Airfare upgrade, I just can’t, but would you?

[bonvoyage]

We all have hangups when it comes to spending. I just can't get myself to buy anything more than a modest Honda. We almost never eat out (when we're not traveling). I will use a shaving blade until my face is scraped raw

But I have absolutely no problem spending any amount on premium cabin tickets. Last year, we flew business class on vacations to Greece (British Airways) and Thailand (Cathay Pacific). We also flew a fair bit of domestic first class. Traveling at the front of the plane just makes the whole trip more enjoyable.

 

[Flieger]

Why pay for it? Use miles. Every time I checked, using miles is a far better deal than paying money for Biz or FC.

This. DW and I just went to and from Hawaii from the east coast, FC, using CC points.

Flieger

 

[RetireBy90]

DW plays points with United and CC and Mariot. We have flown in regular economy, on C5 and a C130 with explosive cargo 2 feet from us. We always fly FC now, mostly upgrades using points or miles. One very small perk, we almost always travel with one carry on each and can be assured overhead room. To each his own, we can and do afford it.

 

[tulak]

I wouldn’t upgrade at that price. For Delta, I would occasionally check the pricing using their app. The upgrade prices change and it can become significantly cheaper. I scored a really cheap upgrade to business from comfort+ a couple of years ago. I haven’t see that pricing since, but I have seen 1-2k/upgrades per leg which might be more appealing.

 

[ImaCheesehead]

For what you might pay Delta to lay down for 11 hours or so we could cruise for a month.....Value is in the eye of the beholder.

Funny you should mention that! I am flying one way because I am cruising back. As I mentioned the one-way ticket in business class from my home airport in Wisconsin to Auckland was over $7000.

My 36 night cruise back from Sydney to Seattle on Holland America is $7,800, including Wi-Fi and gratuities. Now granted that’s a guaranteed inside but I travel solo so I have to pay a lot more per person than a couple would in the same room.

I just can’t wrap my head around that, lol.

 

[ImaCheesehead]

Oh and you are also less likely to have a screaming infant within 2 rows, or a 4 year old kicking the back of your seat. Business/First isn't immune to these of course, but they seem to be less frequent events. A 12 hour flight next to a toddler requires...sedation (for me or the baby? You decide).

Speaking of sedation, that’s another reason that I don’t wanna pay that extra $300 per hour for the upgrade on the one leg - I will take an Ambien and should be able to put the seat back far enough and a leg rest up to get at least five or six hours of sleep. I don’t want to sleep $1500 worth of upgrade away.

 

[MarieIG]

Oh and you are also less likely to have a screaming infant within 2 rows, or a 4 year old kicking the back of your seat. Business/First isn't immune to these of course, but they seem to be less frequent events. A 12 hour flight next to a toddler requires...sedation (for me or the baby? You decide).

I do recall a flight to Europe when I was 18. There was a child behind me who pulled /attempted to pull my hair and / or hit me on the head the entire trip. My temper flared and I turned to address the problem with the parents, but immediately saw that the child had severe issues. I ended up covering up my head with a light jacket and slumped down the rest of the trip. (The plane was packed so I being moved didn't seem to be an option.)

 

[ImaCheesehead]

Why pay for it? Use miles. Every time I checked, using miles is a far better deal than paying money for Biz or FC.

I wish I could. It’s 348,500 miles for one way CWA to AKL in Delta One. Interestingly, when using points Delta One is “only” 5x main cabin but when paying cash it is over 10x.

Even more interestingly, it’s 437,000 miles to upgrade just the one leg from LAX to AKL, but only 348,500 to take Delta one the whole way from Wisconsin. Make that make sense.

 

[ImaCheesehead]

This sounds a little bit like the "stick it to the man" or "they're not going to take advantage of ME--I'm too smart for that" attitude that we seem to acquire as we get older. We're too old and wise to play their game, right?

Have we met because you are SPOT ON!

 

[Sunset]

We flew Economy to Japan, the last few hours felt pretty bad. For our return we came back on a cruise ship and it felt good !

We did plan to stay in a hotel after the flight just to rest. Booking a close hotel, was a good way for us to compensate for the economy flight.

 

[Chuckanut]

I’m with you. I have the money too, but why would I pay $12k for first class, 4k for business when I can fly economy for $750 and have $11k extra to actually enjoy a full month at the destination?

Drawing a line isn’t being frugal — it’s being rational.

I’d spend the money for another week in Lower Slobovia, or wherever you are, at a very nice boutique hotel. Get a bigger room with a large two person tub and plenty of sitting space. A balcony with a view would also be nice.

 

[Koolau]

Yeah. What Onda said!

 

[athena53]

And this is why I will never see Australia or NZ. I have that kind of $$ to spend on travel and I do fly Business Class on transatlantics but the $$ they want for Business Class to Australia or NZ is extortion. Mileage redemptions not much better. A few years ago my brother went there for a conference and burned over 400,000 miles for my sister-in-law to accompany him in Business Class. And I will not fly Coach or Premium Economy on a flight that long.

Plenty of other wonderful destinations.

 

[ImaCheesehead]

And this is why I will never see Australia or NZ. I have that kind of $$ to spend on travel and I do fly Business Class on transatlantics but the $$ they want for Business Class to Australia or NZ is extortion. Mileage redemptions not much better. A few years ago my brother went there for a conference and burned over 400,000 miles for my sister-in-law to accompany him in Business Class. And I will not fly Coach or Premium Economy on a flight that long.

Plenty of other wonderful destinations.

Yes! I also feel that way about the pricing. BTW athena53 I am taking an OAT tour in NZ. I believe you are an OAT fan too.

 

[Steelpony]

One of the frequent comments to those who are being too frugal and not enjoying their money is to upgrade to business or lie flat seats when they fly.

I am flying one way to New Zealand next month and business is more than10 times the price of economy. 10x!!!!! That price is for domestic business for the first two flights and a lie flat seat for the 13.5 hour flight from LAX to AKL.

I ended up purchasing Delta premium economy a few months ago at $1,500, when plain economy was priced at $500, and business class was $7000. I can upgrade just the LAX to AKL like to a lie flat for an additional $4300, or about an extra $300 an hour above and beyond what I’ve already paid.

I just can’t do it. I have the money, but I just cannot bring myself to cave into Delta’s ridiculous pricing.

I mean, you have to draw a line somewhere right?

Forgetting the backstory I once “asked” for my mom, my 12 year old son and myself to be upgraded to first class for a last minute flight reassignment. It worked.

I always asked to be moved to a seat by the emergency door. Once I was asked if I was a marshal assigned to the flight. I hesitated then said no. I may need to get to my carry on under my legs easily though. It worked.

I had a 23 hour flight to China non stop. I asked and received ta seat by the galley and emergency door. I was asked if I knew how to work the door. With a fixed stare I said yes but we’d be sliding through Siberia. That worked.

If you’re 13 hour flight is alone there’s nothing to lose asking. I’d blow the dough if you need to. Times running out as a retiree. Your money may go to a LTC facility, a charity or others. They’re not going to complain.

For perspective it bothered me when my moms LTC bill was 10k a month near the end.

 

[MC Rider]

Just looking at prices of a 2 hop trip to the east coast from the west on Orbitz. Cheapest about $450 for economy. Premium economy, business class and first class all were the same price about $1400. I'll spend the other $950 elsewhere. But like the Ramones, I wanna be Sedated.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

If I knew I was paying an exta $1,000 an hour to sleep.........I couldn't sleep.

 

[athena53]

Yes! I also feel that way about the pricing. BTW athena53 I am taking an OAT tour in NZ. I believe you are an OAT fan too.

Yes, I am! I'm headed to Chile Patagonia and Easter Island in March. That will be my 7th trip and I have one more booked in 2026 and two in 2027. I wish those wicked people would quit sending me those 1.5-inch thick full-color catalogues.

 

[OldConch]

And this is why I will never see Australia or NZ. I have that kind of $$ to spend on travel and I do fly Business Class on transatlantics but the $$ they want for Business Class to Australia or NZ is extortion. Mileage redemptions not much better. A few years ago my brother went there for a conference and burned over 400,000 miles for my sister-in-law to accompany him in Business Class. And I will not fly Coach or Premium Economy on a flight that long.

Plenty of other wonderful destinations.

Our six weeks in NZ/AUS/Tasmania was one of our favorite trips. Might I suggest that you set a bunch of Google Flights alerts with different dates and cities and then hope for the best. Also, our Thrifty Traveler subscription has alerted us to quite a few bargain fares in both cash and points/miles, including a fair number to the lands down under. Patience pays in this game. We used AA and Alaska miles to get there.

 

[audreyh1]

At this point in our lives we know our years of travel are limited and shrinking. At the same time our portfolio has grown, and we have fewer years to use it. So we are no longer willing to travel uncomfortably in the back of the plane. We spend what we need to to make our travel and comfortable and convenient as possible. Travel is inherently inconvenient, so we do our best to mitigate that.

Through a long retirement, moving to this point has been gradual. Over the past many years we have become much more aware that we won’t be doing this forever.

 

[MarieIG]

BTDT. Last year DW and I popped (first time!) for the Delta lay-flat seats from the US to Japan. Waist down you end up lying in an uncomfortable tube where it is difficult to lie anywhere but flat on your back. In that position it is almost impossible to reach the screen and audio controls. Food is nicely presented but nothing special. I think the two seats cost us about $8K. Conclusion: Not a good value and we won't do it again although we could easily afford it. YMMV of course. Good luck.

Lying in an uncomfortable tube sounds more like a closed MRI than a luxurious trip. (Not only am I somewhat claustrophobic, I also can't lay continuously flat on my back, so I suspect this would not work for me.)

 

[RetiredHappy]

We have a golf cruise in Europe next year and it will likely be the last major international trip for my husband. He is in great health but he is aready in his late 70s and as we get older we are more reluctant to make long trips. Besides flying business class, we have booked the largest stateroom on the cruise ship. We will be adding 2 weeks to golf in front of the golf cruise.

For me I will probably make 2 more trips to Singapore to visit family in the next 15 years and be done with long distance trips.

 

[Lorenzo]

Have we met because you are SPOT ON!

The theory has been raised in a thread or two.

Anyway, enjoy your trip!

 

[Koolau]

Lying in an uncomfortable tube sounds more like a closed MRI than a luxurious trip. (Not only am I somewhat claustrophobic, I also can't lay continuously flat on my back, so I suspect this would not work for me.)

Yeah, as I walk past the lay-down seats, I'm not impressed with how comfortable they "look." They may be wonderful and I'm sure they're better than "cattle-car" seats.

 

[ImaCheesehead]

Yes, I am! I'm headed to Chile Patagonia and Easter Island in March. That will be my 7th trip and I have one more booked in 2026 and two in 2027. I wish those wicked people would quit sending me those 1.5-inch thick full-color catalogues.

Isn’t that catalog fabulous? I wonder how much each copy cost?

I took the OAT Ultimate Galápagos Exploration & Ecuador's Amazon Wilds last year, and before I started it I took 5 days and went to Easter Island on my own. It is pretty “out there”, in more ways than one!

Enjoy your upcomings!