So here I am, the wonderdog and me, waiting for my wife to arrive back from the Rose Bowl, in about 3 more hours. Got to thinking about commercial flying.

My question is, do any of you routinely fly first class?

I expect the answer is "NO!" because of the cost.

I've flown first class at least 4 times that I recall. Two times, maybe more, were when I was in the Army and traveling to/from Vietnam. I made 5 flights and one boat trip, to/from CONUS and the Nam (total of 30 months there) but none of them were first class.

But living in Florida, and leaving for and coming back from Vietnam required flights across the country. We flew standby and it was luck of the draw where, or if, you got a seat on the plane. I was always one of those picked when there were a bunch of GIs waiting for a seat-never knew why-probably my good looks.

I recall two of those pretty clearly. One was coming home, on leave as I recall. My plane was late landing in the States and I was quite worried I'd miss my flight on National (I think) from, IIRC, either LA or San Francisco to Fort Myers (where I lived and grew up).

I hurried to the ticket desk and the guy asked "You're SGT Straightshooter1?" I told him yes and he told me, "Come on, you gotta run, they are holding the plane at the gate!"

He ran, too, and we made it about a quarter mile, to the Gate, where he wished me well and sent me to a smiling stewardess. She led me to a first class seat and all the passengers were smiling, cheering and clapping-not what you might think, that they were happy I'd finally got my tail on the plane, but genuinely welcoming me home. All the stewardesses went out of their way to treat me very nicely and many of the passengers offered encouraging words and welcome homes. Drinks were free in first class then (still are I suppose-don't know) and I certainly had more than my share.

Another time, maybe on my way back to the Nam after this leave, I flew to Hawaii, trying to get back to Vietnam and these kinda strange guys were there, with some, uhhhhh, handlers I guess. Someone said they were a singing group called the Monkees. Great flight, seemed like nice guys and Last Train to Clarksville was popular then so it must have been late '66 or early '67. First class seat again.

Don't recall any others till this year though I think there were. GIs flew standby and I seem to recall getting a first class seat a time or two more.

In late May, I was gonna drive up to PA to visit one of my new Vietnamese daughters and her family near Philly but my wife sat me down, pointed out how decrepit I am, how much gas would cost to drive and figured in three nights in motels (maybe we could have done it in two). She'd totaled the cost on one side of the paper and the cost of two first class tickets to Philly and back on the other. So close-no contest. We flew on American.

In early December, we flew to Texas to see my other Vietnamese daughter and I didn't even argue-first class to Houston and back on United.

I certainly enjoyed the extra room and the way the flight attendants (not stewardesses anymore, huh?) treated us but, if I was younger and less decrepit, I'd drive or fly as cheaply as possible.

How about you?

Bob

I avoid flying cattle class at all costs.

I fly first class as a general rule, very limited exceptions.

Same. I avoid coach. The reduced stress is well worth it.

I only fly First Class but I fly rarely these days.

I'm tall and can't tolerate the lack of leg room in coach, not to mention the class of people one is forced to sit next to/right on top of. No thanks. Let the unwashed masses sit in the back whilst I'm stretched out up front sipping on a mimosa.

Actually yes, I fly first class quite frequently. A majority of my flights in fact are in first class; I flew on 30 flights last year. But I hardly ever pay for it. They are 95% of the time complimentary upgrades, and that is entirely due to my status with the airline. My flight tomorrow evening is in first class. Which reminds me...I need to choose my entrée.

I haven’t flown it much as an adult. Last year we had first class on short flight (maybe to Florida). I found the smaller planes it really just meant bigger seats and free drinks.

We have a combo of first class and business class next month to Cancun. Will see what it’s like. I’ve never been in one of the first class seats where you can lay down.

As a child my mom worked for Delta. We flew free on standby and usually we got first class.

Once we had not gotten seats on multiple flights to California. Since we were so behind schedule they say us at a table at the front of the plane. IIRC it was for flight crew to sit and eat. No seatbelts I can recall. That was cool. Back then you had to dress up to fly standby as employee family. It was not fun for me at around 8 years old.

I flew first class for the first time in 2009, I think. We were going from BWI to SEA and it was one of those offers at check-in to upgrade for something ridiculously affordable ($100 per ticket, I think) so I did. Figured it would be nice for the long flight. Prior to that, I had always wondered why folks who weren’t necessarily rich paid 2-3x as much for the same flight as I did.

Well… I never looked back. Haven’t flown cattle since. Always first domestic or in the Americas. Trans-oceanic, I’m in Premium Economy (which on the airlines I’ve flown - especially Qantas) is the equivalent of domestic first class.

It almost makes flying enjoyable again.

-Rob

I try to fly First Class when I fly, if possible. Having said that, I've been able to stay off planes most of 2022.

Internationally, I'm not good with Economy and prefer to pay the extra cost for first class. Whether I'm going to Asia Pac or Europe, it's 10 hours from Seattle to a hub location so first class helps.

However, there have been a couple of times in First Class with a mother with her crying baby located either behind or in front of me and that has proved to be challenging.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
As a child my mom worked for Delta. We flew free on standby and usually we got first class.

Same here. My Dad worked for American Airlines (actually AMR, the parent company) for around a decade, so I flew first class via standby quite a bit between the ages of about 6 and 16.

But I've never flown first class as an adult.

Business class yes. First Class, not so much.

When I used to fly a ton, it was on Southwest which doesn’t have first class so best I got was a good seat pick.

I have flown first class only once in my life. It was for work from Texas to Montana and the price difference between coach and first class was not much so I was able to upgrade. I truly enjoyed it for a long flight and if I had the money that is the only way I would fly, but I don’t so I don’t.

Coincidentally, I'm planning a trip in early spring and intend to treat myself to first class if I end up flying. First first class you might say.

I too am a business traveler and I fly frequently enough that I fly first class pretty regularly. It’s pretty rare that I fly in the back and if I do it’s at least comfort plus. I only had to fly coach twice last year and one of those was because a gate agent screwed up and removed me from the upgrade list.

Ideally after I quit doing this job I’ll never get on a plane again but if I do I’ll never pay actual money for it, but when it comes to everything but guns and food I’m a stingy bastard.

I don’t even know how much first class costs; i think cattle class is already too expensive for me.

But I’ve had 1st class a few times for international flights - upgraded from biz class for business trips. Very nice but I’d never pay for it personally - way too rich for my bank.

Another standby baby here. Father worked for United. Going on family trips, usually to Hawaii where they were from, First Class all the way. Even had access to the upstairs cocktail lounge they had on the original 747s.

My last time on standby was the first year UAL offered Business Class to Japan. International bizz class is equivalent to domestic first class. Didn't suck at all.

I fly more than 100,000 miles every year on United; 80-90% is in business or first class. I always book in coach, and the airline usually - but not always- bumps me up.

I'm trying to figure out how to burn 2.8M UAL frequent flyer miles; if I want to fly anywhere domestically... and can accept the vagaries of General Aviation...I fly my own V-tail.

quote:

Originally posted by aileron:
I'm trying to figure out how to burn 2.8M UAL frequent flyer miles; if I want to fly anywhere domestically... and can accept the vagaries of General Aviation...I fly my own V-tail.

You could always gift some miles! I smell a Karma!

JP

I fly just enough to accumulate points I can use to upgrade to 1st class, when available. My local airport only has CRJ's to ATL, so my 1st leg and last on the return, are just coach.

Mostly, yes.

Company buys the ticket to get me somewhere. Domestically my status gets me upgraded 90% of the time. International they have to purchase business class or better (lie-flat seat) and that really helps racking up the miles and maintaining my status. My last flight was Thursday - Frankfurt to DFW on an AA 787. A couple of cocktails, a meal and a movie and then rack out for 6 hours.

The foreign carriers (Emirates, JAL, Singapore...Cathay has gone downhill in the last 5 years) kick US carriers asses on the long-haul flights. But I live in Dallas so if there is an AA flight available I try to take it. Like some others, I have more miles than I know what to do with.

If my company wants me to fly they know the rule. I’m 6’4” 235lbs so the rare times I have to fly I’m going first class. It’s usually 3x the cost but so nice.