8 reasons first-class airfare is so expensive
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How to Fly First Class for Cheap
Anthony Battle is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. He earned the Chartered Financial Consultant® designation for advanced financial planning, the Chartered Life Underwriter® designation for advanced insurance specialization, the Accredited Financial Counselor® for Financial Counseling and both the Retirement Income Certified Professional®, and Certified Retirement Counselor designations for advance retirement planning.
How Do You Fly First Class for Cheap?
As airlines continue to nibble away at the amenities, the comfort space, and the all-around ambiance of the coach cabin, flying first-class for cheap has come to seem like the impossible dream for many travelers. The same goes for business class, where you’re more likely to see seats, especially on domestic flights.
But there are ways to realize that dream. Below, we’ll look at some tips for scoring seats in the front of the plane—be it first class or business class—without breaking your wallet.
Key Takeaways
- Try to avoid buying business or first-class tickets outright, always—or at least, purchase seats on weekends, when fewer corporate travelers fly (fares might be lower).
- Joining airline loyalty programs and using co-branded credit cards can often earn you enough miles or points to buy premium seats.
- One tactic is to buy a coach seat, then use your frequent flyer points to upgrade to first class.
- It might be possible to upgrade a seat for less, or even for free, close to departure when you are checking in, or at the gate.
Understanding How to Get Cheap First Class Flights
Don’t Book Business Class Directly
You might be tempted to invest in a business-class ticket and then plan to upgrade to first. Don’t. A business-class ticket can cost as much as five times more than a coach ticket. Although flying business class is a better experience, it’s not five times better. Plus, you’ll probably pay a fortune to get into first class.
Easy Up Fares
Andy Abramson, CEO of Comunicano, Inc., and one of the first Business Traveler magazine’s Business Travelers of the Year, recommends making use of easy-up fares. The way to do this is by purchasing “an upgradeable coach or premium economy fare, and then applying your points to get into first class,” he says. In other words, don’t buy expensive; buy cheap, and then upgrade.
Remain Loyal
Airline loyalty programs aren’t what they used to be: Even for frequent travelers, the perks have been peeling away. All the same, they’re worth joining. Those miles you earn will add up, and eventually, you can use them for a free upgrade. But watch for the expiration dates on points and make sure to read all e-mails and other communiqués that come from the airline about the program.
Use Elite or Airline Credit Cards
Some of the mid-tier cards offer travel rewards, but the elite travel cards are where to find the real perks. Cards such as American Express Platinum, Chase Sapphire Preferred, and some of the co-branded cards like the Delta SkyMiles American Express card or the United MileagePlus Card offer big bonuses if you sign up and spend a certain amount within a short period.
For example, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express card—the most basic of the three Delta-Amex co-branded cards—was offering new cardholders 70,000 bonus miles if they spent $2,000 within their first six months (offer ends 3/29/23). The higher-tier Delta SkyMiles Platinum card offered 90,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles after $4,000 in purchases in the first six months (offer ends 3/29/23).
“Once you pick an airline, the best advice is to get that airline’s co-branded card,” says Rosemarie Clancy, former vice-president of content and marketing at RewardExpert.com. “Many offer 50,000-mile sign-up bonuses, which is more than half the miles needed to get to Europe in first class, for instance.
“Once you meet your minimum spend, which is usually around $4,000, think about getting a second card for your business, spouse, or even yourself, especially one with transferable points like American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards,” Clancy adds. “The Chase Sapphire cards offer bonus points [after spending a certain amount in the first three months] which are often enough, when combined with a mile bonus on an airline card, for one first-class round-trip ticket to London or Paris.”
These more general travel cards can be more expensive than the co-branded ones (which aren’t exactly cheap, either): The American Express Platinum has an annual fee of $550, whereas the Delta SkyMiles Platinum Amex charges $250. But if you travel a little more frequently than the average vacationer and you want maximum flexibility, the annual fee pays for itself quickly in perks and rewards.
Buy the Points
There are plenty of websites that allow you to buy and sell points, but steer clear of them. Major airlines frown on the practice, and it may result in you losing your miles or not being able to use the miles you purchased.
Instead, purchase points directly from the airline. They usually cost 2.5 cents per mile, but keep an eye out for promotional pricing deals. Whether it results in paying less for your first-class seat depends on many variables, so crunch the numbers before you purchase.
Fly When Business Travelers Don’t
Business travelers fly all week. The last thing they want to do is fly on the weekends. That’s why you won’t see as many people flying in business suits on Saturdays and Sunday mornings. That might leave more premium seats up for grabs, and at lower rates.
First-class seats tend to get cheaper on weekends, when most business travelers aren’t flying.
Watch for the Open Seat
If your coach seat is towards the front of the plane, listen for the cabin door to shut. If there’s an open first-class seat, ask the flight attendant if you can move. Although free upgrades at the gate are becoming scarce, things might be more easygoing on-board. Of course, it always helps if you take the time to strike up a conversation with the attendant when you first board the plane.
Upgrade at Check-In
If you really want an upgraded seat and don’t have the miles to get it for free, purchase an upgrade when you check-in, even if you’re doing it online. If there are seats available, airlines will often offer them at a discounted rate—since there are only 24 hours before takeoff at this point.
If you don’t mind the gamble, ask the gate attendant what they’re charging for the upgrade. It might be even cheaper than the reduced online rate.
Business vs. First Class
If you’re wondering about the difference between first-class and business class, the answer is that it depends on the airline, the specific aircraft, and the route. At some airlines, there is no difference. At others, first class is a definite step above business class, especially on international flights.
As a rule of thumb, first-class customers have no—or at most one—seat next to them. They enjoy better service (i.e. flight attendants assigned exclusively to their cabin), higher-quality food and drinks, and access to the most luxe airport lounges.
But first-class seats can be pricey. In some parts of the world, a ticket could cost you thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. A first-class ticket from New York to Singapore on Singapore Airlines, the most luxurious flight in the world, can cost over $16,000 per person, for example. Of course, that does get you your very own suite on the plane, a double bed, and meals cooked by world-renowned chefs.
Unless you’re truly in the financial stratosphere, it’s difficult to justify the cost of a first-class seat if business class is available. The perks are similar, especially on domestic flights.
Is it Worth Flying First Class?
Is it Worth Flying First Class?
It depends on the airline; a first-class ticket on a longer, international flight may feel worth it to enjoy a more comfortable experience.
How Do You Ask for an Upgrade to First Class?
You can upgrade to first class anytime before the plane takes off. To fly first class for a relatively low up-charge, or even for free if you have airline status, ask for an upgrade close to departure when you are checking in or at the gate.
How Much Does It Cost to Upgrade to First Class?
It depends on the airline and the distance being flown. Some airlines charge a few hundred dollars to upgrade an economy ticket to first class.
How Much Does It Cost to Fly Business Class?
While an economy ticket from San Francisco to New York could cost approximately $250, a business-class ticket could cost more than double that amount—and go as high as $1,000. Prices will depend on each airline and route. It’s easy to compare prices on sites like Google Flights, Expedia (EXPE), and Kayak by making sure to unselect “economy” and choose first or business class.
How Much Does It Cost to Upgrade to First Class?
The Bottom Line
“In the old days status fliers would get upgraded at the gate,” Andy Abramson says. “That’s [still] possible on long hauls when there’s plenty of first and business class inventory on the plane, but these days we have smaller planes and fewer seats to fill up.”
It’s not going to be easy to get the upgrade for cheap. In most cases, you will have to pay for something. But especially for longer flights, it might be well worth the extra cost.
8 reasons first-class airfare is so expensive
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- First-class plane tickets can cost as much as 70% more than economy airfare, and even more for international flights.
- Such a high price tag makes flying first class an unattainable dream for many travelers.
- It’s so expensive, in part, because it enables airlines to offer other tickets at a discount; it comes with coveted perks and pampering; and customers are willing to pay for it.
First class has come a long way since the days when extra leg room was considered luxurious.
From offering meals by Michelin-starred chefs to in-flight showers, today’s first-class experience offers so much more than it used to. One could call it a first-class hotel in the sky.
But all that jet-set glamour comes at a steep cost — as much as a 70% increase in fares compared with economy, possibly even more if you’re flying internationally.
Currently, an American Airlines economy flight from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City to Heathrow Airport in the UK in July 2018 is $915. If you’re flying first class on the same airline, that cost increases to $5,407.
Unless you’re savvy with your airline miles and points, this high price tag renders first class an unattainable dream for many passengers.
As someone who hates being crammed like a sardine in a can for eight-plus hours but is far from being able to afford the ultimate upgrade — and has yet to master the art of nabbing a plane’s prime real estate for next to nothing — I can’t help questioning why first class has to be so out of reach.
Here, eight reasons first class is so expensive.
First class offers coveted perks and pampering.
One of the biggest appeals of first class is also why it’s so expensive: the perks.
Airplanes have notoriously bad food, but it’s a different story in first class, where menus of fine dining quality and dishes created by Michelin-starred chefs are often available — think Mahi-Mahi with lemon herb sauce, grilled asparagus, and jasmine rice. Some airlines are even said to serve Ben and Jerry’s ice cream sundaes.
Rumor has it that American Airlines saved an estimated $40,000 by removing one olive in each salad served in first class.
And once passengers are fueled up on quality food, they’re able to slip into a food coma with a flat bed, bedding, and turn-down service. If that’s not enough to catch some Zzz’s, airlines also provide pajamas and eye masks.
Other possible perks include a private TV screen; in-flight WiFi; goodies, from expensive gift bags to knitted socks; and showers. The Emirates A380 has two shower spas, complete with heated floors.
First class provides exclusive access in the airport.
Special treatment isn’t confined to the airplane, though.
First-class passengers also have special access to first-class airport lounges before and after flights, where they can grab a drink pre-flight or take a shower upon arrival. Some lounges even offer free mani-pedis.
As if that’s not enough, some airlines even shuttle passengers to their connecting flight in a Porsche or Mercedes.
First class banks on passengers’ willingness to pay.
“At a certain level of wealth, price doesn’t make much difference,” writes one Quora user who has flown in first class.
“Because I only travel like that a few times per year, and because $2,000 and $8,000 are both so close to zero as to be effectively the same, I choose to travel in first,” wrote the Quora user. “It changes the trip from something to dread into something to look forward to. I earn around $20,000 per week, so ya gotta put it in perspective.”
As travel blogger Ben Schlappig writes in his blog, One Mile At a Time, “The cost of airfare is incredibly dynamic and is all about what consumers are willing to pay, rather than how much they should pay to cover their ‘fair share.'”
Some are willing to pay a premium for the convenience of first class. A family with a toddler or a businessman who can get work done on the plane and land ready for a meeting are both better off leaving the plane refreshed and less stressed with minimal jet lag.
First-class prices allow airlines to discount tickets and offer promotions.
A major airline executive told Schlappig that airlines don’t expect anyone to pay full fare for first class; the fare is purposely set high so it can be discounted.
“C orporate contracts and incentives are at the heart of high first-class pricing,” writes Schlappig. “Some companies have big contracts that get them upgrades or discounted first-class fares, and that can still be very lucrative for airlines.”
But more airlines are beginning to extend the discounts beyond the corporate setting, he added. Swiss and Air France recently offered discounts to passengers willing to pay for first class if the deal is reasonable enough. The latter offered a round-trip first-class flight between London and Hong Kong via Paris for $4,600 — much lower than $20,000 first-class fares elsewhere.
Some airlines also have promotions that offer free upgrades to first class when paying for a full- fare business-class ticket.
People aren’t actually paying for first class.
Because larger companies have contracts or negotiated fares for first-class employee travel, many people aren’t paying for their tickets, whether they’re an employee or being sponsored.
“At my last job, VPs and above were authorized to fly first class on international routes,” writes a United million mile flyer who used frequent flier miles to buy a first-class ticket to Melbourne, Australia — yet another way people don’t actually pay for first class.
“I can’t speak on behalf of all airlines, but I’ve had a few friends at some airlines show me numbers, and you’d be surprised by how few people are actually booked on full-fare tickets (or maybe you wouldn’t be surprised),” writes Schlappig. “So those $25,000 tickets? Very, very few people are actually paying those kinds of fares.”
First class is perceived as a luxury good.
First class creates a sense of exclusivity and high prices are necessary to maintain luxurious standards.
“When someone does sit in first class, they feel like they’re getting outsized value, whether in the form of an upgrade, award, or discounted first-class ticket,” writes Schlappig.
Other associated costs have increased for first class.
Ticket prices today for both first class and economy are higher than they were 20 years ago because other associated costs have increased.
In 1996, airline fuel cost 55 cents per gallon. As of April 2018, it cost $2.02 per gallon.
“Airlines can’t absorb all of that increase, so they pass some of that on to the consumer, leading to higher fares,” writes travel blogger Nomadic Matt, who added that airline taxes and security fees have also increased, hiking up the base fare.
First class takes up a lot of real estate.
Seats are up to 32 inches wide with a max pitch of 92 inches in first class, according to travel site Momondo. This helps give the passenger more privacy and comfort.
As one Quora user explains: On long-haul planes, a first-class seat takes up as much real estate as four to six economy seats, so it should be sold at least four to six times the price or more, considering the competition for economy. The perks are there to help justify the price difference to the customer.
And that’s not to mention first-class suites — yes, they exist.
Etihad’s A380 has the option of three different first-class suites, including a three-room suite with a living room, double-bed bedroom, and private bathroom with a shower. It’s all yours for a $32,000 one-way ticket between New York and Abu Dhabi, reports Momondo.
The location of first class is also the most convenient for boarding and deplaning.
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