Premium Economy is an accelerating trend in the past decade, offering more price-sensitive travelers an upgraded experience without spending thousands more on business class. It’s generally geared towards leisure travelers (though some businesses are seeing this as an opportunity to cost-cut and downgrade employees from Business to P.E…). Come with as we explore this offering on a transatlantic flight from Chicago to Amsterdam. 

Check-in was done easily online, which is somewhat of a rarity among international carriers. I arrived at the bag drop counter about 75 minutes before my flight was set to depart. Premium Comfort passengers can use the dedicated Sky Priority lane, the same as business class, which had nobody in line. After breezing through security, I arrived at the gate a mere 15 minutes after arriving at O’Hare. Note that lounge access is not included with P.E., as is the case with most airlines.

The assigned gate area was severely undersized for the capacity of the jet and was immediately adjacent to the gate for the earlier of two daily British Airways flights to London. This resulted in dozens of people sitting on the dirty O’hare floor, particularly around the outlets – yuck.  Luckily, Premium Comfort comes with priority boarding, which got me whisked onboard quickly.

KLM’s Premium Comfort seats are wide and spacious, similar to domestic U.S. First class products. Last year, I reviewed Delta’s Premium Select product, which actually uses a slightly modified version of the same seat.  They feature a multi-directional adjustable headrest, movable reading light, USB and USB Type C charging ports, as well as a universal power socket. The aisle-side armrest was movable and the tray table extended from the middle console between seats. Two buttons on the right controlled recline and the extendable thigh support. A leg rest can also flip down from the seat ahead. Two notes here: one, bulkhead seats (row 11 in this configuration) lack the leg rest; two, your comfort and mileage may vary. These features are often designed for a passenger of “average” proportions, so if you are particularly short or tall, they may get uncomfortable after a while.

Waiting at my seat – 12K – was a pillow, a substantial comforter, an amenity kit, and a printed menu. A water bottle was tucked into the seat’s right side pocket along with headphones.

The amenity kit contained essentials: toothpaste “tabs” and a toothbrush, pen, earplugs, and an eye mask. Not a lot to see or say here, though the eyemask was pretty flimsy, and some hand lotion would have been nice as long flights tend to get dry. 

Not pictured was the large, high-definition IFE screen. KLM offered a very wide range of movies, TV shows, games, and music. There was so much content that I struggle to think I would ever get bored. Wi-Fi is available for purchase, but messaging apps, such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, are free. 

I appreciated KLM printing real paper menus – having time to think about what you’d like to eat rather than having the options yelled at you is far more pleasant. The only real option here is your choice of entree; I selected the Sous Vide Beef with brussels sprouts, asparagus, and potatoes. 

There was no pre-departure beverage offered, but soon after we took off, the crew came through the cabin with refreshing cold towels, nuts, and a selection of beverages. I selected sparking wine, which came in its own mini-bottle with a glass.

A while later, my meal was presented on a single tray. I have to admit, this was one of the better meals I’ve had on an airplane. The meat was tender, but not mushy. The tomato tartare was flavorful and tangy. The burrata was soft and creamy. Solid, hefty metal cutlery elevated the experience. Also, my apologies for the lighting conditions… sometimes the crew gets a little carried away with the Dreamliner’s RGB lighting capabilities. 

Here are my critiques: At the expense of everything being very rich, it was also very salty. This seems to be a recurring theme in airplane food, at least recently. I think a tablecloth would have firmly placed this into “business-lite” territory, but still a solid presentation. Overall, the meal service took a big chuck of the flight time – nearly two hours. While I typically enjoy a slower paced dining experience, this seriously cut into my sleeping time on this overnight flight. 

Feeling a bit restless and peckish, I ventured into the galley around three hours prior to landing for a snack. I love when airlines provide this sort of snack box – it allows me to feel more food-secure and provides a nice distraction. 

Roughly two hours prior to landing, without a wink of sleep, the lights came back on for meal service #2. This was a sort of smattering of different breakfast foods including a mini crepe and some overnight oats (were they steeped onboard? Does that count as overnight?). The main dish comprised of ham, cheese, salmon, half of a hard boiled egg, and some veg. Everything was pleasant, though far more muted in flavor than dinner. I paired it all with a glass of orange juice and a coffee. 

KLM’s Premium Comfort is a solid product – the best Premium Economy I’ve experienced. The elevated food, comfortable seats, warm hospitality, and small cabin make this lightyears ahead of regular economy. I have no reservations about booking this service again in the future – and I really hope I have an opportunity to do so. 

Justin Reiling Editor-in-Chief