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Fare example - cheapest coach rate vs. cheapest business class rate. Delta - Atlanta to Amsterdam, RT, 21 day pre-purchase fare, weekend stay, exact same dates:
Coach: $607
Business Class: $4,672
Not sure about you guys, but free drinks and a comfortable chair for 10 hours ain't worth $4,000.
Fare example - cheapest coach rate vs. cheapest business class rate. Delta - Atlanta to Amsterdam, RT, 21 day pre-purchase fare, weekend stay, exact same dates:
Coach: $607
Business Class: $4,672
Not sure about you guys, but free drinks and a comfortable chair for 10 hours ain't worth $4,000.
I don't pay for my tickets, but I can say that if I didn't have to sit next to people with poor hygiene, I wouldn't mind coach. I don't even care about the free drinks. My last flight to the islands, I took my spouse so we sat in coach. 3 young men who just got off from work sat next to me and it was not a pleasant 8 hour flight. Then we had a 4 hour delay in Houston and that sleep didn't amount to much. So yes, first class is worth it if you want to relax and enjoy a few hours of sleep.
I have only flown first class a few times, but the last time was a flight from Phoenix to Philly. There was a couple with three of the worst behaved children sitting in the first row. Actually, the husband sat several rows in back of me and pretended that he did not know his family. Both parents ignored the kids. The flight attendant said she could not do anything about the behaviors. It was one of the worst flights I have ever taken and we should have asked to be moved to coach. Usually first class is peaceful and flight attendants are the best. US Airways dropped the ball on that flight.
My husband is Global Services level with United so he gets upgraded occasionally to first class or if work foots the bill. I have only flown domestic first class though a few times with him. We were upgraded to International Business Class three times together too. It was great for the 10 hour plus flights. I would never pay for domestic first class. The seats are usually just a few inches wider and have a few more inches of leg room to get you through a 5 hour or less flight.
Now international business is the way to go! Why even bother going for first???
Because the seats fully recline into a long bed, and you have little "walls" around you while you sleep. This is not the case for int'l business, where they almost lie flat, but not quite. I've done both on flights to Asia and E. Africa and 1st class is definitely nicer than business for that reason alone. In first, I just lie down and sleep. In business, I keep adjusting to try to get comfortable to sleep and it's not great. It's a heck of a lot better than economy, but it's nowhere near the same as first.
I don't fly 1st or business domestically--I just don't see that it's worth it there. You have wider seats and a little more attention but that's about it. But to have a full bed to sleep in with blankets, etc on overseas flights is worth it to me. I can take overnight flights and get there in the morning fully rested. And I like choosing when to eat (like when I wake up).
say what? LOL....I would doubt that happens very often if at all, for one thing an empty first class flight is very very rare (given the amount of elite members and unlimited upgrades) and 1st class upgrades are very heavily system controlled and no longer at the discretion of flight attendants or gate agents.
Ive flown with my cat about 12 times and I'd say Ive gotten upgraded 7 of those times. The flight attendants always say people come on flights with "allergies" thinking they will get bumped up but they give it to the person with the animal. One time the pilot himself gave me the ok to move up to 1st class! Ive been on flights where other people were given this courtesy too. NWA is great for it, thats why I fly with them always
I won a ticket from Korean Airlines years ago on a fishing trip. Business class round trip from JFK to HKG (Hong Kong)
It was great....they fed you what looked like exotic food, room to spread out and sleep...only a handful of people.
But I travelled from Hong Kong to Taiwan and Singapore via China Airlines...coach. Now that was really bad and I would never do it again.
I'm slim and the seats were TIGHT! No leg room and the flight attendants had no interest in us. Felt like cattle.
Coach domestic isn't as bad as coach international. Long, long flight.
Because the seats fully recline into a long bed, and you have little "walls" around you while you sleep. This is not the case for int'l business, where they almost lie flat, but not quite. I've done both on flights to Asia and E. Africa and 1st class is definitely nicer than business for that reason alone. In first, I just lie down and sleep. In business, I keep adjusting to try to get comfortable to sleep and it's not great. It's a heck of a lot better than economy, but it's nowhere near the same as first.
Many airline actually have fully flat seats in business class now just like first class, like the new seats we just had on our recent UA flight. They are totally 180 degrees flat and not at the angle like the older style or American's new seat. I know United is rolling this out on their whole international fleet and Delta is on much of theirs. Singapore, British, and some other foreign airlines have had fully flat in business too for a while.
The only downside is you still don't get ALL the perks of being a first class passenger, the seat is a little narrower than 1st, and you don't have the privacy walls. It was still very easy to sleep in with it being fully flat and a huge imporvement over the old craddle seats.
Ok, once a long time ago myself and my then 4 and 3 year old kids got bumped up to first class from east to west coast. If I remember the plane was oversold? Anyway, the looks and stares as I load kids and said kids tons of gear in our seats, heck all three of us could have sat in one seat. They bring out the hot towels, hillbilly me has no clue, the courses come out and I meekly ask, do you have a hot dog. One kid was on a hot dog kick. I thought if one kid peeps I am gona have to use that pillow......Luckily we were all tired from being in Florida with family and I think we slept the entire flight. The Hillbillies picked up their stuff and were allowed off first. Ever see the Stienfield episode where they are split up and some are in first class? LOL
Multiple times using my free airline travel bennies. Obviously the longer the flight, the more one appreciates first class (or its equivalent). What I appreciate the most is the extra room. My muscles cramp up fairly quick, and I'm fairly tall, so flying coach is a dreadful experience after more than an hour.
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Luckily we were all tired from being in Florida with family and I think we slept the entire flight. The Hillbillies picked up their stuff and were allowed off first. Ever see the Stienfield episode where they are split up and some are in first class? LOL
