Tag Archives for first class.
I’ll take it a step further and explain how airlines offering these buy ups actually discourages passengers from buying first class outright (and you should consider this as a strategy to buy first class for less).
The elimination of change fees during the pandemic mean that you should consider buying coach instead of first class.
It’s been expected that Cathay Pacific will call its new first class on the Boeing 777-9 “Halo Suites.” We’ve only seen concepts they were playing with for it. It’s delayed, because the 777-9 is delayed now by at least six years, to 2026.
But the commitment Cathey has to the product is extreme, delaying retrofits of Boeing 777s to retain first class until the new product is available, and the airline’s chairman believes when they reveal what is next it will be unrivaled.
I remember flying regularly as a pre-teen, thinking that I’d never be one of those people sitting up front! I’d never be able to pay for it, and even if I could it surely wouldn’t be worth spending for. After all, it was expensive and just a few hours. I was still small, so I didn’t think the extra space comfort was worth it … though I always held my breath hoping there would be an empty seat next to me.
That was at the dawn of mileage programs, and people forget that elite status didn’t start when miles did.
If you’re a coach passenger, can you use the bathroom up front in first class? What if a flight attendant’s drink cart is blocking the aisle and you can’t make your way to the back and you really have to go? (And yes, a passenger was arrested for making the wrong choice.)
Delta Air Lines President Glen Hauenstein spoke at the Morgan Stanley 12th Annual Laguna Conference and shared that they are going to add premium seats to planes.
An American Airlines first class passenger took to social media to brag on his dog’s first flight. Sure, he says, the pet “took a poop in the parking garage” but once firmly ensconced on the floor of the carrier’s first class cabin, he knew it was going to be a great flight.
Earlier in the month I took a trip to Honolulu and back on Hawaiian Airlines. They operate Austin – Honolulu non-stop three days a week, and since I hadn’t flown Hawaiian in a year and a half it seemed worth passing along some observations.
People aren’t just taking off their shoes and socks and sticking their feet in the air. They are photographing their own bad behavior for posterity – and maybe selling the photos online?
Customers have started reporting that they’re seeing blankets and pillows back in domestic first class on American Airlines. That’s on cross country redeye flights.
One reasonable strategy is to just lean into discounted first class buy up offers. Pay for coach, even if you want first. Then wait for an upgrade offer. If you don’t get one, cancel the ticket and as long as you didn’t buy a basic economy fare just use the flight credit to buy the first class seat you wanted. But you’ll often wind up sitting up front for much less.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
