British Airways Premium Economy Review Washington to London
Review of British Airways flight Washington → London in Premium Eco
Take-off 15 February 17, xviii:25
Inflow at 16 Feb 17, 06:30
#27 out of 65 Airlines A minimum of ten flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings. 860 reviews Hello and welcome to a new series of Flight-Reports!
Equally the American Airlines AAdvantage programme has gone fully revenue-based in 2017, I knew my mileage earning rates would get downwards compared to previous years. Gone are the days of earning 100% Elite mileage bonuses based on distance flown; however, the new plan all the same has some sugariness spots allowing for decent accrual of Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs), Redeemable miles (RDMs), and Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs). One of those sugariness spots can be found flying certain oneworld partners in Premium Economic system, at least, when decent fares are available. On partner airlines, EQDs are calculated as a percentage of the distance flown, rather than actual dollars spent (minus taxes), as is the example when flight AA or purchasing flights through AA.
Based on the mileage earning chart below, it is piece of cake to run into why BA Premium Economy is a sweet spot. Premium Economy has the same EQM earning charge per unit as Business and First grade and only a slightly lower EQD earning rate than Concern class, whereas Premium Economy fares are often less than half discounted Business concern course fares.
Also, unlike travel on AA, which earns RDMs for AAdvantage members based on the fare paid, RDM earning on BA is still distance-based, though discounted Economic system may merely earn 25 or 50 percent of distance flown.
Below are the AAdvantage award mileage (RDM) earning rates for AA:
AAdvantage® member – v miles for every U.South. dollar
Gold member – 7 miles/U.S. dollar (40% bonus)
Platinum member – 8 miles/U.South. dollar (threescore% bonus)
Platinum Pro member – nine miles/U.Southward. dollar (80% bonus)
Executive Platinum member – eleven miles/U.South. dollar (120% bonus)
Considering that British Airways often offering reasonable fares in Premium Economy, the earning rates can exist advantageous, especially for AAdvantage Elite members who earn a bonus. For my beginning big trip of the twelvemonth, I found a decent $ane,720 Premium Economy fare from Washington, DC to Dubai to go visit a friend over the U.S. Presidents 24-hour interval holiday weekend. Being that Economy fares were about $1,300, in my opinion, the $400 premium is well worth it for the additional comfort and improved service. That's nearly an additional $100 per segment, with each segment being effectually vii-eight hours.
Now, allow's talk mileage earnings. For IAD-LHR-DXB-LHR-IAD, the bodily altitude flown circular-trip is 14,194 miles. Had I been flying AA, my mileage earning would have been purely revenue-based. Out of the $1,720 I paid for the ticket, only $1,275 was actual fare, the remainder being taxes. I would accept therefore earned only 1,275 EQDs (Elite Qualifying Dollars) for this trip–I volition demand at least 6000 EQDs this year to maintain Platinum status for 2018. Every bit a Platinum member, I would have earned just x,200 RDMs (1275 X 8), which is less than one RDM per actual mile flown. A bad bargain, to be sure!
Beneath was my actual mileage earning charge per unit for a Premium Economy ticket on BA bought directly through britishairways.com. As yous can see, the earning rates are much better.
EQDs = 2,840 (twenty% of xiv,194 miles flown) - That's more double the i,275 I would have earned buying through AA.
RDMs = 22,712 (fourteen,194 miles flown + 60% Aristocracy bonus) - Over again, this is more than double the x,200 RDMs, I would have earned through AA
* On a sorry note - Under the old pre-2017 plan, I would take earned 28,388 RDMs (14,194 miles flown + 100% Elite bonus)
EQMs = 21,292 (14,194 miles flown X 1.v EQM rate for Premium Economic system)
Either manner you cutting it, the AAdvantage mileage programme but isn't what it used to be. Information technology was past far the best loyalty program of the Big three U.S. carriers, at present information technology'southward simply but boilerplate. However, in my instance, going British Airways Premium Economy, helped to take much of the sting out of program devaluations.
On to the written report! Below is the routing, obviously going through BA's LHR hub:
- Washington IAD ✈ London LHR | British Airways, A380-800, Premium Economy [THIS REPORT]
- London LHR ✈ Dubai DXB | British Airways, B747-400, Business Class [CLICK HERE]
- Dubai DXB ✈ London LHR | British Airways, B787-9, Premium Economy [CLICK Here]
- London LHR ✈ Washington IAD | British Airways, B777-200, Premium Economy [COMING SOON]
On this beautiful sunny winter twenty-four hour period, I arrived at the aerodrome a petty over 2 hours before departure. I had one bag to check, but in that location was absolutely no line at the Business class/1globe frequent flyer Elite cheque-in.
After dropping off my pocketbook, I quickly made my style to security, which was also surprisingly uncrowded for this hour.
Beloved that iconic Saarinen terminal!
Later security, I took the underground railroad train to the B concourse.
This suspended shipping greets yous every bit you get in into the concourse coming off the escalators from the train.
The British Airways lounge is just to the right after coming off the escalators. I merely spent about 15-20 minutes there, equally I wanted to do some lounge-hopping, and didn't take many pictures. Also, I was sitting beyond from famous Television political pundit Tucker Carlson (Hey, it'south DC!) and didn't desire him thinking I was some weirdo stalker.
I've previously covered the BA Galleries lounge in more detail here.
Afterward two spectacles of champagne, we headed out to discover the new Turkish Airlines lounge.
TK had recently opened a make new lounge hither at IAD, I believe their only self-run lounge in the U.Due south., and I'd heard actually expert things about information technology. Unfortunately, I'm not a Star Alliance flyer, then chances were slim that I'd always get to check it out.
Then, a few weeks before the trip, Priority Pass appear that the Turkish Lounge at IAD was joining the plan…awesome!
Conveniently, the Turkish lounge is actually right across from the BA gates, whereas the BA galleries lounge is a few gates downwardly.
That would be a lovely addition to my collection! ^^
The Turkish lounge is much smaller than I idea information technology would exist, merely information technology is quite pleasant. It helped that the lounge wasn't particularly crowded.
Nice view of a Qatar Airways 77W from the lounge, with the cute primary final in the background.
Effectually the corner from the main room, there is a smaller quieter area with a bar.
I had read in some reviews, dorsum when the TK lounge beginning opened, that at that place was no champagne, then I asked the bartender if that was still the instance and luckily, the TK lounge is now serving champagne :-)
The buffet back in the main area.
The food offering is quite expert for a U.Due south. lounge, with hot and cold options.
Lamb kofta, rice, and lentils
Proof that the TK lounge has champagne :-)
This is the main room of the lounge–as y'all tin can encounter it's not terribly big, but it is a nice space.
Turkish Airlines branding is everywhere, including the chairs.
Right almost when boarding was due to begin, we headed out beyond the way to our gate.
At IAD, A380s are boarded from two side by side gates. British Airways use gate B42 for lower deck boarding, and gate B44 for the upper deck.
Even though I've been on A380s dozens of times, I even so get excited! #AvGeek #SuperNerd
This would exist my start time on a BA A380, nonetheless. Squeeeeee ^^
Since we were on the upper deck, we waited at gate B44. At that place was only i other couple alee of us. As people started queuing upwards, a BA agent checked boarding passes to brand certain people were in the correct line.
Surprisingly no line yet for the chief deck at gate B42.
British Airways are proud of their A380. Yes, it is the only A380 service between Washington and London, only it's certainly not the only A380 service at IAD–Air France and Emirates also operate scheduled A380 services at Washington-Dulles
Boarding begins simply a few minutes late; nevertheless, judging by the amount of people in line for boarding at gates B42 and B44, the flight will not exist full.
And in case you lot didn't know past now that you'll be flying on an A380…here you become ?
Walking through the Guild Wold (Business class) cabin in a ii-iii-2 configuration on the upper deck,
The relatively large World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy) cabin.
Our seats in the last row.
I often like to sit in the concluding row as I find it offers more privacy and I don't have to worry most reclining my seat in anybody's face. Having the lav right behind wasn't really a problem as there was a mantle between the WTP cabin and the lavs.
Unsurprisingly, compared to other BA aircraft, the A380 has by far the largest Premium Economy motel in the fleet.
Overnice, spacious motel.
The biggest advantage to a window seat on the upper deck, in whatever class of service, is the extra lateral space due to the width of the fuselage. That extra space allows for applied storage bins along the windows–a great place for laptop bags and coats.
In the last row of WTP, there are two bins bachelor for lateral storage.
The seat pitch is 38 inches, virtually the same every bit domestic Outset class in the U.S. Seat width is nigh twenty", besides similar to U.S. domestic First form.
Unlike, the older generation of Earth Traveller Plus seats, the new seats have double armrests for more lateral space and much deeper recline.
As I had suspected, the load was on the lighter side and boarding was completed well ahead of schedule. The WTP cabin was about 2/3 full.
Cute dusk colors out the window.
Shortly after everyone has settled into their seats, the friendly cabin coiffure pass out menus and do a pre-departure drinkable service.
Water and orange juice were offered. On some WTP flights in the past, I've seen sparkling wine offered likewise. I'yard not sure if this is only available on certain flights, or if this has been discontinued altogether.
Pleasant mood lighting.
The IFE is available gate-to-gate.
As usual, I set my screen to the moving map.
We push dorsum most v minutes early.
The safety video plays during taxi to the track.
And we're off for a quick half-dozen.5 hr hop across the pond!
The WTP cabin with mood lighting soon afterward takeoff.
Premium Economy passengers are provided with the same noise-cancelling headphones as you'll find in Society World (Business form).
There is a good choice of movies and Television set series in several languages, though I would say the content is non as all-encompassing as the IFE on American Airlines, especially when it comes to music selection.
About fifteen minutes into the flying, the crew are out in the cabin for the apéritif service.
Sparkling wine is available; it is a Spanish cava–a bit on the sweeter side, but drinkable. I believe Pommery champagne was previously served in WTP, and so this seems to be some evidence of toll-cutting.
Thanks!
Permit'due south have a look at the carte du jour.
In that location are two choices of mains–beef or pasta, null terribly exciting, though the beef dish with truffle risotto sounds good.
The dinner service begins as nosotros brand our fashion up the Eastern seaboard along the declension of Long Island, New York.
Although beef can often be a gamble on planes, that is what I went for. Premium Economic system meals are a hybrid of Economy and Business grade meal service. The primary dish along with the glassware and cutlery are inspired by Business class, while the remainder is the same every bit Economic system.
Although the portion of beef was on the small side and, unsurprisingly, a scrap overcooked, the dish was quite tasty overall.
Crossing over Cape Cod, Massachusetts during dinner.
Flying over the southern end of Nova Scotia every bit dinner service wraps upwards and the lights are lowered.
I fell asleep soon after, merely woke up for a little bit as we were over the middle of the Atlantic. Cabin coiffure were making their way through the cabin with trays of h2o and orange juice. It is always squeamish to avert having to go back to the galley.
I slept a skillful 3.5 hours altogether. The seat recline in Earth Traveller Plus is quite deep for a premium economy seat.
Breakfast was served as we neared the west declension of Ireland.
Dissimilar dinner, which has a more premium feel, the breakfast was a purely economy-style thing.
Beautiful box, though.
Contents of the breakfast box: Cream cheese filled pretzel bread and a granola bar. Zip terribly exciting, simply it was fine considering it had merely been most 4 hours since dinner.
The lights came on as the cabin crew prepared the motel for landing.
Starting our descent over Wales.
Time for some loops over London
Surprisingly, nosotros were not put into a holding blueprint, every bit is and so often the case arriving into LHR.
Not sure why the IFE showed London Urban center Airport, but not Heathrow.
We parked at T5C, which seems to e'er be the example when I fly into LHR from the U.S.
Overnice bulkhead design in WTP.
The starting time row of WTP on the A380 has a nice amount of space. I was surprised the seats looked to accept not been occupied upon disembarking.
Encounter more than
Verdict
Cabin 8.0
Cabin coiffure viii.five
Entertainment/wifi viii.5
Meal/catering seven.0
Turkish Airlines Lounge
viii.three / x
Comfort eight.0
Meal/catering viii.5
Amusement/wifi 8.0
Services 8.5
Efficiency eight.5
Access 7.0
Services 8.5
Cleanliness eight.5
Efficiency 7.5
Admission eight.0
Services ix.0
Cleanliness 8.five
Conclusion
An overall pleasant flight in BA'southward Premium Economy on the A380. For a short weekend getaway to a far-flung destination that would otherwise be tiring in Economy, World Traveller Plus offered a more than comfortable experience for a reasonable price premium over Economy class. The cabin crew were professional and friendly. I appreciated that they passed through the motel with water regularly throughout the night. Overall, the catering was decent, with the premium touches such as pre-departure drinks, Gild Globe glassware, silverware, and cathay making for a more than high-end feel than Economy. All the same, the price-saving switch from serving champagne to cava in WTP, along with the inexpensive breakfast box, were disappointing.
Data on the route Washington (IAD) → London (LHR)
Source: https://flight-report.com/en/report/22480/British-Airways-BA216-Washington-IAD-London-LHR
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