Over the past decade, major airlines have invested heavily to add more premium economy seats to their fleets, both by retrofitting existing aircraft and ordering new planes that give a larger footprint to premium economy. On Delta Air Lines’ third-quarter earnings call, for example, the carrier’s president Glen Hauenstein told investors retrofitted aircraft account “for probably about 25% to 30%” of premium seats while new aircraft are being ordered with “a higher mix of premium as they roll out of the factory.” Airlines based their investment decisions on the post-pandemic surge in premium leisure travel—a segment that looked robust throughout 2023 and 2024, and even into 2025. On earnings calls in 2025, major U.S. airlines have consistently noted that while the uncertain economy had created significant weakness in demand for “main cabin,” or coach seats, demand for their premium category has remained strong.
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