Via God Save the Points you can fly Delta premium economy on their new Airbus A350 starting at under $750 roundtrip to Asia.
Credit: Delta
More often than not coach is more expensive than this and premium economy is similar to flying an upgraded domestic first class — much more room and personal space than flying in back.
It appears that the greatest availability at these prices is for the fall.
Here are some sample Google Flights searches:
The key here is that you want to fly Delta’s new A350s. You don’t want to fly, for instance, a Boeing 767 through Seattle because though that may be cheaper you won’t actually be in premium economy.
And make no mistake — this is cheap for premium economy. In fact for Los Angeles – Shanghai it’s a base fare of just $150 each way plus taxes and surcharges.
Key rules for fare basis VLGO7PPA:
- Travel permitted Sunday through Thursday in each direction
- Outbound flight must be taken October 17 – December 9
- 60 day advance purchase required, the fare must but ticketed by September 30 but this deal will not last that long.
- 7 day minimum stay required, 6 month maximum stay
- Stopover at the international gateway city permitted for $100
- Non-refundable, $300 change fee
Though we did see Delta premium economy from $597 back in January this remains one of the least expensive premium economy deals we’ve seen, and it’s likely available from other cities too.
Maybe this is how Delta plans to reach a decent load factor with 48 PE seats.
How decent are the Delta A350’s PE seating? Just curious.
Also sounds like typical off-peak and shoulder season times of year; load depressing trade-war with China & Singapore Air’s resumption of world’s longest nonstop route between New York/Newark and Singapore (which is in mid-October, too), where much media coverage (“traditional” and blogosphere) already has, and will continue, to overshadow others’ service in the airline space is having an effect on Delta (and perhaps others)!