Is It Worth It To Fly Business Class On A Long Haul Flight

[livinthailandos]

If you have flown business class before on a long haul flight is it worth the price,experience and comfort to justify the price. ( when I mean long haul flight I mean a flight more than 8 hours long ). If it was worth the price, can you explain why, examples include either service or for comfort etc

Just curious to get opinions on this topic

[richard_smith237]

It's not worth it when I look back and see how much extra I've spent on flying business class to the UK over the past handful of years.

Regarding experience and service etc... I expect nothing more than to be able to sleep on a flight comfortably. I've been so uncomfortable in economy in the past, unable to sleep, unable to get comfortable, lots of people moving around, there's always one who opens the blind and let's in the sunlight, always a screaming baby, always some people talking too loud. In economy simply because there are more people around you there is more to disturb you. If anything flying business filters out a number of inconsiderate passengers from your immediate vicinity.

Always at some point on an economy class flight I have thought 'I wish I'd just gone business class' and want to pay the upgrade there and then.

Before the flight and after the flight I feel that it's not worth it. But while on the flight its hassle free and very much worth it - I've given up thinking about how much I would have saved by going economy.

Prices on some of the airlines such as Etihad remain very competitive (i.e. less than 80,000 baht for a flight this Christmas).

[tw25rw]

It's worth it to me.. I barely fit in an economy seat. I also can't stand sitting up all night trying to sleep.

There are usually offers around and I can fly LON-BKK for around £1500. I tend to fly Thai, but sometimes EVA.. Of the 2, Thai have the slightly more comfortable seats.

I also like getting through security quickly and relaxing in a lounge for a few hours.

The only real downside for me is that they serve the meals over a number of courses taking hours when I want to settle down/sleep. I prefer the economy meals where they slap a tray full of food in front of you, then come round and take it away. Many people judge a flight by the service, but my idea of service is to be left alone except for the odd drink/bite to eat.

[falang07]

exactly, paying double or triple price just to spend 8 hours of my life in a slightly more comfortable seat, no way, I can think of much better ways to spend the money

[gmac]

exactly, paying double or triple price just to spend 8 hours of my life in a slightly more comfortable seat, no way, I can think of much better ways to spend the money

Yes and no. Business class is a luxury I can only dream of but if I had shedloads of money I would gladly say goodbye to economy class.

[pluto_manibo]

I have been upgraded to Business class a few times because of frequent flyer points. I don't think I would ever pay for it out of my own pocket. The experience was very enjoyable but it is not worth the money they are asking for.

[rakman]

I sure enjoyed the extra room and amenities in Biz Class, but glad I worked for a company that had a policy of over 8 hours flight got you into biz class, so I didn't have to pay the huge tab.

When I fly on holiday, I go economy and try to choose the most comfortable, amenable airlines at a decent price. Sometimes you get a bargain, and sometimes you wish you'd paid a US$100 more for the better airline.

If my continuing hard work pays off, I'll do the biz class on my dime.

There is no better way to fly than putting on noise cancelling headphones and getting into a sleepy alcohol induced slumber for 14 hours.

[Spoonman]

A few $$$ worth of Xanax makes even the worst flight enjoyable, best of all when it crashes into a mountain or the ocean you will never never know.

[Farang0tang]

My last flight over was business class, but only because my company left it too late to book my flight and economy was full up - so they had to shell out.

It was on the new A380. Fantastic seats beds! But I didnt get any sleep - was stood at the bar most of the flight with a load of other expats!

But same as other poster, I wouldnt pay out my own money, unless it was special offer greatly reduced rate than normal.

[Flatouthruthefog]

A few $$$ worth of Xanax makes even the worst flight enjoyable, best of all when it crashes into a mountain or the ocean you will never never know.

I never take drugs, but I always fly economy, sitting as close to the toilets in the back as possible.

Cases of aircraft reversing into mountains are totally unknown.

[kurtmartens]

Worth every cent. I am lucky enough that my firm flies me business class on any international flights AND allows me to keep the points/miles (which in business class are usually 150%). This pushes you up to Silver and Gold quickly - and on EK (and Thai) its worth it. Add to that the ability to get to the airport with minimal time left, lounge access to catch up on pre flight emails, etc and avoiding most of the annoying tourists and its worth it.

In Bangkok if flying business class on Thai its night that you can go to the "private" immigration desk and speed through. Same on arrival - although I think any airline business class ticket will let you do that on arrival in BKK.

Plus with the miles I get, I can then turn around and travel business class on my personal trips.

[smokie36]

I flew Biz class for a few years then simply decided it wasn't worth it. The product is very variable between even flights not just airlines.

The only bit I miss is the larger leg room and wider seat. The rest is just superfluous really. I can get pissed on champagne before the flight anyway which is my new and much cheaper tactic....

[clip]

it is absolutely worth it, better service,  more compfort ,better food,  and a bed is much nicer than those tiny economy seats<img class="bbc_emoticon" alt=":jap:" src="http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/jap.gif"><br>

[WilliaminBKK]

For me the experience starts at check in, special queues, the lounge, boarding first, better seats if not beds, great food, super wine, first to de-plane as they say life isn't measured by the breaths we take rather the moment that take our breath away and J class and F class do it all the time for me.

If you can afford it go for it and do yourself a favour and dress up like the old days, I don't know just makes me feel better.

[Traxster]

I also have been upgraded a couple of times and if I could afford it I would travel Business Class absolutely every time .

Edited September 1, 2011 by metisdead
Please do not post in all capital letters, bold, unusual fonts, sizes or colors. It can be difficult to read.

[MRToMRT]

Just get "Thai" american express card. I always upgrade to Business for "free" if I have acrrued enough points.

I would be pushed to fork out the dosh for a full fare business class ticket myself. I also use my Thai ROP card which gets me some free upgrades

Edited September 1, 2011 by MRToMRT

[jybkk]

If I was to summary all those answers, it would be: it depends.

If the extra expense is not a huge burden on your budget, then it's worth it. What makes it even worth it is if you are pretty tall, if you need good conditions to sleep (and if you need sleep to be properly functioning), if you have easily back problems...

In other words, it depends on you.

I flew several times Business and on very long flights it's a benediction because I can actually have a normal day once I arrive. In economy, it's more random. It will greatly depend on your neighbors. If I don't have a really tight schedule, then it's not a big deal, I'll rest on the day after the landing. But if it's a short trip where I need to make the best out of every day, Business class can be really worth it.

[steelepulse]

Just get "Thai" american express card. I always upgrade to Business for "free"

So how does that work? Fly on Thai air and pay by Thai amex and every flight is upgraded? I haven't heard of that one. BTW, is that booking Y class only, or a discounted economy ticket that automatically gets upgraded.

[robblok]

A few $$$ worth of Xanax makes even the worst flight enjoyable, best of all when it crashes into a mountain or the ocean you will never never know.

I have to agree with you. Xanax changed my flying life business cant compete with a few tabs of xanax.

[seedy]

I fly EVA. Their premium economy gives you business class seat size and spacing with economy meals.

Flying YVR - TPE they only feed you twice, so no biggy. 12.5 - 13 hours

TPE - BKK feed you once.

I would never go back to economy. Best of all - only about 250 bucks more.

Edited September 1, 2011 by seedy

[supaprik]

flying business is excellent, personally I feel much better after long hauls, everything as mentioned above, from check in to baggage collection usually runs smoothly, I use both Thai and sometimes due to price I use Cathay both ex Melbourne and both excellent....never cattle class again for me and no xanax required, if you can afford it DO IT...

[pomchop]

I flew biz and first mostly free or highly discounted for 30 years as I was in the Travel Biz. And of course given a choice of up front or in the back for same price I would take the front.

BUT....in my opinion IF I were paying out of my pocket it's not worth it to me. Personally I would rather sit in coach for ten hours and if i save $1500 or so then take the $1500 savings and upgrade my accommodations for a week or so to a very nice hotel room or suite. More value to me in having a very nice room where i will spend a lot of hours over a 7 day period than being up front for ten hours or so. I try to prepare well for coach travel by getting to airports early, trying my best to get an exit row aisle seat, make sure i have a good MP3 player handy, as well as a good book, some decent food/snacks, a blow up neck pillow and a couple of good sleeping pills. I also usually go to the local library in usa and pick up a dozen or so outdated magazines which are usually free....take the mags on board in a throwaway plastic bag and they sure help to pass the time...plus of course after I read them and pass them on to my seatmates they can also enjoy them. Amazing that the airlines can't get some magazines to donate free copies for their flights in return for the exposure? What ever happened to magazines in coach? I do miss them.

Kinda reminds me of an ex girlfriend in bangkok...she was moving to phuket and i offered to buy her an air asia ticket....the next day she comes back and ask me if i mind if she takes the money for airline ticket and buy bus ticket....she had calculated that to ride the bus for 10 hours or so would save something like 800 baht and in her mind she then figured that sitting on the bus would be like someone paying her 80 baht an hour instead of flying...hard to argue with the logic as 80 baht an hour to her was big baht....so of course i said "up to you" and she rode the bus, got off happy with extra baht in her pocket.

Of course not sure I would go the bus route but then again my legs are a lot longer than her's and 80 baht an hour is not same same to me as to her. I actually very much respected her honesty and her decision.

[NanLaew]

The main advantages as far as I am concerned is the 'fast-track' through the airport at either end of the flight. Lounges are hit or miss with the carriers home-base airport lounges generally being worth it but it is inconsistent. I seldom stay awake for the meals unless it is sensibly timed. For example, the TG flight to London that departs around 1am and still serves a full dinner around 3am (local time)... &lt;deleted&gt;? Also asking you what you want for breakfast before you go to sleep doesn't sit well with me as coffee and a croissant is all I need to kick start the day. I do recall doing a Delta flight to Rio in Business where they gave the passenger the choice of when they wanted to eat which I thought was excellent.... pity all their other aspects of service suck though!

I haven't experienced a true 'lie-flat' bed yet but the sloping things that prevail on most carriers don't make for a good nights sleep IMHO. I am 6' 4" and my usual pre-flight plan involves not getting enough sleep before I board so that I am dog-tired and usually asleep as they push back from the gate. Otherwise, I don't sleep any better in Business than I do in Coach.

If my Client is paying, I happily use Business Class. If there's a good deal when booking personal travel, then I will consider it. However, I have found that most of the carriers I use have a 'premium' economy section with the extra 2"-3" of legroom that makes that much more cost effective than a full blown Business Class seat. I read that Cathay Pacific are introducing such a section in their Coach class. I use KL to Europe and UA to the US as they both have the 'leggy bits' at the front. Generally speaking, TG's coach seats are better than their rivals and if they went with a special legroom area in Coach, I think they would be on a winner but I haven't seen that option listed in their airplane upgrade list.

[theoldgit]

Just get "Thai" american express card. I always upgrade to Business for "free"

So how does that work? Fly on Thai air and pay by Thai amex and every flight is upgraded? I haven't heard of that one. BTW, is that booking Y class only, or a discounted economy ticket that automatically gets upgraded.

No, you deleted the most important bit of the quote "if I have accrued enough points."

The Thai Amex Card will not automatically get you an upgrade, but it does allow you to earn the points to do so, as other cards do.

To go back to the OP's question, business class is good but only if money isn't an issue, I started working out the extra cost per hour and now very rarely do it.

I recently used the last of my Virgin miles for a flight from Hong Kong to London, I went to London in Upper Class and back in economy, talk about after the lord mayors show, it sunk in that I am well and truly yesterdays man.

Edited September 1, 2011 by theoldgit

[richard_smith237]

I fly EVA. Their premium economy gives you business class seat size and spacing with economy meals.

Flying YVR - TPE they only feed you twice, so no biggy. 12.5 - 13 hours

TPE - BKK feed you once.

I would never go back to economy. Best of all - only about 250 bucks more.

Having flown EVA premium economy (Evergreen deluxe I believe) about 8 years ago, I found the seat to be an old style business class seat. i.e. slightly wider, reclines more, more leg room - very similar to the regional short haul business class seats. While certainly better than economy class seating, these premium economy seats in no way compare the the lie flat business class seats.

I believe that EVA have more recently reconfigured their planes and the 'Elite' class is using seats that are slightly larger than economy.

I think there is a number of different style business class seating these days.

a) Seats, wider and reclines (Some Emirates flights, KLM up to 8 years ago (not sure about recent flights))

b ) Flat Bed, but when flat they are inclined and not horizontal (Thai, Qatar...)

c) 180 degree flat bed (i.e. Etihad, Some Emirates flights)

d) Full on nice wide, quilted business class beds (i.e. Singapore Airlines)

Edited September 1, 2011 by richard_smith237

[steelepulse]

Just get "Thai" american express card. I always upgrade to Business for "free"

So how does that work? Fly on Thai air and pay by Thai amex and every flight is upgraded? I haven't heard of that one. BTW, is that booking Y class only, or a discounted economy ticket that automatically gets upgraded.

No, you deleted the most important bit of the quote "if I have accrued enough points."

The Thai Amex Card will not automatically get you an upgrade, but it does allow you to earn the points to do so, as other cards do.

To go back to the OP's question, business class is good but only if money isn't an issue, I started working out the extra cost per hour and now very rarely do it.

I recently used the last of my Virgin miles for a flight from Hong Kong to London, I went to London in Upper Class and back in economy, talk about after the lord mayors show, it sunk in that I am well and truly yesterdays man.

Actually you added the " If I have accrued enough points" after my post ( see time stamp) so really using a Thai amex is not much different than accruing miles via a program's FF programme.

I've never paid for transpacific biz class, but it sure is enjoyable if I have enough miles for the upgrade or if on a company's expense acct.

[bunnaag]

Up to 4 years ago I used economy.When I left the plane on the last economy flight I got a stroke.For me it is worthwhile to fly business class where I can stretch out.

[IMA_FARANG]

Easy answer...YES, if you can afford it.

Reasons:

1. Bigger seats for "large size" people.

2. Better meals...not just the plastic knife and fork but real silverware and plates instead of a plastic tray. Usually, the food is prepared and cooked better also.

3. More attentive service. And if you're male...the female attendents are usually younger and prettier.

4. And on a long haul flight...especially a 12 or 13 hour flight...it's much easier to sleep well, so you arive at your destination feeling better when you get off the plane.

But it all depends on whether you think those extras are woth the extra cost or not.

[Chivas]

Look at it another way.

Would you pay £1000 for sitting in a more comfortable chair for 12 hours at home ?? Simple question ??

Well thats what you throw away when you fly Business UK-Bangkok.

Cannot ever be justified unless money is no object to you-if you have to ask the question you haven't enough.

[NanLaew]

Up to 4 years ago I used economy.When I left the plane on the last economy flight I got a stroke.For me it is worthwhile to fly business class where I can stretch out.

It's your diet and lifestyle that caused the stroke, not flying in Coach!

Maybe use the extra $$$ spent on Business Class airfares consulting a professional dietitian and getting a yearly full medical exam?