Vistara is a unique airline in India, being the only one that offers a premium economy cabin. Featuring larger seats, better food, and priority lanes, it is a comfortable way to travel. Yet, with Vistara's economy product stacking up as one of the best in the country, is the upgrade worth it?

The economy offering

As one of only two full-service carriers in India, Vistara offers a high-quality economy product. Fellow Tata airline and Indian counterpart Air India has a first class, an executive class, and an economy class. However, Vistara's three classes are business, premium economy, and premium.

On Vistara's Airbus A320, which is used on most domestic routes, it offers 18-inch wide seats with a pitch of 29-30 inches. While this does sound standard, the well-padded seats and adjustable headrest make for a much more comfortable offering than its low-cost competitors. The seats also offer an acceptable 3" recline.

In terms of service, Vistara is one of the few airlines offering hot meals on domestic routes (minus short routes under an hour). All economy passengers, except those booked on Economy Lite fares, receive a meal along with hot or cold beverages. From personal experience, the meals are good and enough for domestic hops.

For those traveling on Lite fares, only complimentary hot beverages are available. Vistara also has a small buy-on-board menu, which features packaged snacks and drinks, along with some hot instant meals. Originally, the airline served all passenger's meals. However, to offer passengers lower prices and flexibility, Economy Lite fares were introduced.

A look at premium economy

As India's only premium economy offering, Vistara effectively sets the standard. On the A320, the premium economy cabin has 24 seats, laid out in a 3-3 configuration. While the layout is the same as economy, with 18 inches of width, Vistara has upgraded the seats. These feature a generous 33" of pitch and Italian leather seats with well-padded seat cushioning. While this might not sound very different, the difference is clearly noticeable while sitting in the seat.

Onboard, premium economy passengers receive a hot towel and menus. The hot towels are a nice touch and add to the premium experience, even on a two-hour flight. The menu usually offers three options on hot mains, along with sides and a dessert.

Once again, from personal experience, the premium economy meals are just usually of good quality, but only slightly better than economy. Passengers can also ask for hot or cold drinks anytime throughout the flight.

The more comfortable seating, smaller cabin, and larger meal selection do help differentiate the premium economy cabin from the back. What really makes a difference is the personalized service and friendly crew which are able to give you even more attention due to the smaller cabin.

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Is it worth it?

Now that we have a quick overview of the two cabins, we come to the main question of whether it's worth upgrading. The main criteria to evaluate an upgrade is cost and comfort. Flights can also be upgraded using miles, or through a bid, after booking.

In terms of cost, premium economy usually costs anywhere between 25-75% more than economy fares on Vistara. While this does sound like a lot, the price-sensitive nature of the Indian domestic market ensures that fares still remain low.

For instance, a one-way flight from Delhi to Bangalore in early August costs approximately ₹6,041 ($77.5) in premium economy, while economy costs around ₹4,809 ($61.6). It should be noted that demand has been changing due to the ever-evolving conditions of the global health crisis. So, prices may fluctuate in this recovery period.

Another way to upgrade a Vistara flight is by using miles. Vistara has its own frequent flier program, known as Club Vistara, which offers some great redemptions. Upgrades to premium economy start at just 500 miles for short routes. More popular routes, such as Delhi-Mumbai cost 3,500 miles, and Mumbai-Bangalore costs 2,500 miles. Overall, the miles are a great redemption for domestic upgrades.

In terms of comfort and ease of travel, premium economy does have some advantages. Vistara has dedicated check-in lanes for premium economy passengers and offers priority boarding too. If you're on a tight schedule, these dedicated queues can speed up the process at busy airports.

Onboard, the smaller, quieter cabin, meal selection, and personalized service does make for a great experience. However, with most domestic flights in India being around two hours, none of this is essential. Most passengers do need to sleep or get too much work done on these short flights. This makes the economy cabin quite attractive too, especially if there is a significant cost difference.

Across the fleet

Vistara now has over 50 aircraft within its facilities. The airline's latest addition is the Airbus A321neo, which was unveiled recently at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. The carrier has undoubtedly come a long way since commencing operations in 2015.

According to ch-aviation, the fleet is split by the following:

Airbus A320-200 x 3

Airbus A320neo x 38

Airbus A321neo x 5

Boeing 737-800 x 5

Boeing 787-9 x 2

The A320s that hold premium economy seats actually hold more of this type of seating on board.

Nonetheless, there will be plenty of passengers keen to have a little extra comfort on long-haul trips with Vistara's widebodies. Especially on flights to Europe.

The A321neos have 24 premium economy seats. Meanwhile, the 737 units don't have any of these on board. They hold 12 business and 156 economy seats.

At the end of the day, the decision to upgrade comes down to the price and not the overall comfort of the cabin. If you manage to find a good deal, with fares only 20-30% higher or a miles upgrade, premium economy is a fun experience and a step up from the usual bustle of economy. If you're taking an early morning or night flight, you will definitely appreciate the added comfort while sleeping.

What are your thoughts on Vistara's economy and premium economy classes? Would you upgrade your flight when flying with the operator? Let us know what you think of the airline and its offerings in the comment section.