Who can afford First Class prices?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am jealous of people with points. In theory, I could afford flying business but is 5 hours of laying flat on the way to Europe really worth $10k+ (when you consider two people)? Not in my mind. I think of all the other things I could do with that $10k and it's not worth it to me for 5 hours when I am going to be tired the next day regardless.

If and when I ever want to go to Asia on personal travel, then I will need to decide if a once-in-a-lifetime trip is worth the splurge.

This means you can’t afford it. For those who travel business class it’s not one or the other. OP clearly wasn’t referring to you and that’s ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is such a timely post. I just booked four Business Class (Club World) on British Airways for an April trip to London out of Dulles. We are returning on economy but flights are non-stop both ways. Came out to $8500 total (BA was having a promo) and I almost had a stroke when I clicked that 'pay' button but we 1) depart on my birthday and 2) celebrating our 20th anniversary while in London and 3) it's the last big trip before our son goes off to college. Those are the mental gymnastics that I went through to justify it in my mind. It is most definitely a splurge and not something we would do again in the near future. I'd be lying if I said I was super excited, especially as our kids don't know about the fancy seats (at least on the way there).

Nice booking. I think BA is pulling the A380 from this route next year for refurbishment of the ancient business class, so you are probably almost surely going to get the significantly upgraded business class no matter what plane you fly. The late night 11 PM departure is good for maximizing sleep.

Hope this actual (very nicely discounted) cost of business class to Europe puts the lie to OPs $12k cost.

This is business one way and in April. Peak times will cost significantly more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is such a timely post. I just booked four Business Class (Club World) on British Airways for an April trip to London out of Dulles. We are returning on economy but flights are non-stop both ways. Came out to $8500 total (BA was having a promo) and I almost had a stroke when I clicked that 'pay' button but we 1) depart on my birthday and 2) celebrating our 20th anniversary while in London and 3) it's the last big trip before our son goes off to college. Those are the mental gymnastics that I went through to justify it in my mind. It is most definitely a splurge and not something we would do again in the near future. I'd be lying if I said I was super excited, especially as our kids don't know about the fancy seats (at least on the way there).

Business to London for leisure travel is kind of a waste. The flight there from DC is 5.5-6 hours in reality despite it saying 7.5 when you book. If anything you want business on the flight back because that one is closer to actually being 7 hours.

I can never actually get enough sleep on the flight over because of the short slight + meal services after takeoff and before landing which cause a ton of noise even if you skip. So it’s 2 hours meal service, then 1 hour sleep, then meal service for breakfast starts again.

Last night's late BA departure was in the air for 6:20:

https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/BAW292/history/20250908/0250Z/KIAD/EGLL

The play to maximize sleep is to take the late night departure and eat dinner in the lounge (or even at home if it's a 10 or 11 PM departure). Arrive at the airport at 8 PM, eat from 8:30-9:30, get on the plane at 10, brush teeth, change into sleep clothes. In the air by say 11:15, 10 minutes later put your seat down. If you can fall asleep within 20 minutes you can get around 5.5 hours until they make you put it up 20 minutes before landing. Sleep through breakfast and eat in the arrivals lounge.

Yes the return is probably 45 minutes longer, but it's a daytime flight. We do fine with the 1 PM or so departure, watch movies in economy (middle section of 4 seats to ourselves), land at 4 PM DC time, home by 5:30, quick dinner, kids in bed by 7 PM (midnight in London). Everyone has their own preferences, but I think business class is much more worth it on overnight flights, especially if you are the type who can't sleep in a regular seat (have tried many times and its never happened more than an hour total).

Yeah 5 hours sleep isn't perfect, but its enough to be functional and get you through the day when you arrive, which is a short day anyway since the flight lands at 11 AM and you won't be at your destination until probably 12:30 or 1 PM.

My issue is I can’t sleep through the meal service noise. Even with earplugs or music it cuts through and then you add in the lighting (twilight if you’re lucky, but some leave the lights fully on and yeah… no way I’m getting 5.5 hours sleep on a 6 hour 20 min flight.

I wish they offered more super early AM flights to Europe so you can roll into the day there - easier way to adjust.

I guess it does depend on personal circumstances. We flew on a late departure to Europe last year, and I did notice the meal service noise very briefly, but an eyeshade helped a ton. Younger kid was out cold from the minute we put the seat down until we woke them up to put it up 15 minutes before landing. Other time I flew a flight like this, I was up for the meal service and it definitely wasn't 2 hours, I'd say closer to being done around 75 minutes after departure. They took everyone's order on the ground, and brought everything out on a single tray so it was fast. And I'd say less than half the people even took the meal, many just went straight to sleep. It does help having a seat farther from the galley.

In terms of AM flights to Europe, right now the only available ones are a couple from New York (basically every airline offers 1) and Boston, only to London. It's a tricky flight to make work economically, that's why they aren't offered more.

https://simpleflying.com/united-airlines-follows-delta-air-lines-cutting-daytime-europe-flights/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is such a timely post. I just booked four Business Class (Club World) on British Airways for an April trip to London out of Dulles. We are returning on economy but flights are non-stop both ways. Came out to $8500 total (BA was having a promo) and I almost had a stroke when I clicked that 'pay' button but we 1) depart on my birthday and 2) celebrating our 20th anniversary while in London and 3) it's the last big trip before our son goes off to college. Those are the mental gymnastics that I went through to justify it in my mind. It is most definitely a splurge and not something we would do again in the near future. I'd be lying if I said I was super excited, especially as our kids don't know about the fancy seats (at least on the way there).

Nice booking. I think BA is pulling the A380 from this route next year for refurbishment of the ancient business class, so you are probably almost surely going to get the significantly upgraded business class no matter what plane you fly. The late night 11 PM departure is good for maximizing sleep.

Hope this actual (very nicely discounted) cost of business class to Europe puts the lie to OPs $12k cost.

This is business one way and in April. Peak times will cost significantly more.

BA poster here and we depart 3/28, which is spring break so not slow season either. If I had been willing to pay for business class round trip it would have been $3K each. Not a drop in the bucket but also not crazy expensive. If it had just been my husband and I traveling I would have booked round trip in a heartbeat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is such a timely post. I just booked four Business Class (Club World) on British Airways for an April trip to London out of Dulles. We are returning on economy but flights are non-stop both ways. Came out to $8500 total (BA was having a promo) and I almost had a stroke when I clicked that 'pay' button but we 1) depart on my birthday and 2) celebrating our 20th anniversary while in London and 3) it's the last big trip before our son goes off to college. Those are the mental gymnastics that I went through to justify it in my mind. It is most definitely a splurge and not something we would do again in the near future. I'd be lying if I said I was super excited, especially as our kids don't know about the fancy seats (at least on the way there).

Nice booking. I think BA is pulling the A380 from this route next year for refurbishment of the ancient business class, so you are probably almost surely going to get the significantly upgraded business class no matter what plane you fly. The late night 11 PM departure is good for maximizing sleep.

Hope this actual (very nicely discounted) cost of business class to Europe puts the lie to OPs $12k cost.

This is business one way and in April. Peak times will cost significantly more.

Yes but not $12k. Looked for late June, nonstop roundtrip IAD-LHR for a 10 day trip is $4k/person.

[Anonymous]

We use affiliate credit cards to add points to air miles.
We only fly business first now. Lie flat a must. All personal travel now but have big points stockpile from business and personal travel precovid. They don't expire because we keep using those affiliated credit cards.
But sometimes we pay cash or cash plus points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most business class people use points now a days.

We went to Japan recently and paid cash about $10,000 per person. Too long a flight for us old people to do premium economy.

Any flight over 5 hours we pay or use points for flying business or first class. But luckily we can easily afford to do that. Do I think it is a waste yes. Business isn't always fabulous it's mostly about lay flat seats and getting some rest.

My sister has traveled all over the world in economy her thought is the plane still gets her there just like me.

Just a personal preference.

Trump will make these costs rise exponentially by next spring.

Whew man, the idea of paying enough money that could get me a car for 24 hours of time is just, hard pill to swallow!

Yeah, I don’t love myself enough to drop 10k for an airline ticket. I guess if you make dumb money, it’s an option, but still….

Having flown to Japan many times, I guess I do love myself enough.

Well, if you can afford it, I guess have at it. I’ve flown to Korea a couple times in coach. I never had enough points to upgrade and work wasn’t paying for biz class, so I suffer. For personal travel, 10k for a ticket isn’t an option for me.

[Anonymous]

I can’t afford biz class seats. I actually couldn’t justify it for a flight to Europe. If you’re flying to London, Paris or Frankfurt, the flight isn’t actually that long. Flying to Asia is grueling. I could make a case for biz class seats on these flights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is such a timely post. I just booked four Business Class (Club World) on British Airways for an April trip to London out of Dulles. We are returning on economy but flights are non-stop both ways. Came out to $8500 total (BA was having a promo) and I almost had a stroke when I clicked that 'pay' button but we 1) depart on my birthday and 2) celebrating our 20th anniversary while in London and 3) it's the last big trip before our son goes off to college. Those are the mental gymnastics that I went through to justify it in my mind. It is most definitely a splurge and not something we would do again in the near future. I'd be lying if I said I was super excited, especially as our kids don't know about the fancy seats (at least on the way there).

Nice booking. I think BA is pulling the A380 from this route next year for refurbishment of the ancient business class, so you are probably almost surely going to get the significantly upgraded business class no matter what plane you fly. The late night 11 PM departure is good for maximizing sleep.

Hope this actual (very nicely discounted) cost of business class to Europe puts the lie to OPs $12k cost.

This is business one way and in April. Peak times will cost significantly more.

BA poster here and we depart 3/28, which is spring break so not slow season either. If I had been willing to pay for business class round trip it would have been $3K each. Not a drop in the bucket but also not crazy expensive. If it had just been my husband and I traveling I would have booked round trip in a heartbeat.

March is no high season for Europe, even if it is your spring break.

[Anonymous]

It isn’t a rational decision when you think about the per hour cost. But here is how I justify it:

1. It means that I get a lot more value out of the first day or two of vacation.
2. Health concerns- having had back and shoulder surgery I am not keen to spend 8 hours sitting up in an uncomfortable chair.
3. Opportunity cost. I have enough money nowadays to meet my needs, which other than this are relatively modest. So if I didn’t spend the money on this, it would probably just be adding to my kids’ inheritance. And having paid for their education, weddings and a small down payment on a house, I feel that I have done more than enough for them.

[Anonymous]

We are traveling to Europe to visit our kid studying abroad over Thanksgiving break. I think that constitutes peak pricing. Round trip business is $8,000 plus on our route, leaving from IAD. Half the flights are already sold out of business seats. Wound up paying around $14,000 for three people using a combo of points and we are flying back premium economy. Cost is going to be very time specific. Also, not everyone is going to London or Paris.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are traveling to Europe to visit our kid studying abroad over Thanksgiving break. I think that constitutes peak pricing. Round trip business is $8,000 plus on our route, leaving from IAD. Half the flights are already sold out of business seats. Wound up paying around $14,000 for three people using a combo of points and we are flying back premium economy. Cost is going to be very time specific. Also, not everyone is going to London or Paris.

Can you post an example of a flight in late November across the Atlantic that is sold out of business seats 2.5 months in advance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are traveling to Europe to visit our kid studying abroad over Thanksgiving break. I think that constitutes peak pricing. Round trip business is $8,000 plus on our route, leaving from IAD. Half the flights are already sold out of business seats. Wound up paying around $14,000 for three people using a combo of points and we are flying back premium economy. Cost is going to be very time specific. Also, not everyone is going to London or Paris.

Just looked for business class to Florence (popular spot for study abroad, figured), Nov 25, returning Dec 1, on Swiss through Zurich. $3,100 roundtrip in lie flat business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are traveling to Europe to visit our kid studying abroad over Thanksgiving break. I think that constitutes peak pricing. Round trip business is $8,000 plus on our route, leaving from IAD. Half the flights are already sold out of business seats. Wound up paying around $14,000 for three people using a combo of points and we are flying back premium economy. Cost is going to be very time specific. Also, not everyone is going to London or Paris.

Can you post an example of a flight in late November across the Atlantic that is sold out of business seats 2.5 months in advance?

Sure, all of the SAS flights leaving IAD to Copenhagen on 11/21 and two thirds of the flights same route on 11/22. There were others but don’t really want to recreate it all for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are traveling to Europe to visit our kid studying abroad over Thanksgiving break. I think that constitutes peak pricing. Round trip business is $8,000 plus on our route, leaving from IAD. Half the flights are already sold out of business seats. Wound up paying around $14,000 for three people using a combo of points and we are flying back premium economy. Cost is going to be very time specific. Also, not everyone is going to London or Paris.

Just looked for business class to Florence (popular spot for study abroad, figured), Nov 25, returning Dec 1, on Swiss through Zurich. $3,100 roundtrip in lie flat business.

If I’m going to Europe, with a job and other kids, I’m going weekend to weekend, not random weekdays. Most kids can miss Thanksgiving week of school, but we wouldn’t be taking off the following Monday.