Hmm. I'm not so sure about that. I've travelled long-haul premium class in the past, and I have to say I was not overwhelmed.

Yes, it's better than Y. But I certainly wouldn't call it luxury, and I certainly wouldn't pay thousands (or even hundreds) of dollars for it.

Now that I'm semi-retired and all of my travel is self funded, it's the back of the bus for me, and it really doesn't bother me.

For what I would pay for a single business-class upgrade, I can stay for three weeks in a decent, comfortable hotel room. Nothing flash, but comfortable.

A week's trip with a J flight, or a month's trip with a few hours in Y? No contest.

One trip in F or four trips in Y? Also no contest.

Flying in Y helps me to preserve my (reasonable, but not limitless) resources of points and miles, as well as my (reasonable, but not limitless) resources of cash.

This thread kind of begs the question: How much hard cash would you really be prepared to part with, to get that upgrade?

My answers:

Intra-Europe flight, or short domestic US: $10 maybe.

8-hour TATL, Y-to-J: about $75 max.

It's just not worth any more to me. $2000 to sleep on a 60cm wide fold-out bed, in a cabin full of 40 other people coughing and snoring and farting? No thanks. I'm happy down the back, drinking beer.