Using miles coach vs business (or first)
 

I am curious to hear everyone's opinion. I have never flown anything else but coach, so this is why I am asking. I was wondering what is so special about flying in a higher class, vs using those miles you have for a extra trip, or bring someone else along? For example, you can have 3 people use skymiles 70,000x3= 210,000 vs 2 people in Business 120,000x2=240,000. I was curious to hear how everyone felt and if they would rather go on more trips (and sit in coach) or have less trips (or less people) and sit in business/first.

Vacation time is a luxury and sometimes arriving at the destination exhausted sometimes knocks a day or so off the trip. Also arriving home and going back to work tired isn't preferable.

That said, traveling in a premium cabin is a luxury/personal preference given everyone arrives at the same destination whether they flew first, business or coach.

Using miles coach vs business (or first)
 

This is a very subjective topic, so you're right to lay out the question this way. I for one have always used my miles for either international first or business class tickets, or transcontinental wide body AA flights which is an amazing value for AA miles in my mind...

Using miles coach vs business (or first)
 

Dollar for dollar, business class awards are generally a better bargain. Depending on your destination, you'd spend 70,000 points for a $1000 ticket vs. 120,000 points for a $5000 ticket. As for economy vs biz it all depends on your tolerance level. Some airlines have decent economy products. I flew between SFO-SYD in economy a few years ago and vowed not to do it again. My back ached for two days.

Using miles coach vs business (or first)
 

I value the comfort of flying in the premium cabin, and fly enough for work that I typically accrue sufficient miles for one international trip each year with my wife. Cost of purchase VS miles used is much better for business/first than for coach, which is the gauge that I use. And often times business is available at the Mile Saver levels when coach is not...

I have always been a coach only person but will be flying business to Europe and back in July. This will be my test to see if it's "worth it" or not. Obviously it will be a much better experience than coach but I've always loaded up my IPAD with movies and actually look forward to flying to get caught up on things like that with it just being me time.

I would NEVER pay the prices to fly business and with 3 kids and most of my miles from regular spending and churning I'm never exactly miles rich like some others so to get everyone somewhere coach is always what we do. Never taken all 5 overseas and if I do, it will have to be coach unless I save for a few years but that means less trips.

So I think I've already rambled on enough to say coach is a better value for us even though $$$ wise you get many more points per dollar in business or first. I don't look at that as closely as some others do look for 8 cents a point, etc before they redeem. It's hard enough just to get reward flights period these days so I spend them when I can.

Business vs First on International Flights
 

I have yet to fly either business or first, but wondering is it worthy to go first over business for around 35K more round trip?
My flight is to Europe this Summer, very likely using United miles, but also possible American.
One way Business is 50K, First 67.5. Usually mixed cabins availability, with only the longer flight being Business or First.
I am thinking to go for Business as likely I will be flying Lufthansa over-the-ocean and their Business looks pretty good...Thanks

I plan to use my miles for more coach class flights for free. I've flown business and first, and didn't think the benefits were worth sacrificing another later flight to somewhere else. I don't generate a lot of miles, and rarely fly international, so I value more trips ahead of better service. We might do international next year, so maybe that'll change.

If you haven't flown internationally, then you haven't seen what real business/first is like (especially on some of the better foreign carriers).

Moderator action
 

pianistat's question has been merged into the closely related thread started by edh101985 two hours earlier.

I had been a fan of more trips in coach but am changing my thinking because it's hard to redeem miles for a reliable baby sitter. Since we can't go as often as we'd like we'll now go in comfort. Plus my wife is 6'2" tall and all leg, so coach is a bad option for her.

Personally, I just do not enjoy flying. I just like being at the destination. I prefer more trips, so I just fly coach. I have flown first class before, it was nice, but I wouldn't spend the mileage equivalent of another trip overseas to do it again.

First, giving just one data point, I flew TATL last summer, one direction on DL and the other on AF, and I thought DL was better. Foreign airlines have a much better reputation for first, but not necessarily for biz.

As for biz vs. first, I have never flown F, but I think biz is just fine. Quite a few people have posted videos of their overseas F flights, so you might google those. A personal opinion, the biz seats are a little narrow to sleep in, but how much extra do you want to spend for the extra luxury when you're unconscious? Can you sleep as well in your jeans and sweatshirt as you can in their pj's? Sometimes the F lounges can be a nice touch though.

But the time/points ratio is a biggie. My wife goes to Europe every summer, I went with her last summer but I might go one year out of three or four. If that's all we use our points for, we'll have enough points to fly biz forever based on what we earn. I guess if I saved 40K DL points by flying coach I could get a free domestic flight worth maybe $500. So I ask myself how miserable I'd be at the end of a long trip in coach. And my answer is, pretty damn miserable. There are other benefits. When we flew back from Paris last year there was an express checkin line, I think an express security line, lounge access, express line for passport control. And frankly, traveling with your significant other, it's a hell of a lot more romantic.

It's a personal preference. I booked her trip to Europe next year in first. (Unfortunately, on United, not one of the foreign carriers.) It will cost an extra 25,000 FF points, but how many brownie points will it get me?

This is a very subjective question. Answers are going to vary wildly depending on how uncomfortable one finds coach, vacation time, income, snobbyness and a variety of other factors. Really each person should come up with thier own answer.

I'd ask yourself how much per hour would I spend to upgrade on this flight? My answer is generally $10-$15 per hour. Since I can get about 1.5 cents per mile in coach then its an easy calculation.

Going to Europe the RT upgrade to me is worth about $200. But the extra cost is $600 so I definitely won't pay it.

Going to India the RT upgrade is closer to $600 and the extra cost is still only $600 so I might pay it.

Like the OP my wife and I had only flown economy until last year whan we returned from Vegas (LAS) to GSO (Greensboro) thru CLT (Charlotte). The flight from LAS to CLT is 4 1/2 hrs but only felt like 2 hrs in first class. We redeemed United miles for the US Airways fights--the best way for us to get a US flight.

That spoiled us! We have upcoming first class flights to LAS on Delta returning from SAN (San Diego) The long flights thru ATL (Atlanta) will seem much shorter in first class. We are also returning from PHX (Phoenix) on a subsequent trip using United miles for a US Air flight thru CLT. We will be flying to ABQ on the outbound flight in AA economy. There is no reason to get first on this flight since the ER4 on American only has one cabin. We actually have to pay first class miles on the ER4 or fly thru Miami.