Air New Zealand will be debuting their new Premium Economy later this year onboard their Dreamliners and 777 services. The Kiwi carrier is aiming for the elusive sweet spot between comfort and value. With the airline planning on bringing a “little bit more” to everything in the cabin, we take a closer look at the features we think will make the most difference.

Comfort and Recline

This new design features a fixed shell which allows for a deeper recline without intruding on the passenger behind. This also means that when guests take their seats they can make themselves comfortable and don’t need to worry about their space being invaded by the seat in front.

Dreamliners are also gaining extra-legroom Economy Stretch rows, which is currently restricted to the Boeing 777s. This comfortable option is located in the first four rows of Economy and are further apart from each other. Therefore, allowing quicker disembarkment and easier access to the aisle. The seat itself is a comfortable 48cm wide with a 104cm pitch within the shell, while the generous spacing between seats is optimised for the swing-up calf-rest.

More Privacy

The fourth-generation premium economy seat boasts more privacy and personal space with extended wings wrapping around the wide headrest. Not only are these newly designed headrests a sleek design, but allow for more separation and seclusion between you and the passenger next to you.

Adapted from Lufthansa’s latest Premium Economy, Air New Zealand seats have been supplied by German manufacturer, Zim. The 2-3-2 layout also creates a more intimate space. On new Boeing 787s, which will mostly fly to US destinations, the Premium Economy cabin will include 52 seats. Refreshed Dreamliners will have an even more intimate cabin to fit 33 passengers.

Screen and Power

All seats on the Air New Zealand Dreamliners have updated their inflight entertainment to keep up with changing technology, all audio is now compatible with wireless audio. In the Premium Economy cabin, the extra space- thanks to the bigger seat back- has allowed for an upside in the screen, going from 33cm to 38cm.

There is a vast selection of inflight entertainment and over 1,700 hours of content. On your personal touch screen, enjoy the latest movies, TV series, video games and even a dedicated kids section! Each seat is also fitted with its own USB-A, USB-C and AC power outlets, alongside iPod connections to plug into.

Storage

Air New Zealand has also boosted the storage with a generous laptop-size recess between seats plus a front pocket under the video screen. As a Premium Economy traveller you can take advantage of the expansive storage for your two pieces of carry on (up to 14kg in total!).

With the two-layered seat pockets, you can store and organise all your important items in front of you. That means not having to worry about constantly getting out of your seat to fish items from the overhead compartments!

Dining

The dining on a Premium Economy flight can elevate a passenger’s experience greatly. While travelling on Air New Zealand, Premium Economy guests have access to the self-serve Sky Pantry refreshment bar. Onboard, travellers will find an array of snacks and drinks at the rear of the cabin.

We do advise guests that there isn’t much space for standing and stretching, it is more of a grab-and-go type of system. While the airline hasn’t announced the exact inflight menu yet, they have promised premium dining and champagne that is actually featured on the business class menu. Excitingly, the airline will also deliver ‘sneak peaks’ of their future products that will provide a little slice of luxury.

Take a look at our latest Air New Zealand Premium Economy Deal here or talk to one of our airfare specialists to book your next flight.