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EVA Air premium economy review: I’m not religious, but – oh my God and holy crap!

EVA Air premium economy review: I’m not religious, but – oh my God and holy crap!

Airline Reviews
EVA Air premium economy review: I’m not religious, but – oh my God and holy crap!

I didn’t realize it at the time, but thanks to COVID-19, this EVA Air 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 25-minute United Express CRJ-200 hop. 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
EVA Air 777-300/ER side view illustration by Norebbo.com
BR006 flight track
Our route from Taipei to Los Angeles today as BR006

The video

One of the biggest disappointments about this video was the fact that it was going to be my last airline review for a good long while. That and the fact that I had just started to get things figured out.

I had recently upgraded to shooting in 4K. I bought an expensive new laptop for the sole purpose of editing content while traveling. Most importantly, the process of actually getting the footage wasn’t so stressful anymore. I was finally starting to learn what kind of footage does and does not work well for my style of airline reviews. Then, it all came to a grinding halt.

Looking back on the video of this EVA Air flight to LAX, it makes me think that I didn’t appreciate travel as much as I should have while I was able to do it. I miss flying. A lot. Especially after an amazing flight such as this!

The soundtrack for this video (just like my entire catalog of videos), came from Epidemic Sound. They’re pretty much the best in the business when it comes to providing quality music for Youtubers of all kinds.

Full transcript of the video – with loads of pics and bonus content!

Finally, an EVA Air review which allows me to spew AvGeek sauce in a way I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time! Yeah, EVA Air 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.

Taoyuan Airport terminal 2
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?
TPE terminal 2
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.
EVA Air check in Taipei terminal 2
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 Plaza Premium lounge

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. It was a fairly decent lounge as far as Plaza Premium lounges go, and I will say that it was much better than having to hang out in the main terminal for several hours before the flight.

TPE airport interior
Yup. When there’s escalator footage in a SANspotter airline review, you just know that something good is about to happen.
Plaza Premium Lounge terminal 2 TPE
Here we have a nice looking Plaza Premium Lounge that had my name written all over it. Well, as you can clearly see, it actually says “Plaza Premium Lounge” – but thanks to my Priority Pass Membership, they welcomed me in with open arms. Oops. I’m fibbing again. They actually didn’t seem to care…
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TPE plaza premium lounge
No. Premium economy doesn’t come with lounge access, but using my Priority Pass Membership to dip in for some decent food and fast WiFi was a really nice way to kick off the experience.
TPE plaza premium lounge interior
It’s pretty nice in here!
SANspotter Social distancing
Social distancing achieved.
TPE plaza premium lounge food
My recommendation? Avoid the social distancing and go heavy on the chicken and rice.

Why is it so hard for me to sit in the lounge for more than an hour?

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.

SANspotter selfie TPE
I just had to get out in the main terminal and have a look around.
Hello Kitty TPE airport
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.
EVA Air flight information board
Well, this looks like the right gate. But it also looks a lot less fancy than I anticipated. Where’s the airplane?
TPE airport gate
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?
EVA Air 777-300/ER B-16729
B-16729. My steed to Los Angeles today.
TPE airport gate area
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…

EVA Air Premium Economy boarding
Here we go! Premium economy has just been called forward, and I do believe I am part of that group.
EVA Air Premium Economy boarding process
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.
TPE airport jet bridge
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.
EVA Air flight attendant
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?
EVA Air 777-300 business class
Maybe if I look confused enough she’ll let me sit here in business class…
EVA Air Premium Economy
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.

EVA Air Premium Economy seats
Holy crap! EVA Air premium economy seats are no joke.
EVA Air 777-300 Premium Economy seats
“An EVA Air premium economy seat walks into a bar…” Sorry. Nope. Still can’t think of a joke.
EVA Air 777-300 Premium Economy cabin
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.
EVA Air Premium Economy leg room
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.
EVA Air Premium Economy amenity kits
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!
EVA Air Premium Economy amenity kit contents
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…
EVA Air Premium Economy menu
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.
EVA Air Premium Economy menu options
Excuse me while I scan for the chicken and rice option…
EVA Air 777-300/er safety card
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?
EVA Air Premium Economy electrical outlets
Then there’s the footage of the electrical outlets between the seats, which (unfortunately) I couldn’t figure out how to get shoes into.
SANspotter selfie EVA Air Premium Economy
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?

EVA Air Premium Economy wet towel
If these were normal times, this would be a normal hot towel. Unfortunately, its pretty darn far from being normal right now.
EVA Air Premium Economy snack
These snacks look normal, and…would you look at that?
SANspotter man spread
It’s SANspotter doing his disgustingly usual man spread as well. I swear to god I don’t even realize I’m sitting like this.

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. I’m just gonna let the pictures with captions do the taking (the captions will help too lol):

EVA Air Premium Economy meal
What do they serve in EVA Air premium economy? I actually, have no idea. Let’s find out together.
EVA Air Premium Economy food
Well. That looks promising. Not quite as good as what I was served in British Airways premium economy, but definitely promising.
EVA Air Premium Economy lunch
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.
EVA Air Premium Economy dessert
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.
EVA Air Premium Economy dining
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.

EVA Air Premium Economy seats 777-300
And now, it’s time to social distance like a mofo.
EVA Air Premium Economy lavatory
Remember the days when my loo reviews used to be fun and exciting? Well, I don’t either, but…
EVA Air Premium Economy lavatory 777-300
…thanks to the virus, I ain’t touching s*** in here until I know it’s clean.
EVA Air economy class 777-300
A quick look at the economy class cabin on the way back from the loo. Looks like about a 50% load back here today.
laptop in EVA Air Premium Economy
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.
EVA Air Premium Economy seat recline
Speaking of seat recline, this is about as intrusive as it gets.
EVA Air Premium Economy mood lighting
Are you still mad at me for not taking that window seat?
EVA Air long haul
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?
EVA Air Premium Economy wet towel service
Wet towel to take exploding aircraft engines off your mind?
EVA Air Premium Economy mid flight snack
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.
EVA Air Premium Economy mid flight hot snack
It was really good actually. Much better than the snack I got in Delta A350 premium economy!
SANspotter selfie Eva Air premium economy review
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.

EVA Air food
One thing is for certain: you will eat very well in EVA Air premium economy.
EVA Air Premium Economy breakfast
I went with the congee for the pre landing meal, and…
SANspotter selfie Eva Air meal
…I’m really sorry for not taking that window seat.
EVA Air Premium Economy breakfast meal
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…

EVA Air Premium Economy pre landing snack
Candy footage instead of wing footage during the descent? I’m such an idiot.
Eva Air arrival in los angeles
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.
EVA Air long haul premium economy experience
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!
EVA Air Premium Economy summary
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.
777-300 boarding door
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!
Eva Air 777 LAX
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.
EVA Air 777-300/ER LAX
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…

How much did I pay for this EVA Air premium economy flight from Taipei to Los Angeles?

Not as much as you would think. I think. I purchased this as a one-way ticket since the the first portion of this journey (AirAsia from Penang to Kuala Lumpur and AirAsia X from Kuala Lumpur to Taipei) was purchased separately on evaair.com. The grand total for TPE-LAX? $743.78.

As you’ll see in the pictures below, that was an incredibly good deal. EVA Air premium economy is extremely good! I’d even rank it as high as QANTAS 787-9 premium economy. Maybe even British Airways A350-1000 premium economy as well. Keep reading to find out why…

Because I purchased this ticket with my American Express Platinum Card (which gives 5X points on all airfare purchases), I earned a grand total of 3,720 Membership Rewards points for this segment. Cha-Ching!

How I pay for all my travel expenses
The American Express Platinum Card
The American Express Platinum Card
  • 100,000 welcome points (woo-hoo!)
  • Earn 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels
  • $200 hotel credit + $200 airline fee credit + $155 Walmart credit + $240 digital entertainment credit (and much more)
  • Transfer points to a wide variety of global airline and hotel partners
Sign me up!
Note: I may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

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 food was excellent. It compared in quality to British Airways premium economy food, although not quite up to the standards of what I was served in QANTAS premium economy.
  • 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.

Other stuff you might like:

Comments (10)

  1. Dennis

    November 13, 2020
    Reply

    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)

      November 18, 2020
      Reply

      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.

  2. graham holman

    June 30, 2021
    Reply

    flown with eva for many years always good

    • Scott (SANspotter)

      June 30, 2021
      Reply

      Me too – they are easily one of the best airlines in the world.

  3. Kurt lee

    October 8, 2022
    Reply

    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)

      October 8, 2022
      Reply

      Sounds like a good plan. EVA long haul premium economy is 100% worth it if you can get a good deal.

  4. Dora Chu

    February 1, 2023
    Reply

    Does Eva use newer planes for long haul? I am planning to try Eva from Toronto to Hong Kong.

    • Scott (SANspotter)

      February 1, 2023
      Reply

      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!

  5. Dora chu

    February 2, 2023
    Reply

    With flight getting more expensive , is there a way to get a better price for premium economy on Eva? Thanks.

    • Scott (SANspotter)

      February 3, 2023
      Reply

      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).

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