Do you fly, economy, business or 1st class?
 

I traveled from Sydney to LA then to NY back in 2004 and it was a hell of a long trip. 17 hours from Sydney to LA and about 5 hours to NY from LA.

I'm hoping to make the Miami show coming up in a few months. But im wondering what the difference really is in flights.

Economy class = $2000 to $3000 return
Business class = $6000 to $14,000 return
1st class = $14,000 to $18,000 return

Maybe I should just get 2 economy seats next to each other. :)

I'm scared of flying, I usually take a submarine

I fly economy most of the time however sometimes buy Around The World tickets where I will fly business or first class for every leg. Those end up being KILLER deals where you can pay around $3000 for the biz or 1st class seats for many different destinations, so long as you fit your tour into their rules. Though the more you want to be flexible, the more it will cost you.

ATW tix usually are good for a year, so if you travel often, it is the way to go if you want to have better seats for a much cheaper price.

For example, for about $2500 USD, last year I flew from Chicago >> Bangkok >> Hong Kong >> Hawaii >> LA >> Chicago. I could have had more stops, but that is what fit into my plan, ALL business and first class seats. It took en entire year to do it and you can stay at any stop for as long or little as you like. You can also take side trips unrated to your ATW ticket once you're at a stop. So say once you're in Bangkok, you can visit Vietnam and Singapore on a discounted Asian airline and then back to Bangkok in time for your departure date.

Pretty bad ass.

if you've ever flown business or 1st you would never ask what the difference is ;)

All business and 1st classes arn't created equal as well, depends what airlines you fly...I fly Singapore Airlines as my first choice and only Emirates and Qatar Airlines have met the same standards they set.

That said a buddy of mine recently travelled from HK to Australia with Quantus and he said he was impressed with their service and comfort.

If you have so much money that an extra $15,000 doesn't matter, then first class is an obvious choice because it's a lot more comfortable for those few hours. If it's a choice between spending your limited amount of money on a flight upgrade or on having a nicer hotel for your whole trip, or on having a longer trip, then I don't think the flight is a big priority. I go to sleep anyway.

Economy...because I'm balling like that.

I fly lots of long flights and I do economy. I sleep so paying the mark up from 1k to the 3k needed for first class is too much for what I get.

Economy always, I know many will say they only fly first class yada yada.
But my money is valuable to me to waste on a bigger seat, rather just suck it up for a while.

economy, I try and snag aisle exit row seats,towards the front, where u can strech out. Unless of course I can get a bump to business for nothing:winkwink:

Everyone drives at $100,000 car here.. and lives in a $1,000,000+ mansion...you didn't know?
I'm with you on that though.. economy all the way. It's not like i'm living on the plane and I can suck it up just as long as I can get a window seat. I hate people who get window seats who close the window the entire flight... like being in a tin can - fuckers!

:2 cents:

now THAT sounds like a pretty good deal :thumbsup

That usually isn't a problem, since the ones who are in the aisle seats are the ones who have to know how to open the emergency exits and assist, and most people avoid that row... so just by asking the clerk when you book for those seats - your practically gauranteed to get them.

i get to all destination with my bike

Economy even though I have problems with my back.

thats sick, which airlines offer atw tickets?

Economy... I can't justify the 3-5x price hike for a few hours of comfort.

I like to sit out on the wing... Plenty of fresh air!

Nah, biz class usually, allthough we did get bumped up to first once ! LOVELY !!!

If you are buying RTW tickets buy it in Bangkok where you get the best price

I'm scared off flying.. especially from the day one of my ex bf.s wanted to show me how great heli pilot he is.

Same here, we're only talking a couple hours for 3-5X the price, suck it up in economy for a few hours and save a couple thousand bucks. Put the money you save into a better hotel room.
WG

under 3 hour flight I usally fly coach, over that business if international, 1st when domestic...

Usually Premium ecconomy with Virgin when flying transatlatic, which is a kinda combo.

Last year I actually downgraded myself to ecconomy which was practically empty. 4 ecconomy seats = 1 bed:thumbsup

I got upgraded to their "Upper Class" in January which was nice, but in my view not work the $10k pricetag.

Best bit was being able to have a power shower upon return to LHR:thumbsup

Always ecconomy to home in Tenerife, no such thing as first class here:D

"Those of us, who fly only 1st class, pay only by gold amex cards and sleeps only in 5 stars hotels" :1orglaugh .....I guess everyone knows this GFY idiot I am writing about.

should'nt that be Platinum or Black Amex ??:1orglaugh

short flights economy, flights longer than 3 hrs i do first class.

Economy + sleeping pills

Book a flight were you can check in online.
As soon as online check in opens (usually 24 hours before) check in and pick a seat towards the back of the plane since airlines fill up from front to back.
Be one of the last ones to board then you can see which seats are empty and if you can get a couple of seats by yourself. If you see an empty row ask one of the flight attendants if its OK you move there.

My last 10 intercontinental flights its only happened once that I didn't have a empty seat next to me and that flight was fully booked.

I've flown CPH-LHR-LAX, CPH-ATL-LAX, CPH-MXP-ATL, CPH-BKK and a few other 10+ hours flights and with a sleeping pill I don't need business or first class. Unless you can easily afford to upgrade save the money and spend it on your destination instead.

Flown business once CPH-GIG-GRU and it wasn't worth the extra money. If I had to pay myself I would never book business/first unless I won the lottery. I used to be 400 pounds (down to 230 now :)) and I booked 2 economy seats to make sure I could fit but I wouldn't do that today even if I got a very good deal, one thing to note if you book 2 economy seats you only need to pay the airport tax for one of the seats you should contact the airline/travel agent directly about it, I got a call from Delta about it after booking 2 seats in the same name.

Exactly is not like you are crossing the Atlantic on the QE2.

I stuff myself in a cage and bunk with the pets in the belly of the plane

If someone can, for sure buy it in Bangkok. It is indeed cheaper to buy it there. :thumbsup

Another trick for flying economy is to be the last person on the plane OR be on the plane and have your eyes looking for empty rows. The SECOND the door to the plane closes, go own that seat, they let you. If someone else tries to sit in the row at this time, tell them you are ill and want to lay down, please go sit somewhere else.

Often you can find totally empty rows on some flights and you can lay down across them all. The poor mans first class. heh

If flying United, get the Economy Plus seats that give you a few more inches of leg room. It makes a world of difference on long flights.

In addition, avoid the rows in front of the exits, the seats do not recline. Also avoid the rows in the very back in front of the toilets. Those usually don't recline all the way and they are in a high noise area due to people shitting and pissing the entire flight. However, often this back row is open and is available to snag to lay down in so... take your ear plugs and sleep in this row, but don't pay for it.

1st of all there is nothing in America worth spending 32k for a roundtrip ticket

This thread appears to be some feeble attempt at self validation in this business or something.

Unless you are a fortune 500 CEO you do not I repeat you do not even consider that kind of money for a roundtrip airline ticket.

Hell not even 20 k for a ticket unless you are going to meet Bill Gates face to face because he wants to hard integrate your porn directory into the next version of windows.

Stop fooling yourself brother?

you don?t have to lie to kick it....

I cant even afford to spend 10k on a roundtrip flight for a freakin web master convention?

are you serious??? Retarded?? Crazy???

Or just full of shit?

Invest in some virtual meeting software and a few web cams and stop looking at your life in the mirror with beer goggles on

Short flight always fly economy, long ones over 10 hours trying to get good business deals. China Air and Royal Jordanian cost only 1K USD one way to Europe from Asia in business.

Well, I ask because im 6f4" tall, size 18 shoes. I don't fit well into economy seats. I feel like im in a tin can. And traveling 23 hours in a tin can do some unnormal things to a man. :)

Economy. I am small so it's not uncomfortable for me. Also, to be honest, comfort isn't important to me. I am used to being uncomfortable, I am used to pain. I have been uncomfortable for most of my life in all sorts of different ways, emotionally, socially, sometimes physically, I am used to always having to sacrifice and always having to "bear" something. I am used to misery. I am used to suffering. Being in economy is no misery at all, it's nothing. It's fun. As long as I have a window seat, I like to look out the window.

Also I'm cheap. I like to save money.

A few travel tips...

Book economy, then when you get to the airport, ask if they have a "good price" to upgrade - if the flight is not crowded, you can quite often get a First Class seat for $50 (worth the price in free drinks and faster baggage alone).

It's the same with hotels - especially in cities like Las Vegas...

Once you arrive, ask how much it costs to upgrade and often you can get a suite upgrade for cheap - way below the price you would have paid if you booked it before traveling.

Worst case, you still get what you paid for... :2 cents:

ADG

I fly economic....I smoke weed...

By the time you pay for 4 people 1st class you're probably better off chartering a private jet!

Where's the value in 1st class. You pay 4 times the price to use twice the space...