AirAsia X has two rows of “Premium Flatbed” seats on its Airbus A330s. These seats offer a lot more space than AirAsia’s Economy seats – but what do you actually get?
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The AirAsia X Premium Flatbed seat
When you book a Premium Flatbed seat with AirAsia X, the main thing you’re paying for is the extra comfort. These seats are fairly wide, with lots of legroom, and recline to become angle-flat beds.
When fully reclined, the bed is indeed flat. However, it’s not flat at a 180-degree angle to the floor. It reclines as far as about 170 degrees, meaning you’ll be sleeping on a bit of an angle. Some people may find that they slide down the bed a bit during the night, although there is a footrest at the end of the seat to stop you from sliding too far.
Other than this, it’s a perfectly comfortable seat and more than adequate for daytime flights where you may not wish to sleep. Every seat comes with a personal reading light and a tray table that folds out from the centre armrest console.
The Premium Flatbed seats on Air Asia X’s Airbus A330-300s are laid out in a 2-2-2 configuration, meaning there is no direct aisle access from the window seats. Solo travellers may prefer a middle D/G seat for exclusive aisle access. There is ample legroom in both rows 1 and 2.
The Premium Flatbed seats are located in a separate cabin at the front of the aircraft. There are curtains separating this cabin from the Economy Quiet Zone section directly behind it.
AirAsia X does not offer any in-flight entertainment or Wi-Fi on its planes, including for Premium Flatbed customers.
What else is included with a Premium Flatbed fare?
Other than the more comfortable seat, AirAsia X (and Thai Air Asia X) provide the following complimentary inclusions when you buy a Premium Flatbed ticket:
- 40kg checked baggage allowance (in addition to 7kg carry-on allowance)
- Seat selection
- One meal + 250ml water
- Pillow and blanket on board
- Priority check-in
- Fast-track immigration in Kuala Lumpur
- Priority boarding
- Priority baggage delivery
- Unlimited flight date & time changes without fees (fare difference applies)
- Baggage delay & 1-hour on-time guarantee
Only one hot meal and water is included with this fare. For longer flights, you can pre-order a second meal for around $7. All other snacks and drinks, including alcoholic beverages, are subject to additional charges.
How much does it cost to upgrade to Premium Flatbed?
There are two ways to get a Premium Flatbed seat: You can book a Premium Flatbed ticket, or book an Economy ticket and try to upgrade.
The cost of Premium Flatbed varies according to your route and travel date. When booking closer to departure or travelling at popular times, airfares could be higher.
During off-peak travel periods, here are the typical one-way airfares you could expect to pay between Australia and Kuala Lumpur with AirAsia X:
| Route | Economy fare (with no inclusions) | Premium Flatbed fare | Price difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perth-Kuala Lumpur | $166 | $566 | $400 |
| Melbourne-Kuala Lumpur | $205 | $735 | $530 |
| Sydney-Kuala Lumpur | $243 | $738 | $495 |
| Sydney-Bangkok | $298 | $898 | $600 |
| Gold Coast-Kuala Lumpur | $252 | $732 | $480 |
To book Premium Flatbed, you can search for Premium Economy airfares when booking on the AirAsia MOVE website or select the bundle option after choosing an Economy flight.
If you’ve already booked an Economy ticket with AirAsia, you can bid for an AirAsia ZoneUp upgrade. This is not guaranteed but you won’t be charged unless your upgrade comes through. You’ll be notified whether you’ve been successful five days before departure.
Failing that, you may also be able to upgrade at check-in for a flat fee. Obviously, this is only possible if there are still empty Premium Flatbed seats remaining for sale on the day of departure.
Is Premium Flatbed worth it?
Compared to the cost of a basic Economy airfare on AirAsia, Premium Flatbed is a big step up in price. But if you would be paying extra for baggage, seat selection and food with your Economy ticket anyway, the price difference becomes a bit less.
All things considered, flying in an angle-flat bed from Australia to Asia for around $500-900 one-way is a very good deal. This is considerably cheaper than booking Business Class on a full-service airline. And it’s priced similarly to ScootPlus and Jetstar Business Class, where you just get a recliner seat.
Although the on-board service is limited to one meal, the main thing you’re paying for is the extra space. You’ll be a lot more comfortable in a Premium Flatbed seat than you would be further back in the plane. If you’re booking an overnight flight, the (angle-flat) bed becomes even more valuable as you’ll have a much better chance of being able to sleep.
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