Flying First Class

[PandaBear]

Do you fly first class? I never have, but for our trip in February to Savannah, first class was only $300 more for dh and myself round trip and included 2 free bags. Since dh has to ship through golf clubs and then we will each have a bag, the differential was even less.

We typically fly Southwest, but the flight times didn’t work for us (we are meeting friends).

Will I be spoiled for the future? Is it really not that big of a deal? I didn’t tell dh (typically I book all our travel) because I thought it would be a fun surprise. I’m excited and hope I won’t be disappointed.

We’re flying Delta, if that makes any difference.

 

[RobbieB]

Oh yeah! Big seats, free booze, priority check in and boarding...

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I’m a big guy. 6’4” and 325 pounds. I have always tried to find a way to fly business class on international flights — frequent flyer miles or paying extra. Most of the time I have been successful. But for domestic flights, I usually didn’t pay for it. While employed, I sometimes had enough miles to get an upgrade, but not always.

Now a few years retired, I’ve made the decision that I will just pay for first/business class most of the time. It’s only money. And coach has become miserable seating for me.

I’ll still likely fly some steerage on short flights. But my days of +4 hour flights in coach are over.

I frequently travel with a still-employed, thriftier best friend. For a planned trip from PA to LA, I asked if he would be bothered if I paid to sit up front while he sat in the back. He’s fine with it, so that’s what we’re doing. He can watch a movie instead of chatting with me. Maybe I’ll take a first class cookie back to him.

 

[Sojourner]

So far, I have only ever flown first class on international/overseas trips. And yeah, spending 7-9 hours in those comfy, lie-flat seats in your own little pod is an indulgence, to say the least. You will never want to fly coach again.

I probably wouldn't spend hundreds extra to fly first-class on shorter flights (say, under 5 hours). But it is certainly in my travel budget going forward to spend up to $2,500 on round-trip business class (aka first class) seating for long, overseas flights.

 

[Souschef]

I only flew fist class once, from LGA to PIT. There were only 4 seats and we had a flight attendant to ourselves.
However, we have flown Business Class any number of times on our international flights. There is no better way to relax on a flight. DW loved it because she could sleep on her side. The other benefit is access to Business Class Lounges, which are great.
I ave included a picture of what BA Business class looks like.

 

[foxfirev5]

It doesn't sound like a bad deal for you with the small price difference factoring in baggage costs. When travelling for business it was not unusual to get first class upgrades for 20-25 flights in a row. After I retired we sprung for first class on a few domestic flights when the differential was low.

However, now we find that our only carrier, Delta, has made the first class tickets quite a bit higher. DW got the Delta AMEX card and our luggage is free. Now it's even harder to justify the added $$. We continue to evaluate each reservation.

On a three hour flight it really doesn't matter that much. We usually get exit row and neither of us are that tall or wide. Anyway, priority boarding for me is getting on the plane just before they close the door.

 

[tmm99]

Would you fly business class if the business class airfare was 6x the economy? That's the dilemma I have with flying from Toronto to Tokyo ($1,000 vs $6,000)... If it was double the cost, I would do business, but 6x?? Hard to justify...

As for the OP's question, I would take first-class in a heartbeat.

 

[iloveyoga]

Yes whenever possible! Delta Comfort class is not too bad either.

 

[Aerides]

For domestic it's nice, and for $300 a no brainer. For business/international, it's a game changer.

 

[Starsky]

First Class means very different things on different routes and airlines [and airplanes too], especially internationally. What is first class on one airline could easily be business class on another. Some deals, like upgrading on Southwest, are absurdly bad. It's good to check what you're getting before you book.
Moving to upper class airline tickets can easily become highly addictive. I took DW to Australia Business Class before COVID - after several coach trips - and I don't think she [ok, we] can go back there again any other way... The most baller setup I ever saw was on an international flight (I believe to Europe) where there were 1st Class solo private cabins along the side, and the entire front of the passenger cabin was literally a first class private 'living room' with sofas and a giant TV that a family or group could buy.

 

[Freedom56]

We always fly business/first class. No worries about check-in luggage. No fighting or cabin crew assaults from passengers in first/business. Lie flat seating. Food and beverage service is starting to be restored back to normal. This is what the served us a few weeks ago on Air France business class for Paris to Los Angeles. The plate presentation is not as good as before but it is slowly coming back to normal.

 

[RunningBum]

More often than not I go first, especially if I'm taking a lot of luggage, like a ski trip. Sometimes it's not a big deal. And then you have a flight that sits on the ground for two hours before takeoff to the west coast. I could have been crammed in coach, which was full, but didn't even have a seat mate in first class, not that it mattered. I just watched a movie on my kindle got a couple of drinks and it felt like an evening at home in my easy chair.

 

[steelyman]

First class is worth it. That might imply that coach is underpriced/oversold. Too many people fighting for deals in too many ways.

 

[Aerides]

The first time I flew international business was for work. I was being served champagne and warmed nuts, while a woman with a young child was being herded past, on their way into coach. "Is this where we're sitting Mummy?" he asked.. No, she said as they kept going.

I felt horrible and wonderful at the same time.

 

[Luvtoride]

Panda, where are you flying from (Is it a LONG flight or not...you didn't say where you were leaving from).
I don't think a difference of that amount is even material enough to be classified as BTD worthy. Especially with the golf clubs, it is well worth it?
Is your ultimate destination Hilton Head (as your husband is playing golf)? We have flown into Savannah many times from NJ, as our destination to go to Hilton Head. Very convenient and easy in and out and reasonable drive to HH.
Enjoy your trip and your vacation. You might get spoiled!

 

[2017ish]

The first time I flew international business was for work. I was being served champagne and warmed nuts, while a woman with a young child was being herded past, on their way into coach. "Is this where we're sitting Mummy?" he asked.. No, she said as they kept going.

I felt horrible and wonderful at the same time.

Oh yeah. Definitely mixed feelings if coach boards through business class...

Like many posting above, we now fly business class on "real" international trips. ORD to Iceland was the longest DW has done in coach recently. When flying over the Pacific or even the entire atlantic, she'll not voluntarily do coach again. So too, going much farther South than Colombia....

Domestically, however, we either drive or fly SWA absent screaming good deals....

 

[jollystomper]

The longer the flight, the more likely we will shell out for first/business class. Anything cross-country or international we will consider "blowing that dough" on it.

 

[timbervest]

"Fly first class . . . or your kids will"

 

[Jerry1]

Any time I fly, I check the first class price difference. Luckily, my main flying is to see my dad in MO and it’s only a few hundred bucks more to fly first. As was mentioned, it’s not like it’s premium first class with lay flat seats, but the bigger seat and preferred boarding alone make it worth the extra bucks. And, yes, to the OP, it will spoil you.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

Delta to Savannah, depends on 2 things:
1 - From where are you flying / how long is the flight?
2 - What kind of jet is Delta flying?

If it's just a short regional jet flight from somewhere in the eastern half of the US, then not worth it, IMO.

 

[Car-Guy]

I haven't flown since I retired and back then it was always on the companies dime. Early in my career, when the boss said you need to fly to "somewhere" the last thing I would ask is "why"... Company policy allowed us to travel first/business on anything international but domestic travel was by coach. I loved to get out of the office, travel and get paid. At that time it didn't matter to me how I got there.

Then about mid-career, I'd started asking "why" are we taking this trip? If I didn't think I was really needed on the trip, I'd often ask to sit this one out... By then, I had been there and done that so now travel was only for good business reasons. Standing in lines, getting rentals, checking in and out of hotels, living out of a suitcase, etc became a real PIA for me.

Then in the last ~five years of my working career, I got to the point I hated the hassles of flying so much, I'd only agree to fly if they sent me business or first, even if it was only a short flight. If it was short enough, I'd drive.

So IMO, if you have got to fly then business/first is the only way to go. Even if I had to pay for it myself, that's the only way I'll ever fly again! I honestly wouldn't take free airline ticket's to "anywhere" if is was in coach. Of course, YMMV.

 

[athena53]

Would you fly business class if the business class airfare was 6x the economy? That's the dilemma I have with flying from Toronto to Tokyo ($1,000 vs $6,000)... If it was double the cost, I would do business, but 6x?? Hard to justify...

No, and that's why I will never go to Australia or NZ. Business Class is extortion (even though I could pay for it without breaking the bank) and I will not fly that long in Coach. When my brother took my SIL with him to a business conference there he had to shell out 440,000 AA miles for her travel in Business Class.

Domestic hops: Coach. Sometimes I get upgraded, sometimes not. I usually have to connect somewhere so it breaks up the trip and increases the chance that I'll just be on the little regional jets anyway with hasty drink service and a snack basket passed around (and if it's an AM flight I don't want booze even if it's free).

International: yes, please. My late husband was 15 years older and had a creaky back and long legs so he really appreciated it. Now I have no excuse other than that I like it. Be careful about lounge access rules, though; AA says Business Class passengers on international itineraries have access but "international" somehow excludes a few popular destinations in Mexico such as San Juan del Cabo.

 

[nwsteve]

"Fly first class . . . or your kids will"

+1000

 

[NW-Bound]

People may not realize that first class in domestic flights is not the same as first class international flights.

For domestic flights on small airplanes, the first-class seats may not be as comfortable as the business seats on twin-aisle long-range aircraft, let alone international first-class seats.

The price difference is not that bad for domestic flights. For international, it's huge.

Here's the difference in prices for Phoenix/La Guardia round trip tickets for April 2022.

Coach: $335
Premium economy: $675
First Class: $987

Here's a quick look up for airfare for Phoenix/Sydney round trip for April 2022.

Coach: $1485
Premium Economy: $4127
Business Class: $8385
First Class: $15,992


Thanks to my wife's megacorp, we got to fly non-stop LAX/SYD business class. Then, Sydney/Auckland first class. Then Auckland/LAX business class. All 3 legs were on Qantas. This was for a personal vacation to Australia and New Zealand, back in 1999.


PS. Here's a quick look up if I want to go to Europe (PHX/CDG) in May 2022.

Coach: $721
Premium Economy: $1351
Business Class: $3604
First Class: $6616

 

[Freedom56]

People may not realize that first class in domestic flights is not the same as first class international flights.

For domestic flights on small airplanes, the first-class seats may not be as comfortable as the business seats on twin-aisle long-range aircraft, let alone international first class seats.

Not true. It depends on the Airline and the route. We have flown JetBlue Mint from LAX to FLL with lie flat seats and personal suites on an Airbus 321. American airlines offers similar seating on their Airbus 321 NEO from LAX to JFK. American Airlines also offers lie flat seats on their domestic 787 and 777 fleet. We have flown from LAX to MIA on a 777 in Business/First class with lie flat seats for $797 return. We have also flown many times on Air Canada's 787 Dreamliner from LAX to YYZ in executive class with lie flat pod seating.