Do you tell friends you fly business class?

wanaberetiree

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Hello

It’s more like a moral dilemma…
If you can afford and fly business class and pay $5-7k per seat, what do you tell your friends and relatives?

Options:
1 - the truth, even if it risks our relationship
2 - lie, to keep relationship unchanged
3 - ?

TIA
 
Why would it even come up "We're going to visit xyz on vacation" the rest is details, and no one is going to ask you what type of flight you bought.

No more than they'd ask what category of room you booked in a hotel (or if they are asking, that's very odd).
 
Yeah, I agree with Aerides. No need to bring it up. If someone asks, I'd tell the truth but leave prices out of it. YMMV
 
Thew only way I flew business class was to use credit card miles and companion tickets.
In reality nobody asks me
 
Hello

It’s more like a moral dilemma…
If you can afford and fly business class and pay $5-7k per seat, what do you tell your friends and relatives?

Options:
1 - the truth, even if it risks our relationship
2 - lie, to keep relationship unchanged
3 - ?

TIA

I don't have relationships built on lies.

If someone asks directly, they are being nosy about something that is none of their business.

If telling them the truth would upset them (I take it they are judging you for spending your own money the way you want?) that sounds like a them problem, not a you problem.
 
Whether or not I made such a "disclosure" would depend upon whether it was a natural part of a conversation.

There's something not right about the relationship if such a disclosure would put it at risk.

That said, I don't always answer every question about my personal business I am asked.
 
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We only fly business/first class. If the conversation ever comes up, there is nothing to hide or apologize for. In addition to that, most of our circle of friends have more money than us anyway. :D
 
Only close relatives have asked directly twice upon arrival from an international flight. We let them know. Otherwise never comes up.

BTW we’ve never paid as much as $5K to $7K per seat. Hopefully I didn’t just jinx it. It’s definitely true that the past year or two prices have been much tighter.
 
Such a question simply has never come up, despite a lot of travel on our part over many decades. It's usually the more mundane "how was your flight?" or perhaps a discussion about a flight delay, but it usually ends there and we're on to other things. I really can't imagine it ever coming up at all. I suppose if asked, we'd tell and move on...
 
Anyone who knows us would know--or assume--that it's the only way we've flown for the past 50 years.

Odd question IMO, but likely wouldn't want a relationship with anyone who'd resent me for it.
 
Sometimes, but we only do it on overnight flights, so generally one way.
 
They would be rude. I don't suffer rude people. Next they will ask how much money you make or what your net worth is.
 
@Aerides for the argument sake, say they ask you directly
Then what?
Just because someone asks doesn't mean you have to answer. And if they do, I do not care about sparing feelings or coming off in any way that damages the relationship.

A simple "Hmm, why do you ask?" is enough. Real friends and family are interested in you, what you went to see, what you enjoyed, did you have a nice time, not how much you spent.
 
If someone asked I would certainly tell the truth. Most of the people we know would not be surprised that we fly business/first at times.
 
If the topic comes up, I mention that paying 5 or more times cattle class is nuts, but you can sometimes find 2 times cattle class if you get a separate ticket to a hub like Toronto, and fly a non-US airline.
 
Just because someone asks doesn't mean you have to answer. And if they do, I do not care about sparing feelings or coming off in any way that damages the relationship.

A simple "Hmm, why do you ask?" is enough. Real friends and family are interested in you, what you went to see, what you enjoyed, did you have a nice time, not how much you spent.
Very much the approach I was going to suggest. The only thing I have to add is, if you have truly prying, tactless people that you nevertheless want to remain civil with, "What a strange question!" and then a change of subject also works, and gives them less leeway to follow up.
 
I'm not comfortable with lying, but deflecting or redirecting the conversation is fine. It is also fine to say you do not disclose that information.

I have recently lost a lot of weight. Some people will ask how much weight I have lost. I say, " I don't disclose that, but I will tell you how much I weigh now if you want". No one has given me grief with that response.
 
Why would it even come up "We're going to visit xyz on vacation" the rest is details, and no one is going to ask you what type of flight you bought.

No more than they'd ask what category of room you booked in a hotel (or if they are asking, that's very odd).
Yup

One would have to bring this up on their own, and it would look cheap and tacky.
 
IF they ask, I will tell the truth.
If me going first class, letting them know because they asked, and then that truth ruins our friendship? Not much of a friend, are they?
 
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