I didn’t realize it at the time, but thanks to COVID-19, this EVA Air 777-300/ER premium economy review would be my last for the remainder of 2020. I had an inkling that things were about to change, but I had no idea the severity of the situation while sitting on this 12 hour flight over to LAX.
As someone who reviews airlines for a living, this was a big deal. I knew that I was on the brink of being grounded for a while. But hey – is there any better way to end a nerdy AvGeek career than by flying EVA Air premium economy from Taipei to Los Angeles?
Thank God it didn’t end on a United Express CRJ-200. That would have been really embarrassing.
BR006
Taipei, Taiwan (TPE) – Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
Monday, March 2, 2020
Aircraft: 777-35E/ER
Registration: B-16729
Duration: 11 hours 37 minutes
Seat: 24D (premium economy)
EVA Air 777-300/ER side view illustration by Norebbo.comOur route from Taipei to Los Angeles today as BR006
My full review of EVA Air 777-300ER premium economy from Taipei to Los Angeles
Ok. EVA Air from TPE to LAX has been on my bucket list for a very long time, and I was really excited to have finally gotten the chance. Please excuse any excessive AvGeekery from this point forward…
Arrival at Taoyuan Airport
Let me say this: even though I was extremely excited about my first ever long-haul EVA Air premium economy experience, it wasn’t all that easy to get out of bed and to the airport.
This was the final segment on what had been a very long journey so far, and with the spread of COVID-19 getting scarier and scarier by the hour, things weren’t quite as exciting as it may have seemed. That being said, I was still looking forward to this in a very big way.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to Taipei’s Taoyuan Airport. Wait. Is it weird that I’m welcoming you to a place I’m just about to leave?I’m here to catch EVA Air flight number 6 for the long flight home to Los Angeles. There’s still a few hours to go until departure though, so it’s not quite time to say goodbye. Yet.Taking a moment to give you some footage of the inside of terminal 2 here before proceeding to the check in counter is how I like to do things. The check in process was quick and easy by the way. A friendly EVA agent saw me standing here looking confused, waved me over to an available self service kiosk, took my passport, and did everything for me. Business class levels of service at a premium economy price!
The pre-boarding experience
EVA Air premium economy passengers don’t get complimentary lounge access, but thanks to my Priority Pass membership, I was able to get into the Plaza Premium lounge located on the upper level of terminal 2.
Once I had a belly full of good food, I was starting to feel restless. I guess the excitement of doing my first ever EVA Air premium economy review was getting to me.
I just had to get out in the main terminal and have a look around.the Hello Kitty vibe is strong in this airport. If that sort of thing offends your masculinity, I’d suggest looking away and walking right on past.Well, this looks like the right gate. But it also looks a lot less fancy than I anticipated. Where’s the airplane?There it is! Looks kinda like the emergency room waiting area at the local hospital with a big picture of an EVA 777 on the wall, doesn’t it?B-16729. My steed to Los Angeles today.It’s either going to be a really light load today, or I’m super early (as usual). Spoiler alert: it was a little bit of both actually.
Boarding for EVA Air flight number 6 to Los Angeles
Although the COVID-19 pandemic hadn’t yet taken hold of the world, there were still signs that it was coming here at TPE. In order to get into the gate area, temperature checks and masks were required. It seemed strange of the time, but little did I know that this will be the new normal in the very near future…
Here we go! Premium economy has just been called forward, and I do believe I am part of that group.At this point I still wasn’t sure how full this flight was going to be today. It seemed like a decent crowd so far, but this is a big airplane so…we’ll see.Remember that badass high-five scene from Top Gun? That’s what I imagine myself looking like whenever I’m walking towards an airplane these days.Don’t worry – I’m very much aware that I’m still a dork and absolutely nobody is confusing me with Maverick. On a side note, I wonder if this flight attendant knows any really good Top Gun quotes?Maybe if I look confused enough she’ll let me sit here in business class…Nope! She didn’t even hesitate for a second to wave me right on past to premium economy. I really need to work on my “help a brother out” look I think.
My first impressions of EVA Air 777-300ER premium economy
To be honest, I wasn’t completely blown away until I sat down. Walking onto the plane and seeing the premium economy product wasn’t all that exciting, and at first I thought I was in for a very lackluster 12 hour flight over to Los Angeles. But then I sat down, and I started getting excited again.
The seats are good. Really good. They may be even more spacious than the seats you’ll find in ANA 777-300ER premium economy (which is saying a lot).
Holy crap! EVA Air premium economy seats are no joke.“An EVA Air premium economy seat walks into a bar…” Sorry. Nope. Still can’t think of a joke.Seriously though, EVA Air premium economy looks really nice. This was a nice consolation prize for what was likely to be my last long haul flight for a very long time due to the escalating global pandemic.Oh hell yeah. If my legs could talk, you’d be hearing expletives and heavy breathing (the good kind) that would get this review blacklisted in an instant.Now, I’m not much of a fan of the design, but full size amenity kits just like you get in business class? Once again: hell yeah!Little did I know that I’d be using that eye mask as a face mask to fend off deadly viruses just a few weeks later…What about the food in EVA Air premium economy? What’s that like? Well, you’ll have to read the entire review to find out, but here’s a little preview.Excuse me while I scan for the chicken and rice option…Oh. There’s a couple other things I need to show you before we depart. First up is the safety card, which…uh…how ‘bout them cool shoes?Then there’s the footage of the electrical outlets between the seats, which (unfortunately) I couldn’t figure out how to get shoes into.Would you be mad at me if I told you that there was an open window seat a just few rows back? And that I decided to stay here in this aisle seat?
In the air now and getting settled in for the long transpacific journey
Just like most of my other flights and this trip to Asia and back so far, I had multiple seats next to me wide-open. There was plenty of room to spread out. For anyone who has experienced anything similar, isn’t it a joyous feeling knowing that you won’t have to rub elbows with a complete stranger for the next 12+ hours?
If these were normal times, this would be a normal hot towel. Unfortunately, its pretty darn far from being normal right now.These snacks look normal, and…would you look at that?It’s SANspotter doing his disgustingly usual man spread as well. Despite how turned off you may be by the sight of this, it’s important to note that not all premium economy seats are created equal. I mean, there’s no way I could spread out this freely in Air France A350-900 premium economy.
What’s the food like in EVA Air premium economy?
That’s exactly what I was dying to know. Not only was I extremely hungry as they came down the aisles with food cart, I had absolutely no idea what the food was going to be like. Long story short: it was nearly as good as the food I was served in EVA Air 787-9 business class.
What do they serve in EVA Air premium economy? I actually, have no idea. Let’s find out together.Well. That looks promising. Not quite as polished (and refined) as what I was served in British Airways A350-1000 premium economy, but definitely promising.If I had to sum this up in exactly 12 words, I’d say: 1).it 2). was 3). a 4). slightly 5). better 6). version 7). of 8). a 9). standard 10). economy 11). class 12). meal.But what if I wanted to add 8 more words? Well: 1). we 2). got 3). ice 4). cream 5). for 6). dessert 7). as 8). well.All the other stuff (like the wine) was ok. Truthfully I have no idea what it was other than “red”, but it was a nice way to cap what ended up being a fairly decent meal service.
How comfortable is premium economy for relaxing and sleeping?
Very good actually! No, these are not lie-flat business class seats, but they are leaps and bounds better than the standard economy seats. It was very easy to get comfortable and relax after the meal service.
And now, it’s time to social distance like a mofo.Remember the days when my loo reviews used to be fun and exciting? Well, I don’t either, but……thanks to the virus, I ain’t touching s*** in here until I know it’s clean.A quick look at the economy class cabin on the way back from the loo. Looks like about a 50% load back here today.All you road warriors with full-size laptops out here will be happy to know that my 16” MacBook Pro fit on this tray table perfectly. Even with the seat in front of me slightly reclined.Speaking of seat recline, this is about as intrusive as it gets. FWIW, this is *slightly* steeper than the angle of recline in (say) Lufthansa A350-900 premium economy. It’s generous.Are you still mad at me for not taking that window seat?There was really nothing to see at this point anyway. Also, why do I always think of exploding engines and/or snapped-off wings at this point of a transpacific flight?Wet towel to take exploding aircraft engines off your mind?I’m not even hungry, but I do create airline reviews for a living, so this mid-flight snack is going down the hatch no matter what.It was really good actually. Much better than the snack I got in Delta A350-900 Premium Select!If we ditch into the ocean because of an exploding engine, at least I’m gonna die satisfied.
What was the second meal service like?
Honestly, there had been so much food consumed on this flight that I wasn’t even in the mood to eat once they started serving the pre-landing meal. However, I am the kind of person who will eat anything put in front of me (anything except mayonnaise that is). Even if I’m completely full and there’s no room left in my belly. Believe me. I’ll make it happen. Except if it’s mayonnaise.
One thing is for certain: you will eat very well in EVA Air premium economy.I went with the congee for the pre landing meal, and……I’m really sorry for not taking that window seat.I didn’t realize it at the time, but with the global shutdown because of the pandemic just two weeks away, this was my last airline meal for a good long while.
Final thoughts on EVA Air and their long haul 777-300ER premium economy product
Remember the short haul EVA Air business class review that I wrote several years ago? Well, this premium economy experience was better than that. Everything about this flight was perfect, and there really isn’t much that I can think of that would’ve made it better. Slightly higher quality food perhaps?
Sure. But in my opinion, it wasn’t necessary. The food was fine, and a perfect complement to everything else. Now, let’s bring ‘er home to Los Angeles…
Candy footage instead of wing footage during the descent? I’m such an idiot.And nope. I couldn’t have moved to that open window seat now since someone else beat me to it. I’d recommend reading their blog instead. I’ll bet it’s far more interesting than mine.In summary: EVA Air long haul premium economy is fantastic, and well worth the extra cost over standard economy. I still felt pretty dang good upon arrival at LAX!If you see a good deal on EVA premium economy, scoop it up fast! SANspotter definitely recommends. BTW, their business class product looks pretty good too. Hopefully I’ll get to try that after the COVID-19 apocalypse ends.Trying to stay positive while walking off that plane at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX was difficult. On one hand, I had just experienced one of the best flights of my life. On the other hand, I knew that my travel career was about to come to a grinding halt. Mixed emotions like a mofo!The airport was empty and there was talk of COVID-19 spreading like wildfire all over the news. Yup. It was a terrible feeling not knowing when I’d be able to do a trip like this again.So long my friend (referring to both the LAX Tom Bradley International Terminal and this EVA 777-300/ER that brought me home). Hopefully our paths will cross again in the not too distant future…
Honestly, I never would’ve imagined that I’d be grounded for the rest of the year after this. Yes, I know. Planes are still flying and there is nothing stopping me from getting on a plane and flying around the US today. But for now, I’m content to sit on the sidelines and wait. I’ll be back in the air again eventually, there’s no doubt about that.
Until then, I can just sit and dream what (and when) my next airline review going to be…
Pros and cons of EVA Air 777-300ER premium economy
My primary goal for this EVA Air premium economy review is to stay fair and impartial. That’s going to be an extremely difficult thing to do considering how fantastic or flight this was, but I’m going to try my best. Yeah, it’ll be a challenge, but I I don’t want to be known for EVA Air reviews that sound too gushy or anything. That would be gross.
Pros
All the rumors you’ve heard about EVA Air being one of the best airlines in the world are true. Everything about this flight was perfect. From the cabin crew, to the food, to overall seat comfort, I didn’t have much to complain about. Much like the regional EVA Air business class experience I had a few years ago.
Legroom in EVA Air premium economy on the 777-300ER is phenomenal.Seatguru.com says that there is 38 inches between the seats in EVA Air premium economy, but I’m here to tell you: it felt double that. Wait a sec. Am I sounding overly gushy already?
The seats had plenty of recline (far more than a regular economy seat) and it was fairly easy to sleep in them.
Cons
Although I didn’t experience it on this particular flight, Eva Air long haul premium economy is typically very expensive. As a matter of fact, I’ve tried booking this exact flight before many times, but I was always scared away by the high prices.
Because these premium economy seats recline more than regular economy seats do, it can still feel really annoying (and invasive) if the person in front of you reclines their seat to the maximum amount.
Hi Scott – I’ve flown many segments on EVA’s PE class over the last few years, never really had a bad experience. I found their hard and soft products both to be quite good and consistent. Really glad you enjoyed your trip (despite the COVID situation). At the same time, reading this makes me a bit sad about the state of things and missing traveling/flying.
By the way, how did you like Taoyuan airport (TPE)? It is a bit small, but I find it quite convenient and charming. One day we shall fly again!
Thanks Dennis! Yeah, I definitely felt a wave of nostalgia as I was putting this post together. Not only was it a great flight, I miss flying quite a bit. Thankfully, I do have some new trip reports coming soon. Nothing quite as exciting as EVA Air premium economy, but still…
Anyway, I did quite enjoy TPE! Can’t wait to go back as soon as things start calming down in the world.
Hi Dora – from Toronto, EVA Air flies the 777-300/ER to Taipei (it’s the same plane featured in this review). From there to Hong Kong, they use the 787-10 (which are brand new airplanes).
You’ll like the 777 though! The seats are really comfortable (even in economy) and the onboard service is excellent. I’ll be jealous if you do it (haha) – EVA Air is one of my favorite airlines. Have a good trip!
One way to do it may be to buy United Mileage Plus Or Air Canada Aeroplan points whenever there is a bonus for doing so. Then, use those points to purchase a premium economy seat on EVA Air (via the United or Air Canada website). This requires a bit of planning (and being patient) though – so it probably won’t work if you need to make a purchase relatively soon.
This is where having a credit card that earns you points for everyday purchases comes in handy IMHO. For example, I use an Amex card for everything (one that earns me 2 Membership Rewards points for every dollar spent). Over time, I naturally build up a stockpile of points that I can transfer to various airlines. Even if I never build up enough to pay for an EVA long haul premium economy seat outright, I still can use the “cash + points” option when purchasing a ticket (which greatly reduces the amount of cash I have to spend).
Just want to leave a huge thank you for putting this together, 5 stars, I was looking especially for something like that so thank you again for all your work.
Planning November 2023 trip to Hanoi with a possible 2 or 3 night stay in Taipei before or after. I’ll wait for the 30-90 day window for better prices, but right now I’m waffling about PE vs Business class. Depart options are Seattle and LAX.
EVA Air is one of my choices while going down the Google Flights OCD rabbit hole. That’s how I came across your site. I can afford paying cash, but I’ve always been an economy ticket/early flight pricing/seat guru chart kind of flyer. It’s difficult cutting that frugal string and thinking the $$$ can be used for hotels and in-country memories. But after my last trip from Seattle to Singapore (3 days) and Ho Chi Minh, which I was very lucky to have every economy seat be a good one, I can’t bring my older self to fly economy again.
Pricing this far out between EVA Air, JAL, Singapore Air, Cathay, and, um, honestly I forget my other option (see above about ocd rabbit hole), your review on EVA Air makes me want to just go with them and save several thousand dollars. My doctor friend can load me up with Lexapro or melatonin, ha, and I’ll never miss the flat bed experience.
With revenge travel going on I don’t know if I can “risk” buying PE sooner and hope to get a sweet upgrade offer later. It’s great to treat yourself once in a while for no reason other than to experience what you may or may NOT be missing by paying for Business over PE.
Is EVA Air the only way you’d fly PE if you were in my seat and route? Other than no bed and lounge access (which you’ve written about has some cons…oh how I smirked reading you hearing the shouting “JUST TOUCHING BASE” egotistical yogababble businessperson) would you buy the much cheaper EVA Air PE or would you do Business on any of the aforementioned carriers? Apologies for rambling, travel is one of my passions, as is finances, and it can be a case of “immovable object vs unstoppable force.”
Hey Dan! Sounds like you’re putting a lot of thought into this, which is totally understandable considering how great most Asian airlines are. Prior to this flight, I always thought that the Japanese and Korean airlines were the best in all classes of service. It was an eye-opener for sure.
Long-haul premium economy has been a game changer for me. It’s significantly more comfortable than basic economy class is, and the food is nearly as good as business class. The cost savings over business class is usually enough to make me not miss the lie flat seat.
I’d just go ahead and book EVA premium economy if I were you. I haven’t had much luck trying to get last-minute upgrades from economy to premium economy (or premium economy to business) recently, as flights have been full across the board. “Revenge travel” is still very much a thing.
Love Eva Air. Back in the noughties I would fly PE all the time LHR-BKK for less than £1,000 return. Since covid I reverted to economy class which has proved OK and on a par with Thai Airways. Unfortunately the Economy fare after covid is the same as I used to pay for PE pre covid. I have taken the plunge and booked my forthcoming trip in February in PE again but it is double the old fare on the exact same aircraft. Join the post covid world!
Yeah, premium economy fares across the Pacific have gone bananas over the past several years. The best deals (at least for those of us here in the US) are to Europe – especially for winter travel!
You’ll eat anything as long as it’s not mayonnaise? Yessir. I really don’t like mayonnaise, and for some reason the convenience stores in Japan (where I live) are always full of some weird mayo food (e.g. Rice balls “Onigiri” with mayo and spicy cod roe filling or rice balls with mayo and tuna). OH FOR THE LOVE OF #%!$& I wish mayo didn’t exist with all my heart. But thank JEHOVAH there are other other options.
P.S Thanks for the EVA Air 787 review. I hella enjoyed it.
Dennis
Hi Scott – I’ve flown many segments on EVA’s PE class over the last few years, never really had a bad experience. I found their hard and soft products both to be quite good and consistent. Really glad you enjoyed your trip (despite the COVID situation). At the same time, reading this makes me a bit sad about the state of things and missing traveling/flying.
By the way, how did you like Taoyuan airport (TPE)? It is a bit small, but I find it quite convenient and charming. One day we shall fly again!
Scott (SANspotter)
Thanks Dennis! Yeah, I definitely felt a wave of nostalgia as I was putting this post together. Not only was it a great flight, I miss flying quite a bit. Thankfully, I do have some new trip reports coming soon. Nothing quite as exciting as EVA Air premium economy, but still…
Anyway, I did quite enjoy TPE! Can’t wait to go back as soon as things start calming down in the world.
graham holman
flown with eva for many years always good
Scott (SANspotter)
Me too – they are easily one of the best airlines in the world.
Kurt lee
Im going to use scottscheapflights to try and get economy plus on eva air to philippines soon. I’m tall and used to get exit row but now its tougher
Scott (SANspotter)
Sounds like a good plan. EVA long haul premium economy is 100% worth it if you can get a good deal.
Dora Chu
Does Eva use newer planes for long haul? I am planning to try Eva from Toronto to Hong Kong.
Scott (SANspotter)
Hi Dora – from Toronto, EVA Air flies the 777-300/ER to Taipei (it’s the same plane featured in this review). From there to Hong Kong, they use the 787-10 (which are brand new airplanes).
You’ll like the 777 though! The seats are really comfortable (even in economy) and the onboard service is excellent. I’ll be jealous if you do it (haha) – EVA Air is one of my favorite airlines. Have a good trip!
Dora chu
With flight getting more expensive , is there a way to get a better price for premium economy on Eva? Thanks.
Scott (SANspotter)
One way to do it may be to buy United Mileage Plus Or Air Canada Aeroplan points whenever there is a bonus for doing so. Then, use those points to purchase a premium economy seat on EVA Air (via the United or Air Canada website). This requires a bit of planning (and being patient) though – so it probably won’t work if you need to make a purchase relatively soon.
This is where having a credit card that earns you points for everyday purchases comes in handy IMHO. For example, I use an Amex card for everything (one that earns me 2 Membership Rewards points for every dollar spent). Over time, I naturally build up a stockpile of points that I can transfer to various airlines. Even if I never build up enough to pay for an EVA long haul premium economy seat outright, I still can use the “cash + points” option when purchasing a ticket (which greatly reduces the amount of cash I have to spend).
Kat
Just want to leave a huge thank you for putting this together, 5 stars, I was looking especially for something like that so thank you again for all your work.
Scott (SANspotter)
Thanks Kat! A lot of work goes into these reviews, so I really appreciate the kind words.
dan
Planning November 2023 trip to Hanoi with a possible 2 or 3 night stay in Taipei before or after. I’ll wait for the 30-90 day window for better prices, but right now I’m waffling about PE vs Business class. Depart options are Seattle and LAX.
EVA Air is one of my choices while going down the Google Flights OCD rabbit hole. That’s how I came across your site. I can afford paying cash, but I’ve always been an economy ticket/early flight pricing/seat guru chart kind of flyer. It’s difficult cutting that frugal string and thinking the $$$ can be used for hotels and in-country memories. But after my last trip from Seattle to Singapore (3 days) and Ho Chi Minh, which I was very lucky to have every economy seat be a good one, I can’t bring my older self to fly economy again.
Pricing this far out between EVA Air, JAL, Singapore Air, Cathay, and, um, honestly I forget my other option (see above about ocd rabbit hole), your review on EVA Air makes me want to just go with them and save several thousand dollars. My doctor friend can load me up with Lexapro or melatonin, ha, and I’ll never miss the flat bed experience.
With revenge travel going on I don’t know if I can “risk” buying PE sooner and hope to get a sweet upgrade offer later. It’s great to treat yourself once in a while for no reason other than to experience what you may or may NOT be missing by paying for Business over PE.
Is EVA Air the only way you’d fly PE if you were in my seat and route? Other than no bed and lounge access (which you’ve written about has some cons…oh how I smirked reading you hearing the shouting “JUST TOUCHING BASE” egotistical yogababble businessperson) would you buy the much cheaper EVA Air PE or would you do Business on any of the aforementioned carriers? Apologies for rambling, travel is one of my passions, as is finances, and it can be a case of “immovable object vs unstoppable force.”
Scott (SANspotter)
Hey Dan! Sounds like you’re putting a lot of thought into this, which is totally understandable considering how great most Asian airlines are. Prior to this flight, I always thought that the Japanese and Korean airlines were the best in all classes of service. It was an eye-opener for sure.
Long-haul premium economy has been a game changer for me. It’s significantly more comfortable than basic economy class is, and the food is nearly as good as business class. The cost savings over business class is usually enough to make me not miss the lie flat seat.
I’d just go ahead and book EVA premium economy if I were you. I haven’t had much luck trying to get last-minute upgrades from economy to premium economy (or premium economy to business) recently, as flights have been full across the board. “Revenge travel” is still very much a thing.
Have fun!
Kevin
Love Eva Air. Back in the noughties I would fly PE all the time LHR-BKK for less than £1,000 return. Since covid I reverted to economy class which has proved OK and on a par with Thai Airways. Unfortunately the Economy fare after covid is the same as I used to pay for PE pre covid. I have taken the plunge and booked my forthcoming trip in February in PE again but it is double the old fare on the exact same aircraft. Join the post covid world!
Scott (SANspotter)
Yeah, premium economy fares across the Pacific have gone bananas over the past several years. The best deals (at least for those of us here in the US) are to Europe – especially for winter travel!
Michael
You’ll eat anything as long as it’s not mayonnaise? Yessir. I really don’t like mayonnaise, and for some reason the convenience stores in Japan (where I live) are always full of some weird mayo food (e.g. Rice balls “Onigiri” with mayo and spicy cod roe filling or rice balls with mayo and tuna). OH FOR THE LOVE OF #%!$& I wish mayo didn’t exist with all my heart. But thank JEHOVAH there are other other options.
P.S Thanks for the EVA Air 787 review. I hella enjoyed it.
Scott (SANspotter)
I am 100% convinced that mayonnaise is the work of the devil. Knowing that I’m not the only one who thinks like this fills me with joy haha.
I’m glad you enjoyed that EVA 787 review!
Michael
Mayonnaise is totally a good food, it totally tastes good, and no, it is totally not the work of the devil.
Instant noodles and sushi FTW IMO.
Michael
Sarcasm lol
Diana
Hello! I’m impressed by the abundant legroom shown in your picture. May I ask how tall you are so I can get a frame of reference? Thanks!
Scott (SANspotter)
Hi Diana! I’m 5’-10” (178 cm) and I had plenty of room to spread out. No issues at all.