^^^ the folks that travel for business regularly, figure out ways to make it work for them, and the companies aid them for their customer
loyalty.

Most people aren’t cut out for that kind of trouble/work and so those who do it are generally compensated well. It’s not just air travel either. It’s the whole supply chain, including cars and hotels and meals.

Most importantly of all is just knowing how to work the system to get yourself out of all the situations that can arise from traveling.

Things like the airlines own private lounges, much better help desk… Or used to be i.e. red carpet lounge for United. (Be a 1K person, step in to that lounge and they will fix anything with your ticket.)

It’s not just first class. It’s a whole process of moving through your travels. My children always thought I was one slow motherfucker until they had to follow me through an airport.

I'm a top-tier frequent flyer on United, and I was complimentary upgraded around 6 or 7 times in 2022 out of 64 flights I took. I was upgraded an additional 3 times on transatlantic flights to business class (Polaris), which is typically many thousands of dollars per seat, but used pluspoints for those.

Anyway, over the past 2 years, United and other carriers have figured out how to maximize paid revenue seats up front, and sell them cheaply at times. This greatly reduces the frequency of elite member upgrades. The general consensus is "want front, buy front"

The levels of service have gone drastically downhill, but it's still very nice to have a lie-flat seat for a 10-hour flight. I try like hell to schedule flights that have the most upgrade opportunity, but flying out of a United hub makes it difficult at times.

Front cabins are not just for business travelers anymore. I'm seeing lots of families (including young children) sitting up front on a regular basis.

As far as the distinction between business class and first class:
Business is usually the front cabin product on international flights, save for the few airlines that still have a first class cabin in addition to business.
First class usually refers to the domestic front cabin on most US airlines

When I was a very frequent flyer got bumped up pretty regularly on Delta, then American, domestic flights.

On my own dime have only paid for first class twice, but would likely find a way to do it again on any upcoming flights.

quote:

I remember videos from the 50's and 60's the men wore a suit
and tie, the women wore dresses and sometimes white gloves.

Also worth remembering that they used to crash a lot then. And drive through weather, not over.

In the 1950s and 1960s US airlines experienced at least a half dozen crashes per year – most leading to fatalities of all on board.

quote:

Originally posted by wxdave:
Anyway, over the past 2 years, United and other carriers have figured out how to maximize paid revenue seats up front, and sell them cheaply at times. This greatly reduces the frequency of elite member upgrades. The general consensus is "want front, buy front"

Front cabins are not just for business travelers anymore. I'm seeing lots of families (including young children) sitting up front on a regular basis.

First class usually refers to the domestic front cabin on most US airlines

The people I know who fly First Class, including me, fly it exclusively, so they're only flying on points once in a while and paying the rest of the time.

And I'm seeing some kids in First Class too and I'm not seeing many people who I would describe as business people. Back when I flew Southwest for business within a 400 mile radius, I got to where it was obvious to me who was flying on business and who wasn't just by looking at them.

And yes, First Class isn't what it used to be but then it isn't all that far behind it either at least on the Airlines I use. We still get tablecloths, a drink when we get on board, 2 or 3 course meals on longer flights and very attentive Flight Attendants.

quote:

Originally posted by NavyGuy:
My wife and did fly to Hawaii a few years back and the upgrade to first class was ridiculously high. Like twice as much as coach and this was on one of the smaller planes (can't remember which one) but the first class was more like coach with friendlier attendants extra goodies to eat and drink and just a small amount of extra space. Nope, couldn't do it.

Try going to Hawaii First Class on an Airbus 330-200. It's a whole different world and very roomy.

quote:

Originally posted by straightshooter1:
Sometimes we see that an OP starts a thread then is called out 'cause he seems to have gone the way of the wind.

Not here, I'm the OP and I have read every response and all I can say is "Boy, was I wrong!"

I had no idea so many of the members here do the First Class thingy either by paying or upgrading in one way or another.

Bob

I've started a few threads and then gone away after I'd said everything I had to say.

There are some members here who will nitpick a thread to death and I'm not going to stay and try to come up with some sort of response to those members. They beat a dead horse to death.

Used to fly quite a bit, so much so that the counter agents knew me by name, and the same for me knowing them. Had a short hop to Indy every weekend and it was Southwest or TWA,

TWA had gold card status and first class, so flew them quiet often and had automatic first class upgrades, same on Delta, TWA miles were used up since it was going under back then....

Now it's FC depending on distance/time flying.

I have wanted to fly first class. So far, only privileged to fly business class, and at company expense. Any flight over eight hours, we can fly business class. But, I have no real need to fly to Tokyo any more. I like reading that many of the forum choose to fly first, and enjoy it. It gives me ideas how I might enjoy retirement travel.

I’ve never flown a long enough flight to pay for first class. In the 80s and 90s, while using tickets my dad used his points on, I was often moved up to first class on American and United. It was nice in the flight to and from Florida, but nothing that I would have paid for.

I just dropped my wife and daughter off at the airport today and they just landed at JFK. There was a $1,000 price difference each between first class and coach. They flew coach. I did pay for the good seats for Hamilton and Beetlejuice plus sent them a day earlier than they planned so an extra night in the hotel.

I worked for American in heavy maintenance in Tulsa, they sent a 4 man group to Herborn Germany to check out CNC Grinders 1989 in October. We flew stand by with a top rating and got seats in a Dc10 in first class to Frankfurt and it was really nice..Later on in 2000 my wife and I standby in 1st to Honolulu in First class in a DC10 and it was really nice. I have never bought a 1st class ticket on my own dime. I havnt flown since the covid crap started, i need to my TS in Cabo is calling to me....

I fly somewhere domestic or international for work about every week and it has been that way for years now. I have high status on United and decent status on American. I usually get a first class upgrade domestic and business class upgrade international when I fly on United and sometimes on American.

Having high status makes the whole flying experience much easier. From pre-boarding, VIP checkin, express security screening and preferred baggage handling. Also the code share partners extend the VIP treatment for the international flights.

More than decent food or free booze I enjoy the relative peace and comfort up in front on first class. Since COIVD the amount of bat shit crazy people flying has gone up dramatically. Folks up front are either working stiffs like me who fly every week or folks that pay a little extra to avoid the shit show madness outback.

quote:

Originally posted by mrw:
Having high status makes the whole flying experience much easier. From pre-boarding, VIP checkin, express security screening and preferred baggage handling. Also the code share partners extend the VIP treatment for the international flights.

First Class gives you pre boarding, VIP checkin and first out checked baggage that's free.

TSA Pre check gets you the express security screning.

Between the two of those plus the fact that Mrs. Flash is handicapped and uses a walker which gets us on first with lots of time to enjoy a drink or two, we definitely enjoy the amenities.