What's Happening
13 minutes ago

Think American Express Is Expensive? This Chart Might Change Your Mind.

foolfool.com
18 minutes ago

Will the "Trump Put" Save Nvidia?

foolfool.com
26 minutes ago

This Is the Average Social Security Benefit for Age 67

foolfool.com
28 minutes ago

Will This 1 New Catalyst for Solana Be a Game Changer?

foolfool.com
29 minutes ago

Is Now a Good Time to Buy the Dip in Dogecoin?

foolfool.com
33 minutes ago

After Selling 30,000 EVS, Hertz Is Now Chasing Fleet Rotation To Reduce Losses

benzingabenzinga.com
41 minutes ago

Why Airbnb Shares Are Trading Higher By Around 14%; Here Are 20 Stocks Moving Premarket

benzingabenzinga.com
42 minutes ago

Warren Buffett's 4th-Quarter Trades Will Be Revealed Today, but Won't Show His Favorite Stock to Buy. Here's Why.

foolfool.com
48 minutes ago

This Looming Catalyst Could Boost XRP, Dogecoin, and Shiba Inu

foolfool.com
48 minutes ago

Is Estée Lauder an Undervalued Stock Right Now?

foolfool.com
53 minutes ago

Nvidia Stock Investors Just Got Great News From TSMC

foolfool.com
56 minutes ago

Here's How Generative AI Factors Into Amazon's Plan for Growth

foolfool.com
57 minutes ago

Billionaire David Tepper of Appaloosa Is Buying Shares of Nvidia and Dumping a Key Artificial Intelligence (AI) Rival

foolfool.com
1 hour ago

Can You Retire at 55? What the FIRE Movement Says You'll Need to Do

foolfool.com
1 hour ago

Billionaire Peter Thiel-Backed Crypto Startup Plasma Raises $20M To Develop Bitcoin-Based Stablecoin Network

benzingabenzinga.com
1 hour ago

Massive News for Super Micro Stock Investors

foolfool.com
1 hour ago

Alphabet's Revenue Miss in Q4 Isn't the Only Reason Investors Should Be Concerned About the Stock

foolfool.com
1 hour ago

Arthur Hayes Says Trump Coin Will Lead Bitcoin If Market Sentiment Turns Favorable, Calls Memecoin 'Purest And Most Honest Popularity Metric'

benzingabenzinga.com
1 hour ago

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Gets a Huge FDA Approval Which Could Send the Stock Skyrocketing

foolfool.com
1 hour ago

Where Will Palantir Technologies Be in 5 Years?

foolfool.com

2 Times You Should — and Shouldn’t — Upgrade to Business Class

A plane flying to the left

Image source: Upsplash/The Motley Fool

If the cost of business class was somewhat comparable to flying economy, a lot of us would upgrade frequently. But that’s not the case.

A business-class ticket could, in some cases, cost thousands more than an economy fare. So if you’re someone who doesn’t want to whittle your savings account down to $0, it’s important to choose your business-class upgrades strategically.

Here are a couple of times when it pays to spring for business class — and when you should skip it.

Take the business-class upgrade

Here are two times when it makes sense to consider business class.

1. When being jet lagged could be a real issue

The last thing you want is for a trip you’ve saved for to get ruined by a persistent bout of jet lag. It’s a big myth that you can sleep off jet lag in a day and recover fully. Depending on your body, you may be sluggish for the better part of a week, which could seriously affect your travel plans.

If you’re traveling across time zones and are worried about jet lag, then it pays to upgrade to business class. This may be the case if you’re taking a West Coast red-eye flight to the East Coast, or if you’ve traveling from the U.S. to Europe and need some shut-eye during your time in the air.

2. When it’s a special occasion

Seeing your sister for your twice-a-year get-together is something to look forward to. But it’s not necessarily a special-enough occasion to warrant a business class upgrade.

However, if you’re taking a trip to Vegas for your 40th birthday or you’re embarking on your honeymoon, you don’t want the experience spoiled by cramped economy seats. It pays to upgrade to business class when it’s a truly special occasion, and one you want to kick off on the right note.

Skip the upgrade

Here are two times when you’re better off in economy.

1. When there’s food and drink already included

One big benefit of flying business class is getting free food and drink — and high-quality meals at that. But if you’re taking a flight where everyone is entitled to a free meal and beverage service, then you’re not getting quite the same value out of a business-class ticket.

It’s common to get a meal on international flights, for example, regardless of the fare you book. And some airlines might also include a complimentary beverage of your choice — even alcohol. So you may want to save your business-class upgrade when it’s the only way to score free meals and drinks, such as a longer domestic flight.

2. When you have to pay the entire cost out of pocket

Many people use credit card rewards or air miles to upgrade to business class. This can make the cost far more manageable, since often, you only need to pay taxes and fees. But if you don’t have points or miles to cash in, then you may want to stick with economy so you don’t blow the bulk of your vacation budget on the flight alone.

That said, using the right credit card could make it easier to score free upgrades. Click here for a list of travel reward credit cards that could be your ticket to future business-class trips.

It’s natural to prefer business class to economy, especially for a longer journey. But remember, the more you spend on a business-class ticket, the less money you have left over for other expenses, whether it’s everyday bills or other aspects of a trip you’re taking (like a nicer hotel room). You’ll need to think about whether business class is really worth it before forking over the money or cashing in the credit card points or miles you have available.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Related Posts

The average retirement age in the U.S. was 62 in 2023, but that number’s been slowly ticking up over time. Rising life expectancies and rising

While the stock market is still thriving, some investors may be feeling wary about the future. Spiking inflation could cause the Federal Reserve to shift

There are plenty of ways to become a millionaire, like starting a successful business, being a professional athlete, or becoming a movie star. For most

Sadly, a lot of people go into retirement with minimal savings. But if you’re gearing up to retire this year, you’ve hopefully managed to amass