Most commonly:

1. They aren't paying (an employer or some other kind of deep-pocketed institution is). This is most of the cabin.

2. They used points. Either they travel a lot for work, or had some kind of credit card strategy.

3. They are splurging. If a handful of people do it once or twice in a lifetime, that's enough to keep the seats filled.

4. They are semi-rich or living above their means. Flying first is an indulgence that hits their wallet, but they choose to absorb the impact or run up debt.

DH and I each come from generational wealth. We're very lucky.

We travel a ton for work (own the business). Never ever pay for business or 1st but travel enough that the points add up and just use those to upgrade for both business and personal travel. Also try to be loyal to one airline/alliance so your status benefits you for upgrades. We try to stay w/ united and are global services so have a good chance of getting upgrades when on the waitlist (still use the points but at least actually get the seat). We're also creative when booking. Sometimes have to book 2 different round trips and combine them and never use the last leg, etc. We also try to be flexible such as will take a non-direct flight to somewhere in europe the connection is good and am able to upgrade vs a direct flight w/o an upgrade and having to go to a meeting wrecked

Anonymous wrote:I’ve flown first calls domestically and that’s usually pretty affordable, but I don’t understand how people can afford to fly first class on long international flights such as from DC to Dubai or California to Turkey. The price is often over $15,000 per person. Like how?? How do people afford this?!

A lot of people I know do it through credit cards with the sign on bonus. And I work in consulting so you can rack up points that way too

Points and status from traveling a lot if it’s domestic.

Frequent traveler here. On most flights, airlines set aside just 1-3 seats as award seats for use with FF miles. Most people you see in business class paid for it.

Tickets are rarely $15k. OP used an example of flying to Istanbul. You buy a ticket right now to fly 7/22-7/30 from Dulles to Istanbul in busienss class for $4,400 on Qatar Airways via Doha. The nonstop (on Turkish) is $5,800.

I fly a lot for business class for work, but I know my meetings a few months in advance. I'm flying to India later this year for $4,100, and going to Asia for $4,000. I used to be able to fly to Asia for about $3,300 pre-Covid, but prices have gone up.

You just need to look around, plan, and be willing to have a connection.

Anonymous wrote:Their company pays for it.

This. My brother hasn't flown anything but first class in a long time. He buys the tix on his CC and his company reimburses him. He uses his points to fly first class on his own trips.

Business owners funneling the cost thru their company and deducting from business profits. There’s lots of ways to turn a vacation into a business trip.

Points.

The only people who pay rack rate for First Class are incredibly rich or incredibly stupid or both.

Anonymous wrote:I’ve flown first calls domestically and that’s usually pretty affordable, but I don’t understand how people can afford to fly first class on long international flights such as from DC to Dubai or California to Turkey. The price is often over $15,000 per person. Like how?? How do people afford this?!

Most people not flying for work are flying first class on credit card points gained from travel hackign/points & miles game. Its a whole thing.

Anonymous wrote:Their company pays for it.

Aka their clients.

Their company pays for it.

They have the money.

Wealthy people exist. High HHI people exist.

I’ve flown first calls domestically and that’s usually pretty affordable, but I don’t understand how people can afford to fly first class on long international flights such as from DC to Dubai or California to Turkey. The price is often over $15,000 per person. Like how?? How do people afford this?!