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Now that airlines are trying to fill first and business class seats with paying customers rather than just upgrades, I have found that flying first is often worth it, especially since I’m on the tall side.
For example, I just bought a first class round trip with Delta to Central America. It cost me $655. Economy was $430 and and Delta Comfort $520.
With that I get priority security line, access to the Delta Lounge at both New York while I wait for my first flight and at Atlanta while I wait for my flight to Central America. I also get breakfast on my first flight and dinner on my final flight and all my drinks. Early boarding, priority baggage handling. Two free checked bags. A much larger seat. First out of the plane so I get through Customs first. Etc. Same when I return.
It really seems to be worth it for me these days. The same flight in first use to cost well over $1,500.
Have any of you factored in the above and started to opt for first class or other premium options? Or do you still consider them budget killers?
The delta is most often much greater than what you've found. I've only done it a couple,of times because the price delta is typcially enough to cover airfare for another trip or three
Now that airlines are trying to fill first and business class seats with paying customers rather than just upgrades, I have found that flying first is often worth it, especially since I’m on the tall side.
For example, I just bought a first class round trip with Delta to Central America. It cost me $655. Economy was $430 and and Delta Comfort $520.
With that I get priority security line, access to the Delta Lounge at both New York while I wait for my first flight and at Atlanta while I wait for my flight to Central America. I also get breakfast on my first flight and dinner on my final flight and all my drinks. Early boarding, priority baggage handling. Two free checked bags. A much larger seat. First out of the plane so I get through Customs first. Etc. Same when I return.
It really seems to be worth it for me these days. The same flight in first use to cost well over $1,500.
Have any of you factored in the above and started to opt for first class or other premium options? Or do you still consider them budget killers?
Is that the Aeromexico flight that the travel blogs have been posting? That's a particularly good deal.
I have status on Delta, so we're about 50% on complimentary upgrades to First this year. In addition to using the upgrade certificates, we'll occasionally pay for Delta One if one of the lower fare classes are available. If you fly during off-peak times (ex. Sunday morning for JFK-LAX), "cheap" Delta One availability is actually pretty good. Of course in this context, "cheap" means around $600-$700 one way instead of $1200+.
The delta is most often much greater than what you've found. I've only done it a couple,of times because the price delta is typcially enough to cover airfare for another trip or three
Bingo. If I could get a steal of a deal like the OP got, then I'd always fly first/business class. But the first/business class tickets that I've come across are generally at least double (and often many times more) the cost of an economy ticket.
The delta is most often much greater than what you've found. I've only done it a couple,of times because the price delta is typcially enough to cover airfare for another trip or three
So in the case of the OP, the "Delta delta" isn't typical!
I've flown first class on occasion. If I could afford to, I'd do it more often but it's generally not worth it to me for a flight under 5 hours.
At the current price spread for economy and first class....first class isn't worth it to me.
So what I get on and off first. We all get there at the same time, no faster. Those first minutes of first on first off aren't worth HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of dollars difference.
I've flown first class once.I happened to have been flying with a celebrity of sorts and she got me upgraded to be with her.
It's nice, but again for me -- not enough to pay twice or 3x as much for.
However I WOULD pay more for a ticket if they could up the quality of coach a little bit...say $100 more per ticket.
Business class was that middle ground, right -- better than coach -- but not all the perks of first class? I've never flown biz class but I do think I'd pay a bit more for better coach.
If you can afford it, why not? But not me, I'm a budget traveler paying for my own ticket on a social security pension. I take 2-am flights with 20 hour layover in Guam, in order to save a hundred bucks on a ticket. That hundred will pay my hotel bill for a week at my destination. My choices are to travel cheap or not at all. Luxury is not an option.
I always thought the reason airlines even have first class, is so they can gouge passengers who have to fly at the last minute, after the tourist class is sold out.
I always thought the reason airlines even have first class, is so they can gouge passengers who have to fly at the last minute, after the tourist class is sold out.
From the ' sometimes airline far buckets are weird' file, there are a number of times I've priced flights within 48 hours of departure, and had the first/business/Delta One option price out cheaper than the remaining economy tickets, which were probably the unrestricted full refund-full change variety while the premium cabin option had restricted fare bucket tickets left.
some airlines have premium economy fares that are at times a good deal i.e, British Airways
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