Well, when they learn it makes flying internationally go from an often miserable experience and at best a minor irritation to an often pleasant experience, you may find it makes them want to travel with you more.

It's kind of a no brainer when you're using miles at the saver level- since you're effectively paying the equivalent of deep-discount business. For instance, a 100k miles us-Europe in J at .015/mile = $1500.

It also depends on whether you consider your mileage balance to be a finite resource or not. And whether $1500 is a lot of money to you.

+1

Before I flew a lot, I would just choose flights based on schedule and price. Now aircraft and cabin are factors, too. Flying MIA-LAX later this year and was sure to book the 77W (which I found for $119 each way ) and then did the mileage upgrade to J for me and the wife. She will be very pleased. ^

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.

Value is certainly based on trip.

Red-Eye lie-flat after 4 days working(LAX-ATL). Awesome. However saying that some of the 10-14 hour flights and are garnering 4, 6 or 8K round trip? It's nice but it's not THAT nice. I'd rather have another motorcycle I can enjoy whenever I want at that price.

ATL-MKE in an MD88 for hundreds more? Meh.

Exactly. It's about opportunity cost.

If 4, 6 or 8k is not going to touch you, then sure. It's your money and it's your choice.

But if you can use that cash for something else, then there is far, far better value to be had.

That said, it's a personal thing. Different strokes for different folks.

The is nothing like leaving Amsterdam after a few days with friends and sliding into a lie-flat seat for the trip back across the pond.

The only waste of money is using it as kindling. I've only been in first class when I was walking through it to find my seat in coach but its easy to see why people would want to pay for it.

i agree but also it's just 8-10 hours each way and for 40% less i can deal with that....the very best value is booking y (or c) awards to less popular therefore much pricier destinations like minsk or armenia or something

again i always book c for awards but i'm starting to see appeal of going with y and getting more trips out of it

i also have opportunity to have j or c expensed for work but i choose to fly y and pocket the difference as a travel per diem/extra income.

ha funny you say that, i went to a wedding/4 day bender in icn. booked c both ways on oz to lax on the brand new 380 with the amazing new busines class seat....

i passed out during the safety demonstration, seat fully upright. i woke up with 3 hours to go. missed their amazing wine and dinner service. super upset i didn't just book y.

Boy is that ever true. I have zero need or desire for 'pampering' --ever-- but I will go to extreme lengths to avoid being tortured.

Everyone should have to post their height and weight when holding forth in this thread

I pay out of pocket for domestic F every time I fly now. I simply cannot fit into coach seats anymore (Norma Desmond had a relevant remark) and on recent DL flights even F was cramped. Flying overseas, it depends on the airline/airplane whether J is adequate or one must pony up for F. Fortunately, we have miles for that, because we certainly don't have the money for it..

That is pretty painful.

I am with you on that for the most part. I love getting CPUs, but it would be really hard for me to part with significant $ to upgrade. I did EWR-HNL once on the lie-flat and it was definitely a cool experience, but I'm also 100% okay sitting in back next time.

So funny the idea of meeting strangers on a 'private' jet.

We (4 adults, 1 baby) flying SYR-ATL-PEN. It's only 2 hour flight first segment, 30 minutes last segment.
We chose 1st for the convenience...seems like we r flying an old Delta MD-90 for the 2 hour segment.
Really not sure if it's worth the double fare as opposed to 'comfort plus' or even economy for such a short flight.
Thoughts?

For a short domestic flight, paying out of your own pocket for 1st class seems like a waste of money.

For international flights, it seems like a great option. The seats are more comfortable and the meals are better.

Then again, I'd probably rather save the money and spend that on items during my trip.