American Airlines 777-200 Premium Economy Review – Buenos Aires EZE to New York JFK

After an unforgettable adventure trekking through Argentine Patagonia, it was time to head back to the United States with American Airlines in Premium Economy. Highlight of this vacation? Definitely the views and vibe in El Chaltén—truly unmatched! Now with just an hour’s time zone difference between Buenos Aires and New York, jet lag wasn’t even on the radar, allowing me to seamlessly dive back into my post-trip routine. Let’s see what American Airlines had in store for our 11-hour flight from Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) to New York John F. Kennedy (JFK) airport in their Premium Economy cabin.

Don't forget to check out our guides to El Chaltén, Calafate, and Ushuaia – the perfect tools to plan your trip to Argentine Patagonia! Wondering about other ways to get to Buenos Aires or Patagonia? Check out our review of American Airlines business class on the reverse New York JFK to Buenos Aires EZE route!

Booking

With limited direct flights (American, Delta, Aerolíneas Argentinas) and fixed dates, I didn’t have a lot of options. Business class came with a hefty price tag for this leg, and there wasn’t great award availability. Premium economy, however, offered a decent value cash upgrade at the peak of high season. Keep in mind that snagging a premium economy seat can be challenging, with relatively fewer seats in the cabin compared to business and economy.

Points tip! Buying flights with any of the following cards earns 5 transferrable points per dollar spent, each worth about 2 cents per point (that’s 10% back!):

• The Platinum Card from American Express on flights booked directly with airlines or through the American Express Travel
• Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred (annual fee only $95!) on flights booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal
• Capital One Venture X Rewards on flights booked through Capital One Travel

Purchases through these cards also come with a mix of trip cancellation, interruption, delay, and/or baggage insurance which have definitely proved useful.

Ground Experience

Be prepared for lines at EZE. Get. There. Early. Luckily premium economy comes with priority ground privileges, although the agent needed a gentle nudge to allow access to the priority line. While not quick by any means, this definitely expedited the check-in process compared to the alternative. No lounge access, but if you have a premium travel credit card, you’ll likely have access to the Centurion Lounge or a Priority Pass lounge. Keep in mind that the Centurion Lounge here has a more generous guest policy than what exists domestically. While crowded, the staff was quite proactive at finding people seating and keeping areas stocked and clean. They had a hot and cold food buffet, staffed bar, and limited made-to-order food service (ordered on your phone).

Cabin

The premium economy cabin has three rows arranged in a 2-4-2 layout, separated by a curtain from business class. The seats are similar to those in domestic US first class, wider with decent recline (not flat) and legroom. I didn’t use the extendable footrest, but it might be helpful for shorter people. My seat was in decent condition, accompanied by some standard amenities – a bottle of water, pillow and blanket, headphones, and a power outlet. Of note, there was no amenity kit or printed menu. I grabbed my phone charger, stowed by bag, and settled in.

Dining

Don’t expect a welcome drink or printed menu. I chose the chicken, which tasted fine but nothing to write home about. Snacks were available in the galley between meal services. Breakfast service consisted of a fruit plate, yogurt, and pastry—but more importantly it meant I was almost to New York at this point!

Service

Service onboard was efficient, if not overly warm, with the crew doing their best to take care of the needs of the many passengers. They offered waters and checked in once or twice between meal services.

Tech

American provided over the ear headphones (not noise-cancelling) to enjoy the wide selection of movies and TV shows on their in-flight entertainment system. I watched one of the Mission Impossible movies, and then think I fell asleep rewatching a James Bond one. I didn’t use the WiFi.

Amenity Kit

I didn’t see an amenity kit (which seems to be hit or miss on long-haul premium economy), but didn’t ask for it—didn’t need it and didn’t want to create more waste.

Lavatory

Same lavatory as economy – fine and kept clean and stocked whenever I needed to use it.

Conclusions

Bottom line? American Airlines Premium Economy from Buenos Aires to New York was a solid choice, delivering more space with similar service. The priority ground check-in also sped up the tedious and busy process at EZE. Cheers to a smooth journey with AA!

Don't forget to check out our guides to El Chaltén, Calafate, and Ushuaia – the perfect tools to plan your trip to Argentine Patagonia! Wondering about other ways to get to Buenos Aires or Patagonia? Check out our review of American Airlines business class on the reverse New York JFK to Buenos Aires EZE route!