When my husband and I took a trip to Hawaii years back, we were initially tempted to upgrade our tickets to business class. After all, we were looking at a long flight, and we figured we’d be way more comfortable having the extra space.
In the end, I talked my husband out of flying business class. And while he’s traveled in business class many times over for work purposes, I’ve never taken a business class flight.
Part of that is because I’ve never had an employer cover the cost of a business class ticket. And also, it’s because I refuse to spend my money on business class. Here’s why.
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1. I hate flying no matter what
To say I’m a nervous flyer would be putting things mildly. My poor husband is used to having his circulation cut off by my anxious grip every time we take off or experience turbulence. And even though I’ve flown plenty of times, my brain just can’t get comfortable with the idea of being trapped in an airplane 30,000 feet above the ground.
Because of this, it’s just not worth the money for me to spring for business class. I’m going to be miserable on any given flight, no matter what. It’s just how I roll. So why spend $1,500 to be miserable in a more spacious seat when I can save money and be miserable for $500 in a regular seat instead?
2. I can’t enjoy a good meal in motion
One of the perks of flying business class is getting to enjoy a higher-end meal as part of your experience. But I’m someone who can’t really eat more than a few bites of food if I’m in motion. This holds true whether I’m taking a car trip or on a plane — eating more than a tiny bit induces too much motion sickness.
Since I can’t really enjoy a business class meal as a part of a flight, it’s another reason to not upgrade my ticket. Plus, even though business class food might be better than what you get in economy, let’s be real — it’s not the same thing as a gourmet restaurant. Like I said, my husband has flown business class before, and he’d classify most of the meals he’s been served as acceptable but not great.
3. I’d rather spend more at my destination than getting there
Like many people, I have a limited travel budget. So the way I see it, I’d rather spend less money on a flight to free up more money for experiences at my destination. I’d even rather pay less to fly but spring for a nicer hotel room, since I might be staying at a given location for multiple nights, as opposed to taking a five- or eight-hour flight and being done with it.
Should you pay for business class?
There can be definite benefits to flying business class, so to be clear, just because it’s not a worthwhile expense for me doesn’t mean it’s wrong for you. If you’re taking an overnight flight, a business class ticket could give you access to a seat that allows for a decent night’s sleep. That could make it possible for you to enjoy your first day at your destination without feeling totally jet-lagged.
Plus, if you have a long wait between connecting flights, a business class ticket normally gives you airport lounge access. That could make your wait a lot more comfortable.
Of course, you’ll need to weigh the cost of business class against the perks. But you may be able to book a business class ticket for less by using a travel rewards credit card. If you sign up for a new one with a generous welcome offer and meet the spending threshold, you may get enough miles to completely cover an upgraded flight, less taxes and fees.
All told, you don’t necessarily have to write off the idea of business class because of the money, because you never know when the cost to upgrade won’t be so substantial. But if you’re like me, you may want to save your money for other vacation costs and just endure each flight you take in a regular old seat.
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