First Class Freedom
You all know by now that I’m a little cheap. I’m always looking for ways to scrimp and save and find a smoking deal. That being said I’m also a huge fan of luxury and quality. I also know that sometimes when you go cheap you have to skip on the comfort and luxury. I often find myself weighing and balancing my cheapness with my love for comfort.
Flying can be one of the most stressful parts of traveling- we are all aware of this fact. It can be so uncomfortable- depending on how full your plane is, most of the time you are starving because lets face it those peanuts just aren’t cutting it anymore, stressed about being forced to check your luggage because there is no room in the overhead compartments, being stuck in the back of the plane when you are making a tight connection, long lines for the lavatory and the list just goes on and on!
 There is one ailment for this illness and that would be the glorious first class seat. More legroom, peace and quiet, easier access to a lavatory, first on the plane and first off so you aren’t worrying about your carry on luggage, all the snacks you can eat and depending on the length of the flight you even get a meal, and many many more perks! Totally worth it right? Well for most of us our only option is the coach seat based on our budgets… or is it? If you are like me and love to travel first class but can’t afford the pricey seat read this article from USA Today which talks about five ways to get a first class seat without paying for it.
It talks about looking for promotions, knowing when to pay for the upgrade, and offers other great informative tips. The article also mentions knowing what doesn’t work, for example feeding the gate agent some story and asking for an upgrade. You see it happen in airports all the time and let me tell you, gate agents are not authorized to upgrade coach passengers unless they have miles status or pay for an upgrade, rarely will they ever upgrade otherwise unless of extenuating circumstances- and even then it’s pretty rare. So leave them alone and do your research!
Tags: deals, first class, Travel Tips, USA Today
April 30th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Thanks a bunch for sharing this article – good info!
I also wanted to add that what my fiance and I tend to do is purchase 3 coach seats when we travel together. It may not offer meals, closer to the front of the plane, etc… but what it does offer is no guesswork about who you’re sitting next to, no watching your elbows to keep out of someone’s way, no fighting for leg room – you can sit yourself diagonally and put your legs toward the center seat. You can use the center tray table and leave more room in front of you.. etc.
It’s a cheap alternative if you just can’t get an upgrade and can’t pay for first class. Works great for us! Just wanted to put that out there in case it helps someone
May 3rd, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Hi, I just found your blog and am I glad I did. I will be lurking around for great tips and idea. But as I’m travelling at the moment (vacation), my visits might be a bit sporadic. Great stuff here!