Air Premia Boeing 787-9 Wide Premium Review

After nearly two weeks of bouncing around Japan and South Korea, it was finally time for my wife and me to head home. For our flight back to Washington Dulles, we decided to try something a little different… Air Premia’s Wide Premium cabin.

If you haven’t heard of Air Premia, they’re a South Korean hybrid airline that only offers two cabins: Economy and Wide Premium. There’s no lie-flat business class here. Instead, Wide Premium sits right in that sweet spot between economy and business, giving you a lot more room without the business-class price tag. Korean Air does have Premium Class on select aircraft and routes, but you won’t find it across their whole long-haul network, which makes Air Premia a pretty interesting option for anyone crossing the Pacific.

So, was it worth it? Between the roomy seat, solid recline, great Korean food, and some of the most attentive crew I’ve had in a while, I walked off this plane really impressed. Please join me in this review of Air Premia’s Wide Premium from Seoul to Washington Dulles!

Booking & Redemption Value 8.5/10

Peak season pricing, but a great way to earn points

Timing wasn’t on our side for this one. We were traveling during peak season, and Wide Premium tickets were going for around $1,500 per person… not exactly cheap when you’re buying two. Instead of booking directly with Air Premia, I booked through Chase Travel using my Chase Sapphire Reserve.

The Sapphire Reserve earns 8x Ultimate Rewards points on eligible flights booked through Chase Travel, so across our two tickets I earned roughly 25,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points. That’s a fantastic return on a flight we were going to pay for anyway!

Travel tip: check your credit card portal

Here’s my tip: if you’re flying an airline whose miles you’ll probably never use again, compare the airline’s price with your credit card’s travel portal before you book. A bonus multiplier like this one gets you flexible points that you can transfer to plenty of airline and hotel partners, instead of a small, stranded balance in a program you’ll forget about.

Just be sure to compare the final price and the fare rules first. Booking through a third party can make changes or cancellations a headache, and if the portal price is higher, it can wipe out the extra points. For us, it worked out great. I’m giving this an 8.5/10 because the peak-season price was high, even if the points softened the blow.

Boarding & First Impressions 9.4/10

Priority check-in without the business-class price tag

At Seoul Incheon, Wide Premium had its own priority check-in area, so we got to skip what could have been a long economy line before a long-haul flight. Boarding was super efficient too, and Wide Premium passengers get priority baggage handling as well.

Wide Premium also gets you about 20 lbs more per checked bag than regular economy. Here’s how the baggage allowance breaks down for the Seoul Incheon to Washington Dulles route:

Fare / cabin	Checked baggage	Carry-on baggage
Wide Premium	2 bags × 32 kg (70.5 lbs) each	2 bags × 10 kg (22 lbs) each
Economy Standard / Flex	2 bags × 23 kg (50.7 lbs) each	1 bag × 10 kg (22 lbs)
Economy Lite	1 bag × 23 kg (50.7 lbs)	1 bag × 10 kg (22 lbs)

A clean, if a little dull, cabin

Once onboard, I’ll admit the navy blue fabric seats and gray armrests looked a little dated, and this cabin isn’t going to win any design awards. But what matters most to me is cleanliness, and the cabin was clean and well kept. The crew also came around with welcome drinks, which was a nice touch.

Wide Premium is set up in a 2-3-2 layout on the 787-9, which works great for couples in the window pairs or a family of three in the middle section, and it beats the typical 3-3-3 economy layout any day. Between the smooth boarding, the priority perks, and a clean cabin, this earns a strong 9.4/10.

Seat Comfort & Sleep 10/10

Hands down, the best premium economy seat I’ve flown

If there’s one thing Air Premia absolutely nailed, it’s the seat. This is the best premium economy seat I have personally flown so far.

Air Premia says Wide Premium has at least 42 inches of seat pitch (about 106 to 110 cm). They don’t publish the seat width or recline, but seat maps put the width at around 19 to 20 inches, and some published seat info mentions about eight inches of recline (I couldn’t confirm the exact number on our plane). For comparison, the premium economy seats on United, Delta, and American all offer about 38 inches of pitch.

As I am 6 foot 2, I notice legroom right away… and Air Premia gave me plenty of it. The recline was excellent, and the seat was well cushioned without being too soft, so my back felt supported the whole flight.

Here’s the best part: I slept for about half the flight. That’s rare for me in anything that isn’t a lie-flat seat, so that alone tells you a lot about how comfortable this seat was.

Cabin Presentation & Amenities 8.3/10

Dull looks, spotless cabin, and a surprise amenity kit

Air Premia’s navy and gray cabin won’t be mistaken for Qatar Airways business class anytime soon, but it was clean and well kept the entire flight, and that matters a lot more to me than a flashy design.

What really surprised me was the amenity kit. The clear pouch had Huxley Korean skincare products inside, including toner, cleanser, cream, a dental kit, and even a face mask! It was a really nice touch and a great way to show off a Korean brand.

There was also a pillow and some packaged comfort items waiting at our seats. The cabin could definitely use a refresh, but the cleanliness and the amenity kit more than earned an 8.3/10.

Crew Service 10/10

Exceptional hospitality from a hybrid airline

For a hybrid airline, the crew were fantastic. They were friendly, professional, and efficient right from the start, and meal service moved smoothly without ever feeling rushed.

They stayed attentive after the meals too. Halfway through the flight, the flight attendants came around with another round of water, which I really appreciated on a flight this long. It never felt like service was a chore for them… everything felt welcoming and well run.

It’s easy to think great service only comes with an expensive business-class ticket, but Air Premia proved you can get attentive, polished service in premium economy too.

Food & Beverage 9.3/10

Bibimbap is still one of the best airplane meals out there

Listen… bibimbap is one of my favorite meals to get on a plane. Whether it’s on Korean Air, Asiana, or now Air Premia, it’s something I actually look forward to rather than just eating because it’s there.

This one did not disappoint. My wife and I both finished ours quickly, and the portion was more than enough for the first meal service.

Round two: dwaeji bulgogi

Before landing at Dulles, the crew served a second meal: a spicy Korean pork dish (dwaeji bulgogi style) with white rice, along with salads, fruit, and sides. The pork was delicious, and I loved getting another flavorful Korean dish instead of something generic. Both meals were genuinely satisfying.

Free drinks, but bring your own snacks

Wide Premium includes complimentary drinks like wine, beer, whiskey, juice, soft drinks, tea, and coffee, and the flight attendants did a great job explaining the options. One thing to plan for: snacks between the two meal services cost extra, so if you like to snack, be sure to bring some of your own. That’s the only thing keeping this from a perfect score… the meals themselves were fantastic. 9.3/10.

Cabin Environment & Climate 10/10

Personal air vents: thank you!

This might sound small, but having adjustable personal air vents above my seat made a big difference. I sleep best when it’s cool, so being able to point the airflow right at me helped a lot.

The cabin temperature was comfortable as well, and between that and the recline, this was one of the easiest premium economy cabins I’ve ever been able to rest in.

Wi-Fi & Connectivity (Not Scored)

No Wi-Fi on our plane

Unfortunately, there was no Wi-Fi on our flight. As someone who likes to message, browse, or get some work done on a long flight, that was a bummer. Air Premia does advertise Wi-Fi on some of its planes, but it isn’t on every aircraft.

I’m marking Wi-Fi as N/A instead of giving it a zero, since a zero would drag the average down for something our plane simply didn’t have. That doesn’t mean it isn’t important, though. If you need to stay connected, be sure to check whether your aircraft has Wi-Fi before you fly. Wi-Fi is not included in my overall score.

Entertainment 5/10

Not much to watch unless you love K-dramas

This is where Air Premia feels most like a hybrid budget airline. The entertainment system worked fine, but the selection was pretty limited, especially if you’re hoping for newer Hollywood movies or more international options.

Nothing against K-dramas… if you already love them, you’ll probably be perfectly happy! But if you rely on the seatback screen and K-dramas aren’t your thing, you may be disappointed.

Since there was no Wi-Fi either, I highly recommend downloading your own shows and movies before you board. I mostly used my iPad and was totally fine, but the onboard selection was definitely not a strength.

Lavatory Experience 9/10

Clean bathrooms and one very stubborn toothpaste

The lavatories were clean and well kept for the whole flight, and there was hand cream too, which I appreciated. You won’t find the spread of premium amenities you’d get in an expensive business-class cabin, but this is premium economy, so that’s to be expected.

Now for the funny part. When I went to brush my teeth, I could not get the seal on the toothpaste open. I broke several of those sharp little pin caps trying to puncture it, and eventually a flight attendant had to come to the rescue and open it with a knife… thankfully, they had spares!

Other than my wrestling match with a tube of toothpaste, I had no issues at all. Clean, functional, some hand cream, and a very helpful crew: 9/10.

Miscellaneous Items

What stood out most?

The seat and the service. Sleeping for about half the flight without a lie-flat seat is about as high a compliment as I can give a premium economy seat.

Where could Air Premia improve?

Wi-Fi and the entertainment library are the obvious ones, followed by a cabin that feels more functional than modern. And again… bring snacks!

Would I fly this cabin again?

Yes! If you care most about personal space, a comfortable seat, good food, and great service, and you don’t want to pay for business class, Air Premia Wide Premium is a great option.

Would I book through Chase Travel again?

Yes. Earning roughly 25,000 Ultimate Rewards points on a flight we were already paying for made the peak-season price a lot easier to swallow. Just be sure to compare the price and fare rules first.

Final Verdict

I went into this flight with realistic expectations. Air Premia is a hybrid airline, so I wasn’t expecting a business-class experience. What I got instead was an airline that nailed the basics: a really comfortable seat, great food, smooth boarding, and friendly service.

The seat was the star of the show. The legroom, the recline, the cushioning, and the 2-3-2 layout made this one of the best premium economy flights I’ve taken, and for taller travelers like me, that matters a lot. The crew were a huge plus as well, and add in two delicious Korean meals (that bibimbap!) and this flight delivered where it counts on a long-haul.

There were some tradeoffs. The cabin looks a little dated, the entertainment leans heavily on Korean content, snacks cost extra, and our plane had no Wi-Fi. None of those are deal-breakers for me, but they’re worth knowing before you book.

At around $1,500 per person during peak season, Wide Premium wasn’t cheap, but it fills a really useful gap. With Korean Air’s Premium Class only on select aircraft and routes, travelers are often stuck choosing between economy and a much more expensive business-class ticket. Air Premia’s Wide Premium is a great middle ground.

Best For: Travelers who want excellent legroom, great food, and attentive service without paying business-class prices.

Not Ideal For: Travelers who need Wi-Fi, rely on seatback entertainment, or want a modern-looking cabin.

Final Rating: 8.8/10 (the average of the nine scored categories, with Wi-Fi not included)