Q&A :Will Qatar ever add Premium Economy; is anyone improving Economy; and a business class fare from Madrid worth knowing

Hey {{first name | reader}},

Happy Friday!

Today's post is built around two great questions from Mohammed, plus a flight deal I spotted that may be useful for anyone trying to get from Europe to Latin America this month.

Here's what's inside today's post:

Mohammed asked whether Qatar Airways will ever launch Premium Economy.

My answer, at least for now, is: I do not think so.

Qatar has talked about this before, and the airline has historically been against the idea. Former Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said years ago that the airline did not see the need for Premium Economy, arguing that Qatar already offered a high-quality Economy experience and did not need to charge passengers for something in between Economy and Business Class.

There is one funny exception worth mentioning. Qatar Airways has been flying some former Cathay Pacific Boeing 777s that still have Cathay's old Premium Economy seats installed. Qatar does not sell this as Premium Economy though. It markets those seats as Economy Comfort Plus. The seat itself is different from regular Economy, usually in a wider 2-4-2 layout instead of 3-4-3, but the service is still basically Economy. So I would not call that real Premium Economy.

And that is the key difference. Premium Economy is not just a seat. It is a cabin. It usually means more recline, more legroom, a different meal setup, better service flow, sometimes better bedding, and often a better ground experience. If the only thing that changes is the physical seat while everything else stays Economy, it is more like an extra-legroom product than a true Premium Economy cabin.

It is worth saying that Premium Economy can be a very good product for airlines. It gives travelers who cannot justify Business Class a way to pay more for real comfort, and it gives airlines a high-revenue middle cabin. For long flights, it can change the experience meaningfully. It is not lie-flat, and I still find it hard to sleep properly in Premium Economy, but on a daytime long-haul flight, it can make a real difference when you land.

That said, I do not think Qatar's situation right now makes a Premium Economy launch likely. Adding a new cabin is not just about buying a new seat. It means redesigning aircraft layouts, removing or changing existing seats, building a new service concept, training crews, updating catering, changing pricing, and retrofitting aircraft. That is a huge project.

Qatar's main premium investment has been Business Class, and Qsuite is still the product people associate with the airline. So for now, I would not expect a full Premium Economy launch.

Mohammed's second question is also very good, and it is whether any airlines are actually pushing development in Economy Class, since we see so many announcements about First, Business, and Premium Economy but rarely much about regular Economy.

The honest answer is: yes, but not in the way most passengers want.

There are real advances in Economy. Modern seats are lighter, slimmer, better engineered, and built with newer materials. That helps airlines reduce fuel burn and operating costs. Ergonomics are better, materials feel nicer, and the overall experience has improved compared to older seats. But it does not always mean passengers get a dramatically more comfortable experience.

There are also some wild concepts floating around. Designers have shown ideas like double-decker Economy seating and semi-private Economy pods with doors, but those are still concepts rather than something you should expect on your next flight.

The bigger improvement, in my opinion, has come from the aircraft itself rather than the seat.

A Boeing 787, for example, can feel better than an older aircraft because the cabin is pressurized to a lower altitude and has higher humidity levels, which can reduce some of the fatigue people feel on long-haul flights. The Airbus A350 also has advanced pressurization, climate control, and low noise levels, all of which help make the cabin feel calmer. Economy has improved, but more quietly. The air is not as dry, the cabin is quieter, the lighting is better, the screens are better, and Wi-Fi is slowly becoming more common.

But the seat itself? That is a tougher problem.

Airlines are businesses. If someone is paying a “lower” fare, it is hard to expect a spacious, premium-feeling seat. The economics simply do not work. If an airline could make Economy dramatically more comfortable without losing seats or raising prices, that would be one of the biggest breakthroughs in aviation history.

And I am sorry, but I have to say it: this is EXACTLY why we teach what we teach inside Points Master! The best way to get real comfort is not to wait for Economy to magically become Business Class. It is to learn how to book Business Class for far less than the normal cash price. With the right points strategy, you can book lie-flat seats with huge savings compared to the retail ticket. Sometimes I have even paid less for a Business Class ticket than what Economy was selling for on the same route.

That is the sweet spot.

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This may be useful for someone.

I am seeing some interesting business class fares from Madrid to Latin America right now. They are not available on every date, but they are the type of fares that get me excited, so I like sharing them when I find them.

One example I found was Madrid to Mexico City for around $1,074 one-way in Avianca Business Class, connecting via Bogotá.

This is not the most glamorous business class product in the world. Avianca is not Qatar Qsuite or Emirates biz. But crossing the Atlantic in a lie-flat seat for around that price is genuinely good value. The routing I saw had a longer layover in Bogotá, so it is not perfect. Still, if you need to get from Europe to Mexico or Central America and you care more about sleeping flat across the ocean than having the best onboard service, this could be a very useful option.

I also found Madrid to Quito roundtrip for around $2,700 in Business Class, flying Air France on the first segments and a short Avianca hop at the end. This one is not super cheap, but it is round-trip and Air France is a very good airline. If you are heading to Ecuador and want a more comfortable trip, it is worth considering. The routing has two stops each way, so it is not the simplest itinerary, but for someone going to Quito and wanting to fly in real comfort, it makes sense to look at.

As always, check the aircraft, schedule, fare rules, and baggage before booking. Cheap business class is fun, but only when the routing and rules actually work for your trip.

That's it for today. Enjoy the weekend and more deals, news, and trip reviews coming your way on Monday.

Catch you in the clouds,

Tomi from Points Master