Is Condor Airlines Premium Economy Worth It? [A330neo Flight Review]

My husband and I recently flew Condor Airlines’ premium economy on an A330neo from New York (JFK) to Frankfurt (FRA) and on to Phuket (HKT).

While we love flying business class, it sometimes doesn’t make sense, isn’t available, or costs too much. In this case, our business class flight home from Thailand was already booked, so we had very little flexibility in booking our flights to Thailand.

When I found this Condor Airlines premium economy flight, I booked it as a backup, hoping to replace it with a business class option later. That didn’t happen, so we found ourselves sitting in premium economy for both a 7-hour and a 12-hour flight.

So, is Condor’s premium economy worth it, and how does it compare to Condor’s business class? Let’s jump into the details.

How I Booked Condor Airlines Premium Economy

I booked our Condor premium economy flights and our return flight in business class through Alaska Airlines. Thankfully, I had transferred a huge chunk of Amex points over to Alaska (through Hawaiian Airlines, while it was still an Amex transfer partner), so I had plenty of Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards points in my account.

While Condor Airlines wasn’t initially on my radar when I started looking for flights to Thailand, the prices were reasonable, and the flight times worked well with my inflexible schedule.

I booked our business class flights home from Bangkok first. For that flight, I paid 85,000 Atmos Rewards points and $141 per ticket to fly from Bangkok (BKK) to Frankfurt (FRA) to New York (JFK).

I then added the premium economy flights to get to Thailand (New York to Frankfurt to Phuket) for just 55,000 Atmos Rewards points and $105 per ticket.

I could have booked the first leg in business class with the second leg still in premium economy for 85,000 points each, but that wasn’t worth it to me. The first leg was the shorter 7-hour flight to Frankfurt, and I wasn’t planning to sleep on it, so it didn’t make sense to pay 30,000 points each (60,000 total) to upgrade just that segment.

What To Expect in Condor Airlines’ Premium Economy

The first thing you should know is that Condor Airlines’ premium economy is not a true premium economy. More accurately, Condor’s premium economy seat falls somewhere between an international premium economy cabin and extra-legroom seats (think Main Cabin Extra on American or Delta Comfort+).

I have flown premium economy on American Airlines, KLM, and Virgin Atlantic between the U.S. and Europe over the last couple of years, and all have been very comfortable flights. I have come to expect a seat that’s wider than the ones in economy, with a bigger recline, a footrest, and a smaller cabin. Condor Airlines’ premium economy was different.

Hot Tip:

Hear about my premium economy and business class flights on Condor Airlines, plus more about my time in Thailand on episode 35 of “The Upgraded Points Podcast.”

Condor Premium Economy Cabin

The premium cabin on Condor’s A330neo features 64 seats, which is a considerable number. When I have flown premium economy previously, the cabins were limited to around 24 seats, which made a significant distinction from economy.

With 64 seats and no real divider between the cabins, economy and premium economy felt combined.

Condor Premium Economy Seat

While things like service and entertainment can help make a good flight great, it’s really the seat that dictates your level of comfort — and that’s where Condor’s premium economy fell short.

First, the premium economy cabin features the same 2-4-2 layout as the economy cabin, meaning there is no difference in seat width between the two. Seats in both economy and premium economy are 17.5 inches wide.

The seat pitch (the distance between the same point on 2 seats) is slightly better in premium economy at 35 inches versus 30 inches in economy. However, when you realize that Main Cabin Extra on American has 34 inches of pitch and premium economy on AA has 38 inches, you’ll see that what Condor offers isn’t what you might expect from premium economy.

The seat’s recline was decent at 12 degrees (versus 8.5 in economy). The other positive aspect of the premium economy seat was its footrest, which made a significant difference in my comfort.

The bulkhead seats in premium economy have more legroom. However, the sets of 2 seats on either side of the plane were open to the galley and bathrooms, an area that felt tight at times. The 4 seats in the middle of the bulkhead row would probably be my pick if you were going to go that route. Keep in mind that the cost of choosing those seats can be very high (over $200), so it’s not a cheap option, especially if you’re flying with multiple people and have already paid to upgrade from an economy seat.

Bottom Line:

Condor’s premium economy offers more pitch and recline than economy seats, but overall it feels more like an extra-legroom seat than a true premium economy.

You Have To Pay To Choose a Seat

Another significant issue with Condor Airlines’ premium economy is that you have to pay extra to select a seat. While this problem isn’t unique to Condor (I had the same issue when I flew KLM premium economy), it adds a factor that really stresses me out.

If you’re flying as a couple, securing 2 seats on either side of the plane will improve your flight experience. When I checked prices, all of the 2-seat options were already sold out on the long segment of my trip (Frankfurt to Phuket).

We watched the seat map as our flight drew closer, debating whether we would have to pay extra to avoid being stuck in the middle. We ended up paying for 2 seats together at the last minute, and I am glad we did. The person sitting next to my husband didn’t do that, and he and his traveling companion ended up in middle seats in different rows. That’s a frustrating experience to endure after paying a premium for an economy seat.

On our shorter leg from New York to Frankfurt, the 2-seat combos were priced around $200 each. I had no interest in paying that, so we rolled the dice (there were more open seats on this leg) and ended up with 2 seats together on an aisle, without paying extra.

Condor Airlines Premium Economy Food

I have been on 5 Condor Airlines flights this year, and each time I have found the food to be a mixed bag. I have had some genuinely good items, but there have also been some questionable ones.

As you can see from the photos below, nothing looked particularly appealing, but to Condor’s credit, a few of these items were quite tasty.

Whether you’re booking premium economy or business class, Condor isn’t an airline you’re booking for the food (unlike Turkish Airlines, for example, which has amazing inflight dining).

You won’t go hungry on a Condor flight, but you probably won’t be wowed either.

Condor Airlines Premium Economy Amenities

There was a soft blanket, a pillow, and a bottle of water waiting for me on both legs of my premium economy trip. I even got an amenity kit on both flights, but they were different.

From JFK to Frankfurt, there was a small pouch with socks, a toothbrush, and toothpaste. On my flight from Frankfurt to Phuket, I got that pack, plus the travel organizer (similar to the ones I have received in Condor Airlines’ business class).

Your mileage may vary on whether you receive the small or full kit, but either way, it’s always nice to have one of these waiting for you on your seat. I like Condor’s amenity kits. There are a handful of designs that you can use postflight, such as a tin or a zippered pouch, done in different colored stripes (the airline knows its branding, for sure).

The seatback entertainment was fine. There was a decent movie selection, but the headphones provided were flimsy and didn’t work well. I was stuck with them because I couldn’t pair my personal headphones via Bluetooth, even though my husband could pair his.

Hot Tip:

If you’d like more information on what business class is like, check out Upgraded Points News Managing Editor Ryan Smith‘s review of his experience in business class on Condor’s A330-900 neo from Frankfurt to New York.

Is Condor Premium Economy Worth It?

For this itinerary, flying Condor Airlines’ premium economy was less than ideal. Had I been able to book both legs of my trip in business for 85,000 Atmos Rewards points, as I did on the way home, I would have. I spent 30,000 more points per person on the way home to fly in business class, and it was 100% worth it.

Condor Airlines has a solid business class product. I have flown it a couple of times in the last year and have found it to be very enjoyable. It’s not spectacular or groundbreaking, but the seats are comfortable, the service is decent, and it can often be booked for very reasonable prices (especially through Alaska Airlines).

If you’re flying with Condor in economy on a long-haul flight and are interested in upgrading for a more comfortable experience, be sure to manage your expectations. Yes, you’ll be a little more comfortable, but that’s about it. You’ll have a bit more space, but it will be more like extra-legroom economy than a true premium economy.

If you can get a cheap upgrade, it could be worth it, but don’t shell out big bucks to move from economy to premium economy.

If you’re debating between booking business class or saving points or money by opting for premium economy, I would recommend going for business class in most scenarios. You can find seats between many U.S. cities and Frankfurt for 35,000 Atmos Rewards points in premium economy or 55,000 points in business class. Now that I have experienced Condor Airlines’ premium economy, I would definitely pay the extra 20,000 points to sit up front.

Final Thoughts

The Condor Airlines premium economy cabin on the A330neo is not a true premium economy — it’s more like an extra-legroom economy seat. While it offers a bit more pitch and recline than economy, the seat width is the same. Plus, there is no distinction between the economy and premium economy cabins, so it doesn’t feel like a premium experience. If you upgrade from economy for a minimal price, it could be worth it, but keep your expectations low.

I would be happy to fly Condor Airlines again, as long as it’s in business class.