EVA AirFirst adopted premium economy in 1992Credit: ShutterstockTaiwan-based EVA Air essentially invented the modern premium economy. Emirates is ranked the fourth-best airline in the world overall with the 11th best business class, while its premium economy class is ranked the third best. Air New ZealandFirst adopted premium economy in 2005Credit: ShutterstockAir New Zealand is another interesting example with excellent premium economy. While Air New Zealand offers a great premium economy, its business class is also typically quite pricey, costing up to three times more than premium economy. While the specifics may vary between Virgin's aircraft, its premium economy typically offers 38-inch pitch seats, excellent food and drinks, priority check-in, a generous baggage allowance, and one of the widest premium economy seats in the industry.