I paid $400 to upgrade to KLM premium economy on an 11-hour flight — was it worth it?

The price difference between KLM economy and premium economy

Six weeks before departure, I paid $1,722 for a one-way economy ticket on KLM from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Cape Town International Airport (CPT) with a connection through Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS). That was a high price, but it was comparable to what other carriers were charging on the route. Plus, I didn’t have much date flexibility.

Looking at the price of this flight on Google Flights over the next year, one-way economy tickets start at $1,160, while premium economy tickets are almost double that at $2,010.

Check-in and boarding

My journey started at SFO, where I checked in using the Sky Priority lane; I had access since one of my two flights was in premium economy. The process was quick. It took less than five minutes to verify my passport, check my bag and receive my boarding passes.

Had I flown in economy class the whole way, I would’ve had to use one of the self-service kiosks if I only had a carry-on; with my checked bag, I would have had to wait in the long line you can see in the background of the photo above.

On my first flight, I boarded in Zone 5 with the other economy class passengers, and on my second flight, I boarded in Zone 2 with the premium economy cohort.

Seats in KLM economy vs. premium economy

I flew on Boeing 777s on both segments, on the -300ER variant on the first leg and then the smaller -200ER on the second leg. The two aircraft have the same seat configurations in premium economy and coach:

• Economy: 10 seats across in a tight 3-4-3 layout
• Premium economy: eight seats across in a more comfortable 2-4-2 layout

My economy seat on the first flight was narrow and only had thin padding. It had a 31-inch pitch — similar to what you find on domestic flights in the U.S. KLM’s extra-legroom Economy Comfort seats have 35 inches of pitch.

On my second flight, I found the premium economy seat to be very comfortable. It had a generous 38 inches of pitch, which tends to be just around the standard airlines offer in this cabin.

The 5-inch recline in economy was what I’ve experienced on most other carriers, but you’ll get 60% more (a total of 8 inches) in premium economy. It makes a big difference, especially with the more comfortable cushioning of the premium economy seat.

The food in KLM economy vs. premium economy

I’m glad I ate lunch in the (recently renovated and impressive) Air France-KLM Lounge at SFO because the onboard options on my first flight were pretty meager. They did include portions of fresh fruits and vegetables, though.

The second flight was certainly a step up, mainly for the generous drink servings and one of the best meals I’ve had inflight — a delicious and light but filling salmon poke bowl with edamame, ginger and rice. It was a good dinner to have before landing in Cape Town and heading to bed.

I also appreciated the printed menu waiting for premium economy passengers at their seats.

Halfway through the second flight, premium economy and economy passengers were served the same cheese sandwich, and the main meal’s dessert was also the same ice cream.

Amenities in KLM economy vs. premium economy

In economy, I got a thin, scratchy pillow, whereas in premium economy, it was larger and more plush.

The blanket in economy was also more like a lightweight throw. Premium economy passengers got a thick, comfortable blanket that was warm but breathable, making it easy to sleep under.

Economy class passengers get flimsy disposable earbuds, whereas premium economy passengers receive decent noise-canceling headphones.

It’s worth mentioning that all passengers have the same inflight entertainment selections in terms of movies and TV shows, albeit on different-size screens.

Service in KLM economy vs. premium economy

Premium economy passengers get an amenity kit in the form of a reusable tote with earplugs, an eye mask, a bamboo toothbrush, toothpaste tablets and a pen. Economy passengers do not receive these, though, so be sure to pack your toothbrush.

There was no noticeable difference in service between the two cabins.

I did have a frustrating issue with my headphone jack not working on my second flight for 90 minutes. Eventually, the purser came to address the issue, first offering to switch my seat with that of a non-revenue passenger in my row. I refused as I didn’t want to disturb the other passenger. I could use my AirPods and iPad to enjoy the content I’d downloaded as a backup.

Bottom line

After a poor night’s sleep on my flight from the U.S. to Amsterdam, I was relieved to have a more comfortable seat for the second leg of my trip to South Africa.

Taking that previous flight out of the equation, though, at what price would I recommend upgrading to premium economy? I’d say that paying up to $40 per flight hour is reasonable, at least for my budget and travel preferences. I ended up paying $35 per flight hour for this upgrade — and I was so thankful I did. If the upgrade cost over $450, I would have started to hesitate.