I once deliberately chose coach over business class even though my employer would have paid the difference, because I had just spent two months trying to convince the boss that our cash burn rate was too damn high and I didn't want to appear inconsistent.
If I had it to do over again I would opt for business class, because in the end, nobody cared about the cash burn rate. They laid me off six months later.
My dad booked me for a second leg of a long-haul flight (out of LAX) in first class (domestic flight so just 2 classes). Boy, it was great. The seat was like an armchair with plenty of room, and free booze of course. It wasn't even like being on a flight, it was like being in a restaurant. The steward was outstanding and was funny and at one point he made fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies in an onboard oven. Would do again.
The "best" part was being in LAX and getting to go to the first class lounge! Ruling class territory! It felt great showing my boarding pass and being admitted inside the forbidden zone. But once inside, boy what a disappointment. The lounge had clearly been the victim of several rounds of cuts and it was the bare minimum. They had a buffet, but the only actual food was this mean little Thai curry. The rest of it was all french fries and other non-meal items that I know were super cheap. I went where I had long longed to go: the bar! Woo-hoo, it's all free! And best of all, they announced a flight delay. If there's anywhere you want to be delayed, it's the free bar at the first class lounge! But another disappointment. I was expecting the best bartenders in the business. Nope. All they knew how to do was pull beers and fill chardonnay glasses. I asked for a Singapore sling, one of my favorite cocktails, and one of the bartenders, clearly the junior one, had to look up how to make one on her phone. It was subpar (I'm a cocktail man when I can get good ones). The other bartenders sat around doing nothing and talking about how great it was to use your company discount to play golf in Phoenix. It was comforting to know that the airlines screw the first class customers, too.
lmao I used to be an actual bartender and I have never heard of that drink either
well those often have 1st and 2nd class. What do now?
I've almost never spoken to strangers while travelling anyway so I would just take the more comfortable seat
One time like ten years ago I flew and coach was overbooked so I was asked if I wanted to move to first class. It was almost exactly like coach but with slightly more leg room and the cart offered me beer.
My work flew me international business class once. As a tall person with back problems it was the only time in the last fifteen years I’ve been comfortable on an airplane. Still couldn’t sleep, even mixing alcohol and sleeping pills. Just let me have my edibles!
It's one of the worst trade-offs in terms of dollars per hour of enjoyment out there. It fares even worse when you compare what else you can get for $100 an hour, like legit great meals or concerts by your favorite band.
If you really need to upgrade your seating situation, spend that money on your home furniture where you'll sit for 1000+ hours, not on where you'll sit for < 10 hours. Then nuke some nuts and a wet towel, mix up some drinks and sit there for a few hours.
I got upgraded to business class once, it was really nice. But I'd rather spend my miles on a second trip somewhere else than just be slightly more comfortable on the one trip.
Same. Save money on travel and you can have more fun when you get there. I took a bus over the Andes once. Not only was it cheaper but I got a much better sense of the scale of those mountains. It ended up being one of the more memorable experiences from that trip.
Domestic business/first class is the treatment that airlines should give everyone.
International business class is an absurd luxury. (I'll still take if my boss is paying, of course.)
(This distinction really depends on which airlines and which routes you're flying and I'm just kind of hoping it still works where you are.)
Mankind was not meant to soar through the heavens as a bird. It is an abomination.
I'm taking the train. Even the cheap seats are pretty cozy and if I die in a horrible accident at least I don't have to fall out of the sky first.
Flying coach makes me sore the entire next day. This is among the many reasons for me to prefer taking a train. I guess if I was forced to fly and had the money, I’d upgrade. But you’d have to construct a pretty hyper specific thought experiment type situation for me to do so
You have family that works at the airport and you can wait standby and get first class for free (as long as there's a seat) or you pay and get guaranteed coach
That takes care of the financials. But I also don’t know anyone who lives somewhere I’d need to go that urgently
I'm just describing the only time I ever flew 1st class, the Meal Moocher tickets are great if you can get them.
It's real neat until there's bad weather and you get stuck somewhere for 2 days because they overbooked the flights and have to fit transfers on lol
I am staying home because I have enough money to not have to go anywhere and unnecessary travel is bourgeois decadence
i think in the US business class and first class are the same thing, but other places seem to have first class on top of business class and it is extravagant
I think it's more that most domestic flights don't bother having a 1st class.
