First Class tips

What do American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, and Air France each have in common? They’ve all reported red-hot demand for premium cabins in recent months – and they’re not alone.

Boarding a plane can be a frustrating travel experience. The lines are long, and it’s almost always slowed down by passengers storing their carry-ons in the overhead bins. 

If you thought the concept of flying first class was dying out, think again.

I last checked in at the half-year, highlighting the few brands, ideas, and services that deserved a hat tip for their executions. There were a lot of exciting ideas: At that point, we’d gone from the precariousness of a global pandemic into a full-throttle, growth sprint for luxury. Interest in high-end experiences continued to surge, along with eye-watering room rates.  

Abu Dhabi, back in 2012, started construction on a new airport terminal that by 2017, was supposed to establish it as a hub for global air traffic. 

When it comes to premium cabins, most of the innovation happens in the Asia-Pacific region (including the Middle East). This is where most premium airlines are, and they all want the big money customers.

One of the most debated questions in airline boardrooms is how to use real estate on aircraft to generate the most money. 

You could say that Nia Vardalos—the actor, writer, executive producer, and director who introduced the masses to Greek and Greek-American culture via her My Big Fat Greek Wedding films—is most at home in the country of Greece itself. In fact, when she appeared on Zoom for her chat with Condé Nast Traveler, she called in from the rocky island of Hydra. “I realize that my bikini is literally drying on the windowsill,” she laughed about the view of her background. 

When you walk into a plane, the first thing you’ll notice is just how utterly impeccable first class looks. Those plush seats, all that extra legroom, and the ultra-attentive service from crew members make it seem like a super inviting place, especially as you walk on by to your smaller, more crowded economy class seat.

This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Cliff Brush , a full-time content creator who lives in South Florida with his big, fluffy Goldendoodle named Brodie . The essay has been edited for length and clarity.

First class travel is not going anywhere despite recent moves by several airlines to cut the posh seats from planes that fly long, intercontinental routes.

The allure of flying first class comes with the reality of sticker shock—if you're looking to get from Point A to B on the same flight but with upgraded perks, a seat can cost as much as four times more than in the economy cabin. And since those added benefits differ by airlines, price tags can vary quite significantly.

Earlier this summer, I flew roundtrip from New York City to Paris on JetBlue. On the way there, I flew in Mint, the airline's business class section, and returned in an "even more space" seat, an economy option with more legroom. 

Moving to the front of the plane is a dream from most economy passengers. But many don’t know where to start when strategizing how to get upgraded to first class.

The major U.S. airlines offer a range of service levels in the hope of appealing to a range of customers. Domestic first class and international business class attract the least price sensitive customers with capacious seats, ample storage space, and premium amenities. From there, things go downhill - from “premium economy” to the dreaded “basic economy,” seats shrink and amenities disappear.

A few days before I was due to return to London from Sydney, I upgraded my $6,500 British Airways ticket from business class to first class for an additional $500. 

Most elite members of Delta ‘s SkyMiles program probably didn’t pore over the airline’s recent Investor Day presentation. And of those that did, only a handful got as far as Slide 37 in the 56-slide deck. For their perseverance, they were rewarded with an ugly truth: First-class upgrades, already in scarce supply, are set to become scarcer still.

Most frequent travelers know that to find flash sales and other great deals on economy-class air tickets through alerts, you don’t have to look far: Our sister site AirfareWatchdog, for example, is a leader in the field. Lots of online travel agencies and metasearch systems offer up standard airfare alerts—but finding one that will flag premium airfare deals requires a little bit more insider knowledge, and some cash.

United Airline’s first class cabin is getting a high-tech upgrade.