Business or First class international airfare

[Anonymous]

We bought business tickets for the first time family of 4 for a wedding in Asia earlier this year. Tickets were 3.5k welll worth as we all caught Covid however didn’t show up in the antigen test but got a bit sick on the return journey home. My spouse is hooked and asking to switch to business class for international over 8 hrs. Found some summer tickets for Europe at 2.5k per person, think we will splurge. HHI 600k, nw 3.5M

[Anonymous]

HHI $500K, 3 kids and we're not there.

We have a ton of miles from work travel but use them to buy coach tickets. It seems like there are always more pressing things to spend our money than upgraded seats--we're not big savers outside of retirement/college but there are always expenses with kids!

Someday before I die I hope to travel international business class!!

Until then I will continue to walk right past those seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All I can add is that I know two frequent-traveling families with assumed HHI in the millions and both of them refuse to pay for anything by coach. I think that's crazy. If I had that kind of money, no way in heck would I be in steerage.

But we got that kind of money by passing on lots of niceties along the way. It's hard to stop now -- just doesn't seem "worth it".

that's precisely why some people will never hit a high net worth. They would/do blow much of what they make on non-necessities.

We are still frugal but will consider spending for business for the adults (us) but not the kids (who are officially adults since over 18). But even then, if business class is ridiculous we cannot bring ourselves to spend it.
The kids can survive back in economy plus and just be happy they are going to Europe, as I didn't until I was in my 30s.

[Anonymous]

We are the poorest of the rich and fly business for the overnight part and Coach for the daytime part home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:HHI $500K, 3 kids and we're not there.

We have a ton of miles from work travel but use them to buy coach tickets. It seems like there are always more pressing things to spend our money than upgraded seats--we're not big savers outside of retirement/college but there are always expenses with kids!

Someday before I die I hope to travel international business class!!

Until then I will continue to walk right past those seats.

500k hhi is not even lower rich in the DC area

[Anonymous]

If you put your kids in first class even once they will complain about coach for the rest of their childhood, in my experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you put your kids in first class even once they will complain about coach for the rest of their childhood, in my experience.

Complain, you get stuck back in coach for a long time. Not a fan of ungrateful kids.

[Anonymous]

Came from less than nothing. Quit working at 52 and haven't lifted a finger since. Spouse never worked and was SAHM. Raised four kids through college, all tuition paid, plus all weddings paid for.

Traveled all over the world with the kids, including a month-long African safari (also took their spouses), a month long trip to Australia, and several trips to Latin America. After retiring (pre-covid), the two of us went on several month long trips ourselves to Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Our first post-Covid international trip is next month.

We have a $1.8 million home in DC, a $900k second home in the country where we spend a lot of time, plus an $800k investment property in a DC suburb.

Net worth: 8 million.

We've never paid to fly business or first class with our own money, ever. Had we done a silly thing like that, we'd never be able to do what we have done or be where we are financially today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Came from less than nothing. Quit working at 52 and haven't lifted a finger since. Spouse never worked and was SAHM. Raised four kids through college, all tuition paid, plus all weddings paid for.

Traveled all over the world with the kids, including a month-long African safari (also took their spouses), a month long trip to Australia, and several trips to Latin America. After retiring (pre-covid), the two of us went on several month long trips ourselves to Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Our first post-Covid international trip is next month.

We have a $1.8 million home in DC, a $900k second home in the country where we spend a lot of time, plus an $800k investment property in a DC suburb.

Net worth: 8 million.

We've never paid to fly business or first class with our own money, ever. Had we done a silly thing like that, we'd never be able to do what we have done or be where we are financially today.

Agreed, but it is all relative. If your net worth was $25M+, you might decide it is worth it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Came from less than nothing. Quit working at 52 and haven't lifted a finger since. Spouse never worked and was SAHM. Raised four kids through college, all tuition paid, plus all weddings paid for.

Traveled all over the world with the kids, including a month-long African safari (also took their spouses), a month long trip to Australia, and several trips to Latin America. After retiring (pre-covid), the two of us went on several month long trips ourselves to Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Our first post-Covid international trip is next month.

We have a $1.8 million home in DC, a $900k second home in the country where we spend a lot of time, plus an $800k investment property in a DC suburb.

Net worth: 8 million.

We've never paid to fly business or first class with our own money, ever. Had we done a silly thing like that, we'd never be able to do what we have done or be where we are financially today.

Agreed, but it is all relative. If your net worth was $25M+, you might decide it is worth it

We have a high net worth. I just bought business class to Europe for the family. Here’s how I considered it:

- I am frugal in a lot of other ways

- I have enough money that if I don’t spend it on things like this, I’ll sue and my kids will spend it on things like this.

[Anonymous]

^^I’m sure…

[Anonymous]

We play the credit cards points game. We fly business class internationally most of the time. We have never bought a business class ticket at full price.
We pay with points or pay for upgrades. It's totally worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At what HHI did you buy business or first class airfare for your family for international trips? We are a family of 4 and travel internationally 1-2x per year to Europe. I'm curious at what HHI folks switch from economy (which we still do) to business or first. I'm thinking of upgrading after a couple difficult trips.

Our HHI is $420K base + bonus. We fly enough that we have Delta Platinum. Same with my parents, who have a net worth in the several millions (my mom is Platinum and my dad is Diamond). As a result, none of us pay cash for business class; we just use upgrade vouchers.

[Anonymous]

I love how people say, just use frequent flyer upgrades. Both mileage and other types of upgrades on all of the carriers have gotten almost impossible to use.

I also love how people say, I would never, otherwise I would not be rich. I just paid $100 more for a midcon first class ticket than the available coach fare. It was well worth it. A few years ago I also paid $3000-ish for a round trip to the Maldives in Qatar business - the private suites with doors. Perfect opportunity to get a long trip in some of the best hard and soft product in the air for a very reasonable price.

For someone who is both frugal and trying to enjoy life, it is ALWAYS about the price/value spectrum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Came from less than nothing. Quit working at 52 and haven't lifted a finger since. Spouse never worked and was SAHM. Raised four kids through college, all tuition paid, plus all weddings paid for.

Traveled all over the world with the kids, including a month-long African safari (also took their spouses), a month long trip to Australia, and several trips to Latin America. After retiring (pre-covid), the two of us went on several month long trips ourselves to Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Our first post-Covid international trip is next month.

We have a $1.8 million home in DC, a $900k second home in the country where we spend a lot of time, plus an $800k investment property in a DC suburb.

Net worth: 8 million.

We've never paid to fly business or first class with our own money, ever. Had we done a silly thing like that, we'd never be able to do what we have done or be where we are financially today.

Did you include you house values in your net worth? I’m not sure how you managed to pay for those family trips to Africa etc. on 8mm net worth. Doesn’t seem enough to pay for all of that.