The World's Most Comfortable Premium Economy Doesn't Have The Most Legroom

Skytrax’s 2025 awards for Premium Economy show that comfort rankings don’t track perfectly with legroom. The article notes that while airlines with spacious seats often perform well, factors like onboard dining, amenities, customer service, and the overall travel experience can weigh heavily. For seat spacing alone, Japan Airlines (JAL) leads with premium economy pitch of 42 inches (107 cm), also offering wide seats around 19 to 19.5 inches and a 2-4-2 layout on 777s and 2-3-2 on 787s. Yet Skytrax named Emirates the top premium economy airline, despite offering two inches less pitch. Other examples include EVA Air at 42 inches on 787-9 and Cathay Pacific at 40 inches.