When did you start flying business or first?

[explanade]

My husband (6'2") and I (new knee in 2024) currently have the following rule - if a flight is more than 4 hours long, we upgrade to business class. We primarily pay for these flights with points and miles - we just booked a flight in February 2026 from Bangkok to Los Angeles for 250,000 points (transfered from Chase) and $100 on Singapore Air in business class. But for shorter flights, we most often book economy or premium economy (if available) and pay cash. We've lived in 6 countries and traveled to more than 60. This rule has served us well!

You got two biz class tickets to Singapore for 250k points or 250k points each?

Because if the former that’s a crazy good deal.

 

[Route246]

I started flying in business and occasionally first when my employer paid for it.

The first time we paid for it was a trip to China and Japan a year after I quit my job. Since then we’ve traveled in business or first in all our long haul trips.

+1. Same here. Was flying to Japan and Asia using business class as it was company policy for road warriors (1980s, 1990s, etc.). All of our long haul flights are minimum business class now.

 

[livingalmostlarge]

Have many done the suites? are they actual suites? Is that what first class is versus business? Do airlines differentiate so much? Or is it something different?

 

[OldConch]

Have many done the suites? are they actual suites? Is that what first class is versus business? Do airlines differentiate so much? Or is it something different?

We just got off a British Airways 777-300 with suites in business class. Basically they are lie-flat seats with a door that closes for privacy. Wasn't any more comfortable than other BC products just more private. Interestingly, first class sears did not have a door. We flew BA 1st last year and despite the lack of a door it was very comfortable. That was a splurge paid for with points. We've also flown Qatar Qsuites a couple of times and they were excellent. Some of the Asian and ME airlines have some over the top suites that are supposed to be very nice. The best sleep and food we've ever had on a plane was on an older Turkish Airlines 777 with 2-3-2 seats with no privacy. If you didn't have an aisle seat you had to crawl over someone to get out. The seats folded into long rectangular beds with no enclosed footwells.

 

[livingalmostlarge]

how much are those with points? And how much in cash?

 

[bonvoyage]

We just got off a British Airways 777-300 with suites in business class. Basically they are lie-flat seats with a door that closes for privacy. Wasn't any more comfortable than other BC products just more private. Interestingly, first class sears did not have a door. We flew BA 1st last year and despite the lack of a door it was very comfortable. That was a splurge paid for with points. We've also flown Qatar Qsuites a couple of times and they were excellent. Some of the Asian and ME airlines have some over the top suites that are supposed to be very nice. The best sleep and food we've ever had on a plane was on an older Turkish Airlines 777 with 2-3-2 seats with no privacy. If you didn't have an aisle seat you had to crawl over someone to get out. The seats folded into long rectangular beds with no enclosed footwells.

I have done many flights in BA Club suites and find them to be a very good hard product. In fact, BA is overall a good airline, the only problem being the transit through LHR T5 which is always crowded both in the lounges and outside. My order of preference in terms of business class seats comfort from best to worst:
Cathay Pacific A35K. Although I hear that the new Aria suites are even better
BA Club Suites on 777 and A35K
Emirates A380 business class (although the bar at the back makes it worthwhile - see pic )
Tie: United Polaris, Swiss business class
Emirates 777 2-3-2 business class long-haul
Emirates 777 2-3-2 business class short-haul (lumpy seats)
BA Club World yin-yang. Although I really like seats 3K and 7K in the 787s (very cozy)
Lufthansa business class: This is truly horrible and not worth the money.

I do not aim for status with any airline since I look for the best deals. However, even without trying, I usually mange to reach some level of status with United and BA. But now that United has raised the levels, I think this may be the last year as Gold. I got a huge number of Avios and tier points thanks to our recent Cathay trip so I think at least BA bronze is within reach.

 

[NoiseBoy]

I've been making the assumption that if it's a 3 and 3 configuration, and the tube is uniform, there's no extra width to be had. They might put more padding or put a better seat in the front of the cattle car, but they look the same to me. If you have an example aircraft/airline, you can get specifics on seatguru. Seatguru has gone down-hill in the last few years, it still has the info.

On twin aisle planes, there is generally one less seat in the PE cabin per row versus Economy so yes, the seats are wider by a bit. Also, each seat in PE has two armrests so you are not negotiating with your neighbor over who gets the "middle" armrest. The key advantage for me to flying in the PE cabin are the dedicated overhead bins. I never have to worry about finding a place for my largish carry-on backpack.

I flew Saga class on Iceland Air this spring and, while they call it "Business class", it's really the same as Premium Economy / Domestic First class. On those flights there were 4 seats per row up front, versus 6 seats in the back of the bus. I got a pretty good deal on my tickets which included a connecting flight to the continent, but you have to change your search class to Business to find them.

In answer to the OP's question, I flew business class for the first time last year as a treat to myself on my 60th birthday. That was a trip to Thailand so I could put the lie-flat seats to good use. It was totally worth the expense. I have since flown business on a few hops to Europe, but I don't find it to be that good of a value. Since most of those flights are 8 hours or less, I find that premium economy is good enough for me as long as I add business class lounge access to my ticket. Lounge access is probably my favorite perk to flying business class, but it only cost me $55 to add it to my most recent PE ticket (one way).

 

[Semi-Retyrd]

As a VP in my company days I always flew Business class and retired as a lifetime Premium Platinum member on United. I was often auto-upgraded to First on busy flights and got free upgrade coupons from UA each year. A notable flight was Lufthansa from Korea to Germany where they upgraded me to first and I was the only passenger in first. So with three nice attendants looking after only me service was good.

 

[HappilyRetired]

We fly Business/First internationally. So worth the added cost. But here in USA, a couple of hour flight, isn't worth the cost, IMHO.

 

[bluelight]

I've done first class domestically twice. In both cases by the time you added on the extra fees for luggage, it wasn't much more. Our first flights to Europe where economy, then we moved to PE. Though we can afford it, I just can't justify the price of Business. When my DD and I flew home from London earlier this year we were given a free upgrade to Business. We didn't know we had been upgraded until we were boarding the flight. While it was very nice, DH doesn't want to do international travel anymore. So that will be a one and done.

 

[shortstop14]

Still can't pull the trigger on business class for our two or three times a year flight from the US west coast to southern France and back. The difference is just too much for my frugal side to handle, when it's all over in 14 hours. But as we get older the temptation to BTD kicks in.

But, I've noticed that KLM will sometimes heavily discount premium economy and business class in the days leading up to a flight that isn't fully booked. So business class might cost $700 more than coach, rather than $4500 more (4 x coach). When I see that, I'm happy to go for it.

 

[athena53]

But, I've noticed that KLM will sometimes heavily discount premium economy and business class in the days leading up to a flight that isn't fully booked. So business class might cost $700 more than coach, rather than $4500 more (4 x coach). When I see that, I'm happy to go for it.

I was on an Austrian Airlines flight from Vienna to Dulles and they offered that before we took off, for $1,000. There were no takers- maybe because it was a daytime flight so no lie-flat seats? And of course you would not have enjoyed lounge access in Vienna although t=you could have it in a connecting airport. Interesting gamble on the airlines' part- they could have upgraded a few Elites earlier and made the happy but tried for the cash instead. I'm sure they have a mathematical model for that.

 

[sengsational]

If I was sitting there with a 4X, $4,500 business class ticket and they were calling for a $700 upgrade from cattle class, I'd be none too happy.

 

[livingalmostlarge]

i noticed that too. We've book business as a last minute upgrade for like that much as well. Happened last summer from peru

 

[frank05]

If I was sitting there with a 4X, $4,500 business class ticket and they were calling for a $700 upgrade from cattle class, I'd be none too happy.

Airline seats expire when the flight takes off. Airlines have decided they can get more money by offering cheap last minute upgrades than providing free upgrades to their best customers,

 

[marko]

If I was sitting there with a 4X, $4,500 business class ticket and they were calling for a $700 upgrade from cattle class, I'd be none too happy.

The big difference is that you were guaranteed a seat.

The cattle had to hope, and in my experience, hope is not a good strategy when it comes to the airlines.

 

[Koolau]

The big difference is that you were guaranteed a seat.

The cattle had to hope, and in my experience, hope is not a good strategy when it comes to the airlines.

I "hope" the airline is safe, reliable, on-time, clean, and that I won't be sitting next to someone in PJs or someone who wants to talk or who takes up part of my seat with his "overhang." "Hope" is a part of airline travel in my experience.

 

[audreyh1]

I "hope" the airline is safe, reliable, on-time, clean, and that I won't be sitting next to someone in PJs or someone who wants to talk or who takes up part of my seat with his "overhang." "Hope" is a part of airline travel in my experience.

Not really on seating for front of plane. Just the two of us in our section.

 

[Fermion]

For us the decision was made to fly first class when we realized we didn't give a crap about the environment and might as well be comfortable while using 2x to 4x the emissions of other forms of travel :-D

 

[Koolau]

For us the decision was made to fly first class when we realized we didn't give a crap about the environment and might as well be comfortable while using 2x to 4x the emissions of other forms of travel :-D

I'm sure we could get into a whole thread on fuel or CO2 efficiency and the environmental impact of air travel vs other modes of transportation. But based on typical loading of aircraft and of cars, the per-seat/per trip efficiency of air travel is roughly comparable to at least that of cars.

Interesting viewpoint. Thanks for the thoughts on emissions. I hadn't considered it for this discussion. Might be a fun discussion some day.

Returning you now...

 

[marko]

I "hope" the airline is safe, reliable, on-time, clean, and that I won't be sitting next to someone in PJs or someone who wants to talk or who takes up part of my seat with his "overhang." "Hope" is a part of airline travel in my experience.

When there's that much "hoping" going on, I like to know that at least 2B is waiting there for me, most often with a personal note from the crew.

 

[Fermion]

the per-seat/per trip efficiency of air travel is roughly comparable to at least that of cars.

Not if everyone were financially able to fly first class. I have no problem admitting that by flying first class and supporting that method of transportation I am causing more damage to the environment compared to traveling efficiently.

 

[marko]

For us the decision was made to fly first class when we realized we didn't give a crap about the environment and might as well be comfortable while using 2x to 4x the emissions of other forms of travel :-D

I think driving to Europe would make for an interesting trip.

But I dont understand how flying first is environmentally worse than flying economy.

 

[stepford]

Well, I'm spending 11 hours in the cattle car on a cattle car airline (French Bee) in a couple of weeks. Wish me (and my 65 year old back) luck. But hey, it's $200 to Paris - what could go wrong?

 

[ut2sua]

If I was sitting there with a 4X, $4,500 business class ticket and they were calling for a $700 upgrade from cattle class, I'd be none too happy.

If one is willing to be very flexible on travel dates and not requiring non-stop flights. BC could be had for more or less around $4K round trip (US to Europe or US to Asia). I understand this travel date flexibility is only available to unemployed folks like us. The $700 upgrade from eco normally covers 1 way (but great deals do exist in life if one gets lucky, so it depends). With the lie-flat seats, DW and I don't mind the 1 stop flights (vs non-stop) since we get to visit the lounge, and our bones approve of the seating position even on longer flights.