Are flight upgrades worth it to you?

[Dopplerineffect]

If you are not rich earning a modest income with a bit of play money. Not talking about the super rich.

Going away with my friend soon,looking at flights it is 2k more for first class ( I know can usually be 10k) then premium economy is another 400. She wants to go premium.

I have flown both but think its a waste for 10 hours but then when stuck in the cattlle market. I have regretted it. However it is only 10 hours.
Aghhh its a waste isn’t it?

If it’s a work trip they pay for me to fly business. If the flight is for a family trip we go business class using the 000’s of points we’ve accumulated.

I find that's the only trouble with having done it once for a special occasion - it ruins you for everything else

This is so true! I was "introduced" to business class due to a super special offer a few years ago. Qatar were doing a super cheap business class promotion. From then on I couldn't bear to go economy on a long haul again.

I've had the opposite experience to most people on this thread - always travelled business or first class up until a few years ago and now only travel economy. A family member worked for an airline, so the discounts made it feasible to travel first and business. I'm now mostly no longer eligible for the discount and was dreading sitting in economy for trips but it's actually fine, I don't really miss first and business. The food was honestly not that great for what you pay and yes, having a bed was nice but I'm not prepared to pay 2-3x more on a fare when that could buy me 2-3 additional holidays. But I'm petite anyway so I can understand why it's more difficult for taller people.

I paid £14 for extra leg room on my summer holiday and it was worth every penny. £2,400? Not so much.

@Rogersnextdoublespartner has it. Would you take 1k for a missed sleep. Absolutely.

Also people frothing about 'extra drinks' in premium cabins. You do know if you go to the galley in economy that they will give you more drinks right? On my regular 27hr jaunts to and from NZ and UK it's my excuse to get up every 99 minutes and wander about.. and grab another gin.

I would consider premium for a ten hour flight. But £400 could easily be my entire spending money so I’d probably suck it up and not spend it tbh.

Also people frothing about 'extra drinks' in premium cabins

😂😂. Frothing? Are you sure posters are frothing ?

Nah, I just pretend I am in a crowded bus for 10 hours.

I fly business on business travel. It is great but I am not paying that for the entire family! Just pretend you are in a bus.

Absolutely! We have been to the Dominican Republic for the last 2 years and we are going to Antigua in December and flying business class makes all the difference - the holiday starts in the lounge!!

Would you take 1k for a missed sleep. Absolutely

Yes I would miss a sleep for 1k but not where it involves 12 hours of torture being strapped into a seat where I have literally no room to move and end up in pain. Big difference from just missing a nights sleep.

We can't afford anything higher than Premium and we've found that it didn't make a lot of difference and we started sitting in exit row seats. We are flying Premium to Atlanta next year though as we wanted the extra luggage allowance (we are doing a 3 week road trip) and, by the time we'd paid to pre-book exit row seats there wasn't a lot of difference in cost.

If money was no object I'd be flying First!

When I travel long haul I can only fly premium economy or business!

I have tried all and I would go for Business if it was double the price of Economy (like last time!). Premium I don't rate at all especially BA. Virgin's is better but not cheapalthough if you can book upstairs is much quieter.

Who is getting upgrades for a few hundred quid??? We pay about 2 grand extra at least per person to fly business Doha to London return. Maybe we are doing it wrong...

I think maybe the couple of hundred pounds is regular to premium?

(Or a short europe flight)

If not yes I am also getting it wrong!

JJS Two ways to get upgrades for less is for the flight to be short haul or to do the upgrade at check in.

I'm surprised so many people value access to the lounge so much. I bring my own food onto the plane no matter where I sit on the plane these days. For me the only allure of business are the flat beds and the extra space for my DC. I'm fine in economy though and don't want my kids always in business thinking it's normal. DS has some pretty major sensory issues so it's a lot better for him to have the extra space.

The trick for getting cheaper business class is to not fly from Heathrow. I think I read somewhere that their airport taxes are the highest in the world. That certainly does bear out when you look at prices. My last flight was with KLM, which was London City airport (which is actually my preferred airport) to Amsterdam (flight is only an hour). Essentially there is no stop over, you just walk from one plane to another (officially stop over was an hour) then from there straight to Tokyo.

I would 100% want to be in at least Premium Economy for 10 hours.

I have really long legs so Economy seats are just uncomfortable for me.

TBH, if I could afford it then I would stump for first class, but £2k is out of my price range sadly!

Ugh we tried Gatwick once but wasn't worth the premium. I think for Middle East, either fly business and make it convenient or fly economy. My recent work flight was cancelled and they moved me to BA. Staff lovely but cabin filthy and even in first, help yourself snacks. As a family we have learned that if you want a nice flight, book overnight business or first, ask to be fed immediately after take off and sleep. Business for both of us have different experiences every time, from terrible (BA) to sublime (Qatar) to beyond amazing (Saudi)

Agree BA not worth the money. Recently flew Business: lovely staff, filthy cabin and seats, food nothing special. Awful customer service. Very much a low-cost airline in everything by name

JJS888 my last upgrade AUH-LHR was about £450 each way economy to business in A380. Price for economy return: £480 (ish). Price for paying for business up front: £4250. Tots spend still around £1300, but it was two overnight flights, landing at 7am and in the office by 8. More than worth it.

I concur with the PP - it’s not just time in the air. You get the proper lounge, not the one where anyone can pay into so it’s generally quieter with better drinks. Priority check in so no queues. Priority boarding. Fast track immigration. Chauffeur service to and from the airport.

I once had a 5 hour delay on the tarmac. Was very grateful for my business seat that day - delays on the plane are always much better when there’s free flowing champagne and then 9 hours to sleep it off in a flatbed 😁

Lounges are getting pretty shit in most airports, especially since many of them allow you to simply buy access for a small fee. They are not able to cope with all the crowds. So I certainly wouldn't upgrade for that. Priority check in and security are great though, meaning you don't have to get to airport hours earlier just in case.
And if it's a night flight, a proper lie flat bed makes a massive difference, you can have a good nights sleep and arrive all rested.

Wow, ok I am missing something here and must learn!

Upgrading at the airport? Or is this upgrading after buying the economy tickets up front?

I also agree with the whole experience just being easier, the check in, security, I enjoy travelling in all the ways (I've taken train my rooftop in India and crazy but wow!), but I definitely arrive somewhere so much more smoothly and comfortable when the trip has been no fuss and comfortable!