Flying 1st class

[Mrs H]

DH just got back from a business trip that had 2 stops each way. HE said he wants to go away and fly non stop, first class when we go. He mentioned Vegas.

HA...I just checked the flights. It would be FOUR times as much to fly first class as flying economy. we will NOT be going 1st class!

[kirnat848]

haha, DH got bumped up to 1st class on his way back to DC from Stockholm and when he got back he said thats the only way he wants to fly now...um i dont think so

[ddi741]

We flew 1st class for our Honeymoon to Aruba. Had a connection the first leg through Miami but direct coming home. It was awesome but cost us an extra $1k easy. It was our honeymoon so we splurged. If you have miles or points or anyting you can use to offset the price, then I would say do it but I don't think I would pay the extra $ unless it was a special occasion or money wasn't a factor.

[marytini]

We bought coach class seats for our Hawaii trip last year, but paid $250 to upgrade to first class on our way there (the longest leg of our 2 leg flight) 2 days before the flight. It was cheaper than buying first class outright and it was only bc there were still FC seats still available. We still flew coach home.

Sent from my DROIDX using ProBoards

[mdgirl]

I'd never pay for it domestically but internationally I would in a hot second.

Yeah, Mrs H don't let your husband in international first class or you'll never get him out of it! The best was when we flew Lufthansa to and from India a couple years ago. They don't do courtesy upgrades and there was only 1 other person in first class with us -- we were outnumbered by flight attendants.

[babygirlpriest]

I'm a 1k United traveler so get a free upgrade probably 75% of the time. I would justify spending the $$ to upgrade to economy plus or maybe business class on international flights but not first class. I just don't think it's worth the extra money - at least not domestic flights.

[jewel]

We have first class tickets to Alaska this summer, earned with AA miles.

We've never flown first class before - I'm excited for the treat, and worried that it might spoil our standards

[steamboat185]

I try to avoid connections whenever possible I find them more annoying then flying coach. We refuse to pay for 1st class even on our 12 plus hour flights being a little uncomfortable is worth saving 1-2k. The full lay down beds do look nice on international flights - maybe someday.

[basilosaurus]

I paid $300 to upgrade to business class for a flight from Korea. From the first serving of warm marcona almonds, I was hooked.

Unfortunately, United effed me and took away my premier status mid year (thanks, merger), so my flights from Hawaii to Europe in the last few days were spent with the cattle class. Considering that HI to NYC is a 9 hour flight but still considered domestic (meaning no food service) I would have loved that automatic upgrade.

[monpetitchou]

We've talked about it but decided we'd rather use our money to take more trips than fly first class on fewer trips. I used to have Premier Exec status on United and would get bumped up pretty often flying for work. That was always a nice treat!

[emilyinchile]

Flying 1st for anything less than 6 hours is not worth the extra money to me. Flying business for a long, overnight flight though is awesome and really makes a difference to how I feel on arrival. H and I usually do our Chile-US flights in business - mine purchased with money during a sale so I get the miles, his purchased with miles. The total cost is only a few hundred more than if we both flew coach, and it's SO worth it.

[CloudBee]

Many people use points to upgrade.

[GilliC]

I saved up gobs of miles planning to use them to upgrade some of my international flights, and then they introduced the copays. So now I get to shell out hundreds of dollars along with my thousands of miles.

But the one time I happened to book a work trip late, I ended up with a full-fare economy ticket, and you can bet I cashed out the miles to upgrade. Nothing like arriving bright and rested from business class when your boss is in coach on the same flight!

That said, it's kind of a catch-22, because you want to sleep, but you also want to enjoy the long meals, the service, and the amenities. On a 10-hour flight, I could have slept a bit more between the end of dinner and the beginning of breakfast, so if I do it again, I'll opt for having dinner served all at once instead of in courses. And I'd love to fly in business or first on a 13- or 14-hour flight!

[wise_rita]

Duuuuuuudes.

Business class =/= first class

[M]

First class is worth it on any flight longer than 3 hours. We always pay for coach then upgrade, we hardly pay for first upfront so it's cheaper. If it's an international flight, business is pretty nice too. Best flight we've ever had was first class in a 777 from Miami to Buenos Aires. They have 7 ft layout flat beds.

ETA: get to the airport a couple hours early (a few hours if you're at a large airport). When you check in they'll usually have upgrade options.

[basilosaurus]

May 15, 2012 21:45:40 GMT -5 @publius said:

May 15, 2012 20:56:00 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Duuuuuuudes.

Business class =/= first class

On a lot of routes on a lot of airlines (like between Europe and the US or Africa and Europe) there is no straight up first class. It's business/first.

And business on a long haul is often much nicer than 1st on domestic.

[daringmiss]

Pennypenny --

On that flight to Australia, you DEFINITELY need to upgrade if you can. That is an incredibly long flight and better seats will make the experience bearable.

[emilyinchile]

May 15, 2012 21:45:40 GMT -5 @publius said:

May 15, 2012 20:56:00 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Duuuuuuudes.

Business class =/= first class

On a lot of routes on a lot of airlines (like between Europe and the US or Africa and Europe) there is no straight up first class. It's business/first.

Yup. None of the Chile-US flights I've been on (AA and LAN) have had first, only business. Ditto SCL-MAD. I can't actually remember the last time I was on a plane with 3 classes of service.

[iammalcolmx]

May 15, 2012 17:43:34 GMT -5 @publius said:

May 15, 2012 13:36:17 GMT -5 kooshball said:

Yeah, I think that is what everyone says. That's why its like 10 times+ more to fly first internationally vs economy.

Not always the case, at least between economy and business. When we were living in Geneva the standard business class fare to my home town was just over double the price of economy.

Truth right here. If you book your tickets a few months out and fly on off days you can find decent prices. Those last minute prices on the other hand are scary as hell!!

[alithebride]

ive flown first many times. for an overnight flight to europe (6-7.5 hours) being in coach honestly doesn't bother me. I'm not a large person and sleep really really well in the coach seats. so for me it's really not any extra comfort that i can justify with the higher prices. it's not a question of having more $ to spend at destination at all. it's just that it doesn't make a difference to me. ::shrugs:: maybe that's just me.

[knittable]

I would kill to lie flat on a long flight. But it's never going to happen, I'd spend the money on a new car before I spent it on business class flights. And I'd buy a new car and ten more holidays instead of spending it on first.

[basilosaurus]

I got to do a lie flat coming back from Korea. I wanted my flight to be longer b/c my sleep was so restful.

I did an upgrade at the airport. It was something like 300 and 10k miles. Worth every bit, since my flight was dirt cheap to begin with (well, relative to the average price on a long haul). And 300 isn't going to get me 10 holidays or a new car.

[pantsparty]

H and I flew first class once to Cancun on Virgin America. It was SO awesome - huge seats, free movies, food, and drinks! I think we each had 8 drinks. Going back home in coach was a reality check, lol.

[basilosaurus]

Yeah, if I wasn't such a cheapass I'd upgrade more often. I can't sleep sitting up either. While I have enough miles I keep ending up on tix that aren't upgradeable with miles or cost too much.

Edit: I just checked my upcoming flight, and it would be $600 + 30,000 miles to upgrade just one segment, and it's only an 8 hour leg. Bah!

[M]

It was $600 to upgrade to first on a 10 hour flight to Europe last time. Not exactly a new car, but maybe a weekend get-a-way.

We're buying our tickets to Dubai with miles and only paying $450 to upgrade in the fall.

[expatjen]

I'm definitely spoiled when it comes to traveling internationally in business class. My DH and I book biz class because getting to and from India is a PITA and we feel more refreshed and energised after getting a good rest on lie flat beds (thanks to British airways). I'm not sure what we're going to do once we have to pay full price for LOs ticket.

[Knittable]

May 18, 2012 18:24:10 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

I got to do a lie flat coming back from Korea. I wanted my flight to be longer b/c my sleep was so restful.

I did an upgrade at the airport. It was something like 300 and 10k miles. Worth every bit, since my flight was dirt cheap to begin with (well, relative to the average price on a long haul). And 300 isn't going to get me 10 holidays or a new car.

You're very lucky. For me the cost difference on the worst flight would be $10,000.

[Knittable]

...and that's for business class, not first. First is about $11,000 per PERSON more than economy. And I would need to by three fares.