Air travel has grown worse with every passing year.

Seat sizes, on-flight meals, and service have all fallen a long way since flight became a popular method of transportation. This begs the question, is a premium economy ticket worth the extra cost?

Premium economy class is a relatively new class of air ticket that is somewhere between economy class and business class. It provides an option that can get you more comfort at a cost far less than business class. Premium economy is typically located at the front of the economy class section near the business class seats. Tickets for these seats also net you “premium” beverages, early boarding, priority check-in, and other perks.

When comparing the value of an economy and a premium economy ticket, you have to consider the airline you’re flying with. What you can expect from any airline’s premium economy seats is the increasingly rare commodity of extra legroom. At Air Alaska, you can expect an extra eight inches of leg room if you choose premium economy. Other airlines will typically offer you anywhere from four to eight inches of extra legroom. While this seems like a ridiculous thing to offer at the cost of hundreds of extra dollars, leg room matters on long flights. If you’re having any joint pains already, being crammed into an economy seat for over six hours won’t help. It’s in these situations that premium economy can be worth the money.

When it comes to other conveniences, the airline you’re flying with is a critically important factor. When it comes to factors like priority boarding, check what your airline has to offer. Not all premium economy seats are equal, so when you’re deciding weather to buy your airline’s premium economy ticket, do some background research. The amenities they offer can make a huge difference in your flight experience, especially for longer flights.