Hello from Sweden! I sit here at an airport cafe in the check-in hall of Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport Terminal 2, having just come off my flight with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) from Newark EWR. I had not meant to do a review of this flight, but an unforeseen event has led me to do so anyway, and I want to give a brief description/quick look of what happened. Because anyway I’m waiting for my mother to arrive, as she is flying in from Amsterdam, and I need to kill 2.5 hours…

The short of it is: I received an upgrade from Economy to Premium Economy! I wanted to give a quick explainer of what I actually booked, how I found out I was upgraded, why it might have happened, and what the experience was like. For those curious, I previously also reviewed SAS business class, and quite enjoyed that.

1. I was upgraded from Economy to Premium Economy!
2. What might have resulted in this upgrade?
3. A quick look at SAS Premium Economy (‘Premium Class’)
4. Summary

I was upgraded from Economy to Premium Economy!

I have written about this itinerary when I initially booked it, and then more recently as a reminder that this trip was coming up. In short, I booked the SAS equivalent of a basic economy fare, which SAS refers to as a ‘light’ fare, and I booked this all cash. When I booked, these were the prices at the time:

• In Economy Light, a total of $662.11 (this is what I booked)
• In Economy Standard, a total of $747.11.
• In Economy Flex, a total of $1142.11.
• In Premium Economy, a total of $1227.11.

Light fares just give you the right to enter the plane with a personal item and a carry-on for transatlantic flights. Everything else is at a fee. However, Flying Blue Gold provided a substantial number of amenities, essentially saving me $385 worth of additions.

Now here’s the thing: upgrades are not a Flying Blue elite status perk, and generally complimentary status-related upgrades are not a thing in Europe, unlike in the US. So, imagine my surprise when I looked at my boarding pass within the SAS app (not the wallet – that doesn’t update automatically with SAS), about an hour before boarding, and saw the seat had changed! Obviously I wasn’t thinking this would happen so I didn’t make a screenshot of anything, but here’s what the booking (still) looks like on the left, and then look at my updated boarding pass and seat in the middle and right screenshots:

As you can see, the seat changed from the original 30A to 23B, and the service class from LIGHT to PREMIUM. The seat map confirmed 23B was in the premium economy cabin due to the 2-3-2 layout (economy would have been 2-4-2). Note that the tag SKY PRIORITY is part of my Flying Blue Gold benefits. I was surprised by the boarding group, though: I was provided boarding group 1, which is usually reserved for business class passengers. Does anybody know whether SAS provides group 1 boarding to SkyTeam Elite Plus holders as a general rule, rather than group 2?

Here’s the kicker though: if I’d actually looked at the paper boarding card I was given when I checked my bag at the counter, I’d have immediately seen that I was provided an upgrade into ‘Premium Light’, as can be seen under ‘Class’ as well as the changed seat number (23B):

What might have resulted in this upgrade?

The question is, why I was given an upgrade, especially if complimentary updates based on status are usually not really a thing with European airlines? The most likely reason you may get an upgrade is for operational reasons:

• A broken seat: there was no other place to seat you but in a higher class of service.
• Weight and balance: to ensure the aircraft can operate reliably, the center of gravity needs to be within a certain area of the aircraft. Moving people around to accomplish that may necessitate an upgrade.
• Change in aircraft: if the plane changes that was supposed to operate your flight, and the ‘new’ plane has a different seat configuration, you will be assigned a different seat. This may lead to an upgrade.
• Economy class was oversold: the airline moves people to a different cabin (if possible) to free up economy space.

I’m pretty sure I was upgraded is because economy class was oversold: economy seemed completely full, whereas there were some seats available in premium economy. Further, I saw somebody sitting in 30A as I went to the restroom so that seat wasn’t ‘broken’; given that the flight was nearly full, weight and balance doesn’t seem like a likely reason; and finally, the aircraft type operating this flight was the same type initially scheduled.

But then, why was I upgraded and not somebody else? A big reason is my Flying Blue Gold status, and what would have also helped is that I’m a solo traveler, so it’s easier to move me without breaking up a party. So, even if Flying Blue doesn’t have an upgrade perk, having it can still give you a higher chance for an upgrade over other passengers. So, in that sense, I’d dare say that rather than saving me $358 worth in additions, Flying Blue Gold may have just saved me about $600 by scoring me an operational upgrade to premium economy!

A quick look at SAS Premium Economy (‘Premium Class’)

So how was the experience? It no doubt represents a substantial improvement over economy. I have not experience SAS economy per se, but have flown economy on many carriers globally, and so have a sense of what economy is like on European carriers these days. I’ll provide a quick look here and a full review will follow later.

The seat is is wider and also feels a lot more spacious, with increased legroom. The entertainment screen is bigger as well. I was also provided a better pillow and a substantial blanket: bigger and thicker than what you’d get in economy.

The recline on the seat is also significantly better than in economy. While it’s of course not a flat seat, it is a more comfortable seat to sleep in. Below you can also better appreciate the side of the blanket.

There was also a basic amenity kit consisting of an eye mask, a dental kit and ear plugs. The bag it came in was meant for you to put your shoes in, which I think is a nice touch. While it’s not the most elegant kit out there, I do like the practicality. The business class amenity kit is similarly ‘practical’ in nature.

Meals also receive an upgrade. I enjoyed the dinner I was provided. The overall portions are bigger and the serving is a bit nicer, with metal utensils. There was a salad for a starter, which was tasty but a bit nondescript. The main was a surprisingly delicious beef stew, and I also very much liked the chocolate mouse dessert. I had a bottle of Calvet Chardonnay Brut with this, which was decent. It retails for about $10-20 a bottle, so isn’t anything special.

Overall I’d say SAS premium economy is a very nice way to cross the Atlantic and a noticeable improvement over economy. However, I’m a little conflicted: one of the main things I enjoy with premium economy is that there are only 2 seats along the windows, and since SAS uses the A330 for its transatlantic route, the economy cabin has a 2-4-2 configuration. So in some way, for a ‘short’ flight such as this, economy would probably suffice for me given that seat configuration. Arguably there’d be more value for me in flying premium economy with airlines that don’t fly the A330 on transatlantic route, such as KLM and Air France, where the seat configuration is 3-3-3 or 3-4-3, plane-dependent. that said, there’s no denying that the better seat with additional recline and improved food an amenities are a solid reason to upgrade to premium economy.

Summary

I was upgraded from economy to premium economy on my recent flight from New York/Newark EWR to Stockholm Arlanda ARN, likely due to operational reasons (oversold economy cabin), with my Flying Blue Gold status being an important factor in being chosen for the upgrade over other people. Overall, it was a very pleasant flight and I certainly enjoyed the substantially wider seat with more recline, as well as more and better food.