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Meaning & use

economy class flight

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ɪˈkɒnəmi klɑːs flaɪt/
US/ɪˈkɑːnəmi klæs flaɪt/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A plane trip in the cheapest and most basic seating area, where tickets cost the least.

    Grammar: Countable: you can say a flight, two flights; the phrase is often written as economy class flight or economy-class flight.

    Patterns

    • book an economy class flight
    • fly economy class
    • an economy class flight to somewhere

    We booked an economy class flight to Madrid to keep the trip cheap.

    Her company only pays for economy class flights, so she always sits at the back.

    The economy class flight was full, and every seat was taken.

  2. noununcountable

    The section of a plane with these cheap seats, considered as a place or service.

    Grammar: Uncountable when it names the service or area rather than one trip: travel in economy class.

    Patterns

    • travel in economy class
    • sit in economy class
    • upgrade from economy class

    There is more legroom in business class than in economy class.

    We flew in economy class and still arrived on time.

    Passengers in economy class board after those in first class.

Word forms

pluraleconomy class flights

Common combinations

book an economy class flight
She booked an economy class flight two months early to get a lower fare.
fly economy class
They always fly economy class on short trips within Europe.
economy class ticket
An economy class ticket was half the price of a business class one.
upgrade from economy class
He used his air miles to upgrade from economy class to business class.
economy class passengers
Economy class passengers were asked to board through the rear door.

Synonyms and how they differ

coach class
The usual American term for the same basic seating area; economy class is more common in international and British use.
standard class
Used mostly for trains rather than planes, so it fits rail travel better than air travel.
steerage
An old-fashioned word for the cheapest ship accommodation; it sounds historical and is not used for modern flights.

Opposites

business classfirst class

Word family

economy noun
The cheapest class of travel, or careful use of money and resources.
economy-class adjective
Used before a noun, as in an economy-class seat.

Commonly confused: economy class flight or economic? economy class flight or first class?

economy class flight vs economic

Economic means relating to the economy of a country or region, while economy here means the cheapest travel class.

economy class flight vs first class

First class is the most expensive and comfortable area, the opposite end of the plane from economy class.

Practice

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