuing cuts to British Airways business and economy class product standards makes their rating look unsustainable. The BA staff service is about the only saving grace at this time, but morale seems to be dropping there as well.

This flight report is based on fully paid tickets, not airline discounted or complimentary tickets.

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» British Airways customer reviews » News Headlines » Special features

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The Complete Guide to British Airways Fare Classes (a.k.a. Fare Buckets)

What are fare classes.

Fare classes are the different letters that represent a price of a ticket. You will see these represented in a variety of ways through different means, such as in Manage My Booking:

or in Expert Flyer.

or in Matrix.

Chances are if you are using Expert Flyer or Matrix though, you will probably already know about Fare Classes and just want to know how many Avios or Tier Points you will be earning. Feel free to skip ahead!

What is the difference between Fare Class and Travel Class?

“Travel class” is which cabin you are flying in. First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy or Economy Class.

“Fare class” is what specific price your ticket is purchased at, and the restrictions imposed on it, represented by the letters mentioned throughout this post.

What Fare Classes does British Airways have?

There are a myriad of fare classes, which can be confusing for those who do not (yet) know how British Airways prices their tickets.

As with most other airlines, usually the more expensive the ticket the more flexibility it buys in terms of advance purchase requirements, ability to change flights, refunds on cancellations, shorter minimum stays and longer maximum stays. And in the lower travel classes, you need to be buying more expensive fare classes in order to be able to upgrade

At the more extreme levels of pricing, you may sometimes find that fares in a higher travel class are actually cheaper than buying in a lower travel class. E.g. non-refundable business class cheaper than fully-flexible premium economy.

First Class :

From most to least expensive: F, A

Club World / Europe (business class) :

From most to least expensive: J, C, D, R, I

World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy) ,

From most to least expensive: W, E, T

World/Euro Traveller (Economy) :

From most to least expensive: Y, B, H, K, M, L, V, S, N, Q, O, G – Note that G is specifically reserved for Travel Agents (including BA Flights and Holidays) or BA staff bookings.

Which Fare Classes do redemptions book into?

Avios or other partner airline redemptions book into the following fare classes

• First Class: Z
• Club World/Europe (business class): U 
• World Traveller Plus (premium economy): P
• World/Euro Traveller (economy): X

How Many Avios and Tier Points will I earn?

For slightly easier formatting, and to ensure up-to-date information, I advise going directly to one of the following:

• British Airways Avios and Tier Points Earnings Tables
• British Airways Avios and Tier Points Earning Calculator

The latter being good if you have a specific route in mind, and will also calculate the bonus Avios you get if you have Bronze, Silver or Gold British Airways Executive Club status.

But to make this a one-stop shop…

First Class:

• F – 300% Flown Distance. Minimum 1250 Avios, 100% Tier points
• A – 250% Flown Distance. Minimum 1250 Avios, 100% Tier points

Club World / Europe (Business Class):

• J – 250% Flown Distance. Minimum 1250 Avios, 100% Tier points
• C – 250% Flown Distance. Minimum 1250 Avios, 100% Tier points
• D – 250% Flown Distance. Minimum 1250 Avios, 100% Tier points
• R – 150% Flown Distance. Minimum 750 Avios, 100% Tier points
• I – 150% Flown Distance. Minimum 750 Avios, 100% Tier points

World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy):

• W – 150% Flown Distance. Minimum 750 Avios, 100% Tier points
• E – 100% Flown Distance. Minimum 500 Avios, 100% Tier points
• T – 100% Flown Distance. Minimum 500 Avios, 100% Tier points

World / Euro Traveller (Economy Class):

• Y – 100% Flown Distance. Minimum 500 Avios, 100% Tier points
• B – 100% Flown Distance. Minimum 500 Avios, 100% Tier points
• H – 100% Flown Distance. Minimum 500 Avios, 100% Tier points
• K – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• M – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• L – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• V – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• S – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• N – 50% Flown Distance. Minimum 250 Avios, 50% Tier points
• Q – 25% Flown Distance. Minimum 125 Avios, 25% Tier points
• O – 25% Flown Distance. Minimum 125 Avios, 25% Tier points
• G – 25% Flown Distance. Minimum 125 Avios, 25% Tier points

As with most airlines, redemptions do not earn any Avios. This includes V  fares which Gold members can sometimes book into as a reward fare.

Bronze members get 25% extra Avios, Silver gets 50% extra Avios and Gold gets 100% extra Avios. This is calculated in addition to the Avios earned in the fare class calculations above.

Bottom Line

Understanding British Airways' fare classes is important for knowing how many Avios and Tier Points you will earn. If you are coming from Star Alliance or Skyteam you will also notice that the order of the letters is different, so take note!

Share this:

Hey Tim – booked and paid for Club World, and upgraded to First, but the class is now showing as Z. Seems that it doesn’t earn anything… thoughts?

You will get the original Tier Points and Avios for your original Club World booking!

Is there any way to get BA to send me something that shows the orig booking class? I want to have my backup incase I don’t get credit.

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Review: British Airways A380 Economy Class Daytime Flight (LHR-LAX)

Some links to products and travel providers on this website will earn Traveling For Miles a commission which helps contribute to the running of the site – I’m very grateful to anyone who uses these links but their use is entirely optional. The compensation does not impact how and where products appear on this site and does not impact reviews that are published.

I genuinely don’t mind traveling across the Atlantic in Economy Class as long as three conditions are met – it’s a daytime flight, I’m booked into an exit row seat and I got a good deal on the fare. It’s because all three of those came together that I found myself boarding a British Airways A380 over the Holidays and settling in to my Economy Class seat.

The British Airways A380 Economy Class Cabin

You’ll find the Economy Class cabin (or “World Traveller” cabin as BA calls it) on both of the decks of a British Airways A380. Both sections offer a 3-4-3 seat layout and I was seated on the lower deck.

The exit row seats offer a considerable amount of leg room…..

..…and, as you can see, they offer my 6ft frame more than enough room to stretch out:

The bulkhead seats in the center of same row also offer a reasonable amount of leg room……

….especially compared to the regular Economy Class seats which start just one row back:

So, from a leg room point of view, the exit row seats are great….but there are downsides to these seats too.

While the regular Economy Class seats have their tray tables, IFE screens and IFE controls built into the seat ahead of them…..

…the exit row seats (including the seats in the center section) have everything built into the armrests:

This makes an already narrow seat a little narrower:

Because the screens, tray tables and IFE controls are built into the armrests the armrest are immovable and form a solid wall – you either fit into the seat or you don’t so this isn’t a seat for persons of size.

In this picture you can see the difference between an armrest in the exit row and one in a regular Economy Class seat quite clearly:

There are other things to be aware of too.

The pull-down changing tables ahead of the bulkhead seats gives away the fact that this is an area where you’re very likely to find very small children….and very small children don’t tend to be calm and quiet on long-haul flights.

There’s also no window to look out of (not an issue for me as I always book the aisle seat) and there is absolutely nowhere to store anything.

Exit rows have to be clear of all items for take off and landing (so all your belongings need to be in the overhead compartments) and, during the flight, the floor is the only place to keep anything you think you may need – that’s hardly ideal.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that there are lavatories just ahead of the exit row seats….

…and when people get in line to use the lavatories during the flight they won’t think twice about standing directly in front of you and blocking off your leg room.

I’ve also had instances (on American Airlines) where passengers have chosen to stand in the space ahead of my exit row seat and perform a series of stretching exercises. This is why my legs are almost always to be found fully extended when I’m in one of these seats.

On this particular flight I was seated on the right side of the aircraft and the lavatory ahead of me was curtained-off for Club World passengers.

This turned out to be a stroke of luck because, judging by the number of passengers I saw congregating ahead of the seats on the opposite side of the aircraft, I would have had a hard time getting any peace and quiet if the lavatory on my side was open to Economy Class.

While the lack of fellow passengers waiting to use the lavatories was a bonus this bit of luck was partly offset by something else.

There’s an entrance to, what I assume is, a crew rest area opposite the starboard lavatories and the crew on my flight went in and out with surprising frequency.

This resulted in a lot of curtain wafting which, in turn, saw the curtains brushing up against me and the passenger in the seat on the other side of the aisle.

Also, every time a crewmember opened the door to the rest area and then opened the curtain, a bright beam of light fell upon the exit row seats.

Both of these were just mildly irritating in a darkened cabin on a daytime flight but they would be incredibly annoying if one was trying to get some sleep on a nighttime flight.

As this is Economy Class I’m writing about this is going to be a remarkably short section.

Upon boarding I found a thin blanket….

…and a packet with some basic earbuds on my seat:

The seats in the British Airways A380 Economy Class cabin all have universal power sockets (found under the seat)….

…and, to give credit where credit is due, the power did work for most of the flight.

Each seat also offers a USB charging point too – that was an unexpected bonus for me.

That’s it for the amenities list and, to be fair, that’s just about all you get in most transatlantic Economy Class cabins.

Note: Exit rows tend to get cold during the flight (sometimes very cold) and the British Airways blanket isn’t going to be of much help if you’ve decided to wear shorts and a t-shirt so dress appropriately for the exit row.

In Flight Entertainment

The screens for the IFE were perfectly ok and, unlike the screens in the British Airways 747 Economy Class cabin, these are perfectly watchable.

The screen was a touchscreen so there was no real need to take the controller out of its nest in the armrest ….especially as the screen responded pretty well to touch.

The IFE offering on the British Airways A380 is actually quite impressive with a very good selection of movies and TV shows (including box sets).

You can find out what British Airways is offering onboard by visiting this section of the airline’s website .

Food & Drink

Take off was at 4:10pm UK time or 8:10 am PT

15 minutes after take off we were offered our choice of wine, beer, sodas, juices, tea, and coffee.

The crew started the service from the exit row (it was the first row in Economy Class) so passengers further back would have had a longer wait.

Lunch/Dinner was served 50 minutes after take off and there was a choice of chicken casserole or pasta – I chose the chicken

It may not have looked all that appetizing but, as Economy Class meals go, this wasn’t bad at all.

The chicken casserole was hot, it had flavor and it was edible.

The cous cous was fine……

…. and the salted caramel desert was hugely calorific…. so it was pretty nice.

The biggest test the meal passed was the Joanna test – she had the same meal as me and ate it all so it must have been ok!

After lunch/dinner and 1 hr 20 mins after take off the flight attendants came around with tea and coffee.

3 hrs 10 mins after take of the flight attendants were in the cabin again – this time offering water or apple juice.

Almost exactly 5 hours after take off (3 hours 40 minutes after dinner ended) we were, once again, offered the choice of water or juice…but this time there was a snack box too.

BA calls these a “movie snack box”…..

…presumably because this is the kind of stuff people buy when they go to the theatre/cinema?

More juice and water was offered around 7 hours into the flight and, around 9.5 hours into the flight the flight attendants came around with the final service of the flight – a choice between, what the crew called, a chicken wrap or a mozzarella wrap with tea or coffee.

I went for the chicken option again but it turned out not to be a wrap at all….

…if anything it was a warm flatbread-melt of some description.

It wasn’t terrible but it also wasn’t very good.

• The seat cushions were a bit hard and the seats were noticeably narrow
• The near-constant stream of cabin crew members in and out of what I’m still assuming was their rest quarters got irritating after a while.
• The lack of storage around the seat is unhelpful….but then this is an issue with just about every exit row I’ve been in so it’s not BA specific.
• The crew were very friendly and polite. It was interesting to note how everyone was regularly addressed as “Sir” or “Madam” as I’m not sure I’ve seen that in Economy Class on too many airlines. On the US carriers you’re often lucky to get a grunt!
• The legroom in the exit row was excellent (I can’t say the same for the other rows of Economy Class – they looked tight)
• The main meal of the flight wasn’t bad at all and the number of times the crew came around to offer refreshments was very good.
• I wasn’t a fan of the snack box or the last meal on the flight but the fact that the airline keeps people fed throughout the flight has to go down as a positive
• British Airways makes the best tea in the sky 🙂
• The IFE selection was very good.

Bottom Line  

Amazingly this really wasn’t a bad flight at all….and I say that as someone who’s well known for bashing BA on a frequent basis.

The crew were charming, the food was edible (mostly) and, despite the hard seat cushions, I don’t recall being in much discomfort during the flight.

It’s important to note that I’m not particularly large around the waist and yet I still noticed how narrow and tight the seats are, so there will be a number of people (larger than I) who will find them uncomfortable.

Also, bear in mind that this was a daytime flight. I think my overall thoughts on the flight would have been different had I been trying to get some sleep and the crew had kept waking me up each time they went in and out of their quarters.

Still, I should end on a positive note as the crew deserve that at the very least:

As Economy Class flights go this wasn’t bad at all and it’s actually gone a long way to reassuring me that I’m right not to dread long-haul flights at the back of the plane…as long as they’re in the daytime.

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Review of British Airways Premium Economy

British Airways was one of the first airlines to introduce a Premium Economy cabin on its long-haul aircraft - branded as World Traveller Plus . As such, many of its cabins are showing their age, but still serve their purpose well by offering extra space, better meals and more personalised service. The airline is retrofitting these cabins and upgrading the hard product, but this will take time, so in the interim be prepared for a mix of old and new.

The United Kingdom’s largest airline takes pride in offering reliable and friendly service while carrying the British flag to far corners of the globe.

British Airways is a founding member of the oneworld alliance, which means fliers can earn and redeem Avios points on its many partners. Conversely, members of other alliance member airlines can earn and redeem their miles with British Airways.

Airport experience

All British Airways flights pass through London with primary hubs at London Heathrow and London Gatwick airports (and a smaller operation at London City). London airports are known for stringent and sometimes overzealous security procedures, which can be frustrating for passengers adding extra time to the journey. Unfriendly airport security agents are enough to convince some travellers to fly another airline when booking international travel.

World Traveller Plus passengers can access individual check-in desks and a greater baggage allowance – two bags for the hold plus a cabin bag and laptop bag onboard. They do not enjoy lounge access once airside, though. Still, top oneworld elite status cardholders can use the lounges on eligible international itineraries no matter what cabin they are flying. These lounges include open bars offering cocktails, soft drinks, wine, and beer, service desks for assistance with tickets, a wide selection of magazines and newspapers, workstations with computers and free Wi-Fi, and buffets with warm and cold food selections.

Priority boarding is part of the Premium Economy experience.

Cabin & Seat

British Airways fly a combination of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, with World Traveller Plus available on each long-haul aircraft. The Airbus A380 World Traveller Plus cabin is found on the Upper Deck behind the Club World cabin in a 2-4-2 configuration over nine rows, while the Airbus A350 has seven rows in a 2-4-2 configuration. The Boeing 777 fleet varies between three and six rows in a 2-4-2 design, while the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft differs between four and six rows and is always in a 2-3-2 configuration.

Even the original iteration of the Premium Economy seat has plenty of space. It varies depending on the plane, but expect a wider seat – typically 18.5 inches (47 centimetres), more leg room with a pitch of 38 inches (97 centimetres), including a foot and leg rest, lumbar support, a recline of around 8 inches (20 centimetres), a small side table and headrest with adjustable wings for better resting positions. Unfortunately, many seats have equipment for the entertainment system that impedes your legroom, which makes it challenging to store carry-on bags or wiggle your feet around during the flight.

World Traveller Plus occupies a more intimate cabin of no more than nine rows with a dedicated lavatory and curtains separating it from economy and Business Class. There are middle seats, which are worth avoiding unless travelling with a companion.

Bulkhead rows prevent someone from reclining their seat into your space, but it does mean that carry-on luggage must be stowed overhead for takeoff and landing. These seats also have television monitors that fold out from the armrest, and they cannot be used on the ground or during takeoff and landing for safety reasons. Four bassinet points are available on the front cabin bulkhead, with another two at the rear of the Airbus A380s.

Not all tickets are eligible for advance seat selection, although those purchasing flexible fares and travellers with oneworld alliance elite status can choose a seat for free in advance. Others must wait until check-in to assign a seat.

Waiting at each seat on boarding is a thick pillow and wrapped blanket, and power and USB  and power outlets are available for each passenger. 

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes images, videos, and seat maps for most airlines and aircraft Search results also include details such as seat pitch, width and recline. This way, you can see the seat and cabin configuration of the flight in which you are interested before making your choice .

British Airways offers a lovely inflight service on fine china and metal cutlery. World Traveller Plus passengers are served some of the same entrees as those seated in Business Class, representing a significant upgrade from economy meal service.

Delivered on a single tray with real drink glasses (instead of plastic), most flights have two meals, including a hot meal after takeoff.

They include a salad and appetiser plus warm bread. Two main course dishes are protein or vegetarian, and the plated dessert offers a sweet finish. Flight attendants can provide snacks and drinks between meals, and passengers can visit a snacking station for self-service.

Before landing, a second meal is served depending on the time of day, which can consist of a hot or cold dish based on the length of the flight.

More than a dozen special meals are available for Premium Economy passengers, including Halal, Kosher and vegetarian options.

After takeoff, flight attendants offer glasses of sparkling wine before rolling out the beverage carts with a variety of complimentary drinks including beer, wine (two white and two red options) and cocktails. Coffee from London’s Union Coffee and an array of Twinings teas round off the menu.

Before the main meal, an aperitif service comes with mixed nuts and a choice of beverage.

Flight attendants are friendly, but have a lot of passengers to serve compared to Business Class. Expect the typical British-reserved service delivery you might find in a hotel or restaurant in the United Kingdom. Many passengers find that the crew adapts to the conversation and informality level of each person throughout the flight. Show them that you like to chat, and they will chat. Show British formality, and they will return the respect.

On flights where a foreign language is spoken at the destination, expect that someone on the crew will be ready to converse in that native tongue. British Airways also has overseas-based cabin crew on many flights; Indian flights, for example, often have crew based in India, which helps with cultural service details.

Entertainment

The seatback screen is adjustable so that if the person in front of you reclines, you can tilt it for better viewing. Noise-reducing headsets complement the solid selection of  entertainment programming , including the latest Hollywood movies, television programs, box sets, a global music collection, audiobooks and games. Screens respond to the touch but can also be adjusted via remote control.

Wi-Fi is available on most of British Airways' long-haul fleet, with  prices available  for hourly service or sometimes for a package to cover the flight. A cheaper offering that covers messaging or texting is also an excellent option for staying connected with loved ones.

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes information on Wi-Fi and inflight entertainment .

Amenities & Facilities

Small amenity kits feature essential products – eye mask, ear plugs, toothpaste and toothbrush, lip balm, flight socks and pen, and a wrapped blanket and pillow are a fluffier upgrade to what is available in the economy cabin. Credit to the airline for making the small stylish amenities bag from recycled plastic.

On long-haul flights, families with infants can pre-reserve a bassinet to use. Children can also enjoy everything from cartoon and youth-themed shows to special toys and gifts to keep them busy.

Short & Medium Haul

British Airways’ short and medium-haul flights do not sell Premium Economy seating, but if the aircraft is flying a shorter route, these are excellent seats worth paying extra to enjoy the extra space that they afford. Most of the long-haul amenities (like hot meals, free drinks and noise-reducing headphones) are not available though. Buy-on-board service in economy class is standard on shorter European flights, which means the only benefit of paying for this seat on those flights is the extra space.

Sustainability

The airline is investing in the most fuel-efficient planes and focuses on reducing emissions both inflight and on the ground. Recycling programs in its lounges and inflight are another eco-friendly measure.

British Airways aims for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and the carrier invests in  carbon-neutral projects  in many of the destinations it serves. On its flights, it has switched to bamboo alternatives instead of plastic stirrers, reduced plastic use for amenity kits and headsets, and serves water bottles made from recycled materials. The airline sends less than one per cent of non-catering waste to landfills. BA's new uniforms are made from more than 90 per cent sustainable fabrics from recycled polyester and only use manufacturers of the 'Better Cotton' initiative. The old uniforms will be donated to charities, recycled into children's toys or contributed to the airline's museum.

The airline also collects loose change from passengers on its long-haul flights to support the non-profit organisation Flying Start. It supports less-fortunate children around the world. British Airways is also the first airline to build a waste-to-fuel plant converting everyday consumer waste to sustainable fuel.

A partnership with the Born Free Foundation has the airline advocating against the captivity of wild animals. British Airways Holidays helps to create a safe sanctuary space for rescued wild animals.

The flight search on BusinessClass.com includes information on CO2 emissions for each flight. Our quality algorithms also give a higher score to flights operated by the most modern and environmentally friendly aircraft.

What We Love

• Footrests and adjustable headrests to make it easier to sleep
• Business class-quality meals serving British products
• A nice selection of mid-flight snacks as well as an open bar throughout the flight

Read the BusinessClass.com review of British Airways Club World Read the BusinessClass.com review of British Airways First Class

BusinessClass.com searches hundreds of travel sites at once to help you find the best premium travel offers for both flights and the finest hotels.

Is Premium Economy British Airways worth it?

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Everything you need to know about British Airways’ fare classes

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new information.

Have you ever heard someone say something along the lines of, "I'm flying in J" and wondered what on earth they could mean?

Or, have you checked your flight on ExpertFlyer and been surprised by the sea of letters showing for each British Airways flight when you know there are only four actual classes the airline flies — First , Club World / Club Suite (business), World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and World Traveller (economy)?

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Why so many fare classes?

British Airways has 22 fare classes and four redemption classes. Revenue fare classes are bookable for cash whilst redemption fare classes are for Avios or mileage bookings.

Broadly speaking, the different fare classes within each cabin correlate both to the cost of the ticket as well as the flexibility of the fare offered. The lower classes usually sell first, so as a flight gets busier, the lower classes will fill up and BA will only sell higher, more expensive fare classes. Typically, the closer to your travel date, the higher the fare class — either because the plane has filled up anyway or because BA might only sell higher fare classes closer to the departure date, as it knows it can command higher prices for last-minute bookings.

BA's fare classes break down as follows:

• First: F (flexible) and A (discounted) as revenue fare classes and Z for reward redemptions;
• Club World (business class): J, C, D, R and I (with I being the cheapest) for revenue and U for reward bookings;
• World Traveller Plus (premium economy), W, E and T for revenue and P for reward bookings; and
• World Traveller (economy): Y, B, H, K, M, L, V, S, N, Q, O, G and P for revenue and X for reward bookings.

It's worth noting that based on which fare class you're booked in, the number of Avios you'll get in return will vary.

The table above shows the breakdown of Avios and Tier Points for BA's different fare classes. For example with the lowest economy classes (G, O and Q) you'll earn 25% of the miles flown and 25% of the Tier Points. A mid-range fare, such as this example roundtrip itinerary from Newark (EWR) to London (LHR), will earn you half of the miles flown. In this case, since it's an L class Basic Economy, you would earn 3,458 Avios.

If I book the same flight but choose a Premium Economy seat (a T class fare), I would earn 100% of the miles flown in Avios, which in this case would be 6,916.

It's also worth noting that G class, one of the most heavily discounted BA fare classes in economy, is reserved for travel agent bookings , including BA holidays. That's why it sometimes pays to add a car or hotel to your booking — that way, you might be able to book into G even if booking the flight on its own would only let you book into a higher fare class.

What the numbers mean

In the example above, the sea of 9s doesn't mean that there are only nine seats available in each class. Nine is the highest number that can be displayed for BA (for some airlines it's seven), and the fare classes are all related. For example, if you book nine seats in O class, it's highly likely that there won't be nine available in Q and that number goes down. That's why you might see BA offer four seats for sale on a flight when there's actually only one left .

Looking at a week-long trip to New York in February next year, a return ticket in Y, which is a fully flexible economy class, costs £2,291. The same ticket can be had for £301 if choosing the cheapest option, O class. The latter does not allow any bags or seat selection, and nor does it allow any changes, whilst the former is fully flexible, as the passenger can change the time, date and receive a full refund if it needs to be cancelled.

Despite the £2,000 price difference between the two tickets, the seat and food for those two tickets would be exactly the same. Of course, there are good and bad seats in each — our guides help you pick the best seats in any BA cabin .

The crazy thing about the fully flexible example economy price is that discounted premium economy can be had for £587, and even discounted business class can be had for £1,333 — a saving of £700 from that fully flexible economy seat. Now, that's a sale price (and a decent one from London ) and has no flexibility. In other words, you couldn't change dates nor get a refund.

Bottom line

Understanding fare classes and how you can use them in conjunction with ExpertFlyer can help you find cheaper flights. If the particular flight or day you are looking for doesn't have the price you were expecting or hoping for, it's worth having a browse on ExpertFlyer to find a date that has lower fare classes available. In addition to also helping you understand what you'll earn on the flight, you'll be able to impress your AvGeek friends at the next dinner party.

Simple Flying

British airways' world traveller plus premium economy cabin: everything you need to know.

A look at the UK flag carrier's premium economy offering.

Today we will look at British Airways World Traveller Plus premium economy and see what it offers and if it is worth the extra money. While the concept of a premium economy cabin may sound relatively new, the idea of providing a nicer economy cabin has been around for just over 30 years. Taiwanese carrier EVA Air introduced premium economy seating on its Boeing 747-400s. Instead of calling it premium economy EVA Air called it "Evergreen Class."

EVA Air's upgraded economy seating did not go unnoticed by other airlines and was soon copied by the United Kingdom-based airline Virgin Atlantic in 1992. British Airways did not want to be outdone by a rival and created its premium economy product shortly afterward.

Premium economy allows you a free second suitcase

Before we talk more about British Airways World Traveller Plus premium economy, it's worth pointing out that "economy" is the key word here. While you may have a slightly bigger, more comfortable, reclining seat and extra legroom, it is in no way comparable to flying business class.

There are, however, advantages to flying premium economy over regular economy. The first is being able to check in a second suitcase for free. British Airways would charge extra for a second bag, which, in some cases, may result in the same total price as what it would cost you to book premium economy.

A friend recently flew on TAP Portugal from Miami to Lisbon and needed to bring two suitcases. When he saw what the Portuguese carrier wanted for the second piece of luggage, it was a no-brainer upgrading to premium economy as it was nearly the same price.

Wider seats and more legroom

British Airways premium economy passengers also get priority boarding which means you are in tier three, with first and business class passengers boarding first. British Airways' World Traveller Plus cabin is between business and economy classes and configured in a 2+4+2 layout.

It offers 18.5-inch seats with an 8% recline, which is great for sleeping but not so good if the person in front of you wants to recline fully, as it intrudes on your personal space. Each seat has individual charging points, and legroom is a generous 38 inches with a footrest. Each seat has a 10.6-inch inflight entertainment screen allowing you to watch hundreds of the latest movies and TV shows.

Want answers to more key questions in aviation? Check out the rest of our guides here !

WiFi is available on British Airways flights, but sadly even though you are flying in World Traveller Plus, you still have to pay for it. World Traveller Plus passengers also get noise-canceling headphones and an amenity kit. Unfortunately, the World Traveller Plus cabin has no restrooms, so you share the toilets with economy passengers.

Food and drinks

World Traveller Plus passengers are offered a welcome aboard drink: water, orange juice, or sparkling wine. Meals vary depending on the time of the day. If you are flying from New York to London, for example, flights are generally in the evening so you arrive in the UK early in the morning.

After taking off, the cabin crew comes round with the drink trolley, and then a little while later, the meal service begins. If you expect to get the kind of food served in business class, you will be disappointed as it is only marginally better than what is provided in economy. Later in the flight, before landing, a second meal service is given, which is more like a snack than a meal.

British Airways

British Airways World Traveller Plus Review [2023]

After a rocky flight across the pond, I decided to do a British Airways World Traveller Plus Review. Is it worth the cost? Read on.

There are few things that make me happier while travelling than getting an upgrade on a long flight. That is what happened in this British Airways World Traveller Plus review…and I’m not sure why. I have theories and will share them in a post soon, but for now, know that this British Airways World Traveller Plus review is by no means sponsored but did make this guy one happy flier.

That said, let’s find out if Is BA World Traveller Plus worth it.

Table of Contents

BA World Traveller Plus Review Summary

British Airways World Traveller Plus is a premium economy class that offers extra legroom, a wider seat, and other amenities. The cabin features a 2-3-2 seating configuration, personal in-flight entertainment screens, and a complimentary amenity kit.

The food and service are generally regarded as good, and passengers can also enjoy priority boarding and additional baggage allowance. However, the seats may not recline as much as some passengers would like, and the cost may be relatively high compared to other premium economy offerings.

Overall, British Airways World Traveller Plus is a solid option for those looking for a more comfortable travel experience without breaking the bank.

What Is The Difference Between British Airways Premium Economy & Business Class?

Economy Plus should really be thought of as “Business Class M inus .” For the most part, the service is the same minus the lay flatbeds. From what I saw while boarding and exiting the British Airways 747-400 on a recent trip to Europe, the Business Class seats are not that spread out and looked crowded…at least more so than flying Swiss Air or EgyptAir . Curious, and as I always do, on my return trip I spoke with the agent at the customer service desk. “How much for an upgrade to Business Class?” I said with a smile. To my horror, the agent said it would be over $7,000!

Paying an additional $7,000 at check-in seems incredibly dumb. An extra $390 for premium economy on a 9 1/2 hour flight, not so much. Thankfully, I didn’t have to do either and got an upgrade for free.

With that in mind, here is my British Airways World Traveller Plus review and why I think it offers some serious value.

Route: London to Vancouver Aircraft: 747-400 Seat: 35B Highlights : Entertainment and High Tea Low lights:  Meals

How to Upgrade to BA World Traveller Plus

To upgrade to BA World Traveller Plus, you can do so in a few ways:

• During booking: When booking your flight, you can choose to upgrade to World Traveller Plus during the booking process. You will see the option to upgrade if it is available for your flight.
• Online: If you have already booked your flight, you can check to see if an upgrade is available through the Manage My Booking section of the British Airways website.
• At the airport: You may also be able to upgrade to World Traveller Plus at the airport on the day of your flight, subject to availability.

Keep in mind that upgrading typically comes at an additional cost, so you should weigh the benefits against the extra expense to determine if BA World Traveller Plus is worth it for you.

British Airways World Traveller Plus Review – Seats

British Airways website boasts wider seats and more legroom in Premium Economy which, although true, is by no means spacious. There is ample legroom, decent recline, and a footrest for stretching out. 

Note: seats are  2×4×2 on the BA 747–400 so ensure to book seats A/B or H/J for maximum comfort!

British Airways World Traveller Plus Review – Service

Essentially, the meal service, amenities, and entertainment system are the same as Business Class. Seats include USB power and standard outlets (Europe and UK style). Where British Airways Economy Plus really differs from Economy Class is the seats and entertainment system.

  READ MORE:     Turkish Air Business Class Review

The amenities bag on this World Traveller Plus review was standard but lacking compared to those I found on Swissair , EgyptAir , and  Turkish Airlines.  Inside you will find earplugs, socks, a toothbrush and paste, a pen, and an eye mask.

Also inside you will find premium headphones, a nice touch, however, I prefer to stick to my favourite travel companion – the Bose-QuietComfort-25.

One negative on this World Traveller Plus review was the dinner tray. Mine sagged heavily in the middle which made eating and writing a bit awkward. A minor annoyance in the end but an annoyance nonetheless.

BA World Traveller Plus Review –  Food & Drink

Meals in Premium Economy are similar to what is served in Business Class except that they are not presented as nicely…or so I hope. Beyond the sloppy presentation, the food was just OK. I had an overcooked piece of beef with salty gravy and a neon salad.

The highlight of the meal service aboard this British Airways flight was the highest High Tea I have ever had. Well played BA.

World Traveller Plus Review –  Entertainment

The entertainment system is a huge upgrade over those found in Economy. The screen is much larger, brighter, and more responsive than those found in coach. My screen on the flight to Europe in Economy was so bad I could not get through a single movie. No worries, I made up for it in World Traveller Plus.

   READ MORE:  Norwegian Airlines Premium Economy Review

So, is British Airways World Traveller Plus Worth it?

Given my experience in Economy ( and recent reports of bedbugs! ), I believe an upgrade to British Airways World Traveller Plus is worth it for the extra pounds, especially if you are flying long distances. If you are looking to just sleep and can do so in cramped spaces then there’s not much for you in an upgrade.

As mentioned, I was upgraded but feel that BA World Traveller Plus is worth it for the extra comfort, meals, and space.

If you want to enjoy business-class services and amenities at a fraction of the cost (minus the lay flatbed) then the upgrade to British Airways World Travel Plus is highly recommended.

   READ MORE:  WestJet Premium Economy Review

What say you? Thoughts on this  British Airways W orld Traveller Plus Review ? Let’s hear it!

For more luxury travel reviews from business class and beyond see HERE .

So how does British Airways World Traveller Plus rank?

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Table of Contents

What is premium economy on British Airways?

British airways premium economy seats, food and drink in british airways premium economy, amenities and other perks of british airways premium economy, how much is premium economy on british airways, 4 ways to save money on british airways premium economy, use avios to book a premium economy ticket on british airways, is british airways premium economy worth it.

Flying in economy just isn't what it used to be. Over the decades, many airlines have reduced legroom, squeezed more seats into each row and cut back on services. Many travelers can't afford to pay for business class, but there is a Goldilocks middle ground: premium economy. Arguably, one of the better premium economy products available is British Airways premium economy, also known as World Traveller Plus.

Let's take a look at British Airways' premium economy, including what you'll find onboard, how the experience differs from economy and how you can save money on these seats.

» Learn more: The best airline credit cards right now

British Airways’s premium economy class is called World Traveller Plus. The other classes on its flights include economy (Euro Traveller and World Traveller) , business class and first class.

World Traveller Plus is situated in its own separate cabin, which is closer to the front of the plane than economy. The seats are wider and offer more legroom than the seats in economy. In addition, passengers receive priority boarding, a more generous baggage allowance, two meals, complimentary alcoholic beverages, noise-canceling headphones for the personal entertainment system and an amenity kit.

» Learn more: The guide to British Airways classes

For many passengers, the main reason to book premium economy instead of economy is the larger seats. And British Airways certainly delivers in this regard.

Compared with economy, British Airways World Traveller Plus gives you more space in all directions — more seat width, legroom and recline. Tall passengers can rejoice: British Airways premium economy provides 7 inches of additional legroom — measuring 38 inches of pitch vs. just 31 inches of pitch in economy.

(Photo courtesy of JT Genter)

In addition to a substantial recline, British Airways premium economy seats offer a fold-out leg rest and a fold-down footrest.

Throughout the cabin, you'll find a large, fixed armrest between each seat. Although this slightly reduces seat width, it means that you shouldn't need to battle your neighbor for control of the armrest. At the front of each armrest, a cup tray provides enough space for two glasses. And you'll find a water bottle holder between the footrests in each seat pairing.

Depending on the aircraft type, the British Airways premium economy cabin is either arranged 2-3-2 or 2-4-2. This means there are two seats by the windows and three or four seats in the middle column of seats. This arrangement makes British Airways premium economy a great option for couples traveling together who prefer to have their own two-seat row.

Each British Airways premium economy seat has a large, bright 12-inch touchscreen with seemingly endless entertainment options. This is a substantial upgrade from what British Airways offered prior to a recent cabin refresh.

Below the in-flight entertainment screen, British Airways installed a storage tray. This provides a convenient place to store your phone, passport, boarding pass or other items you want nearby — but not in your pockets — while in-flight.

» Learn more: Basic economy vs. main cabin

In addition to bigger and better seats, British Airways provides notably better food and drink service in premium economy compared to economy.

This elevated service starts before the wheels even leave the ground. Flight attendants pass through the cabin offering pre-departure beverages of orange juice or water, served in real glassware. Although sparkling wine is available in-flight, it's not available on the ground in the World Traveller Plus cabin.

In-flight, British Airways advertises that World Traveller Plus passengers get "two delicious meals, complimentary bar service including signature cocktails (or mocktail)."

Here's what that looks like in practice.

Flight attendants pass through the cabin shortly after takeoff to provide a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. In my experience, flight attendants proactively provide doubles of alcoholic beverages. Plus, you'll get a choice of wine to go with your dinner.

For meal choices, menus aren't provided to passengers. Instead, flight attendants note the meal options as they pass through the cabin. British Airways offers two options — typically one vegetarian and one meat-based meal. Meals are generally served with a salad, a packaged roll, a dessert and a choice between several types of wines — typically two reds and two whites.

While the first meal is hot and meets premium economy standards, the second is generally a cold, packaged meal served in a brown paper bag. Although perfectly adequate, I haven't found this meal to be particularly "delicious" — falling short of what British Airways advertises.

British Airways premium economy doesn't just provide bigger seats and better meals. British Airways World Traveller Plus passengers also get better amenities and additional perks like priority boarding.

British Airways premium economy amenity kit, pillow and blanket

At boarding, World Traveller Plus seats are typically stocked with a small pillow, blanket and a plastic-wrapped package including noise-canceling headphones and an amenity kit.

The British Airways premium economy amenity kit includes socks, an eye mask, lip balm, a pen, a toothbrush and toothpaste. Earplugs are available on request.

Other perks of British Airways premium economy

Extra baggage allowance: British Airways premium economy typically allows two free checked bags at no additional cost. Comparatively, some British Airways economy fares are "hand baggage only" and charge up to $175 each way for two checked bags.

Priority boarding: British Airways World Traveller Plus passengers board no later than Group 3 boarding. Meanwhile, economy boarding groups stretch to Group 9.

Universal power outlets: The recent refresh to British Airways economy cabins only provides USB power outlets in economy. However, you'll still find two universal power outlets between each pairing of World Traveller Plus seats in addition to a USB outlet.

Unsurprisingly, you can expect to pay more than economy — but less than business class — if you want to fly in the premium economy cabin on British Airways.

We did a fare search for a roundtrip flight from New York-John F. Kennedy to London and found that on the 7:35 p.m. flight, premium economy ($1,162) is more than double the cost of economy ($532) and only slightly cheaper than business class ($1,222).

A flight departing just 30 minutes later (and landing in London-Gatwick) was an even worse deal, offering a $608 premium economy seat, which was nearly triple the cost of economy ($233). Business class was significantly more expensive at nearly $3,000.

On the return leg, premium economy was $851, compared to $504 in economy and $1,540 in business class.

If you chose the more affordable outgoing option in premium economy, you’d be looking at $1,459 total for the round-trip flight, compared to $737 in economy. The cheapest round-trip business class option would cost $2,762.

There are a few ways to save money when booking the Traveller Plus cabin on British Airways.

1. Get $65-$200 off as an AARP member

If you’re a member of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), when you book a roundtrip transatlantic flight on British Airways, you can save $65 off economy or premium economy seats and $200 off business class. Although $65 isn’t a huge discount, it could help offset the difference between economy and premium economy.

Although AARP is a nonprofit organization that offers money-saving benefits for Americans over 50, you do not need to be 50 to join. You just need to sign up and the benefits are yours to enjoy. The standard cost of the membership ranges is $16 per year, but the price could be lower depending on how long you want to commit.

Check Cashback Monitor to see if there are any shopping portals offering bonus points for signing up for an AARP membership.

2. Book a British Airways flight through a shopping portal

Another way to save money on your premium economy fare on British Airways is to purchase the ticket through a shopping portal. Browse through Cashback Monitor to see what the current savings are.

The search result shows that Top Cashback is offering up to 1.51% cash back on British Airways. However, you need to look at the details to make sure that the flight qualifies for the discount.

Clicking on the Top Cashback link shows that the discount on long-haul flights is only 1.01%. So, if you were to book a $1,000 premium economy ticket and click through Top Cashback, you would earn $10.10 in cash, which isn’t much but still provides some savings.

» Learn more: How to earn extra points & miles shopping online

3. Use a British Airways credit card to save 10% and statement credits

The British Airways Visa Signature® Card offers several money saving perks on purchase of British Airways flights.

Cardholders get a 10% discount on all British Airways flights originating in the U.S. You would need to book the flight on ba.com/chase10 and use the promotion code CHASEBA10. Assuming you book a $1,000 premium economy ticket, you’d save $100 off that flight.

Cardholders who book award flights to London can earn statement credits of $100 in economy and premium economy and $200 in first and business class. The statement credits can be earned three times per year, maxing out at $600. To earn the credits, cardholders will need to use the British Airways Visa Signature® Card to pay for award taxes, fees and carrier surcharges on the award flight.

This is a useful benefit, especially since taxes and fuel surcharges on British Airways award tickets can be extraordinarily high.

If you have British Airways Avios, you can also use those points to book an award flight. Here’s an example flight search from New York-JFK to London-Heathrow showing three available classes:

If we compare the pricing, in economy, the ticket costs 25,000 Avios + $100 in taxes. Premium economy costs 42,500 Avios + $280 in taxes. British Airways adds on high taxes and fuel surcharges so you’ll need to weigh the price in miles (+ taxes) against a cash ticket.

Using our $608 premium economy flight example from above, if you were to pay for this seat in Avios, you’d extract 0.8 cent per mile ($608 - $280 / 42,500). NerdWallet values British Airways Avios at 0.8 cent per mile when redeemed for economy fares. This probably isn’t the highest value per point you’ll find at the premium economy level, but it’s about the same number of points that you would expect to pay in economy. If the flight in cash was more expensive, using Avios for the award ticket would be much more justifiable.

Another factor to consider is that British Airways used a distance based award chart , so the cost of the flight in Avios will depend on how far away your origin is from your destination.

» Learn more: The guide to British Airways Executive Club

British Airways premium economy is found on all long-haul international aircraft. This includes British Airways:

Airbus A350-1000 aircraft.

Airbus A380-800 aircraft.

Boeing 777-200 and 777-300 aircraft.

Boeing 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft.

British Airways passengers can upgrade to premium economy using cash or Avios — either in advance or at the airport. However, you cannot purchase an upgrade once onboard. The cash upgrade price generally depends on the route and availability. However, Avios upgrade prices are set based on the Avios award price difference between the two cabins.

» Learn more: How (and why) to upgrade your British Airways flight using Avios

Thanks to a recent cabin refresh, the British Airways cabin now appears fresh and sharp. British Airways premium economy consists of four to nine rows of seating — depending on the aircraft — and is found between the business class and economy cabins. Each row is configured with two window seats on each side and either three or four seats in the middle section.

Yes, British Airways premium economy earns more British Airways Avios — or miles if you credit flights to another mileage program. When crediting flights to the British Airways Executive Club, you'll earn Avios at a rate of 100% or 150% of the flight miles, depending on the fare you book. Comparatively, you earn as few as 25% of flight miles when booking economy fares.

Likewise, American Airlines flyers earn up to four times more base AAdvantage miles when booking premium economy than economy. Since Loyalty Points are based on mileage earnings, you'll also earn quadruple the elite status credits. These extra miles and elite status credits can help justify the increased cost of premium economy for those debating if it's worth upgrading.

» Learn more: How to choose which airline miles to earn from your flights

» Learn more:

How (and why) to upgrade your British Airways flight using Avios

How to choose which airline miles to earn from your flights

British Airways premium economy represents a significant step up from economy. You'll get a bigger seat with extra legroom and recline. Plus, passengers get better food and drink options along with extra perks like priority boarding and extra baggage allowance. And mileage collectors and elite status members will appreciate earning extra miles and elite-status credits.

(Top photo courtesy of British Airways)

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On a similar note...

British Airways World Traveller Plus Review: Is it Worth It?

By: Author Amanda OBrien

Posted on Last updated: 19/03/2024

In 2017 I flew premium economy with Qantas Sydney to Hong Kong return. It was a fantastic experience.

In fact, it was so good it made me question if I could really justify the extra amount to fly business class if it wasn’t an Australia – Europe/US flight.

So when was looking at flying from London to New York – and then Los Angeles to London return – I thought I would give British Airways World Traveller Plus a shot. Which I did back in 2018 and I recently flew with British Airways World Traveller Plus post-Covid in 2022.

I’m going to kick off with an update from 2022 when I flew from Portland to London Heathrow with British Airways in premium economy. My older review involved flying out of London Heathrow so it has quite a bit of information on checking in at Heathrow etc.

⇒ Click here for Prices and Deals on British Airways

British Airways World Traveller Plus 2022 update

After a long break flying with British Airways in World Traveller Plus I signed up again to try them out in July of 2022. I was flying from London to Washington DC, and then home to London out of Portland. I received an offer that was too good to refuse to upgrade to business class on the flight from Heathrow to Washington DC. This review update covers the Portland to London Heathrow leg in premium economy.

I somehow managed to end up on British Airways’s first (not sure if this is the first ever flight but it was certainly the first for a while) direct flight out of Portland to Heathrow. Everyone was in a great mood and there was even cake and sandwiches at the boarding gate for everyone!

As such, we had a very nice new 787 that I believe was a Dreamliner. Few things make me happier than realizing that I am on a relatively new plane as it always means a huge improvement in the premium economy experience.

When I mentioned to the crew that Virgin Atlantic offers its premium economy passengers prosecco the attendant even went and got me a glass of champagne from business class! As I said, all were in a joyous mood.

To be honest, not a lot has changed since the last time I flew World Traveller Plus with British Airways. The 787 I was on had only three rows of premium economy seats. I quite liked this as it normally means faster service and I feel more of a sense of space when the area is smaller. The seat layout was 2-3-2.

I had booked in my window seat when I booked the flight as I always do on overnight flights (I find it worth it to pay a bit extra at booking to achieve this).

One thing that has improved is the quality of the headphones in premium economy which are now noise cancelling. Also, the quality of the food on offer has improved. I enjoyed a very nice steak.

The Dreamliner 787 also has new touch-operated window screens and better cabin pressurization. If you are able to choose your flight and can see the different planes available, I suggest checking to find the Dreamliner 787 option for world traveller plus as it is definitely a step above premium economy on some of BA’s other planes.

British Airways World Traveller Plus Review (2017): Online Check-In

Unfortunately, things with British Airways World Traveler plus did not get off to a good start. Two days before my flight I went on to the British Airways app and was able to reserve one of the aisles British Airways Premium Economy seats – great.

The next day, when I went to actually check in online I was told that my passport number was wrong and that I wasn’t able to check in.

I then had issues with my uber so only arrived at the airport 90 minutes before my British Airways flight.

British Airways Premium Economy: Bag Drop and issues arise

I went and used the check-in machine for my premium economy British Airways flight and my seat had changed to a window – which was good news for me. Then I went to the desk for bag drop.

When the attendant is on the phone for some time when all you do is drop your bag, it is not a good sign. I was told by the attendant that I had been “sneaky” taking the window seat.

I was quite annoyed by this and asked how could I be sneaky when the app had done this for me. I was then told that they had overbooked business class and that seat had been meant for someone who was being downgraded to premium economy on British Airways – which meant they now wanted to move me to British Airways economy class.

I was so annoyed. It really makes me furious when airlines do this. Or should I say when British Airways do this as they are the only airline that has tried to bump me from flights several times due to overbooking.

In what other industry would an organization take your money ahead of time and then when you turned up to experience that service be told that you couldn’t as they had overbooked – and that apparently this was fine?

It is a major problem as a solo traveler as we are at the top of the list when it comes to who gets bumped first when it comes to air travel.

A British Airways staff member once told me that the safest people were those also flying with British Airways from a connecting airport eg Manchester to London and then on to say NY, followed by groups, followed by families and then by couples.

Only the male solo traveler is worse off than the female solo traveler. My annoyance was greater as I had injured my ankle in Nepal earlier that year and absolutely could not have sat in an economy seat for several hours without problems.

Luckily I had a letter from my doctor with me (I had it in case my ankle got worse and I needed medical treatment) so I was able to produce this and say I had to stay in British Air premium economy.

I ended up in British Airways Economy Plus but not without quite a bit of undue stress and frustration. This experience alone has been enough to really put me off flying with British Airways.

I do find it outrageous that you can be potentially bumped like this – and that the staff always seem to act like this is of no consequence and why are you getting upset? OK rant over!

British Airways Premium Economy Review: Getting to the Gate

Anyway, the flight was then at Gate A10 at Terminal 5, which means a very long bus trip. I thought we were driving to New York.

BA World Traveller Plus also means no lounge access and no priority seating.

British Airways World Traveller Plus Review: The plane and the seats

The British Airways World Traveller Plus 777 plane was a little old and compared to Qantas it felt a lot less spacious. The seat layout was 4 in the middle and 2 on each side.

I was on the side thank goodness. I would have been very unhappy to have paid for premium economy and to have had one of the extreme middle seats.

I often wonder who ends up in these seats – are they the people that don’t make sure they do early online check-in? Or maybe they are more tolerant than me.

BA World Traveller Plus Review: In-flight amenities

British Airways Premium Economy 747 has good quality headphones which were nice. The British Airways premium economy product also does have a very good in-flight entertainment system.

The British Airways Premium Economy in-flight amenity kit was not bad – socks, eye mask, earplugs, toothbrush and a pen. Great idea to have a pen as everyone needs one on a flight.

There is a lot of legroom and the seats are comfortable on the British Airways 787 Premium Economy flight. I was also pleased to see that there were 2 USB ports in the seat ahead and then 2 power points between the seats.

The food was a big positive for this World Traveller plus review 777 writer. It did feel like an upgrade from economy. We were also offered a lovely glass of sparkling wine before take-off.

Premium Economy British Airways Review: Some Positives

One of my favourite features of British Airways premium economy 777 is that they have a very useful brochure which explains all the features and benefits of the world traveler plus seat – this is such a good idea.

Every premium economy and business class seat is different and you don’t want to miss out when good features can be used.

There was also a good-sized storage locker next to the window which was handy – another reason trying to get the window seat is one of my top tips.

World Traveller vs World Traveller Plus

In March 2018 British Airways made major upgrades to its World Traveller and British Airways Premium Economy 777 cabins at Gatwick on their Boeing 777s.

Both cabins have had their entertainment screens increased by 50% in size. I’m looking forward to checking out the new six-way headrest.

Interestingly these new planes will feature a considerable increase in the number of World Traveller Plus seats – coming from a reduction in Club World. Premium Economy is on the rise.

So what about the rest of the fleet? World Traveller Plus is a major improvement on World Traveller, which doesn’t offer the best seats. Also, there are few opportunities to upgrade within World Traveller – apart from the exit rows.

If you have a long flight or an overnight flight I think the upgrade cost is absolutely worth it.

Upgrading to British Airways Club World

Theoretically, being in BA World Traveller Plus means it is easier/more likely that you can be upgraded to Club World. BA does offer paid opportunities for upgrades but not all the time – and not necessarily at the best prices.

The best way to check if this is an option for your flight is to visit the Manage My Booking page. The price generally varies between 400 and 700 GBPs.

For frequent flyers, Avios points are a good option for upgrading – or combining Avios points with payment. It is not normally the best use of Avios to upgrade (they tend to be their most effective for less-visited longer trips in economy class in my experience) but it is a good option.

Finally, if you are a frequent flyer and flying World Traveller Plus there is a greater opportunity for an upgrade. This will most likely happen when World Traveller Plus has been booked out and business class has seats.

British Airways Premium Economy: The Verdict

Overall, the seat itself is the key difference between world traveller and world traveller plus on British Airways.

On Qantas and other airlines, there does feel like there is more of a difference between the two cabins – particularly when it comes to service.

I was flying with British Airways when they were having extensive problems as an airline so it could not have been fun to be working for them at that time.

However, I am paying the extra and in my view, I do expect a slightly better service. I would hesitate to take British Airways Premium Economy again – mostly driven by nearly being downgraded to economy.

I don’t want to have to worry about this when I am headed to Heathrow. I, of course, would fly with them if there was a good enough deal, but they have certainly moved down my list after this experience.

Here is BA’s full rundown on their premium economy offer and The Telegraph’s Comparisons of Premium Economy Offers including British Airways Premium Economy Reviews

⇒ Prices and Deals on British Airways

British Airways World Traveller Plus Frequently Asked Questions

What class is world traveller plus on ba.

World traveller plus on British Airways is premium economy. This is a class between economy and business class.

Do you get lounge access with British Airways World Traveller Plus?

No, you do not get lounge access with a British Airways World Traveller Plus ticket.

Does World Traveller Plus on British Airways get priority boarding?

Yes, World Traveller Plus travelers on British Airways get priority boarding and check-in.

Does World Traveller Plus on British Airways get to use the fast track queue for security?

No, World Traveller Plus customers on British Airways do not get to use the fast track queue for security.

How wide are the World Traveller Plus British Airways seats?

The seats in British Airways World Traveller Plus generally have a 38 inch pitch and are 18.5 inches wide. The seats are 1 inch wider than economy and the pitch is 7 inches greater than economy.

Booking Flights:

I use Skyscanner for all my flights – from economy through to business – click here to Check out SkyScanner 

Boutique Hotels in London

Artist Residence is located in Pimlico which is fabulously central. It is in a gorgeous 5 store regency building and has a cute bar.

⇒ Read reviews on TripAdvisor ⇒ Book Now

The Portobello Hotel is located in one of London’s best known and cutest neighbourhoods Notting Hill. This is also the hotel where Kate Moss and Johnny Depp filled up the bath with champagne.

The hotel is located on a quiet street but is a great location.

The Great Northern Hotel is ridiculously close to Kings Cross and St Pancras stations which is incredibly convenient. The hotel dates back to 1854 but has had a major refurb so it feels fresh and modern.

The Hoxton hotel is in the heart of East London in Shoreditch and is a perfect base for exploration. The rooms aren’t huge but the location makes up for it – as does the great value for London with rooms starting at £99 a night.

Who Paid for What in this British Airways World Traveller Plus Post

I covered the cost of my flights on British Airways Premium Economy. This post on British Airways world traveller plus contains affiliate links. That means if you click on them and end up making a purchase on that website I will receive a small commission. I wanted to make sure you were aware of this.

READ NEXT: American Airlines PREMIUM ECONOMY REVIEW

If you like this British Airways world traveller plus post Why Not Pin It?

Amanda O’Brien is the creator and editor of The Boutique Adventurer. She has visited 80 countries and is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers as well as the IFTWTA. She is passionate about wine had has just completed Level 3 of the WSET. Born in Australia, she lives in London.

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Journeying John

Sunday 5th of March 2023

Glad your food was ok and an upgrade but I have to reportthe reverse, bith in and oit of India, there was no choice and what was actually served was worse than mkat carriers economy meals. As for BA's IT systems and contempt for customers who habe paid for a service they don't recieve. Your experience is far from unique and I wonder if you would ever have got any form of compensation had you not had the ankle injury. BA or the UK brand of IAG are #BestAvoided today.

Amanda OBrien

Wednesday 15th of March 2023

I doubt it on the compensation front John! Luckily BA seems to be getting better but I am still nervous about being kicked off flights when I am travelling solo

Jean-Pierre

Tuesday 21st of February 2023

Interesting you had problems with entering your passport information when checking-in. This has happened twice to me using the BA website. The two occasions have been years apart so BA have not fixed their website.

I eventually found a telephone number to call for website support and after about 40 minutes the agent was able to get my passport info to take. It was very frustrating, especially after paying for the upgrade to World Traveler Plus, the taking more money part of their website works very well.

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A tale of two classes: British Airways World Traveller and WTP

By fintan horan-stear →.

Unfortunately, on a recent roundtrip between London Heathrow and Newark, New Jersey, starting with LHR-EWR in World Traveller economy class, these flashes of PaxEx brilliance were overshadowed by appalling service on the outbound across the Atlantic. 

Having already checked in online, I arrived at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 and went straight to the self-service bag drop system, which worked flawlessly. There were no queues. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for security, which took 35 minutes to get through. 

The automated bag drop was simple to use. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Once through security, I waited in a paid access lounge for my gate to be called. When the announcement finally came, roughly 20 minutes late, I was pleasantly surprised to see that my flight would be leaving from the A gates closest to the terminal. That is until I learned I was simply headed to a bus gate. I waited patiently at the cramped gate lounge as the stream of premium passengers trickled past and into the bus.

Fifteen minutes before our scheduled departure, my group was called, and we made our way to the vehicle. Unfortunately, once we arrived at our Boeing 777, boarding was a scrum. During the process, a crew member chided passengers for their bag arrangements in a rude and passive-aggressive manner.

The 777 is a mainstay of BA’s fleet, but it’s still surprising to see BA use remote stands for them. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Inside, I took a hot second to inspect my World Traveller economy class seat, part of a seat pair near the back of the aircraft. Though the seat is older, and perhaps past its prime — as evidenced by the small inflight entertainment screen — it has a lot of personal space and in fact, I found it to be quite comfortable.

A blanket, pillow, and disposable headphones of poor quality awaited me. The seat has no individual air gasper, as is often the case these days aboard widebodies.

The seat was a solid product, but it is in need of a refresh on British Airways. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

I went to the lavatory to freshen up before takeoff, and, shockingly, the bathrooms were filthy. We hadn’t even left at this point. 

One can only assume the delay in boarding meant a short turnaround. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Once we were in the air, I decided to peruse the IFE selection, which had a variety of blockbusters and UK original series. I settled on Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , and the 1989-era picture quality of the film suited the ancient IFE screen perfectly. Alas, the Wi-Fi and USB power port in the seat did not work.

Whilst the selection was a bit limited, I was grateful for the classics on British Airways. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Despite some tired fixtures, the seat itself was good enough. Even when the seat in front of me was fully reclined, I had enough legroom, and as a 6’4 (193cm)-sized person, I fitted in the space. Having said that, the pan of my seat continuously slid forward throughout the flight, causing my legs to ache from keeping them tense. 

Legroom was sufficient, with clear space even for a tall person. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

One hour into the flight, the drink service began, with BA serving World Traveller Plus premium economy passengers first before moving onto World Traveller economy. I had sparkling water and white wine. The Chilean Sauvignon Blanc was soft and fruity. I also snagged a sparkling Italian wine that was too sweet. The two crew members serving the drinks were friendly. 

Two hours into the flight, the meal began. Special meals were hand-delivered first. My Asian vegetarian meal consisted of a buckwheat salad starter, Daal curry, cheese and crackers, and mango parfait, which were all tasty and satisfying. However, my enjoyment was dampened when a crew member, who had arrived to assist with meals, scolded the passenger beside me for having his headphones in and not clocking that he had missed the meal. 

It was not an isolated incident, as I overhead flight attendants grumble audibly about passengers during the flight — presumably they assumed the passengers couldn’t hear them because of the headphones, ironically enough.

The meal was the highlight of the BA flight. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Following the meal service, I tried to remain in the background as much as possible to avoid raising the ire of the crew. 

The IFE was buggy and slow, so I spent the rest of the flight watching Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and questioning my life choices.

I certainly identified with the heroine of The Temple of Doom on this flight. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Ninety minutes before landing, a snack service arrived, including an Indian-flavored vegetarian Wellington that was not bad. 

I was grateful that British Airways could offer a hot snack equal to the meat version on board. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

As we prepared to land at Newark, I felt downtrodden by the abject rudeness of the crew. I hoped that, on my return flight to London in World Traveller Plus premium economy, the experience would improve.

The ground experience at Newark was a pleasant surprise. Checkin was faultless, with no queues and friendly staff.

Security was also a breeze; advanced scanners meant no decanting of items out of my bag. And I had some time to relax before boarding.  

After amusing myself at the terminal, I arrived at the gate 45 minutes before departure. The mood was calm, and boarding began 20 minutes later. I took my seat just five minutes before we were due to leave.

The aircraft was a three-year-old Boeing 787-10, and I was excited to be on board a relatively new and modern aircraft. World Traveller Plus premium economy is located in a sub-cabin behind the cavernous Club World space, with 35 seats across five rows. The seats are wide and comfortable with a large IFE screen, seat controls in the armrest, power ports, and a cocktail table.

The cabin is conservative but quite airy. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

I was grateful for the noise-cancelling headset and an amenity kit. And the legroom was impressive, with both legrests and footrests provided for extra comfort.

The seat provided ample legroom for this 6’4 (193cm) journalist. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Before boarding, we were presented with a glass of water or orange juice. As we taxied, I inspected the bedding; the pillow and blanket were beautifully soft with a blue and red herringbone design that felt soothing in the hand without being too heavy.

The amenity kit had a matching design and felt soft and sturdy. It contained the usual flight socks, eye mask, lip balm, pen, and toothbrush.

The amenity kit and bedding were frankly wonderful. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

I tried out the IFE on takeoff, which unfortunately didn’t work initially, but, as we turned out of Newark, and with a very loud rendition of the Flower Duet playing in the cabin, the IFE came to life.

If the blasting of BA’s anthem song over the PA didn’t wake people up, the shock of the IFE system sending us to Johannesburg, South Africa might have given passengers a surprise. 

Your guess is as good as mine. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

I inspected the IFE offerings: it had a lot of Paramount TV box sets, as well as HBO classics and the usual BBC fare. The system was slow and a bit clunky, but not awful. The quality of the screen was fine, with bright colours, but it lacked sharp definition. I decided on The White Lotus , which was good for escapism. But as before in economy, the Wi-Fi and power outlet did not work.

Whilst better than BA’s 777 economy class IFE system, it still wasn’t state-of-the-art.  Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Menus were passed out as we climbed, and then hot towels were distributed. Bizarrely, this was done in total darkness, so even with the reading light on it was a bit of a fumble. Thereafter, a haphazard dinner service began.

The menu was a premium touch. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

The lights were fortunately raised for the meal service. Though two flight attendants were working the service, they didn’t bring a drink trolley with them, so options were limited. Room temperature wine from the food cart was available.

The wine was frankly unacceptable for premium economy. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Strangely, no bread was offered, despite there appearing to be a full basket on the cart. I asked for a sparkling wine, which was brought after the meal service; it was the same Italian Frizzante served in economy. 

I had the Asian vegetarian option, which consisted of barley salad, korma curry, and a fruit plate. The salad was fruity and sweet, but not cloying. The curry was warm and the fruit plate was fresh and cool.

The meal was perfectly fine, but nothing exciting. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

Having finished my dinner, I got ready for sleep. I found the seat to be scratchy but the seat next to me was unoccupied so I put the spare cover over my seat for added comfort. I got a reasonable 3 ½ hours before waking an hour before landing when the breakfast service began.

I was presented with a slimy roasted vegetable inside a wet roll, which was unappetizing. An orange juice and coffee completed the meal.

Breakfast was a bit of a low point. Image: Fintan Horan-Stear

As we began our descent, I surmised that this was overall a pleasant flight. The hard product offered space to sleep, and the Boeing 787-10 — with new and modern lavs and comfortable cabin pressure — made me feel fresher on landing.

I would have appreciated an operable in-seat power port, and indeed one of those seemingly forbidden bread rolls on the cart. But BA World Traveller Plus delivered a superior experience than the outbound flight in coach, as one might expect.

Related Articles:

• Whither Brussels Airlines? Time for a rethink
• British Airways Gatwick Club Lounge elevates traditional product
• When BA Euro Traveller with add-ons outshines Club Europe
• British Airways Club Suite delivers big upgrade over former seat
• Taste testing The Uncommon sparkling wine offered by BA, Virgin
• British Airways scores easy PaxEx win with no-fee connection change

Featured image credited to Fintan Horan-Stear

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Retrofitted a319 with new united next interior ready for service.

About Fintan Horan-Stear

Contributing Writer Fintan is a London-based aviation and transport ‘enthusiastic amateur’, writing about trends and developments in the industry with a specific focus on passenger experience and “soft product” elements. His interest in aviation was sparked by the golden age of Pan American and the jet age, and still feels the thrill of adventure on... Read More

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Members save $65 off World Traveller (economy) and World Traveller Plus (premium economy) or $200 off Club World (business class) fares when they purchase round-trip transatlantic tickets online to over 130 destinations, including Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Restrictions apply. Online only.

You’ll leave AARP and go to the website of a trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions, and policies apply.

AARP commercial member benefits are provided by third parties, not by AARP or its affiliates. Providers pay a royalty fee to AARP for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. Some provider offers are subject to change and may have restrictions.

The exclusive discounts as indicated on this offer page are available online to AARP members only via the dedicated link on this page when booking a round-trip through fare (round-trip flights with connection to final destination, separate tickets do not qualify for discount) from select US gateways to the UK and beyond.

Customer must be an AARP member or must travel with an AARP member to be eligible for this exclusive offer.

The exclusive discounts are based on round-trip purchase off any published retail economy (World Traveler) and business (Club World) fares that are greater than the relevant discount for the class of travel on  ba.com  via the exclusive link, valid for outbound travel April 30, 2020 – June 30, 2025 on British Airways and British Airways codeshare services operated by American Airlines and on British Airways codeshare services operated by Iberia only. Inbound and outbound travel must be booked in the same cabin.

American Airlines and American Eagle flights with a British Airways flight number that connect to British Airways operated, American Airlines operated with British Airways flight numbers and  Iberia operated with British Airways flight numbers transatlantic flights are permitted.

Discount does not apply to open jaw journey (only round-trip with same origin and destination permitted).

The exclusive discounts will not apply if booked through a British Airways call centre or travel agent.

The exclusive discounts cannot be retroactively applied to bookings NOT made through the exclusive link,  https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/offers/partners/aarp-member-benefits .

All discounted fares will be highlighted with word ‘Discount’.

For new bookings only made by June 30, 2024.

This offer is not combinable with any other discount or deal.

All rules of any fare purchased apply, including advance purchase, minimum/maximum stay, stopovers, weekend add-ons, change fees and cancellation/refund rules. Please refer to individual rules per ticket before purchase.

Executive Club Members can earn Avios per the Terms and Conditions of the Executive Club.

This exclusive AARP member offer is open to US residents paying in US dollars only, with travel originating in the US.

Subject to availability.

This offer may be modified, withdrawn or limited by British Airways without notice, subject to agreement between AARP and British Airways

Other significant restrictions may apply.

AARP member benefits are provided by third parties, not by AARP or its affiliates. British Airways pays a royalty fee to AARP for the use of AARP’s intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. AARP benefits and offers are subject to change. Please contact British Airways directly for details.

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British Airways Visa Signature Card review: A valuable but complicated travel credit card

The British Airways Visa Signature® Card offers a lot of valuable perks for a modest annual fee. But due to the hefty surcharges the airline charges on award tickets, you're better off using your rewards on partner airlines. Although British Airways has plenty of solid partners, it makes it trick to maximizing the value of this travel credit card.

British Airways Visa Signature Card

Annual fee : $95

Welcome offer : Earn 85,000 bonus Avios when you spend $5,000 in the first three months.

Rewards : Earn

3 Avios on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus and Iberia

2 Avios on hotel accommodations

1 Avios on all other purchases

Recommended credit score : Good to Excellent

More details : Get 10% off British Airways flights starting in the U.S.; receive up to $600 in annual statement credits on award flights; earn a Travel Together ticket when you meet an annual spending requirement.

The card charges a $95 annual fee. While it doesn't waive that fee the first year like some other airline credit cards, British Airways loyalists can get that value and more back in the form of credit card perks.

Welcome offer

Currently, the British Airways credit card offers 85,000 bonus Avios when you spend $5,000 in the first three months. Compared to other airline credit cards, that's a relatively high offer, though it also requires more spending.

Rewards rate

You'll earn the following rewards rates on your everyday spending:

3 Avios per dollar spent on purchases with British Airways, Aer Lingus and Iberia

2 Avios per dollar on hotel accommodations booked directly with hotels

1 Avios per dollar on all other purchases

How to earn rewards

Like other airline credit cards, the British Airways credit card offers accelerated rewards on purchases with the airline.

However, because the Avios loyalty program is shared by multiple airlines, you'll also earn bonus rewards on purchases with Aer Lingus and Iberia, the flagship carriers for Ireland and Spain, respectively.

You'll also get extra Avios on hotel stays booked directly with hotels, but beyond the first year, you won't earn any bonus rewards on everyday spending categories, which is disappointing.

How to redeem rewards

To get the most value out of your Avios, you'll want to use them to book award flights. But while all airlines charge taxes and fees on award tickets, British Airways is notorious for adding hefty fuel surcharges that can add hundreds of dollars to your reservation.

The good news is that British Airways partners with several domestic and international airlines, including American Airlines. So, it is possible to avoid those surcharges, and many travel rewards enthusiasts make it work. But in general, maximizing your rewards with airline partners can be more challenging.

Other ways to use your Avios include:

Flight upgrades and airline fees

Hotel stays

Car rentals

Vacation packages

Wine subscriptions

Merchandise

That said, you generally won't get as much value with these options.

Additional benefits

The British Airways Visa Signature Card doesn't offer some of the standard airline credit card perks, such as priority boarding, free checked baggage and inflight discounts. However, there are some benefits that could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year on British Airways flights:

Discount on British Airways flights: When you use your card to book a British Airways originating in the U.S., you'll get a 10% discount.

Award flight credits: Each year, you can get up to $600 in statement credits when you book award flights to London and use the card to pay the taxes and fees. That's a credit of $100 for economy and premium economy seats and $200 for business and first-class seats. You can get up to three credits per year.

Travel Together ticket: When you spend $30,000 in a calendar year, you'll earn a Travel Together ticket. When you book a flight with British Airways, Aer Lingus or Iberia with Avios, this certificate lets you bring a companion for just the taxes and fees or get a 50% Avios discount if you're flying solo. The Travel Together ticket is good for two years.

Luggage protection: When you travel and use your card to make purchases, you could benefit from its lost luggage reimbursement and baggage delay insurance benefits.

Keep in mind that some of these perks require you to fly with British Airways. Before you take advantage of a benefit, however, be sure to compare other flight options that don't come with an expensive fuel surcharge.

Who is the British Airways Visa Signature Card best for?

The British Airways credit card is best suited for people who frequently fly with the airline. However, you may also consider it if you're a points and miles aficionado who wants to use Avios to book flights with British Airways partners.

It can be particularly worth considering if you can meet the $30,000 spending requirement for the Travel Together ticket, which can give you solid savings.

British Airways Visa Signature Card benefits

Versatile rewards program: British Airways partners with several airlines through the Avios rewards program and the oneworld alliance, giving you access to more than 900 destinations around the world.

Solid welcome offer: The card's welcome bonus is high compared to other airline credit cards; just make sure you can afford the minimum spending requirement to earn it, which comes out to roughly $1,667 per month.

Modest annual fee: Compared to the card's benefits, the annual fee is low. Just keep in mind that there's no guarantee that you'll get enough value from the card perks to offset that yearly charge.

British Airways Visa Signature Card potential drawbacks

No flight perks: You won't get some of the standard perks that most airline credit cards offer, including free checked baggage, priority boarding and inflight discounts.

Maximizing the card perks can be tricky: You can definitely get enough value from the card's benefits to offset the annual fee, but at what cost? Even with savings or award flight credits, you may still end up paying more due to surcharges.

Where can you use the British Airways Visa Signature Card?

You can use the British Airways credit card anywhere Visa is accepted, which is just about anywhere within the U.S. and abroad. Additionally, the card doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee on international purchases.

How to make a British Airways Visa Signature Card payment

The British Airways Visa Signature Card is issued by Chase, which offers cardholders a few options for making a credit card payment:

Online: Log in to your online account or the Chase mobile app.

Phone: Call 800-436-7958 and use the automated phone service.

Chase branch or ATM: Visit a local Chase branch or ATM to pay in person.

Mail: Send a check or money order, including your full card number, to Cardmember Services, P.O. Box 6294, Carol Stream, IL 60197-6294.

British Airways Visa Signature Card customer service info

Customer service availability: Phone 24/7

Phone number: 800-432-3117

Customer service email: Chase doesn't offer email support, but you can send a secure message through your online account.

British Airways Visa Signature Card login page

Alternative cards to consider

If you're not sure about the limitations of the British Airways credit card or want more flexibility with your rewards, here are some alternative credit cards to help you compare.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Why we like it : The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers one of the most versatile rewards programs in Chase Ultimate Rewards. The card offers an excellent welcome bonus, plus bonus rewards on several everyday spending categories, including travel, dining, select online grocery purchases and select streaming services.

To help offset the $95 annual fee, you can earn up to $50 in statement credits toward hotels booked through Chase. You'll also get a 10% points bonus based on how much you spend each year—for example, spend $30,000 and get 3,000 bonus points.

Redeeming your rewards for travel through Chase will give you a 25% boost in value. However, you can also transfer your rewards to several airline and hotel program partners, including British Airways.

Recommended credit score: Good to Excellent

Read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Why we like it : If you want maximum travel redemption flexibility and premium benefits, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a solid choice. The card offers a solid welcome bonus and a base rewards rate of 2 miles per dollar.

You can redeem your rewards for travel directly through the Capital One Travel portal, paying for some or all of your booking. Alternatively, you use the card to book travel on your own with an eligible travel merchant and request a full or partial statement credit up to 90 days after the transaction date. The card issuer also allows you to transfer rewards to several domestic and international airlines and hotel loyalty programs, including British Airways.

Premium perks include a $300 annual credit toward Capital One Travel reservations and 10,000 bonus miles each year. You'll also get complimentary access to more than 1,300 airport lounges around the world and an application fee credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. For that, the card charges a $395 annual fee, but it's not too difficult to get that value back.

Recommended credit score: Excellent

Read our full review of the Capital One Venture X Rewards card

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

Why we like it : If you want an airline credit card with fewer limitations, consider the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card . The card offers a decent welcome bonus, as well as bonus rewards on dining and supermarket purchases within the U.S.

You'll also get a $200 Delta flight credit when you spend $10,000 in a calendar year, plus 15% off all award flights booked with the airline—Delta has a robust domestic presence and offers access to more than 1,000 destinations worldwide through its partners.

You can even get some value on hotel and vacation rental stays with up to $100 in annual statement credits when you use your card to book through Delta Stays. Other perks include priority boarding, one free checked bag for you and up to eight others on your reservation and 20% back on inflight purchases. The card has a $0 introductory annual fee the first year, then $150 after that (see rates and fees ).

Related : Delta Gold vs. Delta Platinum: Which card offers more Delta savings?

This article was edited by Rebecca McCracken

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.