Premium economy – often referred to as the “poor man’s business class” – has new appeal with airlines sprucing up their offerings and some introducing it for the first time. As business class fares continue to hike in price, premium economy is a good option for those looking for more than economy offers but don’t want to fork out the big bucks for the pointy end of the plane. The stand-alone premium economy cabins sit between business and economy cabins with roomier seats, extra leg room and more trimmings – just don’t expect a lie-flat bed. On long-haul flights, it’s a big jump from economy but a long stretch to business. We all want to be at the front of the plane but if your credit card won’t stretch that far, premium economy is the next best thing. We compare premium economy class offered from major airlines offering fares from Australia. Earlier this month, Emirates introduced its new A380 Premium Economy service on the Sydney to Dubai route with 56 seats laid out in a 2-4-2 configuration.  Premium Economy passengers have their own check-in area and luxurious cream seats with more legroom as well as calf rests and footrests. There’s a welcome drink on arrival and the menu served has been inspired by the Emirates Business Class menu. Plus there’s a choice of premium wines and a sparkling Chandon wine, liqueurs and chocolates. Meals are served on Royal Doulton china with stainless steel cutlery.  Each seat has a six-way adjustable headrest with a generous pitch of up to 101.6cm, is 49.53cm wide and reclines 20.3cm into a comfortable cradle position with room to stretch out. There’s a side cocktail table, sustainable blanket, generous-sized pillow and amenity kit. Each seat has a 33.8cm screen and there’s plenty to keep you entertained – the ICE program offers 5000 channels of entertainment. Premium Economy also has its exclusive loo, so you don’t have to wander down to the economy cabin. Explore more: emirates.com Dedicated check-in, priority boarding, a seat design that’s like a comfy armchair with a pitch up to 24.13cm, plus a refreshed menu and extensive wine list are enticing passengers to pay more for greater comfort in the skies.  The A380 Premium Economy cabin capacity was recently increased from 32 to 60 passengers and given a facelift with ergonomic headrests and pillows that fits snugly. A dedicated cabin crew offer complimentary sparkling wine, cocktail or juice on entry.  A contemporary menu designed by Neil Perry is served on stylish David Caon-designed tableware and the Sommeliers in the Sky program can help with selecting an award-winning wine to match your meal. Snacks and drinks from the self-serve bars are available on the B787-9 and A380 aircraft. Passengers receive noise-cancelling headphones to watch the larger seatback screen. Napoleon Perdis amenity kits, offered on selected flights, have an eye mask, dental kit and socks. Snuggle up with a 100-per-cent wool blanket for optimum comfort.  Configurations and seat pitches vary across planes. Explore more: qantas.com Described by the Kiwi carrier as more premium than economy, this cabin class is available on all Boeing 777-300 and 787-9 long haul services. There’s a dedicated premium economy check-in. Snuggle down in an ink-coloured, luxury leather seat with generous armrests, a leg rest and extendable foot support. The seats have 50 per cent more recline than economy with a 104.1cm pitch, 22.9cm recline and a width of 49cm with a 12.7cm wide armrest. Free seat selection, two pieces of both carry-on (up to 7kg each), plus checked luggage (up to 23kg each) and a higher Airpoints Dollar and Status Points allocation are some of the perks.  Dining features fresh New Zealand produce and is described as food with a modern Kiwi twist. Some of the country’s most premium drops are featured on the wine list. An amenity kit is available when travelling long-haul.   Explore more: airnewzealand.com Earlier this year, Swiss Air introduced a new travel class on its entire network of routes flown by the Boeing 777-300ER. The Premium Economy class offers comfortable and cosy hard-shell seats with a pitch of 99cm, a width of 46cm and a tilt of 31 degrees. Headrests have four adjustable settings and there’s a double armrest to stop any argy-bargy. The screen is 39.6cm and passengers are offered noise-reducing headphones. Personal reading lamps for evening flights are convenient. An alcohol-free welcome drink of Swiss-grown elderberries is offered as an aperitif, then there’s a choice of three hot main courses served on fine china.  The second service consists of a light snack, a hot meal or a hearty breakfast before landing, accompanied by a selection of beverages.  Wine and beer are available free of charge, and coffee is served with the finest Swiss chocolate. Explore more: swiss.com Snoozing is almost assured in Singapore Airlines’ Premium Economy Class with a calf-rest and footrest built into your seat, which also has USB ports, a fully adjustable personal reading light and dedicated stowage areas. The A350’s 24 recliner seats are arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration and are 50.8cm wide. There’s a 33.7cm high-definition screen to watch the KrisWorld entertainment system which has 1800 options, including movies, TV programs, music, games and apps, and a video touchscreen handset with noise-cancelling headphones.  Most exciting is the Book the Cook program, which is available on some flights. It enables passengers to pre-order meals up to 24 hours before departure via the airline’s website or mobile app. Alternatively, you can order via onboard wi-fi by scanning the QR code found in the KrisWorld entertainment system. Access to the inflight menu onboard is complimentary and will not deplete your inflight wi-fi plan.  Explore more: singaporeair.com Rejoice – JAL’s Premium Economy Class ticket comes with airport lounge access in Japan plus a dedicated check-in service (if it’s not open, you can head to Business Class).  There’s also good news about the hardshell reclining seats – they do not recline backwards so you won’t have the seat in front of you being a pest. Front-to-back seat width is 10cm greater than the standard seats at 106.6cm and the width is 49cm. A three-step adjustable footrest adds to the comfort, plus there’s a spacious fold-down table that fits a big laptop without fear of it toppling.  A centre divider provides added privacy. There’s also a 30.7cm touch-panel monitor and noise-cancelling headphones for the inflight entertainment system of movies, games and audio content. Dining is the same menu as is offered economy. An amenity kit is available on long-haul flights. Explore more: jal.co.jp