Should I blow my bonus on business class tickets to Europe

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know this is a first word problem, but that's what this forum is largely about, right? DH and I are taking the kids(6 and 5) to Europe in the fall. Business class tickets are $20k for the four of us! There is a small one-off bonus coming my way that will be about $15k after taxes. This bonus is unexpected and won't be something that will happen again soon. Would you splurge and spend it on the tickets or would you fly coach. The kids have been to Europe before once and we flew business, but it was half the price. At that time, I thought that business class was worth it because the kids had no jet lag whatsoever. WWYD?

I fly a 2-3 times per month and only in business class; I have only paid $5K+ for a ticket four times: IAD-PEK, IAD-SYD, IAD-SIN, and IAD-NRT. My family of four is flying to Europe twice in the next three months. First set of business class tickets cost 120,000 frequent flier miles and less than a hundred dollars in taxes each. Second set of business class tickets we purchased in coach for $1,100 each and then used United PlusPoints to immediately upgrade to confirmed business class round trip. Maybe you should get some frequent flyer status first, and then start aspiring to fly business class.

I love it when my kids are at the gate getting ready to pre-board and some entitled older couple pushes in front of them and says, “Excuse us dear, we need to get through. We’re actually flying first class.” Then my kids can only roll their eyes, as we’re all sitting in the same first class but we’re also United Global Services and legitimately entitled to pre-board. First class boards with Group 1 on United, not part of pre-boarding, of course.

We love you long time

You’re not that special if you’re not flying private

[Anonymous]

Definity not. The nice things about flying with young kids is that they give you more space. And, they would never remember flying business class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would go premium economy.

I never really understood the benefit of economy plus (unless you are 6’2”+). Honest question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would go premium economy.

I never really understood the benefit of economy plus (unless you are 6’2”+). Honest question.

I'm 5'10" and I notice a huge difference in economy plus. I'm too cheap to pay for it myself but I have used it for work.

[Anonymous]

no way!

[Anonymous]

If you don't have anything you need to spend it on, yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know this is a first word problem, but that's what this forum is largely about, right? DH and I are taking the kids(6 and 5) to Europe in the fall. Business class tickets are $20k for the four of us! There is a small one-off bonus coming my way that will be about $15k after taxes. This bonus is unexpected and won't be something that will happen again soon. Would you splurge and spend it on the tickets or would you fly coach. The kids have been to Europe before once and we flew business, but it was half the price. At that time, I thought that business class was worth it because the kids had no jet lag whatsoever. WWYD?

I fly a 2-3 times per month and only in business class; I have only paid $5K+ for a ticket four times: IAD-PEK, IAD-SYD, IAD-SIN, and IAD-NRT. My family of four is flying to Europe twice in the next three months. First set of business class tickets cost 120,000 frequent flier miles and less than a hundred dollars in taxes each. Second set of business class tickets we purchased in coach for $1,100 each and then used United PlusPoints to immediately upgrade to confirmed business class round trip. Maybe you should get some frequent flyer status first, and then start aspiring to fly business class.

I love it when my kids are at the gate getting ready to pre-board and some entitled older couple pushes in front of them and says, “Excuse us dear, we need to get through. We’re actually flying first class.” Then my kids can only roll their eyes, as we’re all sitting in the same first class but we’re also United Global Services and legitimately entitled to pre-board. First class boards with Group 1 on United, not part of pre-boarding, of course.

Newsflash‼️‼️‼️

You are just as insufferable. Quite possibly worse because you squirted out little budding douchebags.

+1

You’re kids are insufferable, too - by rolling their eyes at an older couple,
Clearly mocking them.

People like this older couple are referred to as gate lice for a reason. PP’s kids should have blocked them from cutting in line, but were reserved enough to not say anything or make a scene.

[Anonymous]

No. Two reasons.

1- air travel is a mess right now and who even knows if you’ll end up on the flight you booked. Our family went to Europe recently and one flight got delayed and then canceled, we ended up having to fly a totally different itinerary (drove from DCA to Dulles to take a flight that connected internationally instead of a domestic connection.) It would have been nice to have first class seats after our ordeal, but we ended up in coach even after paying for economy plus, and I guess we get some kind of flight credit, I can’t even remember.

2 - kids don’t always appreciate nice things, and the flight may not be all that amazing despite spending 20K. Larla has to go to the bathroom 6 times, Larlo spills a drink all over you and himself, someone wants to switch to sit with mom instead of dad, they can’t get the headphones to work etc. With teens who will just sit and watch screens or whatever, great. But my kids those ages didn’t sleep that much on the flight and I can’t imagine it would be been super relaxing in first class either. Just DH and I? Would be awesome. We flew premier plus last time and it was awesome. But it’s the same reason we don’t take the kids to super fancy restaurants- they won’t appreciate the food and may ruin the experience for us anyway!

Take the money and use it on private transfers to the hotel, private tours etc.

[Anonymous]

For me this comes down to what is your net worth. $5m and up, go for it. Lower, don’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know this is a first word problem, but that's what this forum is largely about, right? DH and I are taking the kids(6 and 5) to Europe in the fall. Business class tickets are $20k for the four of us! There is a small one-off bonus coming my way that will be about $15k after taxes. This bonus is unexpected and won't be something that will happen again soon. Would you splurge and spend it on the tickets or would you fly coach. The kids have been to Europe before once and we flew business, but it was half the price. At that time, I thought that business class was worth it because the kids had no jet lag whatsoever. WWYD?

I fly a 2-3 times per month and only in business class; I have only paid $5K+ for a ticket four times: IAD-PEK, IAD-SYD, IAD-SIN, and IAD-NRT. My family of four is flying to Europe twice in the next three months. First set of business class tickets cost 120,000 frequent flier miles and less than a hundred dollars in taxes each. Second set of business class tickets we purchased in coach for $1,100 each and then used United PlusPoints to immediately upgrade to confirmed business class round trip. Maybe you should get some frequent flyer status first, and then start aspiring to fly business class.

I love it when my kids are at the gate getting ready to pre-board and some entitled older couple pushes in front of them and says, “Excuse us dear, we need to get through. We’re actually flying first class.” Then my kids can only roll their eyes, as we’re all sitting in the same first class but we’re also United Global Services and legitimately entitled to pre-board. First class boards with Group 1 on United, not part of pre-boarding, of course.

Newsflash‼️‼️‼️

You are just as insufferable. Quite possibly worse because you squirted out little budding douchebags.

+1

You’re kids are insufferable, too - by rolling their eyes at an older couple,
Clearly mocking them.

People like this older couple are referred to as gate lice for a reason. PP’s kids should have blocked them from cutting in line, but were reserved enough to not say anything or make a scene.

https://www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/getting-rid-of-lsquogate-licersquo-in-airline-boarding/

[Anonymous]

Absolutely not. I’ve flown business class with young kids and it’s a total waste of money. Especially now even when forking out 20k doesn’t mean you are shielded from being cancelled or rerouted during this airline mess. Plenty of better ways to spend that bonus for an amazing vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this is a first word problem, but that's what this forum is largely about, right? DH and I are taking the kids(6 and 5) to Europe in the fall. Business class tickets are $20k for the four of us! There is a small one-off bonus coming my way that will be about $15k after taxes. This bonus is unexpected and won't be something that will happen again soon. Would you splurge and spend it on the tickets or would you fly coach. The kids have been to Europe before once and we flew business, but it was half the price. At that time, I thought that business class was worth it because the kids had no jet lag whatsoever. WWYD?

We spend 10% of our net HHI on vacation and family travel and airfare is about ½ of that budget. We travel a lot and it’s mostly first class flights and premium hotel suites. But, the majority of our upgrades into nice seats and suites is due to elite status with airlines and hotels.

If your $20k business class tickets plus all your other travel is causing you to spend more than 10% of your net HHI on travel, I would say you’re spending too much and the splurge isn’t worth it. So, for example, I wouldn’t even dream of spending $20k on an entire year’s worth of travel unless my yearly take home pay was $200k+…and obviously your trip is costing more than this since this is just the airfare component…and only one of many possible trips.

[Anonymous]

20K for 4 tickets to Europe seems high. You would be able to get it for 1/2 the price.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:20K for 4 tickets to Europe seems high. You would be able to get it for 1/2 the price.

This. You can get 4 business class tickets to Europe for much, much cheaper. You need to fly business class into an alternative (less expensive city) and
take the train to where you are going.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this is a first word problem, but that's what this forum is largely about, right? DH and I are taking the kids(6 and 5) to Europe in the fall. Business class tickets are $20k for the four of us! There is a small one-off bonus coming my way that will be about $15k after taxes. This bonus is unexpected and won't be something that will happen again soon. Would you splurge and spend it on the tickets or would you fly coach. The kids have been to Europe before once and we flew business, but it was half the price. At that time, I thought that business class was worth it because the kids had no jet lag whatsoever. WWYD?

Please don’t! I doubt your children are well mannered enough to behave properly in business class. There are few things in life more disturbing than explicitly paying to distance one’s self from unwanted nuisances, only to have those same nuisances take financially unreasonable and uncomfortable steps to embed themselves closer and into places they’re neither wanted nor belong. Your children belong in coach for the next five years, as do you and your DH, my dear.